1924 Supreme(Cal) 131
CALCUTTA HIGH COURT
Khajeh Salaluddin & Ors. - Appellant
Versus
Mt. Afzal Begum & Anr. - Respondent
Decided On : 10-04-1924
Important Points
Subject
Civil Law - Execution Proceedings
Act Referred
Headnote
Guardian Ad Litem - Execution Proceedings - Order XXI, Rule 6 - Court of Wards Act - Limitation Act - Civil Procedure Code - [Order XXI, Rule 6, Section 51 of the Court of Wards Act, Limitation Act, Civil Procedure Code]
Fact of the Case:
The case involved an application for execution of a decree against minor judgment-debtors, with a dispute arising over the appointment of a guardian ad litem in the execution proceedings.
Finding of the Court:
The court held that the appointment of a guardian ad litem during the original suit did not continue into the execution proceedings without a fresh appointment. It also found that the Court of Wards manager should have been appointed as the guardian ad litem in the execution proceeding, and that the application for execution was time-barred.
Issues: The main issue was the continuation of the guardian ad litem appointed during the original suit into the execution proceedings, and the applicability of the Court of Wards Act and the Limitation Act in the execution proceedings.
Ratio Decidendi: The court determined that the appointment of a guardian ad litem during the original suit did not extend to the execution proceedings, and that the Court of Wards manager should have been appointed as the guardian ad litem in the execution proceeding. It also held that the application for execution was time-barred.
Final Decision: The appeal was decreed, the lower court's order was set aside, and the application for execution was rejected. The appellants were awarded costs from the decree-holder respondent in both the lower and higher courts.
JUDGMENT
1. On the 24th February, 1909 one Mt. Jahura Begum obtained a decree for Rs. 25,000 and costs against her two minor children and her minor step-son. On the 8th October, 1920 an application was made to this Court on the Original Side for an order that the certified copy of this decree together with a certificate of non satisfaction be transmitted to the Court of the District Judge of Dacca for execution. This application was made by one Afzal Begum who alleged that she was the assignee of the decree. On the 7th May 1920 the Master on the Original side of this Court transferred the decree to the Dacca Court for execution. With the copy of the decree was forwarded a certificate signed by a Judge of this Court under Order XXI, Rule 6. The District Judge of Dacca transferred the execution case to the Subordinate Judge, 1st Court. On the 2nd December 1921 an application for execution of this decree was filed in that Court and that is execution case No. 120 of 1920. In that application three judgment-debtors were named and were described as represented by H. C. F. Meyer, Manager, Court of Wards, Dacca. The Court of Wards manager objected to the execution of the decree and his objection was dealt with as Miscellaneous Case 42 of 1921. The execution was kept pending until the disposal of the miscellaneous case. But in the end the assignee of the decree-holder allowed the execution case to be dismissed on the allegation that there was some mistake in the application for execution. On that execution case being dismissed the miscellaneous case was also dismissed. Then on the 2nd December, 1921 a second application for execution was made and in this application the minors were described as "being represented by Babu Anil Nath Basu, vakil, High Court who has been appointed guardian ad litem by the High Court." This gentleman is a solicitor who had been appointed guardian ad litem of the minors in the original suit. In this application the assignee of the decree-holder asked for attachment of the money of the minor judgment-debtors in the hands of H. C. F. Meyer, manager of the Court of Wards, Dacca. In this execution case also the manager filed a petition objecting to the execution of the decree which was numbered Misc. case 20 of 1922. Objection Was taken on several grounds with most of which we are not concerned in the present appeal. The learned Subordinate Judge held that the manager had no loans standi to represent the minors in this case but he nevertheless went into the merits of his objection and decided amongst others the issue of limitation against him.
2. This appeal is preferred on behalf of two of the minor judgment-debtors by Mr. Meyer. The third judgment-debtor had attained majority before this appeal was filed. As the appeal has been argued before us the main point that arises is whether the lower Court was right in holding that the applications for execution are proceedings in suit and the guardian ad litem appointed in the original suit would be guardian ad litem in the execution proceeding unless he be removed by an order of the Court and a new guardian ad litem appointed. We are unable to agree that the guardian ad litem appointed in the suit continues as such without a fresh appointment during the execution proceeding. As was observed by Lord Lynd-hurst in Kinsman v. Kinsman (1831) 1 R. and M. 622, in order to constitute litis pendentia there must be a continuance of litis contestates, and, therefore, if the suit is ended by decree, there is no longer any lis pendens.
3. The learned vakil who appeared for the respondent was unable to show us any authority to support the proposition that the guardianship of the guardian ad litem appointed during the suit continued after the litigation had been terminated by the final decree. He drew our attention to certain ruling in which it had been held that the guardian for the suit continued during subsequent appeals from the decree. But this is irrelevant to the question whet