1964 Supreme(Cal) 200
HIGH COURT OF CALCUTTA
P. C. Mallick
ARATI PAUL - Appellant
Versus
REGISTRAR, HIGH COURT, ORIGINAL SIDE - Respondent
Suit 366 Of 1963
Decided On : AUGUST 26, 1964
A.K.MATILAL, D.GUPTA, D.N.DAS, Gour Chandra Paul, M.N.BANERJI, N.C.CHAUDHARY, P.K.Sen
Headnote:
ARBITRATION - Nature of decision given by a Judge extra cursum curiae - Whether an award or a decree - Whether can be filed as an award under the Indian Arbitration Act.
Fact of the Case:
The petitioner, the plaintiff in a suit for partition of the estate left by her father, challenged the filing of a preliminary decree passed by the trial judge, Justice Mallick, on the ground that it was a 'pretended award' and not a decree. The decree was passed after the parties agreed to refer the disputes in the suit to the sole arbitration of Justice Mallick and to abide by his decision, without any appeal. The petitioner contended that the decision was an award and should be treated as such, and that it could only be filed in accordance with the provisions of the Indian Arbitration Act, 1940.
Finding of the Court:
The court held that the decision given by Justice Mallick was not an award but a decree passed by a judge acting extra cursum curiae at the request of the parties. The court found that the parties had expressly asked the judge to pass a decree in the pending proceeding and to abridge the procedure, and that the judge was not acting as an arbitrator but as a judge. The court further held that the decree could not be treated as an order of reference under Section 21 of the Arbitration Act, as there was no application in writing on which the court could make such an order.
Issues: 1. Whether the decision given by Justice Mallick was an award or a decree. 2. Whether the decision could be filed as an award under the Indian Arbitration Act, 1940.
Ratio Decidendi: 1. The nature of a decision given by a judge extra cursum curiae depends on the intention of the parties and the nature of the decision itself. If the parties expressly ask the judge to pass a decree in the pending proceeding and the judge is expressly asked to abridge the procedure and to act 'extra cursum curiae', there is no room for controversy that the judge is required by the parties to act as a judge and not as an arbitrator. 2. A decision given by a judge extra cursum curiae is not an award and cannot be filed as an award under the Indian Arbitration Act, 1940. Such a decision is a decree or order of the court and is to be enforced in the same way as any other decree or order of the court.
Final Decision: The court dismissed the petitioner's application for a writ of mandamus to compel the Registrar of the court not to file the preliminary decree passed by Justice Mallick. The court also refused to grant leave to appeal to the Supreme Court and refused an oral application for stay.
( 1 ) THE petitioner asks for a Writ in the nature of mandamus on the Registrar of this Court directing him "to recall, cancel and withdraw the filing of the pretended award dated April 1, 1963 as a judgment in suit No. 1045 of 1947 as part of the record of this Court. The petitioner is the plaintiff in the said suit and the respondents Nos. 3, 4 and 5 are the defendants. The dispute between the brothers and sister relate to the estate left by their father Srish Chandra Paul who died intestate in 1946 leaving considerable properties. Apart from the plaintiff who is the youngest daughter and is still unmarried, Sris had other daughters who are married and one of whom has died since. The widow of Srish, Pramila Sundari Dasi died on January 13, 1958 after having instituted the above suit and after executing a Will whereby she left her entire estate to the plaintiff her youngest daughter and the respondent No. 3 her youngest son, to the total exclusion of her two other sons and the other daughters. The suit instituted by Pramila Sundari was a suit for cancellation of a deed of gift executed by her in favour of her three sons in respect of one item of immoveable property situate in Calcutta of which she was the exclusive owner, and for partition of the estate left by her deceased husband. The agreement between Pramila Sundari and her three sons which purports to record the partition of the bulk of the estate left by Srish has also been chal-lenged in the said suit. During the pendency of the suit Pramila Sundari died leaving a Will as indicated before and by an order of this Court her youngest daughter Arati was transferred from the category of defendant to be the sole plaintiff in place and stead of the deceased mother. She also propounded her mother's Will which was contested by her two brothers Balai and Kanai. Thereupon the testamentary proceedings became a contested cause and was marked and numbered Testamentary Suit No. 12 of 1962. Both the Testamentary Suit and the other suit came up before me for trial. What happened thereafter will appear from the judgment delivered by me on April 1, 1963 hereunder set out. "the suit and the testamentary proceedings initiated by the substituted plaintiff to prove the Will of Promila came up for trial, the testamentary proceeding having been placed first. The Testamentary proceedings was called on first and a number of witnesses were examined on behalf of the propounder. On January 4, 1963, the parties represented by their counsel asked me to dispose of the disputes in these two proceedings as I considered proper. No further evidence was tendered in the above two proceedings. What I was asked to do will appear from the minutes recorded and set out hereunder:"it is recorded that all the parties consent to this testamentary suit as well as the partition suit being suit No. 1045 of 1957 and all the disputes involyed in these two matters be settled and referred to the sole arbitration of the Hon'ble Mr. Justice Mullick and the parties agreed to abide by any decision that will be given and no evidence need be taken except as to what His Lordship might desire and the evidence need not be recorded in any formal manner. Parties agree that His Lordship would have all the summary power including the power to divide and partition the properties and to make such decrees as his Lordship thinks fit and proper and for the purpose of partition, if necessary, to engage or appoint surveyors and commissioners as His Lordship thinks best. It is recorded that all the parties have referred this matter to the Learned Judge in what is known as Extra Cursum Curiae jurisdiction of this Court. It is further recorded that all parties agree that they will not prefer any appeal from or against the decree or order that may be passed by his Lordship the Hon'ble Mr. Justice Mullick. "i have accepted it in terms of the prayer of the parties protracted litigation amongst suck near relations is extremely un