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2001 Supreme(Kar) 86

Karnataka High Court
CHOWDAPPA - Appellant
Versus
MUNI VENKATAPPA - Respondent
Decided On : 02-05-01
M.S.A. : 137 of 2000

Advocates:
B.Ramesh, D.V.Purushotham, M.V.SESHACHALA

The main legal point established in the judgment is that an amendment constituting a new cause of action and barred by limitation under the Indian Limitation Act is impermissible. The court emphasized the need for a clear case to be made out for adverse possession and the importance of pleading adverse possession in the original suit.

Headnote:

amendment - legal contentions - Order 6 Rule 17 CPC, Articles 64 and 65 of the Indian Limitation Act - The court discussed the legality and validity of the amendment sought by the plaintiff, the effect of the amendment on the cause of action, and the applicability of the Indian Limitation Act. The court emphasized the importance of pleading adverse possession and the need for a clear case to be made out for adverse possession. The court also highlighted the bar of limitation in allowing the amendment and the legal rights accrued to the defendants.

Fact of the Case:

The plaintiff filed a suit for permanent injunction claiming adverse possession of a property. The trial court dismissed the suit, and the plaintiff filed an appeal seeking an amendment to include a plea for adverse possession. The first appellate court allowed the amendment, setting aside the trial court's judgment and decree.

Finding of the Court:

The court found that the amendment sought by the plaintiff constituted a new cause of action and was impermissible due to the bar of limitation under the Indian Limitation Act. The court emphasized the need for a clear case to be made out for adverse possession and the importance of pleading adverse possession in the original suit.

Issues: The issues revolved around the legality of the amendment sought by the plaintiff, the effect of the amendment on the cause of action, and the applicability of the Indian Limitation Act.

Ratio Decidendi: The court held that the amendment sought by the plaintiff constituted a new cause of action and was impermissible due to the bar of limitation under the Indian Limitation Act. The court emphasized the need for a clear case to be made out for adverse possession and the importance of pleading adverse possession in the original suit.

Final Decision: The appeal was allowed, setting aside the first appellate court's judgment and decree, and restoring the trial court's judgment and decree.

GOPALA GOWDA, J.

( 1 ) THIS appeal is filed by the defendants challenging the legality and validity of the impugned judgment and decree passed by the first Appellate Court in R. A. No. 44/91 dated 28. 6. 2000 in setting aside the judgment and decree passed by the addl. Munsiff, Kolar in o. S. No. 329/83 dated 20. 4. 1998 and remanding back the matter to the Trial Court to permit the plaintiff to carry out the amendment as sought for in I. A. No. 4 along with the observations made in the impugned judgment and decree urging various legal contentions. The rank of the parties in, this Judgment is referred as has been described in the original suit proceedings in the Trial Court for the sake of convenience.

( 2 ) CERTAIN brief facts which are necessary for considering therival contentions urged by the learned Counsel appearing on behalf of the parties are stated as hereunder:- the plaintiff filed original suit praying for grant of bare permanent injunction restraining the defendants from interferring with his alleged adverse possession in respect of the suit schedule property contending that he has been in exclusive possession and enjoyment of the suit schedule property by paying kandayam to the date of institution of the suit i. e. on 4. 11. 1983. The defendant filed a detailed written statement on 7. 4. 1984 traversing the plaint averments and denying the right of the plaintiff. It is further stated at Paragraph (9) that the land bearing Sy. No. 97/1 of Thondala village measuring 4-17guntas originally belonged to one Venkatappa; that he had two wives, first being Chowdamma and the 2nd being Akkeyyamma; that he died living behind two sons and daughter namely Munivenkatappa, the plaintiff, Bychappa, who is the father of the defendants; that bychappa has two wives, the first wife being Chowdamma who is no more and the 2nd wife being Narayanamma who is also no more and they are the sons of Bychappa through his second wife; that dodda Venkatappa and Chicka Venkatappa are also the sons of bychappa through his first wife Chowdamma; that the said munivenkatappa, the deceased plaintiff, divided from the joint family long back i. e. in the year 1945 itself and lived separately from the joint family; that on 25. 7. 1955 the plaintiff relinquished all his rights in Sy. No. 97/1 including the suit schedule property and other properties by taking Rs. 400a and executing a registered release deed; that the deceased plaintiff has no manner of right, title and interest or possession whatsoever to the suit schedule property and all other properties belonging to the family and that they are the owners in possession and enjoyment of the suit schedule property and accordingly, they prayed for dismissal of the suit. The Trial Court after considering the evidence on record has recorded a finding that the plaintiff is not in possession of the suit schedule property and has accordingly, dismissed the suit. Being aggrieved by the said judgment and decree, deceased plaintiff filed R. A. No. 44/91 under section 96 CPC urging various legal contentions. The appeal was filed on 3. 7. 1991. During the pendency of the appeal, an application for amendment of the plaint under Order 6 Rule 17 CPC was filed by the plaintiff on 17. 8. 1995 seeking to permit him to include paragraph 4 (a) after paragraph 4 and before paragraph 5 in the plaint, wherein he has sought to take up a plea that the plaintiff had been in possession and enjoyment of the suit schedule property in his own right, title and interest openly, continuously and notoriously and adversely to the rights of everybody including the defendants for over a period of 12 years, prior to the date of institution of the suit perfecting his title by law of adverse possession and being in lawful possession of the same upto the date of his death and thereafter the legal representative of the deceased plaintiff has inherited the property as adopted son and is in possession and enjoyment of the same as absolute owner of








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