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2012(2) CPR 130 (NC)
NATIONAL CONSUMER DISPUTES REDRESSAL COMMISSION, NEW DELHI
V.R. Kingaonkar, Presiding Member and Vinay Kumar, Member
Mohan Co. Pvt. Ltd. —Appellants
versus
Santosh Yadav —Respondent
First Appeal No. 457 and 460 of 2004 and CC No. C/156/SC/98
Decided on 30.11.2011

Important Points

IMPORTANT POINT
Additional remedy provided under Consumer Protection Act, 1986 does not give lee-way to circumvent regular procedure of filing proper suit when complex and complicated questions of facts and law are involved.

Subject

Consumer Dispute - Specific Performance of Contract

Act Referred

CONSUMER PROTECTION ACT : S.17, S.19, S.21, S.3, S.24(a)
LIMITATION ACT : Art.54

Headnote

(A) Consumer Protection Act, 1986—Sections 17, 19 and 21—Real estate—Booking of plot—State Commission directed for execution of sale deed in respect of plot—Anyone of co-owner or prospective co-vendee can maintain action for recovery of property notwithstanding absence of any prospective co-vendee to join the litigation—Since complex issues of civil nature were involved in proceedings such a question also has to be decided by Civil Court in regular proceedings and not by Consumer Commission in summary proceedings—Impugned judgment set aside. (Paras 3, 9 to 15)

       (B) Consumer Protection Act, 1986—Section 3—Additional remedy—Section 3 provides that provisions of Act are in addition to and not in derogation to provisions of any other law for the time being in force—Consumer complaint can be entertained though a civil suit on same cause of action may also can be filed—It does not, however, mean that such additional remedy provided under Consumer Protection Act, 1986 gives lee-way to circumvent regular procedure of filing proper suit when complex and complicated questions of facts and law are involved. (Para 11)

       (C) Consumer Protection Act, 1986—Section 24A—Limitation Act, 1963—Article 54—Time-barred complaint—Consumer Fora cannot be made available to avoid legal barrier created under Limitation Act and Contract Act which otherwise impeded so-called consumer from pursuing regular remedy like a civil suit—Entertaining of such complaint filed by complainant itself amounted to abuse of process of law. (Para 14)

       

Advocates:
Counsel for the Parties:
For the Appellants (in FA 457 of 2004 and Respondent in FA 460 of 2004:S.K. Patttjoshi Advocate
For the Respondent: K. Radha, Amicus Curiae.

ORDER

V. R. Kingaonkar, Presiding Member—This appeal emanates from judgment rendered by the U.P. State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, Lucknow in Complaint Case No.C/156/SC/98. By the impugned judgment, the State Commission finally allowed the complaint, directing execution of sale deed in respect of the plot in question in joint names of the complainant Smt. Santosh Yadav and one Smt. Murti Devi on payment of Rs.7,280 along with interest @ 6% till the date of the order to the appellants.

2. A few facts may be stated at the outset in order to highlight contours of the dispute. One Somdev Yadav had booked three flats with M/s. Mohan Co. (P) Ltd. of which late Shri M.C. Mohan was the Director. Somewhere in 1990, said M.C. Mohan died. O.P. No.1, Jintender Mohan is his son. The three flats booked by late Somdev Yadav in or about 1969 considered of Plot No.12 situated at Rajendra Garden area. Admittedly, it was purchased by Somdev Yadav in his own name. The second plot bearing No.150, Ravindra Garden, Lucknow was booked in the name of Smt. Murti Devi, who was the wife of his brother. There is no dispute about the above said two plots. The third plot, which is subject matter of the dispute, is Plot No.123, Chand Ganj Garden, Lucknow of which the transaction could not be completed by said Somdev Yadav during his life time. It appears that Somdev Yadav died somewhere in 1989.

3. For the sake of convenience, the parties to the dispute maybe hereinafter referred to by their original nomenclature as was in the State Commission. It may be mentioned that though the Plot No.123 was booked jointly in the name of complainant, Smt. Santosh Yadav and her sister-in-law by name Smt. Murti Devi Yet, said Smt. Murti Devi was not made party to the proceedings in the complaint. It may be further stated that complainant, Smt. Santosh made feeble attempt to improvise her case by seeking amendment in the complaint the effect that Smt. Murti Devi had relinquished her rights in her favour as a result of family settlement. The amendment was not allowed by the State Commission. The Revision Petition preferred by complainant, Smt. Santosh came to be dismissed. We may notice that there is absolutely no material on record to show that said Smt. Murti Devi, at any point of time, relinquished her rights in respect of disputed Plot No.123 in favour of complainant, Smt. Santosh Yadav. Still, however, such issue is of not of much significance. It is well settled that anyone of the co-owner or prospective co-vendee can maintain action for recovery of the property notwithstanding absence of any prospective co-vendee to join the litigation.

4. Briefly stated, case of complainant Smt. Santosh, as unfolded from pleadings before the State Commission and the record, was that the OP Nos. 1 and 2 were dealing in business of freehold plot vending under various schemes. Her husband had paid Rs.3,120 on 5.4.1969 as (part of the consideration of Plot No.123. It was agreed between the parties that remaining consideration will be paid by instalments of Rs.400 per month. Though, another freehold Plot No.150, Ravindra Garden was transferred by OP Nos. l and 2 in favour of Smt. Murti Devi, on 14.11.1970, yet, Plot No. l23 was not transferred in joint name of said Smt. Murti Devi and herself. The OP Nos. 1 and 2 avoided transferring the Plot No.123 in their name under one or another pretext. After 1970, there was legal prohibitory notification issued by Lucknow Development Authority for effecting transfer of the said inasmuch as it was covered by provisions of Urban Ceiling Act. By letter dated 23.6.1979, complainant Smt. Santosh urged the Opponent Nos.1 and 2 to transfer the plot as per the agreement. Though, frequently she demanded transfer of Plot No. 123, yet, they avoided to comply with the terms of the agreement. Eventually, she learnt that the OP Nos. 1 and 2 were making an attempt to illegality transfer that plot to the third party. Therefore, she filed FIR dated 4.9.1998































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