22. Filing of reply and other documents by the respondents
(1) Each respondent intending to contest the petition shall file, in triplicate, the reply to the petition and the documents relied upon with the office of the Bench within such period as may be fixed by the Bench but not exceeding fifteen days of service of petition upon him.
(2) In the reply filed under sub-regulation (1), the respondent shall specifically admit, deny, or explain the facts stated by the petitioner in his petition and may also state such additional facts as may be found necessary for the just decision of the case. The reply so filed shall be signed and verified in the manner as provided in regulation 14.
(3) The documents referred to in sub-regulation (1) shall also be filed along with the reply and the same shall be marked as Annexures R1, R2, R3 and so on.
(4) The respondents shall also serve a copy of the reply along with the documents mentioned in sub-regulation (1) duly attested to be true copies on the petitioner or his authorized representative, if any, and file proof of such service with the office of the Bench.
(5) The Bench may if so satisfied, allow filing of the reply after the expiry of the prescribed period, on sufficient cause being, shown.