Under Order VIII, Rule 1 of the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908, a defendant must file his WRITTEN STATEMENT within ___ days of the service of summons:

Order VIII, Rule 1 of the CPC requires the defendant to present a written statement of his defence within THIRTY days from the service of summons, extendable by the court by a further period not exceeding NINETY days from the date of service, for sufficient cause. Timely filing of the written statement frames the issues and expedites trial. Delayed filing may attract costs or, in extreme cases, the right to defend may be curtailed (though not in breach of natural justice). The 30+90 day envelope is a standard time-limit question.