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2014 Supreme(Chh) 283

IN THE HIGH COURT OF CHHATTISGARH AT BILASPUR
Sanjay K. Agrawal, J.
Tulsi Devi – Appellants
Vs.
Meenabai – Respondent
Second Appeal No. 190 of 2003
Decided On : 7.3.2014

Advocates Appeared:
For Appellant/Petitioner/Plaintiff:H.B. Agrawal, Senior Advocate and Meera Jaiswal.

Headnote:

Limitation Act - Section 15 - For sake of convenience - Trial Court - Limitation on account of fact - Requirement of any law - Recovery of aforesaid - Filed a money recovery suit against the defendant Singh later on he died and his legal representatives were substituted in his place, stating inter alia that her husband was earlier in service in Steel Plant and defendant was co-employee with him and defendant being in need of money, advanced who executed receipt/acknowledgment promising that it will be payable on demand with interest by himself or his legal representatives - It was further pleaded when the money was demanded by the plaintiff by notice delivered to defendant amount was not paid resulting into filing of the suit for recovery of aforesaid - During the course of trial, plaintiff filed an application under Section 3 read with Section 5 of Limitation Act stating inter alia that loan was advanced and period of limitation of three years expired and the suit was filed and therefore, the delay of one day in filing the suit be condoned – Held, contention of the Counsel for defendant is well founded that present case is not one where the provision of Section 15(2) of the Limitation Act would come to rescue of the plaintiff, for the reason that it was not mandatory for the plaintiff to issue a notice, in accordance with any requirement of law before raising a demand on the defendant. Furthermore, as contemplated under Section 15(2) of the Limitation Act notice, if any was required to be given to the defendant as envisaged under Section 24 of the Indian Electricity Act, 1910, in the context of disconnecting the electricity supply - But such a notice was not a condition precedent for the purpose of filing a suit for recovery of outstanding arrears for electricity consumed - In this regard, Counsel for the defendant is justified in relying on the judgment in the case of wherein the provision of Section 15(2) of the Limitation Act was considered in light of Section 77 of the Railways Act and it was held that absence of notice does not mean that a suit cannot be brought but only provides that it cannot be decreed and that the Court always has the jurisdiction to decide the necessity of a notice before granting a decree - Even in present case, there is nothing placed on the records to establish that no suit could be brought by plaintiff against the defendant in Court in absence of a notice - Rather, no prior notice is contemplated by the statute - Thus, from aforesaid decisions it would appear that Section 15(2) of Limitation Act provides that in computing the period of limitation for any suit of which notice has been given in accordance with requirement of any law for time being in force period of notice shall be excluded while computing period of limitation of institution of suit - Appeal dismissed

JUDGMENT

Sanjay K. Agrawal, J.

1. The substantial question of law formulated and to be answered in this appeal states as under:-

Whether the two Courts below were justified in holding that the suit is barred by limitation on account of the fact that as the condition of payment was on demand and the demand admittedly was made by the plaintiff on 25-4-1995 and, therefore, the period of notice of demand also should have been taken into consideration for the purpose of calculation of limitation part?

In order to answer the substantial question of law following facts in nutshell are required to be noticed as under:-

For sake of convenience, the parties would be referred hereinafter as per their status before the trial Court.

1.1 Plaintiff - Smt. Tulsi Bai filed a money recovery suit against the defendant-Rambagas Singh, later on he died and his legal representatives were substituted in his place, stating inter alia that her husband was earlier in service in Bhilai Steel Plant and defendant was co-employee with him, and defendant being in need of money, advanced Rs. 50,000/- on 3-5-1992 to him, who executed receipt/acknowledgment promising that it will be payable on demand with interest by himself or his legal representatives. It was further pleaded when the money was demanded by the plaintiff on 25-4-1995 by notice, delivered to defendant on 27-4-1995, the amount was not paid resulting into filing of the suit for recovery of aforesaid sum on 3-5-1995.

1.2 During the course of trial, plaintiff filed an application under Section 3 read with Section 5 of the Limitation Act stating inter alia that loan was advanced on 3-5-1992 and period of limitation of three years expired on 2-5-1995 and the suit was filed on 3-5-1995 and, therefore, the delay of one day in filing the suit be condoned.

1.3 Defendants opposed the application stating inter alia that application is not entertainable and, therefore, it be rejected and suit be dismissed as barred by limitation.

2. The trial Court by its order dated 6-9-1999 in Civil Suit No. 4-B of 95 rejected the application holding inter aha that in a duly constituted suit, provisions of Section 5 of the Limitation Act is not attracted and the delay cannot be condoned and, consequently, dismissed the suit as barred by limitation.

3. Plaintiff preferred first appeal there-against. First appellate Court by its order dated 14-2-2003 in Civil Appeal No. 28 of 2001 affirmed the order passed by the trial Court, leading to filing of this Second Appeal under Section 100 of the Code of Civil Procedure.

4. Shri H.B. Agrawal, learned Senior Counsel appearing for the plaintiff would submit both the courts below have committed a legal error in holding that delay of one day in filing the suit cannot be condoned under Section 5 of the Limitation Act. He would further submit that notice of demand was sent on 25-4-1995 to the defendant claiming the amount of Rs. 50,000/- as per condition attached and, therefore, the notice period ought to have been excluded while computing the period of limitation of three years and suit ought to have held within period of limitation by trial Court as well as first appellate Court.

5. I have heard learned counsel appearing for the appellant and perused the records of both the courts below.

6. The plaintiff's case is based on receipt/promissory note dated 3-5-1992, which reads as under:-

(Vernacular matter omitted-Ed)

7. Further, the plaintiff has placed reliance on Article 22 of the Limitation Act, which reads as under:-


8. Admittedly, in the instant case, the money in question was advanced to defendant on 3-5-1992 and the period of limitation prescribed for institution of such money suit expired on 2-5-1995 and the suit was filed on 3-5-1995; and the plaintiff claimed that as per Article 22 of the Limitation Act, he has made a demand by issuing notice to defendant on 25-4-1995, and delivered to him on 27-4-1995 and, therefore, notice period deserves to be excluded while computing the period of limitat



















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