SupremeToday Landscape Ad
Back
Next
Judicial Analysis Court Copy Headnote Facts Arguments Court observation
Listen Audio Icon Pause Audio Icon
judgment-img

2003 Supreme(Bom) 1387

Bombay High Court

Govardhandas s/o Paikaji Brahmane
vs
Shridharprasad Rautrai
Appellants : Govardhandas s/o Paikaji Brahmane Respondents: Shridharprasad Rautrai Judgment Date: 12, December, 2003 Citations: 2004-MhLJ-1-921 Judges:S.A. Bobde, J.

Headnote:Bombay Tenancy and Agricultural Lands (Vidarbha Region) Act, 1958 - Sections 124 and 125 - institution of suit not barred - disputes raised in the suit being such, to decide which only authorities specified in the Act are competent - only option left with Civil Court was to refer the dispute to competent authority and stay the suit till the decision of the authority.

JUDGMENT

S. A. Bobde, J.

1. This petition is directed against the judgment and Order dated 7-8-2002, passed in an appeal, confirming the order of the trial Court, rejecting the petitioners plaint. The petitioner sued the respondent for possession of poultry farm. The poultry farm was given on lease, for which an Agreement of Lease was entered into between the parties on 26th July, 1999, at Nagpur. What was leased out is described in Clause 1 of the said lease-deed, which reads as follows :

"That the lessor hereby leases the Poultry Farm comprising two "pucca" sheds and "pucca" godown (in between the sheds and pucca varandah on eastern side of the sheds used as Brooder/Feed storage etc.) (total about 4200 square feet) and also Four brooder rooms and two living rooms, small bathroom and Chaukidars shed (total about 750 sq.ft.), for a period of 11 months from the 1st day of August, 1999 to 30th June, 2000. The tenancy shall be monthly according to English Calender month."

1. 2. Since the site of the poultry farm, which was leased out, is bounded by three sides by agricultural fields, the respondent filed an application under Order VII, Rule 11, claiming that the petitioners suit for eviction is barred by the provisions of Bombay Tenancy and Agricultural Lands (Vidarbha Region) Act, 1958, (for short, the Act).

2. 3. The trial Court upheld the contention of the respondent and held that the suit was barred by the provisions of the said Act. The appellate Court, as stated earlier, has upheld that order.

3. 4. Since the only ground on the basis of which Plaint has been rejected, is that the suit appears to be barred by the Act, it is necessary to consider the provisions, which bars jurisdiction. Section 124 of the Act bars the jurisdiction of the Civil Court to decide or deal with any of the question specified therein, which are required to be decided by the authorities under the Act. Section 124 of the said Act, reads thus :

"124. (1) No, Civil Court shall have jurisdiction to settle, decide or deal with any question including a question whether a person is or was at any time in the past, a tenant and whether the ownership of any land is transferred to, and vests in, a tenant under Section 46 or Section 49-A or Section 49-B which is by or under this Act required to be settled, decided or dealt with by the Tahsildar or Tribunal, a Manager, the Collector or the Maharashtra Revenue Tribunal in appeal or revision or the State Government in exercise of their powers of control.

(2) No order of the Tahsildar, the Tribunal, the Manager, the Collector or the Maharashtra Revenue Tribunal or the State Government made under this Act shall be questioned in any Civil or Criminal Court. Explanation. -- For the purposes of this section, a Civil Court shall include a Mamlatdars Court constituted under the Mamlatdars Court Act, 1906."

1. 5. From the abovesaid provision, it is clear that the said provision does not bar the institution of a suit. It only bars the Civil Court from deciding or dealing any question, which is required to be settled, decided or dealt with by the authorities under the Act specified in that section.

.6. The view that this section does not bar the suit itself is however very clear from Section 125 of the Act, which reads as under:

."125. (1) If any suit instituted in any Civil Court, involves any issues which are required to be settled, decided or dealt with by any authority competent to settle, decide or deal with such issues under this Act (hereinafter referred to as the "competent authority") the Civil Court shall stay the suit and refer such issues to such competent authority for determination."

.7. A conjoint reading of these two provisions lead to the conclusion that there is no bar to the institution of a suit even if it involves determination of question which is required to be decided by the authorities under the Act. The legislative Scheme is that where such questions arise in a suit the Civil Court is required to stay


Click Here to Read the rest of this document
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
Judicial Analysis

SupremeToday

SupremeToday Portrait Ad
supreme today icon
logo-black

An indispensable Tool for Legal Professionals, Endorsed by Various High Court and Judicial Officers

Please visit our Training & Support
Center or Contact Us for assistance

qr

Scan Me!

India’s Legal research and Law Firm App, Download now!

For Daily Legal Updates, Join us on :

whatsapp-icon Back to top