181. Power to set aside decrees and orders passed against serving seaman.- (1) Where in any proceeding before a court, a decree or order has been passed against any seaman while he was a serving seaman, the seaman, or if he dies while he is serving seaman, his or order set aside, and if the court after giving on opportunity to the opposite party of being heard, is satisfied that the interests of justice require that the decree or order should be set aside as against the seaman, the court shall subject to such conditions, if any, as it thinks fit to impose, make an order accordingly, and may, if it appears that any opposite party in the proceeding has failed to comply with the provisions of sub-section (1) of section 179, award, subject to such conditions as it thinks fit to impose, damages against such opposite party. (2) The period of limitation for an application under sub-section (1) shall be sixty days from the date on which the seaman first ceases to be a serving seaman after the passing of the decree or order, or where the summons or notice was not duly served on the seaman in the proceeding in which the decree or order was passed, from the date on which the applicant had knowledge of the decree or order, whichever is later; and the provisions of section 5 of the Indian Limitation Act, 1908 (9 of 1908), shall apply to such applications. (3) Where the decree or order in respect so which an application under sub-section (1) is made is of such a nature that it cannot be set aside as against the seaman only, it may be set aside as against all or any of the parties against whom it was made. (4) Where a court sets aside a decree or order under this section, it shall appoint a day for proceeding with the suit, appeal or application, as the case may be, in respect of which the decree or order was passed. |
