Cap. 12 чл. 466Proceedings for debts due to Government.

(1) Where the head of a government department or the person vested with the legal representation of a body corporate established by law or with the legal representation of any company or other body which has been authorised by or under any law to collect any amounts due to a government department or to a body corporate established by law, desires to sue for the recovery of a debt due to a government department or to any administration thereof or to a body corporate established by law, for any services, supplies, penalties, rent, ground rent, other burdens on property, compensation for occupation and or for any licence or other fee or tax due, he may make a declaration on oath before the registrar, a judge or a magistrate wherein he is to state the nature of the debt and the name of the debtor and confirm that it is due: Provided that the provisions of this article shall also apply in respect of amounts due for the supply of water and electricity and for the rental of the relative meters but they shall not apply where prior to the service required under sub-article (2) the person from whom the amount is claimed shall have notified the claimant either by means of a judicial act or by registered post that he is disputing the metering, calculation or the charge in respect of such supply or rental.

(2) The declaration referred to in sub-article (1) shall be served upon the debtor by means of a judicial act and it shall have the same effect as a final judgment of the competent court unless the debtor shall, within a period of twenty days from service upon him of the said declaration oppose the claim by filing an application demanding that the court declare the claim unfounded.

(3) The application filed in terms of sub-article (2) shall be served upon the head of department, who shall be entitled to file a reply within a period of twenty days. The court shall appoint the application for hearing on a date after the lapse of that period.

(4) In the cases of an urgent nature the court may, upon an application of the creditor or the debtor, shorten any time limits provided for in this article by means of a decree to be served upon the other party.