Andhra Pradesh High Court
Judges : JAGMOHAN REDDY
Vaddi Narayanamurthy - Appellant
Versus
State - Respondent
Decided On : 12-18-64
COURT FEES - REVISION PETITION - COURT FEES AND SUITS VALUATION ACT, 1956, SCHEDULE II, ARTICLES 11 (Q) AND 11 (U) - REVISION PETITION AGAINST DECREE OF SMALL CAUSES COURT - COURT FEE PAYABLE.
Fact of the Case:
The issue was whether Article 11 (q) of Schedule II of the Andhra court-fees and Suits Valuation Act, 1956, would apply to revisions filed before the High Court against the Decrees under section 25 of the Small Causes Courts Act, or whether the residuary Article 11 (u) of Schedule II is applicable.
Finding of the Court:
The court held that Article 11 (q) of Schedule II of the Andhra court-fees and Suits Valuation Act, 1956, applies only to orders passed by Small Causes Courts which are not decrees. Since there is no other provision for a revision against a decree, necessarily Article 11 (a) must apply and Rs. 2 would be the Court-fee.
Issues: Whether Article 11 (q) of Schedule II of the Andhra court-fees and Suits Valuation Act, 1956, will apply to revisions filed before the high Court against the Decrees under section 25 of the Small Causes Courts Act, or whether the residuary Article 11 (u) of Schedule II is applicable.
Ratio Decidendi: The court interpreted the provisions of Articles 11 (q) and 11 (u) of Schedule II of the Andhra court-fees and Suits Valuation Act, 1956, and held that Article 11 (q) applies only to orders passed by Small Causes Courts which are not decrees. The court also referred to the definitions of "decree" and "order" under the Civil Procedure Code, 1908, to support its interpretation.
Final Decision: The court directed that only Rs. 2 court-fee need be collected for revisions against decrees from a Small Causes Court.
( 2 ) IT is undisputed that prior to the amendment of the Court-fees Act in 1956, article 1 (d) (ii) of Schedule II was applicable to such revisions and Rs. 2 court-fee was being paid. Under the new Andhra Court-fees and Suits Valuation Act, 1956, the corresponding provisions to Article 1 (d) (a), (b) and (ii) of Schedule II are Article 11 (q) (i), and (ii) and 11 (u ). I give these in juxtaposition: old Act new Act article 1 (d) (i ). When presented to a High Court under section 115 of the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908, for revision of an order (a) when the value of the suit or proceeding to which the order relates does not exceed thousand rupees five rupees 11 (q ). Revision petition presented to the High Court under section 115 of the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908, or under section 25 of the Provincial Small Causes Courts Act, 1887, or under the provisions of any other Act, arising out of a suit or proceeding - (b) when the value of the suit or proceeding exceeds thousand rupees (ii) When presented to a High Court otherwise than under that sectior ten rupees two rupees (i) if the value of the suit or proceeding to which the order sought to be revised relates does not exceed Rs. 1,000 (ii) if such value exceeds Rs. 1,000 (a) Application or petition presented to the High Court and not otherwise specifically provided for five rupees. Ten rupees. Two rupees.
( 3 ) AN examination of these two provisions in contrast would show that what the new Act has done was merely to add the words "or under section 25 of the provincial Small Causes Courts Act of 1887 or the provisions of any other Act, arising out of a suit or proceeding " after the words " section 115 of the Code of civil Procedure, 1908," and to prescribe the court-fee against the orders south to be revsied in relation to the value of the suit in which those orders are passed. It cannot be denied that section 25 of the Provincial Small Causes Court? Act, provides for a revision to the High Court against decrees or orders made in any case decided by a Court of Small Causes. This provision has specifically made a distinction between a decree and an order. Article 11 (q) of the Court-fees and suits Valuation Act confines the court-fee merely to an order. Prima facie, the court-fee so prescribed would not apply to revisions against decrees of the Small causes Courts. This view is further supported by a reference to the definition of order or decree appearing in sections 2 (2) and 2 (14) of the Civil Procedure code, 1908. It may be noted that the Court-fees and Suits Valuation Act, 1955, in section 3 (iv), prescribes that the " expressions used and not defined in this Act or in the Madras General Clauses Act, 1891 (Madras Act I of 1891), but defined in the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 (Central Act V of 1908) shall have the meanings respectively assigned to them in the said Code. Section 2 (2) of Civil Procedure code, defines decree as the"formal expression of an adjudication which, so far as regards the Court expressing it, conclusively determines the rights of the parties with regard to all or any of the matters in controversy in the suit and may be either preliminary or final. "
( 4 ) IT shall be deemed to include the rejection of a plaint and the determination of any question within section 47 or section 144, but shall not include (a) any adjudi- cation from which an appeal lies as an appeal from an order, or (b) any order of dismissal for default. Then follows the explanation which is not relevant for our purpose. order under section 2 (14) means "the formal expression of any decision of a civil Court which is not a decree".
( 5 ) THE distinction between the
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