The provisions of Article 32 of these Rules shall apply to the defense. 2. The time limit laid down in paragraph 1 of this Article may be extended by the President on a reasoned application by the defendant. Article 36 1. The application initiating the proceedings and the defense may be supplemented by a reply to be filed within one month from the date of receipt of the defence and by a rejoinder by the defendant within one month from the date of the receipt of the reply by the applicant. 2. The time limits laid down in paragraph 1 of this Article may be extended by the President. Article 37 1. In reply or rejoinder a party may offer further evidence. The party must, however, give reasons for the delay in offering it. 2. No new plea in law may be introduced in the course of proceedings unless it is based on matters of law or of fact which come to light in the course of the procedure. 3. If in the course of the procedure one of the parties puts forward a new plea in law which is so based, the President may, even after the expiry of the normal procedural time- limits, acting on a report of the Judge - Rappoteur and after hearing the parties, allow the other party time to answer on that plea. 4. The decision on the admissibility of the plea shall be reserved for the final judgment. Article 38 1. The Court may, at any time, after hearing the parties, order that two or more cases concerning the same subject matter shall, on account of the connection between them, be joined for the purposes of the written or oral procedure or of the final judgment. 2. The cases may subsequently be disjoined. Article 39 1. The President shall fix a date on which the Judge Rappoteur is to present his preliminary report to the Court, either (a) After the rejoinder has been lodged, or (b) Where no reply or no rejoinder has been lodged within the time limit fixed in Accordance with Article 59 of these rules, or (c) Where the party concerned has waived his right to lodge a reply or rejoinder, or