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1949 Supreme(Cal) 2

HIGH COURT OF CALCUTTA
SEN GUPTA
CORPORATION OF CALCUTTA - Appellant
Versus
RADHAKRISHNA DEV - Respondent
A. F. A. D.  318  Of  1945
Decided On : JANUARY 6, 1949

Advocates Appeared:
Apurbadhan Mukherjee, GAGANENDRA KRISHNA DEB, GURUPRASAD GHOSH, KRISHNALAL BANERJI, PROVASH CHANDRA BASU

Misjoinder of causes of action and parties is impermissible under Order 1, Rule 3 of the Civil P. C.

Headnote:

joinder - misjoinder of causes of action - Order 1, Rule 3 of the Civil P. C. - [Order 1, Rule 3]

Fact of the Case:

The Corporation of Calcutta filed a suit for the recovery of arrears of rates for a period between 1930-1931 to 1934. The suit was dismissed on the ground of misjoinder of parties and causes of action. The plaintiff was asked to admit certain facts by the defendants and admitted that the premises had been sub-divided into 12 different premises held separately by different defendants.

Finding of the Court:

The Court found that the relief claimed by the Corporation was for distinct and separate acts and transactions against each of the defendants, and there was no common link connecting the liability of the different defendants to the Corporation. The Court dismissed the appeal and held that the suit as framed was bad for misjoinder of causes of action.

Issues: Misjoinder of parties and causes of action, interpretation of Order 1, Rule 3 of the Civil P. C.

Ratio Decidendi: The relief claimed must arise out of the same act or transaction or series of acts or transactions, and a common question of law or fact must arise if separate trials were held. Misjoinder of causes of action and parties is not permissible.

Final Decision: The appeal was dismissed with costs in favor of the respondents.

SEN, J.

( 1 ) THIS appeal is by the plaintiff the Corporation of Calcutta and it arises out of a suit for the recovery of arrears of rates for the period between the fourth quarter of 1930-1931 to the third quarter of 1934.

( 2 ) IT will be necessary for me to set out certain events which have happened in the conduct of this suit. In the suit as originally framed the plaintiff claimed that the arrears of rates were due in respect of premises No. 31 Elgin. Road. There was a claim for one lump sum against all the defendants and for a declaration of a charge with respect to premises Not 31 Elgin Road. Prior to the trial of the suit the plaintiff was asked to admit certain facts by the defendants and pursuant to this application the plaintiff admitted that premises No. 31, Elgin Road had been sub-divided into 12 different premises prior to the period for which the rates and taxes were claimed and that these 12 different premises were held separately by the different defendants. The learned Munsif who tried the suit held that the suit was bad for misjoinder of parties and causes of action and for multifariousness and dismissed it stating that subject to the question of limitation the plaintiff, the Corporation of Calcutta was at liberty to bring separate suits against the different defendants, Against this decision an appeal was taken to the District Judge and it was heard by the Subordinate Judge of the Third Court of Alipore Mr. Khondkar Mutberal Islam. He allowed the appeal setting aside the order of the trial Court and remanding the case back to the lower Court for a retrial in the light of certain directions given by him. It will be necessary now to set out certain portions of the judgment of the learned Subordinate Judge on appeal which are as follows:"for avoiding multiplication of suits and in the interests of justice and as all the parties are before the Court, I do not think there is any bar in law to pass such decrees in one suit, 'of course if no other tenable objection arises" during the hearing of the suit. Under the circumstances, I direct that the suit be remanded back to the lower Court for a fresh trial. The plaintiffs would be at liberty to amend the plaint in the light of their peti-tion dated 22-1-43. The lower Court would thereafter give opportunities to the defendants to contest the case, if they so desire and he would dispose of the case afresh in accordance with law 'either by passing a decree for the arrears of tax of one of the sub-divided premises with a charge upon it or by passing separate decrees against separate defendants for separate holdings in their respective occupation with separate charges'. "when the suit went back on remand the plaitt-tiff made an application before the Munsif few amendment of the plaint. The prayer for amendment was allowed and it was amended in accordance with the. schedule given in the petition for amendment. Put shortly the amendment had the effect of stating the different numbers of the premises which originally formed the single premises No. 31, Elgin Road, and decrees were prayed for against the holders of each of these premises. The learned Munsif after allowing the amendment proceeded to try the suit and he held that the suit should be dismissed on the ground of misjoinder of causes of action. In the course of his judgment the learned Munsif stated that in order to guard against multifariousness he gave, the plaintiff an opportunity at the very outset of the fresh hearing of the suit to make an election as to what particular claim of the different claims the plaintiff would pursue and he says that the learned pleader for the plaintiff stated definitely before him that the Corporation would make no such election but would urge that the plaintiff was entitled to get separate decrees against the separate defendants for separate and distinct claims in respect of the separate and distinct premises in the suit as framed. The learned Munsif says further that as the plain









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