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1975 Supreme(Cal) 109

High Court Of Calcutta
SABYASACHI MUKHERJI
SUKLA CHOWDHURY - Appellant
Versus
MANJOLYN TWEEDIE - Respondent
Suit 491  Of  1974
Decided On : 04/28/1975

Advocates Appeared:
K.J.John, R.K.LALA

The value of a suit for recovery of possession of immovable property against a trespasser, where no declaration of title to property is either prayed for or necessary, is the amount to which relief is sought and as valued in the plaint, subject to the provisions of Section 11 of the West Bengal Court-fees Act, 1970.

Headnote:

JURISDICTION - SUIT FOR RECOVERY OF POSSESSION - VALUE OF SUIT - WEST BENGAL COURT-FEES ACT, 1970, SECTION 7 (VI) (A) - WEST BENGAL PREMISES TENANCY ACT, 1956, SECTION 20 - SUITS VALUATION ACT, 1887, SECTION 8 - CALCUTTA CITY CIVIL AND SESSIONS COURTS ACT - COURT FEES ACT, 1870 - ORDER 2, RULE 3 (1) AND (2) - TRANSFER OF PROPERTY ACT, 1882, SECTION 108 (M), (O) AND (H) - Where a suit is filed for recovery of possession of immovable property against a trespasser where no declaration of title to property is either prayed for or necessary, the value of the suit for court-fees purposes must be the amount to which relief is sought and as valued in the plaint subject to the provisions of Section 11 of the West Bengal Court-fees Act, 1970. The combination of several causes of actions against the defendants on the same set of facts is permissible as was done by the amendment of the plaint because the causes of action against these defendants are on the same set of facts. If that is the position then by virtue of Order 2, Rule 3 the jurisdiction of the Court will depend on the amount of value of the aggregate subject-matter of the suit.

Fact of the Case:

Plaintiff filed a suit for possession of premises against the defendants, alleging that they were tenants who had violated the terms of their tenancy agreement and had become liable to be evicted. The defendants claimed that they were not tenants but trespassers and that the suit was not maintainable in the High Court as the value of the suit was below Rs. 50,000/-.

Finding of the Court:

The court held that the suit was maintainable in the High Court as the value of the suit, as determined by the amount of relief sought, exceeded Rs. 50,000/-. The court also held that the defendants were not entitled to relief under Section 17 (2) and Section 17 (2-A) (b) of the West Bengal Premises Tenancy Act, 1956, as they had not shown any circumstances entitling them to such relief.

Issues: 1. Whether the suit was maintainable in the High Court? 2. Whether the defendants were entitled to relief under Section 17 (2) and Section 17 (2-A) (b) of the West Bengal Premises Tenancy Act, 1956?

Ratio Decidendi: 1. The value of the suit for court-fees purposes must be the amount to which relief is sought and as valued in the plaint subject to the provisions of Section 11 of the West Bengal Court-fees Act, 1970. 2. The combination of several causes of actions against the defendants on the same set of facts is permissible as was done by the amendment of the plaint because the causes of action against these defendants are on the same set of facts. If that is the position then by virtue of Order 2, Rule 3 the jurisdiction of the Court will depend on the amount of value of the aggregate subject-matter of the suit. 3. No circumstances indeed have been mentioned in the petition. In the premises I am of the opinion that the petitioner is not entitled to alernative relief as asked for.

Final Decision: The court dismissed the defendants' application.

SABYASACHI MUKHARJI, J.

( 1 ) ON the 11th of October, 1974 Srimati Sukla Chowdhury claiming to be the owner of premises No. 5, Kyd Street, Calcutta instituted Suit No. 491 of 1974 against the two defendants originally, namely. Miss Manjolyn Tweedie and Miss Shamin Tweedie. It is the case of the plaintiff that on or about 14th March, 1973 at the request of one Mrs. Sofie Tweedie, mother of the said defendants the plaintiff agreed to let out one room attached with bath room and the kitchen on the south-east corner of the ground floor of premises No. 5, Kyd Street, Calcutta to the said defendants on certain terms, inter alia, contained in paragraph 1 of the plaint filed. The said terms permitted the said defendants only to stay and occupy the said room and provided that the defendants should pay Rs. 225/- per month as rent on the 6th of every month according to English calendar, and the said defendants would have exclusive control and possession of the said room. It is further stipulated that the said defendants would return to the flat by 10 P. M. every night and that they should not create any nuisance nor carry on any illegal or immoral activities in the said flat. It was also stipulated that the said defendants would leave the flat when requested to do so by the plaintiff. It is the case of the plaintiff that pursuant to the agreement dated the 14th of March, 1973 the plaintiff delivered possession of the portion of the ground floor of the south-east corner of premises No. 5, Kyd Street, Calcutta. The said defendants took possession of the said flat and became a monthly tenant under the West Bengal Premises Tenancy Act. Then a few days after taking possession of the portion of the said premises, the defendants started coming late and creating nuisance and certain alleged acts of nuisance and alleged immoral activities are mentioned in the plaint. It is further stated that the said defendants failed and neglected to pay to the plaintiff rent since February, 1974 until the institution of the suit, as a result whereof, according to the plaintiff, the said defendants arc defaulters for more than four months in the course of twelve months and became liable to be evicted from the portion of the said premises under the provisions of the West Bengal Premises Tenancy Act. It is alleged that on the 1st December, 1973 the said defendants informed the plaintiff that they would vacate the flat on the expiry of the month of December, 1973, but in spite thereof they have not vacated the said premises. It is further alleged that they are staying in the said portion of the flat in violation of the terms of the agreement as trespassers. The plaintiff stated that the said defendants violated the provisions of Clause (m), Clause (o) and Clause (h) of Section 108 of the Transfer of Property Act, 1882 as a result whereof the said defendants and each of them became liable to be evicted from the said premises. The plaintiff has claimed rent @ Rupees 225/- per month from February, 1974 to September, 1974. The plaintiff has further claimed interest @ 12 per cent, per annum on the rent due from the respective due dates as and by way of damages. In the premises, the plaintiff has claimed Rs. 1,800/-on account of arrears of rent and Rs. 90/-on account of mesne profits and possession. The plaintiff has claimed decree for possession and mesne profits as mentioned in the plaint.

( 2 ) AFTER the institution of the suit the plaintiff made an application for amendment and by an order passed by this Court on the 24th of March, 1975, the plaint has been amended by adding defendants Nos. 3, 4 and 5 as parties to the suit. Defendant No. 3 is the mother of the first two defendants and defendant No. 4 is the husband of the said defendant No. 3. It is stated in the amended plaint that defendants Nos. 3, 4 and 5 have wrongfully and illegally occupied a portion of the said premises as trespassers in violation of the agreement as aforesaid between the plaintiff and th





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