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2020 Supreme(SC) 639

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA
ASHOK BHUSHAN, R. SUBHASH REDDY, M.R. SHAH, JJ.
Biraji @ Brijraji and Another – Appellants
Versus
Surya Pratap and Others – Respondents
Civil Appeal Nos. 4883-4884 of 2017
Decided On : 03-11-2020

Advocates Appeared:
For the Appellant(s) :S.D. Singh, Bharti Tyagi, Rahul Kumar Singh, Jitender Singh, Ram Kripal Singh, Meenu Singh, Advocates
For the Respondent(s):Santosh Kumar Tripathi, Advocates

The main legal point established is that in the absence of pleading, evidence will not suffice, and the court's decisions were in accordance with settled principles of law.

Headnote:

Application for Summoning Record - Adoption Deed - O.S. No. 107/2010 - 14.11.2001 - Application No. 97-C, Application No. 109-C - Orders dated 22.02.2013 and 10.05.2013 - High Court orders dated 12.07.2013 - Revision No. 85/2013, Civil Revision No. 82/2013, Civil Revision No. 58 of 2013 - Application No. 103-A

Fact of the Case:

The appellants, plaintiffs in O.S. No. 107/2010, sought to cancel a registered adoption deed and obtain consequential injunction orders. They filed applications to summon records regarding the leaves of Ramesh Chander Singh from Rajput Regiment Centre Fatehgarh, claiming he was on duty on the date of the alleged adoption ceremony. The Trial Court dismissed the applications, and subsequent revision petitions and writ petitions were also dismissed.

Finding of the Court:

The Court found that the applications for summoning records were filed at a belated stage, without any pleading in the suit, and were rightly dismissed by the Trial Court, Revisional Court, and High Court. The Court also noted the appellants' attempt to protract the litigation despite directions for expeditious disposal of the suit.

Issues: The issues revolved around the belated filing of applications to summon records, absence of pleading in the suit, and the appellants' conduct in the litigation.

Ratio Decidendi: The Court held that in the absence of pleading, any amount of evidence will not help the party. It also emphasized that the reasons recorded in the orders passed by the Trial Court, as confirmed by the Revisional Court and High Court, were valid and in accordance with settled principles of law.

Final Decision: The appeals were dismissed, with no order as to costs.

JUDGMENT :

R. SUBHASH REDDY, J.

1. These civil appeals are filed, by the plaintiffs in the Original Suit No. 107/2010, pending on the file of Civil Judge (J.D.) Saidpur, Gazipur, aggrieved by the order dated 12.07.2013, passed in Writ Petition (Civil) Nos. 37415/2013 and 37416 of 2013.

2. The writ petition in W.P. (C) No. 37415/2013, filed before High Court of Judicature at Allahabad, was directed against the order dated 22.02.2013, passed by the Trial Court on an Application No. 97-C in O.S. No. 107/2010 and the order of the Revisional Court dated 02.07.2013, passed in Revision No. 85/2013, passed by the District Judge, Gazipur. W.P. (C) No. 37416/2013 was filed against the order dated 10.05.2013, in the same suit, passed on Application No. 109-C, as confirmed by the Revisional Court in Civil Revision No. 82/2013 vide order dated 02.07.2013.

3. The appellants herein are plaintiffs in the suit in O.S. No. 107/2010, filed on the file of Civil Judge (J.D.) Saidpur. In the said suit, the appellants have questioned the adoption deed, executed by late Sudama Singh, who was father of the first plaintiff executed in favor of defendant no. 1 registered before Sub-Registrar, Jakhaniya, District Gazipur. Further, consequential injunction orders are sought to restrain the defendant herein from interfering in the peaceful possession of the appellants-plaintiffs with the property as mentioned in the plaint. It is an undisputed fact that the evidence is closed and the matter was coming up for arguments in the above said suit and when the matter was listed for final arguments, at that stage, the appellants have filed an Application No. 97-C, to summon the record, regarding the leaves of Ramesh Chander Singh from Rajput Regiment Centre Fatehgarh. The said Ramesh Chander Singh is the father of first respondent, who is arrayed as second defendant in the suit. Third defendant is the mother of first defendant, who claims he is the adopted son of late Sudama Singh. It is the case of the plaintiff that there was no adoption by following the necessary formalities and the claim of adoption is false and incorrect. In the suit filed, they have questioned the registered adoption deed, registered before the Sub-Registrar. On the ground that the second respondent-Ramesh Chander Singh was not present during the adoption ceremony and he was on duty on the date of alleged adoption ceremony, the aforesaid application was filed in Application No. 97-C for summoning the 2001 leave records of defendant No. 2 Ramesh Chander Singh from Rajput Regiment Centre Fatehgarh. The said application was opposed by filing objections by the respondents. The Trial Court, mainly on the ground that there was no such pleading in the plaint and also on the ground that such application was filed at the belated stage, dismissed the said application by order dated 22.02.2013.

4. Almost with similar prayer, as sought in Application No. 97-C, another application was filed in Application No. 109-C and the said application is also dismissed by the Trial Court vide order dated 10.05.2013.

5. Questioning the aforesaid two orders that is the order dated 22.02.2013, passed in Application No. 97-C and a subsequent order dated 10.05.2013, passed in Application No. 109-C, the plaintiffs have carried the matter by way of revision petitions before the District Court, which are ended in dismissal and aggrieved by the same, the petitioners have filed writ petitions before the High Court in W.P. (C) Nos. 37415/2013 and 37416/2013, which are dismissed by separate orders, vide orders dated 12.07.2013.

6. We have heard Sri. S.D. Singh, learned counsel appearing for the appellants and Sri Santosh Kumar Tripathi, learned counsel appearing for the respondents.

7. Having heard the learned counsels on both sides, we have perused the impugned orders and other material placed on record. The suit in Original Suit No. 107/2010 is filed for cancellation of registered adoption deed and for consequential injunction orders


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