IN THE HIGH COURT OF ANDHRA PRADESH AT AMARAVATI
NYAPATHY VIJAY, J.
Musunuri Satyanarayana - Petitioner
Versus
Dr. Tummala Indira Devi and Others - Respondents
Civil Revision Petition No. 2634 of 2023
Decided On : 10-03-2025
(A) Andhra Pradesh (Andhra Area) Tenancy Act, 1956 - Sections 15 and 16 - Civil Procedure Code, 1908 - Order XXI Rule 32 and Section 151 - Civil revision petition challenging dismissal of application for attachment of property and civil prison for respondents - Court found that the continuance of respondents in possession violated the order of the Special Officer under the Act, as confirmed by the Supreme Court. (Paras 1, 12, 28)
(B) Violation of Court Orders - The court emphasized that intentional violation of an injunction order must be established for enforcement under Order XXI Rule 32. (Paras 29, 30)
Facts of the case:
The petitioner sought to enforce a sale agreement for land against the respondents, who had allegedly violated a status quo order and continued unauthorized possession of the property. The Supreme Court had restored the order of the Special Officer, declaring the sale effective.
Findings of Court:
The lower court's dismissal of the petition was set aside, and the case was remanded to determine if the violation was intentional.
Issues: Whether the petitioner is entitled to relief for violation of the injunction order and if the respondents' actions constituted intentional violation.
Ratio Decidendi: The court ruled that the rights of the parties are determined as of the date of the institution of the case, and the respondents' continued possession was not in line with the Supreme Court's order.
Result: The civil revision petition is allowed, and the case is remanded for further inquiry.
ORDER :
This Civil Revision Petition is filed questioning the order dated 19.07.2023 in E.P.No.6 of 2022 in A.T.C.No.2 of 2003 passed by the Principal Junior Civil Judge, Ponnur, whereunder an application filed under Order XXI Rule 32 and Section 151 C.P.C., by the Petitioner seeking to order attachment of the property of respondent Nos.4 and 5; to send them to civil prison and to sell the land to compensate the damages was dismissed.
2. The introductory facts: The Petitioner filed A.T.C.No.2 of 2003 under Sections 16 and 15 of the Andhra Pradesh (Andhra Area) Tenancy Act, 1956 (for short ‘the Act’) against Respondent No.1 alone seeking to declare that the price of the scheduled land i.e. Rs.1,25,000/- per acre is reasonable and the same is accepted by the Respondent and for other consequential reliefs. As per the petition, the husband of Respondent No.1 late Dr.T.Veeraiah, Dr.T.Suryanarayana, Dr.T.Sashagiri Rao and T.Satya Narayana (Retired Engineer) were brothers.
3. The 1st Respondent was given General Power of Attorney by Dr.T.Suryanarayana to manage the properties, while Dr.T.Veeraiah died testate on 04.02.2002. Pursuant to a Will said to have been executed by Dr.T.Veeraiah, the Respondent No.1 succeeded to her husband's share of family properties situated at Mulukuduru and other places and became the absolute owner of the scheduled property. The Respondent No.1, on her behalf and on behalf of Dr.T.Suryanarayana had filed A.T.C.No.5 of 2002 before the Special Officer under the Act, Ponnur against the Petitioner, PamidiKoteswara Rao, V.Ramakrishna, C.Paparaju and others regarding existing lease among them. The Petitioner was said to be cultivating Ac.13.65 cents and as there was threat of dispossession, at the instance of brother-in-law of Respondent No.1 i.e. T.Satyanarayana, a suit O.S.No.174 of 2002 was filed seeking permanent injunction. The Petitioner also filed A.T.C.No.3 of 2002 against Respondent No.1 and her brother-in- law, Dr.T.Suryanarayana, T.Satyanarayana and T.Seshagiri Rao to declare him as cultivating tenant of Ac.13.65 cents.
4. A compromise was said to have been entered in O.S.No.174 of 2002, A.T.C.No.5 of 2002 and A.T.C.No.3 of 2002 jointly between the parties and as per the compromise, the Respondent No.1 and her brother-in-law, Dr.T.Suryanarayana, got Ac.10.76 cents, which comprises of Ac.7.04 cents in Sy.No.56/2. Ac.0.10 cents in Sy.No.56/3, Ac.0.36 cents in Sy.No.65/5B, Ac.1.89 cents in Sy.No.473/3 and Ac.1.37 cents in Sy.No.25 and the remaining extents of lands situated in other survey numbers fell to the share of T.Satyanarayana and another brother Dr.T.Seshagiri Rao. As per the compromise, Respondent No.1 and Dr.T.Suryanarayana had agreed to permit the Petitioner to continue cultivating the land in Ac.10.76 cents as tenant and pay maktha to Respondent No.1.
5. As per the Petitioner, an extent of Ac.3.37 cents out of Ac.5.39 cents belonging to Dr.T.Suryanarayana was purchased by him and his wife and entire sale consideration was paid to Respondent No.1. The Respondent No.1, out of her share of land to an extent of Ac.5.37 cents, sold away Ac.0.76 cents in Sy.No.473/3 to one Jasti Sree Vani and Ac.0.68 cents in Sy.No.25 to Venendla Ramakrishna and retained the balance extent of Ac.3.93 cents, which is in possession of the Petitioner as tenant. The Petitioner pleaded that Respondent No.1 had offered to sell the scheduled property and he agreed to purchase the same at the rate of Rs.1,25,000/- per acre. Pursuant to the determination of sale consideration, it was pleaded that the Petitioner was entitled to pay the sale consideration in 10 equal instalments of Rs.49,125/- and accordingly the said amount was paid by Demand Draft No.053831, dated 26.09.2003 drawn in the name of Respondent No.1 as per the provisions of the Act and the sale was deemed to be effective.
6. As the Respondent No.1 was not coming forward to execute sale deed, the Petitioner filed A.T.C.No.2 of 2003 under Section 16 of the Act to decl
Intentional violation of an injunction order must be established for enforcement under Order XXI Rule 32 CPC.
The inherent power of courts to restore possession is affirmed, allowing rectification of wrongful dispossession even outside strict provisions of the Civil Procedure Code.
Mesne profits are inherent in restitution and can be awarded even without a specific decree for possession, based on the principle of unjust enrichment.
Possession rights under Sections 145 and 146 Cr.P.C. must be determined without infringing on principles of natural justice, particularly regarding notice and hearing.
whether Section 35 of the Act is mandatory or directory the sale held in violation of the said provision is only illegal but not a nullity and therefore, it can be set aside only in the manner and th....
The court discussed the provisions of Order XXXIX Rule 3A of the Code of Civil Procedure and its implications on the grant of temporary injunction.
A consent judgment is binding, preventing parties from challenging execution orders if they previously agreed to the terms, even if property boundaries are unclear.
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