Articles 130 explained: this guide covers what it means, who it applies to, the step-by-step process, documents required, fees, due dates and penalties in India — so you can stay compliant with confidence and avoid costly mistakes.
Four Articles of the Third Division of the Schedule to the Limitation Act, 1963 deal with steps that come after a decision: asking for leave to appeal as a "pauper", applying for revision, asking a High Court for a certificate of fitness to appeal to the Supreme Court, and applying to the Supreme Court for special leave to appeal. Articles 130 to 133 give thirty, sixty or ninety days, and the older law each names should be checked.
The text below follows the consolidated text of the Act consulted (latest amendment shown: Act 46 of 1999). Later amendments should be checked.
Leave to appeal as a pauper (Article 130) has sixty days to the High Court and thirty days to any other court, from the date of the decree appealed from. Revision (Article 131) has ninety days from the date of the decree, order or sentence. A High Court certificate of fitness (Article 132) has sixty days. Special leave to the Supreme Court (Article 133) has sixty days in a death-sentence case or after refusal by the High Court, and ninety days in any other case.
Where these Articles sit
Articles 130 to 133 are in the Third Division (applications), Part I (applications in specified cases). The column head reads "Description of suit" although these are applications. A legal dispute resolution review of the order is the first step, because the days run from the date of the decree, order or sentence. Our guide to how the Schedule is laid out explains the three columns.
Copied as printed:
| Article | Description of suit | Period of limitation | Time from which period begins to run |
|---|---|---|---|
| 130 | For leave to appeal as a pauper— | ||
| 130 (a) | to the High Court; | Sixty days. | The date of decree appealed from. |
| 130 (b) | to any other court. | Thirty days. | The date of decree appealed from. |
| 131 | To any court for the exercise of its powers of revision under the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 (5 of 1908), or the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898 (5 of 1898). | Ninety days. | The date of the decree or order or sentence sought to be revised. |
| 132 | To the High Court for a certificate of fitness to appeal to the Supreme Court under clause (1) of article 132, article 133 or sub-clause (c) of clause (1) of article 134 of the Constitution or under any other law for the time being in force. | Sixty days. | The date of the decree, order or sentence. |
| 133 | To the Supreme Court for special leave to appeal,— | ||
| 133 (a) | in a case involving death sentence; | Sixty days. | The date of the judgment final order or sentence. |
| 133 (b) | in a case where leave to appeal was refused by the High Court; | Sixty days. | The date of the order of refusal. |
| 133 (c) | in any other case. | Ninety days. | The date of the judgment or order. |
Cautions on what the print names. The word "pauper" in Article 130 is the Act's own term and is printed without any update; check the current law on that subject. Article 131 names the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898 (5 of 1898), and Article 132 names articles 132, 133 and 134 of the Constitution and a "certificate of fitness", all as printed. The print is not brought up to date on these references; check the current law for the corresponding provisions and periods. This article names no replacement. In Article 133(a), the print has "The date of the judgment final order or sentence", with no comma after "judgment".
Not the same as Article 136. Article 136 of the Schedule is about execution of decrees. It is unrelated to article 136 of the Constitution, which is the source of special leave to appeal; our post on special leave petitions covers the latter.
Article by Article with dates
Under section 12(1), the day from which the period is reckoned is excluded, so day one is the day after the starting date. The examples use future dates for illustration only.
Article 130: leave to appeal as a pauper. Sixty days to the High Court and thirty days to any other court, from "the date of decree appealed from". For a decree dated 12 April 2027, the sixty days end on 11 June 2027 and the thirty days on 12 May 2027. Section 13 of the Act deals with time spent on an application to sue or appeal as a pauper that is rejected; see our article on sections 12 and 13.
Article 131: revision. Ninety days from "the date of the decree or order or sentence sought to be revised", to any court for the exercise of its powers of revision under the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 or the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898. For an order dated 3 May 2027, the ninety days end on 1 August 2027. Section 12(2) excludes, for an application for revision, the day on which the judgment was pronounced and the time requisite for obtaining a copy. For revision in civil cases, see our post on revision under the Code of Civil Procedure.
Article 132: certificate of fitness to appeal to the Supreme Court. Sixty days from "the date of the decree, order or sentence", for an application to the High Court for a certificate of fitness to appeal to the Supreme Court under the Constitution articles named, "or under any other law for the time being in force". For an order dated 1 July 2027, the sixty days end on 30 August 2027.
Article 133(a): special leave in a case involving a death sentence. Sixty days from "the date of the judgment final order or sentence". For a sentence dated 15 September 2027, the sixty days end on 14 November 2027.
Article 133(b): leave refused by the High Court. Sixty days from "the date of the order of refusal". For a refusal dated 10 October 2027, the sixty days end on 9 December 2027.
Article 133(c): any other case. Ninety days from "the date of the judgment or order". For a judgment dated 20 August 2027, the ninety days end on 18 November 2027.
Late applications: section 5
Section 5 allows an application, other than one under any provision of Order XXI of the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908, to be admitted after the prescribed period if the applicant satisfies the court that he had sufficient cause for not making it within the period. Read our article on section 5. Whether the cause is sufficient is for the court, so counting the days carefully matters more than any plan to rely on section 5.
What can change the count
- Section 12(2) and (3): for revision, the day of judgment and the time to obtain copies are excluded.
- Section 13: time spent on a rejected pauper application is excluded in the case it describes.
- Section 4: if the last day falls when the court is closed, the application may be made on the day it re-opens. See sections 3 and 4.
- Section 5: sufficient cause for a late application.
Special laws
Section 29(2) provides that where a special or local law prescribes a different period, that period applies. Appeals and revisions under tax, company, insolvency, consumer and arbitration laws follow those laws; this article states none of those periods.
Need help with a revision or an appeal beyond the High Court?
Revision and special leave periods start on the date of the order, and the older provisions named in the Schedule need to be checked against current law. We can help you fix the dates and plan next steps through legal dispute resolution.
Key takeaways
- Article 130: sixty days to the High Court, thirty days to any other court, for leave to appeal as a pauper.
- Article 131: ninety days for revision.
- Article 132: sixty days for a High Court certificate of fitness.
- Article 133: sixty days (death sentence; refusal by the High Court) or ninety days (any other case) for special leave to the Supreme Court.
- Articles 131 and 132 name the 1898 Code and Constitution articles as printed; check the current law.
- Section 5 can admit a late application, other than under Order XXI, for sufficient cause; later amendments should be checked.
Read next
- Articles 124–129: review, instalments and applications in execution
- Articles 134–137: execution of decrees and the residuary article for applications
- Articles 114–117: appeals under the criminal and civil procedure codes
- Special leave petition under article 136 of the Constitution
Disclaimer: Based on a consolidated text of the Limitation Act, 1963 and its Schedule whose latest amendment shown is Act 46 of 1999, as consulted on 2 October 2026. A special or local law may fix a different period; later amendments and the current procedural law should be checked. This article is general information, not legal advice; check the official text before acting.