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1962 Supreme(Cal) 224

HIGH COURT OF CALCUTTA
P. N. Mookerjee, Bijayesh Mukherji
THACKERs PRESS AND DIRECTORIES LTD - Appellant
Versus
METROPOLITAN BANK LTD - Respondent
.   Of  .
Decided On : September 27, 1962

Advocates Appeared:
D.P.GUPTA, G.B.Rai, S.CHATTERJEE

The distinction between the modes of execution under Section 51 (b) and Section 51 (d) of the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908, and the circumstances in which a receiver may be appointed in execution.

Headnote:

EXECUTION - APPOINTMENT OF RECEIVER - MODE OF EXECUTION - SECTION 51 (B) AND (D) OF THE CODE OF CIVIL PROCEDURE, 1908 - DISTINCTION - APPOINTMENT OF RECEIVER TO SELL CHARGED PROPERTIES - NOT AN APPOINTMENT OF RECEIVER IN EXECUTION - SALE BY RECEIVER - NOT A SALE IN EXECUTION - ORDER FOR SALE BY RECEIVER - NOT AN ORDER FOR EXECUTION BY APPOINTMENT OF RECEIVER - ORDER UNDER APPEAL - NOT CONTRARY TO LAW - APPEAL DISMISSED.

Fact of the Case:

The appellant, Thacker's Press and Directories Ltd., defaulted in paying 23 monthly installments of a consent decree for Rs. 10 lakhs, entered into on March 14, 1958, with the respondent, Metropolitan Bank Ltd. The Bank levied execution on December 22, 1960, for the unpaid installments, amounting to Rs. 1,00,625/-. Upon the Bank's application, G. K. Mitter, J., passed an order on September 7, 1961, appointing Mr. O. Ahmed as a receiver (without security) of the charged properties, including publications, machineries, plants, etc., and directing him to sell the same for repayment of the decretal dues.

Finding of the Court:

The Court held that the order under appeal did not appoint a receiver in execution within the meaning of Section 51 (d) of the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908, but rather ordered execution by sale (without attachment) of the charged properties, thereby invoking its powers under Section 51 (b) of the Code. The Court distinguished between the two modes of execution, emphasizing that Section 51 (d) contemplates the appointment of a receiver as the mode of execution, while Section 51 (b) contemplates sale as the mode of execution. The Court further held that the appointment of Mr. Ahmed was not strictly an appointment of a receiver in execution, but rather the appointment of a person to conduct the sale under Section 51 (b) of the Code.

Issues: 1. Whether the order under appeal appointed a receiver in execution within the meaning of Section 51 (d) of the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908? 2. Whether the order under appeal was contrary to law?

Ratio Decidendi: 1. The Court held that the order under appeal did not appoint a receiver in execution within the meaning of Section 51 (d) of the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908, but rather ordered execution by sale (without attachment) of the charged properties, thereby invoking its powers under Section 51 (b) of the Code. The Court distinguished between the two modes of execution, emphasizing that Section 51 (d) contemplates the appointment of a receiver as the mode of execution, while Section 51 (b) contemplates sale as the mode of execution. The Court further held that the appointment of Mr. Ahmed was not strictly an appointment of a receiver in execution, but rather the appointment of a person to conduct the sale under Section 51 (b) of the Code. 2. The Court held that the order under appeal was not contrary to law, as it was in accordance with the provisions of Section 51 (b) of the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908.

Final Decision: The appeal was dismissed with costs, subject to certain directions regarding the deposit of the sale proceeds and the furnishing of security by Mr. Ahmed.

( 1 ) THIS is an appeal by the defendant judgment-debtor Messrs. Thacker's Press and Directories Ltd. , from an order, dated September 7, 1961, of our learned brother, G. K. Mitter, J. , appointing, it is said, a receiver in execution.

( 2 ) THE answering respondent in this appeal is the Metropolitan Bank Ltd. , hereinafter referred to as the Bank. On September 6, 1957, the Bank instituted a suit against the appellant and one Murari Mohan Chatterji, the other and non-appearing respondent in this appeal, for recovery of Rs. 6 lakhs and odd. On March 14, 1958, the suit culminated in a consent decree against the appellant for Rs. 10 lakhs, payable by monthly instalments, spread over 20 (twenty) years, - Rs. 4375/- a month from January, 1959 to December, 1978, the last instalment being of the final and reduced amount of Rs. 2,500/ -. In the decree, there were provisions inter alia for rebate on punctual payment and for interest in case of defaults. The decree aforesaid also declared a charge on a lease-hold and certain publications and machineries, plants, etc. , all listed in the schedule to the terms of settlement, forming part of the decree itself. This was done on the footing of a deed of hypothecation, dated October 25, 1952, and a deed of mortgage, dated July 26, 1955, with this limitation that the deeds would not run beyond the properties, just referred to above. In other words, the charge was to be 'only on the properties as mentioned in the schedule, referred to above and annexed thereto' as the third clause in the relevant terms of settlement puts it.

( 3 ) THE appellant defaulted in paying instalments : not one, not two, but so many as twenty three, and from the very beginning, namely, from January, 1959, the first instalment having been payable by January 31, 1959, and the twenty-third by November, 1960. That led the Bank to levy execution on December 22, 1960, for twenty three monthly instalments of Rs. 4375/- each, coming up to Rs. 1,00,625/- in all, Clause 5 of the terms of settlement entitled the Bank to apply for execution for recovery of the aforesaid unpaid instalments. The mode of execution, sought for, was appointment of a receiver 'to sell the assets or sufficient part thereof', charged for payment of the decretal amount. Clause 5 of the terms of settlement also entitled the Bank 'to get a receiver in execution' but of the charged lease-hold only, for letting it out, collecting rents, etc.

( 4 ) UPON the above application, G. K. Mitter, J. , passed the order, dated September 7, 1961, which is the subject matter of this appeal. That order provides

inter alia, - (a) Mr. O. Ahmed is appointed, in execution of the decree, a receiver (without security) of the publications, machineries, plants, etc. , charged properties all and specified in the schedule to the order. (b) The appellant 'and all persons, claiming under it' do deliver up quiet possession thereof along with all concerned books, registers, etc. , to Mr. Ahmed, who do take possession thereof too. (c) Mr. Ahmed do have the power to bring and defend suits. (d) Mr. Ahmed do sell the two varieties of the charged properties; (1) publications and (2) machineries, plants, etc. , - of which alone he is appointed the receiver, - for repayment of the decretal dues so as to cover the claim of Rs. 1,00,625/- for the recovery of which the Bank came to Court in execution.

( 5 ) THE appellant challenges the propriety of this order and contends that it is contrary to law and should be set aside and the appointment of receiver should be recalled and the receiver should be discharged. The validity of this contention has to be carefully examined for deciding this appeal.

( 6 ) BEFORE, however, we proceed to the merits, we would dispose of two preliminary points, raised by the learned Standing Counsel, appearing for the Respondent Bank, as pleas in bar against the appellant. These preliminary points are by way of demurrer, the first urging that the point under Section





















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