It refers to the period within which legal action can be instituted against wrong doers for damages.
The following actions may not be brought after the end of 6 years from the date on which the cause of action accrued;
- Actions founded on contract;
- Actions to enforce a recognizance;
- Actions to enforce an award;
- Actions to recover a sum recoverable by virtue of a written law, other than a penalty or forfeiture or sum by way of penalty or forfeiture;
- Actions including actions claiming equitable relief, for which no other period of limitation is provided by this limitations Act or by any other written law.
An action founded on tort may not be brought after the end of 3 years from the date on which the cause of action accrued:
- Provided that an action for libel or slander may not be brought after the end of 12 months from such date
- An action for an account may not be brought in respect of any matter which arose more than 6 years before the commencement of the action.
- An action may not be brought upon a judgment after the end of 12 years from the date on which the judgment was delivered, or (where the judgment or a subsequent order directs any payment of money or the delivery of any property to be made at a certain date or at recurring periods) the date of the default in making the payment or delivery in question, and no arrears of interest in respect of a judgment debt may be recovered after the expiration of 6 years from the date on which the interest became due.
- An action to recover any penalty or forfeiture or sum by way of penalty or forfeiture recoverable by virtue of a written law may not be brought after the end of two years from the date on which the cause of action accrued.
This section does not apply to a cause of action within the Admiralty jurisdiction of the court which is enforceable in rem, except that (i) above applies to an action to recover seamen’s wages