High Court Of Delhi
S.L.GUPTA - Appellant
Versus
RAMESH KUMAR - Respondent
Decided On : 05/03/1996
CIVIL PROCEDURE CODE - ORDER 14 RULE 5 - ADDITIONAL ISSUES - FRAMING OF - REJECTION OF APPLICATION - REVISION - MAINTAINABILITY - CASE DECIDED - MEANING OF.
Fact of the Case:
The plaintiff filed an eviction petition against the defendant on the ground of subletting. The petition was decreed ex-parte. Thereafter, a dispute arose relating to the enjoyment of the common passage, the first floor, and the terrace. The plaintiff filed an application under Order 14 Rule 5 of the Civil Procedure Code for framing additional issues. The application was rejected by the trial court.
Finding of the Court:
The court held that the refusal to frame additional issues did not amount to a "case decided" under Section 115 of the Civil Procedure Code. The court further held that the revision petition was not maintainable.
Issues: 1. Whether the refusal to frame additional issues amounts to a "case decided" under Section 115 of the Civil Procedure Code? 2. Whether the revision petition is maintainable?
Ratio Decidendi: 1. The expression "case decided" has received a liberal approach and it could not be confined to final disposal of suit or appeal, for "a case" includes even interlocutory civil proceeding though there is no general formula as to when an interlocutory order may amount to "a case decided". 2. A case is deemed to have been decided when there is adjudication on the rights or obligations of the parties in controversy. 3. By refusal to frame additional issues, neither the rights nor the obligations of the parties are determined relating to any matter in controversy. It cannot be said to be deciding a case so as to attract the expression a "case which has been decided".
Final Decision: The revision petition was dismissed.
( 1 ) THIS revision is directed against an order dated 22. 10. 84 dismissing an application under 0. 14 R. 5, Civil Procedure Code moved by the plaintiff for framing several additional issues.
( 2 ) RELEVANT facts : The wife of the petitioner had let out a portion on the first floor to the defendent respondent No. 1. An eviction petition was filed on the ground of subletting. It was decreed ex-parte. Thereafter dispute arose relating to enjoyment of the common passage on the ground floor, on the first floor and about the user of the terrace on the second floor. The learned Sub Judge Shri D. S. Bawa framed only two following issues : (i) Whether the plaintiff is entitled to the injunction prayed for ? (ii) Relief.
( 3 ) FEELING that other issues were necessary, an application was made for framing 11 additional issues. . . .
( 4 ) THE application was rejected.
( 5 ) IN the present case, after going through the pleadings, it appears that the prayer was made for framing necessary and relevant as well as unnecessary and irrelavant issues. It appears that the learned Sub Judge by holding that proposed additional issues A, B and D to K were covered in issue relating to relief, had not debarred either of the parties from leading evidence on these points raised in the proposed issue. Thus, he has left the matter open and undecided.
( 6 ) BESIDES, when learned Sub Judge has made the things clear, none of the parties can say they would be misled by not framing of the proposed additional issues, as the parties know as to what case they have set up in the pleadings and what case they have to prove by leading evidence. So even if there is any error or defect in the framing of issues, that is not likely to cause any prejudice to either of the parties, Smt. Vidya Vati vs. Hansraj AIR 1993 Delhi, 137. As regards issue No. C, learned Sub Judge took the view that it was a suit for a permanent injunction and fixed valuation for the purpose of court fee and pecuniary jurisdiction has been mentioned as Rs. 130. 00. As such, he felt that it was also not required to be framed.
( 7 ) LA respect of proposed issue No. C relating to payment of court fee and valuation, it appears that basically the plaintiff is seeking injunction for restraining the defts. from using any portion other than his tenanted premises and from disturbing the plaintiff in his enjoyment of his portion. In Sri Ratna vs. Vimla AIR 1961 SC 1299 the deft. was not allowed to raise the plea of insufficient court fee in revision. Following observations of the Supreme Court are noteworthy :
"we fail to appreciate what grievance the defendent can make by seeking to invoke the revisional jurisdiction of the High Court on the question, whether the plaintiff has paid adequate court fee on his plaint. Whether proper court fee is paid on a plaint is primarily a question between the plaintiff and the State. How by an order relating to the adequacy of the court fee paid by the plaintiff, the defendant may feel aggrieved, it is difficult to appreciate. "
( 8 ) HERE the case is still worse. The plaintiff is agitating non-framing of an issue in this regard, despite the fad that it is nobody s case that the jurisdiction of the court is likely to be altered by specific decision in this case. See Siddhartha vs. S. S. K. Sevashram, AIR 1995 All. 52.
( 9 ) IN this revision petition, another short question "whether refusal to frame additional issues amounts to a "case which has been decided u/s. 115 of the Civil Procedure Code. is also required to be considered.
( 10 ) IN this connection, it may be mentioned that for interference in revision, the impugned order must be "a case decided". The expression case decided has received a liberal approach and it could not be confined to final disposal of suit or appeal, for "a case" includes even interlocutory civil proceeding though there is no general formula as to when an interlocutory order may amount to "a case decided". A case is deemed to have bee
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