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2023 Supreme(AP) 1605

IN THE HIGH COURT OF ANDHRA PRADESH AT AMARAVATI
R. RAGHUNANDAN RAO, J.
Chukka Ramalakshmi and Ors. – Appellants
Versus
Bobbili Anteravedi and Ors. – Respondents
CRP (SR) No. 27064 of 2023
Decided On : 01-08-2023

Advocates:
Advocate Appeared:
For the Appellant : Aditya Harshavardhan

Headnote:(A) Civil Procedure Code, 1908 - Order VII Rule 10-A and Order XLIII Rule 1 - Jurisdiction of Civil Court - Suit for partition returned due to pecuniary jurisdiction - Petitioners contended that revision is maintainable due to the bar on appeal under Order VII Rule 10-A sub-rule (5) - Incorrect interpretation of procedures led to error in denying appeal - Order VII Rule 10-A entails a process that must be followed to invoke the bar on appeal - Constitutional remedies under Articles 226 and 227 can be exercised despite alternative remedies being available but requires special circumstances - Court declined to exercise jurisdiction under Article 227 given the adequacy of the appeal remedy. (Paras 8, 12, 14)

(B) Appealability - The court clarified that an appeal is permissible from a return of plaint scenario if the proper procedure under Order VII Rule 10-A is not followed. (Paras 10-12)

(C) Discretionary power - The court noted that the exercise of jurisdiction under Articles 226 and 227 should be sparingly done when an adequate alternative remedy exists. (Para 14)

Facts of the case:
The petitioners filed a suit for partition, which was returned by the Trial Court for being beyond its pecuniary jurisdiction, leading to this revision petition.

Findings of Court:
The Court found no bar to the appeal and directed the civil revision petition to be returned to the petitioners; they were allowed to pursue their remedies under law.

Issues: The key questions addressed were the maintainability of a revision against the return of a plaint and the examination of jurisdictional questions under the CPC.

Ratio Decidendi: The Court ruled that the proper procedural steps under Order VII Rule 10-A were critical to invoke the bar against an appeal, which was not adhered to in this case, thus allowing the appeal.

Result: Civil revision petition is returned with instructions to pursue alternative remedies.

Table of Content
1. suit filed for partition by petitioners. (Para 1 , 2 , 3)
2. petitioners argue for maintainability of revision. (Para 4 , 5)
3. procedure for returning plaint established. (Para 6 , 8 , 10)
4. return of plaint precludes appeal. (Para 7 , 9 , 12)
5. (Para 13 , 14)
6. civil revision petition returned allowing other remedies. (Para 15)

ORDER :

R. Raghunandan Rao, J.

1. The petitioners herein had filed OS No. 33 of 2010 before the learned Senior Civil Judge, Tadepalligudem for partition of the plaint scheduled property.

2. The defendants in the suit had appeared and filed their written statement and Trial had been conducted. After the completion of the Trial, the Trial Court had taken a view that the Suit is beyond the pecuniary jurisdiction of the Court and returned the plaint to the petitioners.

3. Aggrieved by the said return of plaint, the petitioners have approached this Court by way of the present revision petition. At that stage, the Registry had taken an objection that a revision would not be maintainable as an appeal had been provided under Order XLIII Rule 1 of C.P.C.

4. The petitioners had sought the matter to be placed before the Court for a hearing on the question of whether a revision is maintainable in such circumstances or not.

5. Sri Aditya Harshavardhan, learned Counsel appearing for the petitioners would submit that the plaint had been returned under Order VII Rule 10-A and sub-rule (5) of Order VII Rule 10-A bars any appeal to be filed in the event of return of plaint under Order VII Rule 10-A of C.P.C. He would submit that in such circumstances only a revision would be maintainable. He would also submit that on the merits of the case there would be gross injustice caused to the petitioner, if the plaint is returned at this stage and consequently it would be always be open to this Court to intervene under Article 227 of the Constitution of India, as the availability of an alternative remedy does not in any manner prohibit this Court from considering a revision under Article 227 of the Constitution of India.

6. Order VII Rule 10 of C.P.C. provides that a Court can return any plaint which in the opinion of the Court cannot be heard by the said Court.

7. Any party aggrieved by such a decision of the Court, under Order VII Rule 10 can approach the higher Court by way of an appeal under Order XLIII Rule 1(a) of C.P.C. Order VII Rule 10-A of C.P.C. was introduced by way of Amendment Act No. 104 of 1976.

8. Order VII Rule 10-A of C.P.C. provides for a situation where a Court arrives at an opinion that the plaint has to be returned, after the defendants appear in the case. In such a situation, the Court would have to give an intimation of its decision to the plaintiff. Upon such intimation being given, it would be open to the plaintiff to move an application under Order VII Rule 10-A(2) for directions from the Court to specify the Court where the plaint would have to be presented; the date of appearance of the parties in the said Court and waiving further notice of the date so fixed to all the parties. In the event of such an application being made, the Court, returning the plaint, can pass necessary orders under sub-rule (4). In the event of such a procedure being followed, the plaintiff would not be entitled to appeal against the order returning the plaint. This provision under sub-rule (5) is reflected again in Order XLIII Rule 1 of C.P.C., which reads as follows:

    "1. Appeal from orders.-An appeal shall lie from the following orders under the provisions of Section 104, namely:

    (a) an order under Rule 10 of Order VII returning a plaint to be presented to the proper Court [except where the procedure specified in Rule 10-A of Order VII has been followed];"

9. The learned Counsel for the petitioner would submit that since the plaint had been returned after the defendant had appeared, the return of the plaint would have to be treated as a return of plaint under Order VII Rule 10-A and consequently the Bar to any appea

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