To challenge a court’s pecuniary jurisdiction, the defendant must raise the objection at the earliest possible stage, usually through a written application or in the written statement, asserting that the suit’s valuation exceeds or falls below the court’s monetary limits. The court may then conduct a preliminary inquiry under Order VII Rule 10 and Section 9 of the CPC to verify jurisdiction. The party challenging jurisdiction must present evidence such as valuation reports, contracts, invoices, or financial records proving that the actual value of the subject matter is beyond the court’s pecuniary competence. If the objection is upheld, the court will return the plaint for presentation before the proper court, or the case may be transferred under Section 24 CPC. Time spent in the wrong court can be excluded under Section 14 of the Limitation Act, 1963, provided the filing was done in good faith and with due diligence.
