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

2013 Supreme(Bom) 355

High Court of Judicature at Bombay
R.M. SAVANT, J.
Lalchand Kalro & Others
Versus
Neeraj Lalchand Kalro & Others
Writ Petition No.9518 of 2012
Decided on: 13-02-2013

Advocates Appeared:
For the Petitioners:Anil C Singh, Senior Advocate with Anil D Yadav, Advocate.
For the Respondents:Santosh D. Raje, Advocate.

Headnote:Bombay Court Fees Act, 1959 - Section 6 - Suit for simplicitor injunction.

       Suit for simplicitor injunction against respondents, cannot be valued as if plaintiffs claiming declaration of their ownership. - The suit in question is one for simplicitor injunction filed against the respondent Nos. 1 and 2. The cause for seeking the said injunction has been mentioned in the plaint. In so far as the title of the plaintiffs is concerned, the plaintiffs have elaborately stated how they have acquired title to the property in question. The factum of the plaintiffs having purchased the property and the flat is standing in their names therefore cannot be disputed. The question is whether the plaintiffs are required to value their suit under Section 6(iv)(d) of the Bombay Court Fees Act.

       In the instant case as the plaint discloses the only relief that is sought is an injunction against the respondent Nos. 1 and 2 herein, and that there is no declaration of ownership. The fact that the issue as to whether the plaintiffs are the exclusive owners of the property has been framed to facilitate the adjudication of the main substantive relief claimed in the suit would not mean that the plaintiffs have to value the suit on the basis that they are claiming declaration of their ownership. Framing of issue of ownership in a suit filed for injunction has been well recognized by judicial pronouncements. No doubt the provisions of Domestic Violence Act have created a right in favour of a wife or a person having live-in- relationship to lay a claim for living in the shared household, but the said right would not impinge upon the ownership .right of a person who is the owner of the property, and merely because the order is passed directing the wife to live in the shared household, it would not mean that the suit in question which has been filed for injunction is converted to a suit for declaration of ownership. If this allowed to be done, it would lead to an anomalous position where a person’s title to the property cannot be questioned, but merely because a person lays a claim that the said property is a shared household, the person who has filed the suit in question for injunction would have to pay court-fees on the basis that he is seeking declaration of ownership, when in fact he is the owner. Though the plaintiffs have not challenged the earlier order dated 23.7.2012, the same cannot come in their way, as by the earlier order, the issue of exclusive ownership of the plaintiffs is framed, the plaintiffs obviously do not have any objection to the said issue, but have objection to the payment of court-fees on the said basis.

JUDGMENT

1. Rule with the consent of the learned counsel for the parties made returnable forthwith and heard.

2. A short question which arises in the above Petition is, whether the Plaintiffs are required to pay court fees in terms of Section 6(iv)(j) of the Bombay Court Fees Act or as directed by the Trial Court under Section 6(iv)(d) of the Bombay Court Fees Act.

3. To appreciate the controversy involved, a few facts are necessary to be cited. The Plaintiffs have filed a suit being S.C. Suit No.439 of 2011 in the City Civil Court at Bombay, and the substantive relief sought in the said suit is to the following effect:-

“(a) That this Hon'ble Court be pleased to grant permanent injunction restraining the Defendants jointly or severely, their servants, agent and person or persons claiming through or under them from entering and/or remaining upon the suit premises of the Plaintiffs being Flat No.42, Rijhumal Mansion, Peddar Road, Mumbai 400 026 or on any part or portion thereof and remove themselves with their bag and baggages and not to come upon the said flat at any time thereafter in any manner whatsoever.”

Hence the suit in question has been filed for simplicitor injunction against the Respondents who are the Defendants in the said suit from entering and/or remaining upon the suit premises of the Plaintiffs being Flat No.42, Rijhumal Mansion, Peddar Road, Mumbai 400 026. The suit in question is founded on the fact that the Plaintiff No.1 had purchased the suit premises along with his brother Shri Ramchand Kishindas Kalro by an Agreement for Sale dated 23/08/1979 from Shri Bhim Sen Phull and Smt. Indira B Phull. Thereafter by an Agreement of Sale dated 5/5/1983 the Plaintiff' No.1's brother sold his one half share to the Plaintiff No.1 on the terms and conditions mentioned therein. It seems thereafter the Plaintiffs have been accepted as members of the society and the society has transferred the Share Certificate from the name of the previous owners to the names of the Plaintiffs. It is the case of the Plaintiff that they are regularly paying maintenance charges to the society. It is further averred in the plaint that the Respondent No.1 was born some time in the year 1976 and he and the Respondent No.2 were married in the year 2008. It is further averred that the Respondents were staying with the Plaintiffs as members of the family. The estrangement between the Respondent Nos.1 and 2 has been averred as also there are averments relating to the proceedings filed by the Respondent No.2 under the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act as also the criminal case filed against the Petitioners and the Respondent No.1 wherein the Respondent No.1 has been charged under Section 498A of the Indian Penal Code. The cause for filing of the suit in question as averred in the plaint are the said background facts on account which the Plaintiffs are seeking injunction against the Respondent Nos.1 and 2 from entering the premises in question. It seems that in the proceedings adopted by the Respondent No.2 under the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act (for brevity sake referred to as “the Domestic Violence Act), an order has been passed under Section 17 thereof mandating the Respondents in the said application i.e. the Petitioners herein and the Respondent No.1 to permit the Respondent No.2 to stay in the shared household. The Appeal filed by the Petitioner No.2 and the Respondent No.1 herein has been dismissed, and therefore in so far as the proceedings under the Domestic Violence Act are concerned, there is an order in favour of the Respondent No.2 under Section 17 of the said Act.

4. In so far as the present proceedings are concerned, it seems that the Respondent No.2 herein filed a Written Statement and questioned the title of the Petitioners to the flat in question. In the light of the pleadings which were on record, the Trial Court had initially framed some issues. It seems that thereafter the issues were recasted by th






















Click Here to Read the rest of this document

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
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