IN THE HIGH COURT AT CALCUTTA
SHAMPA DUTT (PAUL), J.
Sri Niranjan Ghosh and Ors. - Petitioner
Versus
Sri Dayamoy Sarkar and Ors. – Respondent
CO 4058 of 2024
Decided On : 12-03-2025
JUDGMENT :
SHAMPA DUTT (PAUL), J.
1. The present revisional application has been preferred against Order No.38 dated 26.03.2019 passed by the learned District Judge, Bardhaman in Title Appeal No. 74 of 2015 and Order No.73 dated 23.08.2024 passed by the learned Additional District Judge, 4th Court at Purba Bardhaman in Title Appeal No.74 of 2015 whereby application for adducing Additional Evidence under Order 41 Rule 27 filed by the added Appellants has been rejected on the ground of earlier rejection of a similar Application filed by the original Appellant.
2. Vide the order under challenge, the District Judge, Burdwan considered the case of both the parties and held as follows:-
“From the impugned application it appears that the appellant has prayed for adducing additional evidence but no specific evidence or document has been mentioned in the petition sought to be adduced as additional evidence. The appellant has simply prayed in the petition that he wants to adduce necessary documents regarding the suit properties. From the four corners of the petition no explanation has been advanced on behalf of the appellant as to what prevented him from producing the aforesaid documents before the trial court as I have mentioned earlier that instant appeal has been preferred on 18.12.2015 and the respondent entered appearance in the appeal on 01.03.2016. Not only that L.C.R. goes to show that no such case was ever made out on behalf of the appellant in the written statement filed on his behalf before the Ld. Trial Court.
On plain reading of the provision laid down under Order 41 Rule 27 it appears that said provision suggest that no party to an appeal shall be entitled to adduce additional evidence except in the circumstances mentioned in sub-clauses (a) (aa) and (b) of the said provision. The appellant in the instant case has not been able to establish that his case falls under any of the aforesaid provision of Law enabling him to be entitled for adducing additional evidence.
Therefore, the petition so filed on behalf of the appellant lacks in merit and thus, rejected on contest but without any order as to cost.”
3. Both the parties have filed their respective written notes of argument.
4. Order 41 Rule 27 lays down as follows:-
“27.Production of additional evidence in appellate court.—(1) The parties to an appeal shall not be entitled to produce additional evidence, whether oral or documentary, in the appellate court. But if—
(a) The court from whose decree the appeal is preferred has refused to admit evidence which ought to have been admitted, or
(aa) the party seeking to produce additional evidence, establishes that notwithstanding the exercise of due diligence, such evidence was not within his knowledge or could not, after the exercise of due diligence, be produced by him at the time when the decree appealed against was passed, or
(b) The appellate court requires any document to be produced or any witness to be examined to enable it to pronounce judgment, or for any other substantial cause,
the appellate court may allow such evidence or document to be produced, or witness to be examined.
(2) Wherever additional evidence is allowed to be produced by an appellate court, the court shall record the reason for its admission.”
5. The contention of the petitioners herein is that several title suits have been instituted between the parties and that in the related title suit in the present case, all other necessary parties have not been added and the plaintiff by suppression of the said facts has obtained a decree behind the back of the said defendants.
6. Learned counsel for the petitioners has relied upon a judgment of the Supreme Court reported in AIR 2008 Supreme Court 2360 (M/s. Eastern Equipment and Sales Ltd. vs. ING. Yash Kumar Khanna) wherein the Court held that the Appellate Court ought to have taken the appeal along with the application for acceptance of additional evidence. The Court setting aside the order of the Appellate Court directed the
The court affirmed that additional evidence in appellate proceedings is only permissible if necessary for a just decision, not to remedy deficiencies in the original case.
The appellate court must consider applications for additional evidence at the time of hearing the appeal, ensuring relevance to the case.
Additional evidence must be evaluated during the final appeal hearing, not before, ensuring judicial rigor in respecting procedural rules.
An appellate court must consider applications for additional evidence alongside the appeal to ensure accurate judgment, as early disposal contradicts procedural intent.
The admission of additional evidence in appellate proceedings requires a clear necessity to support the main issues at hand, as per Order 41 Rule 27 CPC.
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