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2010 Supreme(Cal) 1342

High Court Of Calcutta
Jyotirmay Bhattacharya, J.
Vinay Krishna Arora - Appellants
Vs
A.N.G. Estate Developers - Respondents
C.O. No. 938 of 2010
Decided on: Nov 24, 2010

Advocates Appeared:
S.P. Roychowdhury, Sibasis Ghose, Anil Kumar Das, Mrinal Kanti Das, Bidyut Kumar Banerjee, Biman Kanti Sarkar, Manabendra Thakur

The court must consider the pleadings made out by the plaintiffs in the plaint while deciding an application for rejection of plaint under Order 7 Rule 11 of the Code of Civil Procedure. The court cannot rely on a tentative finding of a division bench regarding bar of law in granting one of the reliefs claimed in the suit to decide the defendant's application for rejection of plaint.

Headnote:

CIVIL PROCEDURE CODE, 1908 - ORDER 7 RULE 11 - REJECTION OF PLAINT - SUIT FOR SPECIFIC PERFORMANCE OF CONTRACT - BAR OF LAW - DIVISION BENCH'S PRIMA FACIE VIEW - RELEVANCE - COURT'S DUTY TO EXAMINE PLAINT'S PLEADINGS - IMPROPER RELIANCE ON DIVISION BENCH'S ORDER - IMPUGNED ORDER SET ASIDE.

Fact of the Case:

The plaintiffs filed a suit for specific performance of contract against the defendants, along with other reliefs. The trial court granted a temporary injunction in favor of the plaintiffs. The defendant no. 1 filed an application for modification of the injunction order, which was rejected by the trial court. The defendant no. 1 then filed an appeal before the division bench of the High Court, which expressed a prima facie view that the relief for specific performance of contract may be barred under Section 14(3)(C) of the Specific Relief Act, 1963. The division bench also granted liberty to the plaintiffs to file an application for amendment of the plaint. The plaintiffs filed an application for amendment of the plaint, which was allowed. The defendant no. 1 then filed an application for rejection of the plaint under Order 7 Rule 11 of the Code of Civil Procedure, on the grounds of non-disclosure of sufficient cause of action and bar of law. The trial court rejected the application, relying on the division bench's order. The defendant no. 1 filed a revision application challenging the trial court's order.

Finding of the Court:

The High Court held that the trial court erred in rejecting the defendant's application for rejection of the plaint without considering the merit of the application in light of the pleadings made out by the plaintiffs in the plaint. The court held that the trial court was influenced by the division bench's order, which had nothing to do with the merit of the defendant's application under Order 7 Rule 11 of the Code of Civil Procedure. The court set aside the impugned order and directed the trial court to reconsider the defendant's application in light of the observations made by the High Court.

Issues: 1. Whether the trial court erred in rejecting the defendant's application for rejection of the plaint without considering the merit of the application in light of the pleadings made out by the plaintiffs in the plaint. 2. Whether the trial court was influenced by the division bench's order, which had nothing to do with the merit of the defendant's application under Order 7 Rule 11 of the Code of Civil Procedure.

Ratio Decidendi: 1. The court held that an application for rejection of plaint under Order 7 Rule 11 of the Code of Civil Procedure must be considered on the basis of the pleadings made out by the plaintiffs in the plaint. 2. The court held that the trial court must consider whether the cause of action for the reliefs claimed in the suit has been disclosed or not, and whether the suit as a whole is barred under any provision of law. 3. The court held that the trial court cannot rely on a tentative finding of a division bench regarding bar of law in granting one of the reliefs claimed in the suit to decide the defendant's application for rejection of plaint.

Final Decision: The High Court set aside the trial court's order rejecting the defendant's application for rejection of the plaint and directed the trial court to reconsider the application in light of the observations made by the High Court.

JUDGMENT

1. THIS application under Article 227 of the Constitution of India is directed against an order being No.28 dated 19th February, 2010 passed by the Learned Civil Judge, Senior Division, Second Court at Barasat in title Suit No.220 of 2007 by which the application under Order 7 Rule 11 of the Code of Civil Procedure filed by the defendant no.1, was rejected on contest. The said defendant is aggrieved by the said order. Hence the instant application was filed by the defendant before this court.

2. HEARD Mr. Ray Chowdhury, learned Senior Counsel, appearing for the petitioner and Mr. Banerjee, learned Senior Counsel, appearing for the plaintiffs/opposite parties. Let me now consider as to how far the learned Trial Judge was justified in passing the impugned order in the facts of the instant case. The plaintiffs filed a suit for specific performance of contract against the defendants. Various other reliefs were claimed by the plaintiffs in the said suit apart from the relief for specific performance of the contract. The reliefs which were claimed by the plaintiffs in the said suit are as follows:

a) A decree for specific performance of contract in respect of 53% of the land area with proportionate structure standing thereon as per contract at the scheduled property.

b) A decree for specified portion allowing 53% of schedule property according to flats along with common area and facilities granting absolute interest to the plaintiffs to that extent.

c) A decree declaring that none of the defendants have right title or interest in respect of 53% of the schedule land and building constructed thereon or that any document executed thereby affecting 53% of the property is not binding on the plaintiffs.

d) A decree declaring that such deed or deeds if found to have been executed be cancelled and delivered up.

e) A decree declaring that the plaintiffs as partners have acquired a good and equitable right title and interest upon the 53% of schedule land and building thereon.

f) A decree declaring that the plaintiffs have acquired right to enjoy the schedule property to the extent of 53% thereof including right to re-transfer.

g) A decree declaring that the plaintiffs are entitled to refund of Rs.21 Lakhs kept as refundable security with the defendants on a declaration of charge of 47% of the property in suit.

h) A decree for permanent injunction confirming the possession of the plaintiffs as well as restraining the defendants from transferring alienating or encumbering the schedule property in any manner whatsoever and/or to deliver possession thereof without the consent of the plaintiffs.

i) A further decree for permanent injunction restraining the defendants from causing any construction or change of nature and character in any manner whatsoever without knowledge and consent of the plaintiffs.

j) A temporary injunction in the manner as prayed for above;

k) Appointment of receiver;

l) Attachment before judgment;

m) Cost of the suit;

n) Any other relief or relief for which plaintiff is entitle to.

3. AFTER filing said suit, the plaintiffs filed an application for temporary injunction. The said application was allowed by the Learned Trial Judge by an order being No.6 dated 16th April, 2008.

4. SUBSEQUENTLY the defendant No.1 filed an application for modification of the said order. The application for modification of the said order, was rejected by the Learned Trial Judge on 7th July, 2008 vide order No.13. Both the aforesaid orders were challenged by the defendant no.1 by filing an appeal being F.M.A. No. 1456 of 2008 before this Hon’ble Court. The said appeal as well as a connected application being C.A.N. No.6395 of 208 were disposed of by the Division Bench of this Hon’ble Court on 10th June, 2009 whereby both the parties were restrained from transferring, alienating or encumbering the suit property in any manner with a further rider that there should not be any further construction in the suit premises till the disposal of the suit. While dispos






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