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1984 Supreme(Del) 49

High Court Of Delhi
HARL BHAGWAN SHARMA - Appellant
Versus
BADRI BHAGAT JHANDEWALAN TEMPLE SOCIETY - Respondent
Interim Application 383 of 1983
Decided On : 02/15/1984

Advocates Appeared:
A.K.MARVAHA, RAJIV BEHL, S.C.SINGHA, S.N.MARVAH

The provisions of Order VII, Rule 11, C. P. C. cannot be interpreted as curtailing or limiting the power of the Court to allow amendment under Order VI. Rule 17, C. P. C.

Headnote:

PUBLIC TRUST - SUIT FOR REMOVAL OF TRUSTEES AND APPOINTMENT OF NEW TRUSTEES - LEAVE OF THE COURT - GRANT OF LEAVE - CONDITIONS PRECEDENT - AMENDMENT OF PLAINT - POWER OF THE COURT - ORDER VI, RULE 17 AND ORDER VII, RULE 11, C. P. C. - INTERPRETATION.

Fact of the Case:

The plaintiffs, four in number, who are all residents of Delhi and who claim to be Sanatanist Hindus being followers of Sanatan Dharam having belief and faith in Idol worship, Smritis, Upnishads and Puranas (i. e. holy scriptures of Hindus) have instituted this suit under section 92 of the Code of Civil Procedure (for short the Code) against Badri Bhagat Jhandewalan Temple Society (Registered) through its Secretary Shri Ram Avtar Gupta and 34 other persons in respect of an alleged public trust.

Finding of the Court:

1. The grant of leave to file the suit is not merely a matter of form but of real substance, it being a condition precedent to the institution of the suit. 2. The addition of the words "subject to just exceptions" in the order granting leave does not make any dent in, nor does it qualify the leave to institute the suit which is absolute and final. 3. A suit under section 92 Civil Procedure Code. must be instituted by two or more persons in a representative capacity in the interest of the public and not merely for the vindication of the individual or personal right of themselves or someone else. 4. The interest contemplated by section 92 must be a substantial and existing interest and not just a sentimental or a remote interest. 5. The provisions of Order VII, Rule 11 cannot be interpreted as curtailing or limiting the power of the Court to allow amendment under Order VI. Rule 17.

Issues: 1. Whether the leave granted by the Court to institute the suit was valid and legal? 2. Whether the suit has been instituted by the plaintiffs in a representative capacity for the purpose of vindicating the rights of the public at large? 3. Whether the plaint discloses any cause of action entitling the plaintiffs to institute a suit under section 92 Civil Procedure Code? 4. Whether the Court has the power to allow amendment of the plaint under Order VI, Rule 17, C. P. C., when it does not disclose a cause of action?

Ratio Decidendi: 1. The leave granted by the Court to institute the suit was valid and legal. The addition of the words "subject to just exceptions" in the order granting leave does not make any dent in, nor does it qualify the leave to institute the suit which is absolute and final. 2. The suit has been instituted by the plaintiffs in a representative capacity for the purpose of vindicating the rights of the public at large. The plaintiffs have clearly averred that defendant No. I was mis-appropriating considerable amount of donations and offerings in cash and kind and consequentially the plaintiffs were left with no other alternative but to serve him with a show-cause notice dated 3rd March 1982. 3. The plaint discloses a cause of action entitling the plaintiffs to institute a suit under section 92 Civil Procedure Code. The plaintiffs are not only votaries of Sanatan Dharam and believers in Idol worship but they are residents of the same town, namely, Delhi in which the endowment in question is situate. 4. The Court has the power to allow amendment of the plaint under Order VI, Rule 17, C. P. C., when it does not disclose a cause of action. The provisions of Order VII, Rule 11 cannot be interpreted as curtailing or limiting the power of the Court to allow amendment under Order VI. Rule 17.

Final Decision: 1. I. A. 383/83 is rejected as being without any merit. 2. The proposed amendments to be made in the plaint as prayed in I. A. 3553/83 are allowed. 3. The plaintiffs shall, however, pay Rs. 250.00 as costs to the contesting defendants.

J. D. Jain,j.

( 1 ) -THE plaintiffs, four in number, who are all residents of Delhi and who claim to be Sanatanist Hindus being followers of Sanatan Dharam having belief and faith in Idol worship, Smritis, Upnishads and Puranas (i. e. holy scriptures of Hindus) have instituted this suit under section 92 of the Code of Civil Procedure (for short the Code) against Badri Bhagat Jhandewalan Temple Society (Registered) through its Secretary Shri Ram Avtar Gupta and 34 other persons in respect of an alleged public trust. It is averred that about a century ago one Bhagat Badri Dass obtained a piece of land measuring 30,929 sq. yards comprised in khasra No. 40, Village Banskoli, Delhi, for the purpose of erecting a temple and a Dharamsala and he erected a temple thereon and installed the Idol of Goddess Durga Mata on a permanent padestal for the benefit of Sanatanist Hindus. He declared the properties as trust properties including the buildings and land mentioned above and thereafter he started looking after the trust property, which was a public trust of a charitable and religious nature, as a manager as the properties vested in the Idol. Thus, the beneficial interest of the trust vested in an uncertain fluctuating body of persons answering to a particular description, namely, Sanatanist Hindus and the temple where where the Idol was installed came to be known as Badri Bhagat Jhandewalan Mata Devi Temple. Subsequently, some more idols were installed in the said temple and buildings constructed around it. After his death in or about 1898 his only son Ramji Dass Tandon constructed a Pathsala named Sanatan Dharam Sanskrit Vidyashala (Registered) and the same was affiliated to Banaras Hindu University. The said Pathsala was constructed with public funds and the offerings made by the devotees at the temple. Still later after the death of Ramji Dass Tandon in 1936, his son Shyam Sunder took over the management and unkeep of the temple and the estate attached to it. In 1944 Shyam Sunder with a view to reiterate his dedication to the temple, made a declaration that the temple and the estate called jhandewalan Estate constituted a public trust and with a view to ensure its management in a regular and proper manner he created a Society called badri Bhagat Jhandewalan Society, now defendant No. 1. The Society framed its rules, regulations and a memorandum which were duly registered under the Societies Registration Act. 11 prominent and respectable Sanatanists of Delhi were named as trustees while Shyam Sunder himself became a life trustee to manage the affairs of the registered Society and the trust. Subsequently, fresh trustees were taken as and when occasion arose. The plaintiffs further contend that Prem Nath Kapoor, defendant No. 2, is claiming that he has become a life trustee by virtue of his adoption as a son by late Shyam Sunder, who died on 27th March 1959, as also under the will alleged to have been executed by Shyam Sunder on 27th March 1959. Further defendant No. 2 has been indulging in undesirable activities and has been making alienations in respect of the properties of the trust in the form of leases etc. to various bodies like the R. S. S. and has misappropriated the enormous funds of the trust which are received in the shape of offerings etc. from the devotees. He has even co-opted some nonsanatanists as trnstees which was against the letter and spirit of the declaration of trust. The plaintiffs have also adverted to some litigation which has been going on between Badri Jhandewalan Temple Society and its members on the one hand, viz. , defendants I to 21 and Yogeshwar Attrey, defendant No. 22 and other defendants on the other, with regard to the possession and control of the trust and its properties. Defendant No. I has, inter alia, instituted suit No. 447/82 in this Court against Yogeshwar Attrey, defendant No. 22 etc. for his removal as head priest of the temple. In turn, said Yogeshwar Attrey and other defendants claim
















































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