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1956 Supreme(Cal) 146

HIGH COURT OF CALCUTTA
Bachawat
GAYA NATH GHOSE - Appellant
Versus
AMULYA CHANDRA SARKAR - Respondent
Civil Revn. Case 1270  Of  1956
Decided On : AUGUST 7, 1956

Advocates Appeared:
BARUN ROY CHOUDHURY, Soudhendra Kumar Basu

A sub-tenant is not bound by a decree for eviction of the tenant if the decree is based upon a ground which determines the sub-tenancy.

Headnote:

EXECUTION OF DECREE - POSSESSION - WARRANT OF POSSESSION - REMOVAL OF PERSONS BOUND BY DECREE - SUB-TENANT - RIGHT TO RESIST EXECUTION - APPLICATION FOR POLICE HELP - PROCEDURE - COURT'S DISCRETION - ENGLISH PRACTICE.

Fact of the Case:

The plaintiff obtained a decree for possession against the tenant, Dinesh Chandra Ghose. The petitioner, Gaya Nath Ghose, claimed to be a sub-tenant and resisted execution of the warrant of possession. The decree-holder applied for police help and an order under Order 21, Rule 98 of the Code of Civil Procedure.

Finding of the Court:

The court held that the petitioner was entitled to resist execution of the warrant of possession as he was a sub-tenant and not bound by the decree for ejectment. The court also held that the decree-holder acted illegally in not disclosing the fact that the petitioner was a sub-tenant in his petition praying for police help and that the court acted illegally in passing an order for police help without considering the facts appearing on the face of the record and in refusing to hear the petitioner on the question whether police help should or should not be granted.

Issues: 1. Whether the petitioner, a sub-tenant, was bound by the decree for ejectment against the tenant. 2. Whether the decree-holder was entitled to apply for police help without disclosing the fact that the petitioner was a sub-tenant. 3. Whether the court acted illegally in passing an order for police help without considering the facts appearing on the face of the record and in refusing to hear the petitioner on the question whether police help should or should not be granted.

Ratio Decidendi: 1. A sub-tenant is not bound by a decree for eviction of the tenant if the decree is based upon a ground which determines the sub-tenancy. 2. A decree-holder is not entitled to apply for police help without disclosing the fact that the person resisting execution is a sub-tenant. 3. A court acts illegally in passing an order for police help without considering the facts appearing on the face of the record and in refusing to hear the person resisting execution on the question whether police help should or should not be granted.

Final Decision: The court set aside the order for police help and declared that the rest of the order dated the 24th April 1956 did not bind the petitioner in any way.

BACHAWAT, J.

( 1 ) THE dispute relates to one room, in the ground floor of premises No. 22/1a, Ram. Chand Ghose Lane, Calcutta, The plaintiff instituted a suit for ejectment against several persons. Defendant No. 1, Dinesh "chandra Ghose, who was admittedly the tenant under the plaintiff was the principal defendant. The plaintiff im-pleaded five other defendants, alleging that they were either sub-tenants or trespassers. The petitioner Gaya Nath Ghose was defendant No. 2. He filed a written statement and asserted that he was a sub-tenant. Defendant No. 3, Badal, defendant No. 4, Rakhal alias Sukhendu, defendant No. 5, Gouranga and defendant No. 6, Rat Mohan, asserted that they were not sub-tenants and had no interest in the premises. Defendants 2 to 6 contended that they were not necessary parties to the suit. On the 13th January 1956, the plaintiff filed a petition stating that defendants Nos. 2 to 6 had asserted a sub-tenancy in their favour In a previous criminal proceeding' and that the Question whether the sub-lease was legally binding on the plaintiff requires to be adjudicated in order that the plaintiff might obtain an effective decree for possession. The plaintiff, therefore, prayed that defendants Nos. 2 to 6 should be retained as parties. By the order dated the 13th January 1956 the learned Judge directed that the names of defendants Nos, 2 to 6 be struck out from the record holding that they were neither necessary nor proper parties. On the 3rd February 1958, the plaintiff obtained a decree for possession against defendant No. 1. On the 8th March 1956, on the application of the plaintiff, a writ of possession in Form No. 11, Appendix E of the Code of Civil' Procedure was issued. Delivery of possession un- der this writ was resisted. The bailiff's report shows that Sukhendu Kumar Ghose and his sister resisted execution.

( 2 ) BY his petitions dated the 19th March 1946 and the 21st March 1956, the plaintiff applied for an order under Order 21, Rule 67 of the Code of Civil Procedure and for police help against (1) the judgment-debtor Dinesh, (2) Sukhendu and (3) his sister, Sovarani. The decree-holder prayed for police help and in the alternative for detention of Sukhendu and Sovarani. Notice was Issued on the opposite parties to show cause. On the 24th April 1956, the petitioner Gaya Nath filed a petition stating that he was a sub-tenant, that he was impleaded as a party to the suit as a subtenant and that resistance was given by Sukhendu and Sovarani on his behalf and asked for time to file his objection. The learned trial Judge rejected this petition of Gaya Nath, holding that he had no locus standi. He then passed the following order:"this case is allowed ex parte with costs. Pleader's fee Rs. 10/- only. Prayer for police help Ss allowed. Police is written to. The decree-holder be put into possession. "gaya Nath moves this Court in revision against this order.

( 3 ) THE application raises interesting questions with regard to the practice relating to the execution of a decree for recovery of possession of immovable property obtained by a landlord against a tenant and the scope of Rule 35 36 and 97 to 103 of Order 21 of the Civil Procedure Code.

( 4 ) WHERE the landlord decree-holder seeks to execute his decree for delivery of immovable property, he has to make up his mind whether he should ask for actual possession under Rule 35 (1) or symbolical possession under Rule 36 of Order 21 of the Civil Procedure Code, If he is prepared to say that the person in actual occupation is bound by the decree and has no right to remain in occupation of the property, he may proceed under R. 35 (1) and obtain a warrant of possession in Form No. 11 of Appendix E with a general direction to the bailiff to remove any person bound by the decree who refuses to vacate. If he is not prepared to say this, he has no business to ask for the assistance of the Court under Rule 35 (1 ). If the property is in the occupancy of some person who













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