IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI
CHANDRA DHARI SINGH, J.
PRIME TIME INDIA – Plaintiff
Versus
SOMNATH VIJ – Defendant
C.S. (OS) No. 554 of 2004
Decided On : 02-02-2023
Civil Procedure Code, 1908 – Order XIV Rule 5 – Section 151 – Special Power of Attorney – Rights of Defendants – Application is praying for deletion – Pertaining to suit property – Application has been filed by Applicant/ Plaintiff under Order XIV Rule 5 read with Section 151 of Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 inter-alia seeking reliefs – Held, Therefore, in light of facts of present application this Court finds that even though as per Order XIV Rule 5 of CPC, the courts have power to amend issues, same will not be applicable in this case as reliance by the Plaintiff on compromise under Order XXIII Rule 3 of CPC qua the share of Defendant no. 3 is misplaced and said averment cannot come to rescue of plaintiff since, rights of other parties remain unaffected – Court finds force in arguments of Non-Applicant/Defendants that issues that are sought to be deleted are legal issues and are necessary for adjudication of present suit – Thus, Court is of view that present application is devoid of any merit – Application dismissed.
JUDGMENT :
CHANDRA DHARI SINGH, J.
I.A. NO. 14066/2017 (under Order 14 Rule 5)
1. The present application has been filed by the Applicant/ Plaintiff under Order XIV Rule 5 read with Section 151 of Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 (hereinafter referred to as “CPC”) inter-alia seeking the following reliefs:
(b) Appoint a local commissioner for recording of Evidence in the above matter on the cost to be borne by the parties.
(c) Pass any other orders that this Hon'ble Court may deem fit and proper in the facts and circumstances of the case.”
FACTUAL MATRIX
2. The captioned suit has been filed on behalf of the plaintiff seeking specific performance of agreement dated 24th December, 2003.
3. In the present suit the following issues were framed by the predecessor bench of this Court on 15th September, 2017:
(ii) Whether the suit filed by the plaintiff company is not maintainable? OPD-1
(iii) Whether the suit is liable to be stayed under Section 10 CPC? OPD-1
(iv) Whether the plaintiff has no cause of action to institute present suit? OPD-1, 2 and 4
(v) Whether the suit is not maintainable under Section 80 CPC? OPD-1
(vi) Whether the suit is bad for non-joinder of necessary and proper party? OPD-1
(vii) Whether the present suit has not been filed by a competent person? OPD-1
(viii) Whether the proper description of the property in dispute has not been furnished in the plaint, if so, its effect? OPD
(ix) Whether the plaintiff company has no locus-standi to file the present suit? OPD-1
(x) Whether defendant No. 1 - Somnath Vij had no legal authority to sign agreement to sell dated 24.12.2003 on behalf of the defendants No. 2 and 4? OPD-2 and OPD-4
(xi) Whether the present suit has been filed in conspiracy between the plaintiff, defendant No. 1 and Ashok Kapoor? OPD-2
(xii) Whether the agreement to sell dated 24.12.2003 is a fabricated and manipulated document? OPD-2 and 4
(xiii) Relief.”
(Emphasis supplied)
4. The Applicant/ Plaintiff by way of present application is praying for deletion / striking off of issues no ii, iii, v, vi, vii and ix.
SUBMISSIONS
(on behalf of Plaintiff/Applicant)
5. Mr. Anil K. Airi, learned senior counsel appearing for the plaintiff submitted that during the pendency of the instant suit, the plaintiff with defendant no. 1 and 3 entered into a compromise qua the 22% share of defendant no. 3 in the suit property. The terms of this compromise were reduced to writing vide application submitted under Order XXIII Rule 3 of the CPC, i.e. I.A. No. 1541 of 2005. The agreement was signed and money was received from the Plaintiff, according to an affidavit that was also submitted by Defendant no. 1 in support of the motion. The following are the terms of the said settlement:
(a) The defendant No. 3 has agreed to transfer her share in the suit property in favour of the plaintiff to the extent of 22% share with all her rights, title and interest therein.
(b) That the plaintiff has agreed to release to the defendant No. 3 and defendant No. 3 has agreed to accept her share of consideration in pursuance of the settlement of all her disputes with regard to her 22% share and the defendant No. 1 has no objection to such settlement between the plaintiff and the defendant No. 3.
(c) That the plaintiff shall release a further sum of Rs. 86,00,000/- (Rupees eighty six lakhs only)by way of Bank Draft in favour of the defendantNo. 3 in pursuance of the agreement dated 24.12.2003 as full and final payment towards the share of the defendant No. 3 at th
The court emphasized the necessity of timely applications for amendment and the importance of proper issue framing to prevent delays in the judicial process.
The main legal point established in the judgment is that a compromise deed, once recorded by the court, is lawful and binding, and a subsequent suit challenging the compromise decree is not maintaina....
The trial court's clubbing of issues and rendering common findings was not in violation of the legal provisions. The appellate court's remand order was found to be inappropriate.
Specific performance cannot be enforced against parties not privy to the original contract, and suits lacking a cause of action are subject to rejection under Order VII Rule 11 of the CPC.
The rights of the applicants to claim a share in the suit properties were preserved in the Compromise Decree, and the inter se controversy of alleged fraud entailed different pleadings.
The court emphasized the necessity of framing appropriate issues under the CPC to ensure a fair trial in cases of specific performance and possession claims.
The main legal point established in the judgment is that the proposed issues by the defendant no.1 were already covered by existing issues and did not need to be separately framed. The Court also emp....
(1) There cannot be any challenge to a consent decree as stipulated under Order XXIII Rule 3-A of C.P.C.(2) Relief for specific performance can also be enforced against a person who is not a party to....
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