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2018 Supreme(Bom) 119

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY
SHALINI PHANSALKAR-JOSHI, J.
Dhondiram Nivrutti Pawar (Since Deceased), Through LRs. & Others - Petitioners
Versus
Laxman Khashaba Pawar & Others - Respondents
Writ Petition No. 1196 of 2017
Decided On : 23-01-2018

Advocates Appeared:
For the Petitioners:Kalpesh U. Patil, Advocate.
For the Respondents:Anand S. Shalgaonkar, Advocate.

Headnote:

Civil Procedure Code,1908 - Order 26 Rule 9 - Constitution of India,1950 - Article 227 - Section 49 - Challenging order - Regular Civil Suit - Plaintiffs is for injunction - Possession in suit land - Application at Exhibit-41 was filed by Respondents- Plaintiffs for appointment of Court Commissioner in order to bring on record factual position of suit property as to whether plots are already made in suit land and whether each plot is having a separate water chamber - Despite objection raised by Petitioners who are Defendants in Trial Court contending that Court Commissioner cannot be appointed for purpose of collecting evidenceTrial Court has allowed said application and appointed Advocate to inspect suit property especially to bring on record whether Plots are already made in suit property and whether each plot is having a separate water chamber – Held, When oral evidence cannot help Court when it is in form of words against words by rival parties in case of encroachment on land such an appointment of T.I.L.R - may be useful - Here in case Respondents have not raised any boundary dispute - It is also not their case that Petitioners have made encroachment on their land - Conversely they want appointment of Court Commissioner to bring on record factual position of suit land to prove fact that plots are already made and there are separate water chambers for each of plots - As stated above Respondents can definitely prove same by producing documentary evidence on record to that effect which can be easily made available - Hence machinery of Court cannot be used for purpose of collecting evidence in order to enable Respondents-Plaintiffs to prove facts on basis of which they are claiming relief of interim injunction - Writ Petition is allowed

JUDGMENT :

1. Rule. Rule is made returnable forthwith. Heard finally, at the stage of admission itself, by consent of Mr. Patil, learned counsel for the Petitioners, and Mr. Shalgaonkar, learned counsel for the Respondents.

2. By this Writ Petition, filed under Article 227 of the Constitution of India, the Petitioners are challenging the order dated 17th January 2017 passed by the 8th Joint Civil Judge, Junior Division, Karad, below “Exhibit-41” in Regular Civil Suit No.231 of 2016.

3. The application at “Exhibit-41” was filed by the Respondents- Plaintiffs for appointment of 'Court Commissioner', in order to bring on record the factual position of the suit property; as to whether the plots are already made in the suit land and whether each plot is having a separate water chamber.

4. Despite the objection raised by the Petitioners, who are Defendants in the Trial Court, contending, inter alia, that, the 'Court Commissioner' cannot be appointed for the purpose of collecting evidence, the Trial Court has allowed the said application and appointed Advocate Shri A.S. Kale to inspect the suit property; especially to bring on record whether the Plots are already made in the suit property and whether each plot is having a separate water chamber.

5. This order of the Trial Court is challenged in this Writ Petition by the Petitioners and in my considered opinion, rightly so for the following reason.

6. The Suit filed by the Respondents-Plaintiffs is for injunction, restraining the Petitioners from causing obstruction to their possession in the suit land and to protect their separate possession in the suit land. In order to prove their possession in the suit land, Respondents had stated in the plaint that, in the year 1986-87, the suit land was levelled and Thirteen plots were made in the suit land and each plot is having a separate water chamber. As the Petitioners herein have started obstruction thereto, the Respondents have stated that they were constrained to file Suit for injunction. Along with the Suit, Respondents have filed application for interim injunction at “Exhibit-5”, which is yet to be decided.

7. At this stage, Respondents have filed the present application for appointment of 'Court Commissioner' and, that too, only for the purpose of bringing on record the factual position that the plots are already made in the suit land and each plot is having separate water chamber. Needless to state that, the appointment of 'Court Commissioner' is just for collection of evidence, in order to enable the Respondents-Plaintiffs to prove their prima-facie case for getting the relief of interim injunction. The law is fairly well settled that, the 'Court Commissioner' cannot be appointed for the purpose of collection of evidence and the impugned order of the Trial Court is exactly against this settled position of law.

8. Learned counsel for the Respondents has relied upon the Judgment of this Court in the case of Smt. Lalitprabha Krishnaji Ajgaokar (Since Deceased), through LRs. & Ors. Vs. Shri Yunus Khan (in Writ Petition No.354 of 2016, along with connected matters; dated 15th October 2016), to submit that, “Under Order 26 Rule 9 of CPC, a Commission to make local investigation can be issued, where the Court deems such a local investigation to be requisite or proper for the purpose of “elucidating any matter in dispute” or for ascertaining the market-value of any property, or, the amount of any mesne profits or damages or annual net profits to the properties.”

9. However, in the instant case, there is nothing to be elucidated by appointment of 'Court Commissioner', as it is for the Respondents-Plaintiffs to prove the existence of the plots and also the water chambers and they can very well do so by producing necessary documentary evidence on record; like the 'N.A. Permission' obtained for making of the plots and they can also prove separate water chambers for such plots by producing 'Water Bills', or, the documents showing that such separate wate









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