2] The documents which the defendant seeks to produce on record are public documents and, according to the plaintiff, are admissible in evidence. Rule 1 of Order XIII of the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 prior to its amendment, provided that the parties or their pleaders shall produce, at or before the settlement of issues, all the documentary evidence of every description in their possession or power, on which they intend to rely, and which has not already been filed in Court, and all documents which the Court has ordered to be produced. Rule 2 of Order XIII of the Code prior to amendment, provided discretion to the Court to permit production of document if good cause is shown for receiving documentary evidence on record. Rule 2 provided that no documentary evidence in the possession or power of any party which should have been but has not been, produced in accordance with the requirements of rule 1 shall be received at any subsequent stage of the proceedings unless good cause is shown to the satisfaction of the Court for the non-production thereof; and the Court receiving any such evidence shall record the reasons for so doing. Sub-Rule (2) of Rule 2 of Order XIII of the Code prior to amendment, provided that nothing in sub-rule (1) shall apply to documents produced for the cross-
