IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT HYDERABAD FOR THE STATE OF TELANGANA AND THE STATE OF ANDHRA PRADESH
A. RAMALINGESWARA RAO, J.
A.P. Laly - Petitioner
Vs.
Gurram Rama Rao - Respondent
Civil Revision Petition No. 1873 of 2017
Decided On : 19-09-2017
Constitution of India - Article 6(A) - Indian Stamp Act - Article 6(A) of Schedule I(A) - Section 2(5)(b) and 13 - Stamp Act – Sections 35, 36 - Plaintiff is the petitioner herein - She filed on the file of VI Additional District Judge, Markapur for recovery of an amount from the defendant - Suit was filed on the basis of a hand letter executed - Evidence of the parties was completed. During the course of evidence the said hand letter was marked and was treated as an agreement under Article of Schedule of the Indian Stamp Act - Counter was filed stating that the said application was filed only to drag on the matter - It is further stated that the plaintiff paid an amount towards stamp duty and penalty on the above said hand letter at the time of filing - Plaintiff has to pay the stamp duty and penalty and, accordingly allowed the application in part directing the plaintiff to pay the remaining stamp duty and penalty - Petitioner did not contest the finding recorded by the trial Court that is not an agreement and it is a bond but strenuously argued the maintainability of the application for de- exhibiting the document which was already admitted in evidence – Held, Courts attention was drawn the objection of the party under Section of the Act pales into insignificance and the duty of the Court comes to the forefront to decide with regard to admissibility of such a document - It is for the Court to decide whether a particular document is admissible or not - If it is inadmissible it can de-exhibit such a document - It is the decision of the Court but not that of the objector - Role of the objector is only to bring it to the notice of the Court - Even assuming that a Court decides to admit a document in evidence there is nothing in the Code of Civil Procedure prohibiting the Court from recalling such an order - Availability of a decision of the trial Court with regard to document in question as to its admission the application as filed by the defendant is maintainable and it is open to the plaintiff to pay the stamp duty and penalty as per the Rules and make a request to admit the same in evidence and it is for the Court to admit the document and mark the same - Petition is accordingly dismissed.
Heard learned counsel for the petitioner and learned counsel for the respondent.
2. The plaintiff is the petitioner herein. She filed O.S.No.6 of 2014 on the file of VI Additional District Judge, Markapur for recovery of an amount of Rs.18,92,000/- from the defendant. The suit was filed on the basis of a hand letter executed on 14.02.2011. The evidence of the parties was completed. During the course of evidence of PW.1, the said hand letter was marked as Ex.A1 and was treated as an agreement under Article 6(A) of Schedule I(A) of the Indian Stamp Act (for short the Act). PW.1 was cross-examined. When the case was posted for arguments on defendants side, the defendant filed I.A.No.490 of 2016 stating that the said document is not an agreement but it is a bond within the meaning of Section 2(5)(b) of the Act as laid down by the Full Bench of this Court in B. Bhavannarayana v. Kommuru Vullakki Cloth Merchant Firm, 1996(1) ALT 917 (FB) and it is liable to be stamped under Article 13 of Schedule I(A) of the Act and not under Article 6(A)(iv) of Schedule I(A) of the Act. It was stated that it happened by inadvertence. Though the said document was marked as exhibit, it does not amount to admission and he has got a right to challenge the admissibility of the said document. Accordingly, he sought to de-exhibit the said document.
3. A counter was filed stating that the said application was filed only to drag on the matter. It is further stated that the plaintiff paid an amount of Rs.1100/- towards stamp duty and penalty on the above said hand letter at the time of filing of the suit on 25.03.2014 and the same was endorsed on the back side of the hand letter.
4. On the above averments, the trial Court framed the following points for determination:
1. What is the nature of the document marked under Ex.A1?
2. Whether the document marked as Ex.A1 can be de-exhibited, if so to what result?
5. The trial Court, by its order dated 17.02.2017, held that the plaintiff has to pay the stamp duty and penalty and, accordingly, allowed the application in part directing the plaintiff to pay the remaining stamp duty and penalty under Article 13 of Schedule IA of the Act after deducting the stamp duty already paid under Article 6A(iv) of Schedule I(A) of the Act with the following observations:
“11. In the instant case on hand, for better appreciation, this Court reiterating the recitals of Ex.A1 as it is:
MAHARAJASRI A.P LALY, W/O BUSHAN GAARIKI MARKAPUR GRAMAMU GURRAM RAMA RAO, S/O SUBBAIAH GAARU WRAASI/WRAINCHI ICHINA CHEUTTARAM LOGA TEECHAVALASINA BAAKI VUNDAGA, E DINAMU NAA AVASARA/VYAPARA NIMITTAMU NEETAHAVUNA NEENU APPUGA TEESUKUNNA ROKKAM RS.11,00,000/- LU AKSHARALA ELEVEN LAKHS ONLY ECCHINARU GAANA MUTTINADI. INDUKU VADDI NELA 1 KI 100KI RS.2-00 PRAKARAM SAALUSARI COMPOUND VADDITO MEEKU EVVAGALAVAADANU. INDUKU AYYE PENALTY KARCHULU NEENE BARINCHAGALAVADANU RS.11,00,000/- G. RAMA RAO
12. In the instant case on hand, the document in question would show that it consists of two parts and is not attested. The first part reads as follows E DINAMU NAA AVASARA/VYAPARA NIMITTAMU NEETAHAVUNA NEENU APPUGA TEESUKUNNA ROKKAM RS.11,00,000/- LU AKSHARALA ELEVEN LAKHS ONLY ECCHINARU GAANA MUTTINADI. The second part reads as follows INDUKU VADDI NELA 1 KI 100KI RS.2-00 PRAKARAM SAALUSARI COMPOUND VADDITO MEEKU EVVAGALAVAADANU. INDUKU AYYE PENALTY KARCHULU NEENE BARINCHAGALAVADANU.
13. The maker of document has obliged himself to pay money with interest to the person named at the top of document. As per the decision referred supra, it is therefore, to be seen the document marked as Ex.A1 can be said to be a bond. Now it has to be decided what is the stamp duty and penalty collected for a bond. During the course of evidence of PW.1 the said document i.e., Ex.A1 was treated as an agreement under Art.6(A) of Schedule I(A) of the Indian Stamp Act and marked as Ex.A1. In fact the said document marked as Ex.A1 is a bond within the meaning of Sec.2(5) of the Indian Stamp A
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