IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY
M.S.Sonak, J.
Mohammad Rafik Shaikh – Appellant
Versus
Mossim Shaikh – Respondent
Writ Petition No. 454 of 2019
Decided On : 02-03-2023
Intervention - Civil Suit - Order 1 Rule 10(2) of CPC - Sudhamayee Pattnaik and others Vs Bibhu Prasad Sahoo and others, 2022 SCC OnLine SC 1234
Fact of the Case:
The Petitioner sought relief of injunction to restrain Respondent Nos. 1, 2, and 3 from interfering with the suit house. Respondent No.4, the estranged wife of the Petitioner, filed an application seeking intervention/impleadment, claiming possession of the suit house.
Finding of the Court:
The court set aside the impugned order allowing Respondent No.4's intervention, stating that the Petitioner's suit was only against Respondent Nos. 1, 2, and 3, and any decision in this suit would not bind or affect the rights of Respondent No.4. The court dismissed Respondent No.4's application without prejudice to her rights to independently agitate her claims of possession.
Issues: Whether Respondent No.4's intervention should have been allowed in the suit for injunction simpliciter.
Ratio Decidendi: The court held that unless the Court suo motu directs to join any other person not party to the suit for effective decree and/or for proper adjudication as per Order 1 Rule 10 CPC, nobody can be permitted to be impleaded as defendants against the wish of the plaintiffs.
Final Decision: The impugned order allowing Respondent No.4's intervention was set aside, and her application was dismissed without prejudice to her rights to independently agitate her claims of possession. The interim order was vacated, and the Petitioner was directed to appear before the trial Court on a specified date.
JUDGMENT
1. Heard Mr J. A. Lobo, learned counsel for the Petitioner.
2. Mr Lobo points out that the Respondents have been served, but today, there is no appearance on behalf of the Respondents. Mr. Lobo points out that on 31/7/2019, Respondent No.1 was personally present and had sought time to engage an Advocate. This is reflected in the order dtd. 31/7/2019. The office endorsement shows that no Vakalatnama was filed by any Advocate on behalf of Respondent No.1.
3. By order dtd. 19/6/2019, this Court had issued notice to the Respondents for final disposal. Accordingly, the petition is taken up for final disposal.
4. Rule. The rule is made returnable forthwith.
5. The Petitioner is the plaintiff in Regular Civil Suit No.25/2018/B. In this suit, the Petitioner had applied for relief of injunction to restrain Respondent Nos. 1, 2, and 3 from interfering with the suit house.
6. Respondent No.4, the estranged wife of the Petitioner, filed an application seeking intervention/impleadment (Exhibit D-9). In this application, Respondent No.4 claimed to be in possession of the suit house. Further, it was under her authorization that Respondent Nos. 1, 2, and 3 had a right to come into the suit house. The Petitioner does not accept this position.
7. The trial Court, by the impugned order dtd. 28/2/2019, has allowed this application by giving the following reasons:-
"REASONS
5. Order 1 Rule 10(2) of CPC provides for the adding of the parties in the suit. In the instant case it is admittedly that the possession of the suit premises is with the intervener and hence the intervener is the proper and necessary party to be joined in the instant suit.
6. No prejudice will be caused to the plaintiff if the Intervener is allowed to be added as Defendant No.3.
7. Moreover, without the intervener being added as part to the present proceedings the matter cannot be adjudicated in true sense as the possession is with the intervener in the instant case.
8. In view of above and in the interest, I am inclined to pass the following:"
8. Mr Lobo, learned counsel for the Petitioner, submits that the Petitioner is the plaintiff, is dominus litis. He submits that Respondent No.4 is neither necessary nor a proper party, and the Petitioner cannot be forced to implead Respondent No.4. He submits that the contention about the Respondent No.4 being in possession of the suit house is incorrect. He submits that the Petitioner only has a grievance against Respondent Nos. 1, 2, and 3. He submits that nothing in the suit will apply to Respondent No.4. He submits that if Respondent No.4 has any grievance or cause of action against the Petitioner, then it is for her to take out independent proceedings but not insist upon the intervention or modification in this suit which is for permanent injunction simpliciter. He relies on Sudhamayee Pattnaik and others Vs Bibhu Prasad Sahoo and others, 2022 SCC OnLine SC 1234.
9. Having considered Mr Lobo's submissions and perused the material on record, I agree with Mr Lobo that Respondent No.4's application for intervention/modification should not have been allowed. Reasons for this are indicated hereafter.
10. As noted earlier, the Petitioner's suit is for injunction simpliciter against Respondent Nos. 1, 2, and 3. Therefore, these Respondents must take appropriate defences as may be available in facts and in law. It is open to them to contend that Respondent No.4 is in possession of the suit house and that they are entitled to enter the suit house under her authorization. They may be entitled to call Respondent No.4 as a witness in the proceedings if they so desire.
11. However, Respondent No.4 does not appear to be either a necessary or proper party in the suit as instituted. In so far as the claims of Respondent No.4 are concerned, she is at liberty to agitate the same independently. At this stage, it is not for this Court to go into the issue of whether she is really in possession of the suit house or not. Moreover, the suit instituted by
The court ruled that only necessary parties may be added to a suit, and the principle of dominus litis limits parties to those without whom effective adjudication cannot occur.
In a suit for permanent injunction, parties can only be added if they are necessary for adjudication; plaintiffs hold the discretion to determine who is included without compulsion to add parties not....
Impleadment as part defendant in suit – Legal claim of petitioner cannot be defeated merely on the ground of delay or advance stage of proceeding of suit.
A plaintiff in a civil suit is the dominus litis and cannot be compelled to implead parties against their will unless their involvement is necessary for just adjudication.
The main legal point established in the judgment is that the addition of a party in a suit should be consistent with the scope of the inquiry necessitated in the pending suit, and the presence of the....
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