PATNA HIGH COURT
R.K.Choudhary and A.B.N.Sinha JJ.
Barmeshwar Nath Prasad Singh
Versus
Babu Kuer Rai
Appeal from Original Decree No. 398 of 1959 ;
Decided On : AUGUST 09, 1963
SUIT FOR ENFORCEMENT OF MORTGAGE - SUBSTITUTION OF LEGAL REPRESENTATIVES - ABATEMENT OF SUIT - MORTGAGE OF PROPRIETARY INTEREST AND OTHER PROPERTIES - VESTING OF PROPRIETARY INTEREST IN STATE UNDER BIHAR LAND REFORMS ACT - MAINTAINABILITY OF SUIT IN CIVIL COURT FOR ENFORCEMENT OF MORTGAGE AGAINST NON-VESTED PROPERTIES - ELECTION OF REMEDY BY MORTGAGEE - ALLOWANCE OF CLAIM UNDER BIHAR LAND REFORMS ACT - EFFECT ON SUIT IN CIVIL COURT.
Fact of the Case:
Plaintiffs instituted a suit for enforcement of two mortgage bonds, one dated 18th March, 1952, and the other dated 25th November, 1952. During the pendency of the suit, the mortgaged proprietary interest vested in the State of Bihar under the provisions of the Bihar Land Reforms Act. The plaintiffs filed a claim case under Sec.14 of the Act in respect of the second mortgage bond and obtained an order for payment of compensation money.
Finding of the Court:
1. The suit did not abate as a whole, as the plaintiffs bona fide made an application for substitution of only some of the heirs of the deceased respondent because they had no knowledge of the existence of the other heirs. 2. Where a mortgage consists of several items of properties, some of which have vested in the State of Bihar under the provisions of the Bihar Act and others have not so vested, the mortgagee has the option to elect whether he will seek his remedy under Sec.14 of the Bihar Act or will proceed in the Civil Court as against the non-vested properties. 3. The plaintiffs, having already obtained an order for payment of the compensation money from the claims officer in accordance with the provisions of Sec.14 of the Bihar Act, could not continue the proceeding for enforcing that mortgage in the Civil Court as against the non-vested properties.
Issues: 1. Whether the suit abated as a whole due to non-substitution of all legal representatives of a deceased party. 2. Whether a suit for enforcement of mortgage is maintainable in Civil Court where certain mortgaged properties have vested in the State under the Bihar Land Reforms Act. 3. Whether a mortgagee can pursue both the remedies of filing a claim under Sec.14 of the Bihar Land Reforms Act and enforcing the mortgage in Civil Court against non-vested properties.
Ratio Decidendi: 1. A suit does not abate merely because all the representatives of a deceased party have not been brought on the record. 2. Where a mortgage consists of several items of properties, some of which have vested in the State under the provisions of the Bihar Act and others have not so vested, the mortgagee has the option to elect whether he will seek his remedy under Sec.14 of the Bihar Act or will proceed in the Civil Court as against the non-vested properties. 3. A mortgagee cannot pursue both the remedies of filing a claim under Sec.14 of the Bihar Land Reforms Act and enforcing the mortgage in Civil Court against non-vested properties.
Final Decision: The appeal was allowed in part. The suit of the plaintiffs with respect to the second mortgage bond dated 25th November, 1952, was dismissed. The suit of the plaintiffs with respect to the first mortgage bond dated 18th March, 1952, was also dismissed so far as the mortgaged proprietary interest of 10 annas 8 pies in Tanzi No. 7573 was concerned. Their suit for recovery of the mortgage money in respect of this mortgage bond as against the mortgaged properties other than the proprietary interest, referred to above, was maintained.
R.K.Choudhary, J.
1. The suit, out of which the present appeal arises, was instituted by the plaintiffs on the 12th of September, 1955. to enforce two mortgage bonds, one dated the 18th of March, 1952, executed by defendant No. 1 Bhrigunath Sahay in favour of plaintiffs 1 and 3 for a sum of Rs. 8,000.00, and the other dated the 25th of November, 1952, executed by the same Blirigunath Sahay fur a sum of Rs. 8,000.00 in favour of plaintiffs 2 and 5. Defendants 2 and 3 arc the minor sons of Bhrigunath Sahay (defendant No. 1). Original defendant No. 4 in the suit was Shrimati Ramdulari Kuer, wife of Kamla Prasad Singh, alleged to be a purchaser and subsequent mortgagee of a portion of the mortgaged properties. Defendant No. 5 Bhagwat Prasad alias Laloo Babu is a subsequent mortgagee in respect of some of the mortgaged properties. Defendants 1 to 3 appeared and fded a written statement admitting the claim of the plaintiffs. Defendant No. 5 also filed a written statement contending, inter alia, that the mortgage bond dated the 18th March, 1952, in favour of the plaintiffs, was not genuine and for consideration and that he himself was a mortgagee in respect of a portion of the mortgaged properties under a mortgage bond dated the 6th, of November, 1952. The suic was mainly contested by substituted defendant No. 4 Kamla Prasad Singh husband of the original defendant No. 4 Ramdulari Kuer.
During the pendency of the suit, Ramdulari Kuer, original defendant No. 4, died on the 18th of December, 1955, and on an application filed by the plaintiffs on the 5th of January, 1956, her husband, Kamla Prasad Singh, and her two minor sons. Mar-kandey Singh and Jamuna Singh alias Kundan Singh, were substituted in her place as defendants 4, 4 (a) and 4 (b) respectively. Kamla Pd. Singh (hereinafter to be referred to as the defendant No. 4) filed a written statement on the 24th of April, 1956, in which he stated that his wife, Ramdulari Kuer, had entered into a contract for sale in respect of a portion of the mortgaged propeiues with the defendant No. 1 on the ist of December, 1951, and, in pursuance thereof, got a registered sale-deed executed in her favour on the 22nd of October, 1954, bona fide for value without notice of the plaintiffs mortgages. He further submitted that the suit was bad for defect of parties, inasmuch as his youngest minor son, Banneshwar Nath Prasad Singh (the appellant before this Court), was not made a party to the suit. Thereupon, another application was made on bchalf of the plaintiffs; on the 27th of June, 1956, for amendment of the plaint by adding the said Barmeshwar Nath Prasad Singh as a party defendant to the suit. In that application, it was specifically stated on behalf of the plaintiffs that they had no previous knowledge that the said Kamla Prasad Singh had one more son, namely, Barmeshvvar Nath Prasad Singh. That application was allowed, the plaint was amended and Bar-meshvvar Nath Prasad Singh was added as defendant No. 6. Two formal written statements were filed on behalf of the substituted minor defendants, one on behalf of Barmeshwar Nath Prasad Singh (de- fendant No. 6) and the other on behalf of Markan-dey Singh and Jamuna Singh alias Kundan Singh, through their pleader guardian ad litem. One of the pleas taken in the written statement on behali of Barmeshwar Nath Prasad Singh was that the suit had abated as a whole, as the plaintiffs never took step to substitute him, who was the sole legal heir of the deceased Ramdulari Kuer, within time, although the plaintiffs had full knowledge of the same from before. All the pleas taken in defence contesting the suit of the plaintiffs were overruled by the Court below and the plaintiffs suit was decreed. Being thus aggrieved, this appeal has been presented in this Court by the said Barmeshwar Nath Prasad Singh (defendant No. 6) only; the other defendants did not file any appeal against the decree passed by the Court below.
2. The properties mortgaged in the fi
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