Gujarat High Court
Judgename :RAVI R.TRIPATHI
GHANSHYAMBHAI K.SATHWARA - Appellant
Versus
SONUBHAI BALIRAM PATIL - Respondent
Civil Revision Application 335 of 2003
Decided On : 12/19/2006
Limitation - Execution of decree - Beyond period of limitation - Sustainability - Finding as to.
Head Note :
Limitation Act, 1963 (Central Act 36 of 1963) - Article 136 - Limitation - Execution of decree - Beyond period of limitation - Sustainability - Finding as to - A consent decree was passed on 19.09.1986 - Thereafter the present petitioners being Objectors Nos. 3 to 15 approached the Court by filing civil suit whereas Respondent No. 3 herein original Defendant-judgment-debtor No. 2 had filed Regular Civil Suit No. 1961 of 1996 - That suit was dismissed for non-prosecution on 20.03.2001 - It is, thereafter, that the present Darkhast is filed on 19.08.2002 - In the facts the learned Judge of the Executing Court committed no error in holding that the Darkhast is filed within the period of limitation - Court found no error in the said conclusion of the learned Judge - Hence this revision application must fail.
Held :
In the present case the facts are simple. A consent decree was drawn on 19.09.1986. Thereafter, the present petitioners being objectors No. 3 to 15 approached the Court by filing Special Civil Suit No. 669 of 1986, whereas Respondent No. 3 herein-original defendant-judgment Debtor No. 2 had filed Regular Civil Suit No. 1961 of 1996. That suit was dismissed for non prosecution on 20.03.2001. It is thereafter that the present Darkhast is filed on 19.08.2002. The learned Judge of the executing Court has rightly found that the Darkhast is filed within the period of limitation. This Court finds no error in the said conclusion of the learned Judge of the executing Court. Hence, this revision application must fail. [Para 12]
Law Laid Down :
Application intended to deprive fruits of decree to judgment creditor cannot be sustained.
Case Law Analysis :
West Bengal Essential Commodities Supply Corporation vs. Swadesh Agro farming and Storage Pvt. Ltd. & Anr., AIR 1999 SC 3421 [Para 9];; Antonysami vs. Arulanandam Pillai (D ) by LRs & Anr., AIR 2001 SC 2967 [Para 10].-Distinguished
Conclusion :
In the facts the learned Judge of the executing Court committed no error in holding that the Darkhast is filed within the period of limitation - Therefore, revision petition against the said order must fail.
Decided in Favour of :
Respondents
Application dismissed
( 2 ) SHORT facts leading to the present litigation are that the judgement creditor-respondent no. 1 herein had filed regular Civil Suit No. 1209 of 1985 against two defendants. One Shankar Rao Laxmanrao Shelar, who died on 29. 10. 1986, hence his heirs are joined as 1/1 and 1/ 2 in darkhast Application. The said Regular Civil Suit No. 1209 of 1985 was decreed on 19. 09. 1986. The judgement and order passed by the learned 2nd Joint Civil Judge (Junior division), Vadodara is produced at page 42 to this Civil revision Application, whereas the decree is produced at page 43. The material part is at page 45. It is mentioned at page 46 that it was agreed between the plaintiff and defendant no. 1 (of Regular Civil Suit No. 1209 of 1985) that defendant no. 1 will execute a sale deed of the land mentioned in the agreement to sell; that no amount of consideration is due and payable by the plaintiff to the defendant; that on the land in question there are 14 vacant houses, possession of which is handed over to the plaintiff. It is further mentioned that possession of one of the 14 houses, was handed over to the defendants on ownership basis and it was agreed that after the life time of defendant no. 1 the same will go to his son- gajanan Shankar Rao Shelar and Ashaben Shankar Rao by inheritance. It is also mentioned that with regard to the suit land if any member comes forward and claims that the amount is not paid to him, it will be the responsibility of the plaintiff to pay the same. It so happened that after the said decree was passed on 19. 09. 1986, defendant no. 2 filed a Regular Civil Suit no. 1961 of 1986 and other objectors no. 3 to 15 filed special Civil Suit No. 669 of 1986. It is on record that regular Civil Suit No. 1961 of 1986 was dismissed for non prosecution on 20. 03. 2001. Thereafter, the plaintiff in that suit filed Civil Misc. application No. 133 of 2001 for restoration of the same.
( 3 ) THE learned advocate appearing for the petitioners contended that the decree in question has remained not executable on expiry of the period of 12 years on 18. 09. 1998. He submitted that the present Darkhast is filed on 19. 08. 2002 and therefore, the learned Judge ought to have dismissed the same in limine without even examining the contents of the execution application. He submitted that it is not in dispute that Regular Civil suit No. 1209 of 1985 was decreed on 19. 09. 1986 and 12 years have expired on 18. 09. 1996, and on expiry of 12 years the decree became non executable and hence the execution application should have been dismissed only on that short ground.
( 4 ) THIS very contention was raised on behalf of the objectors before the executing court and the learned judge has taken all pains to consider the rival submissions. The learned Judge has recorded that soon after the decree was passed on 19. 09. 1986, Special Civil suit No. 669 of 1986 was filed which is pending as on date. Defendant no. 2 had filed Regular Civil Suit No. 1961 of 1986 which as mentioned hereinabove was dismissed for non prosecution for absence of the plaintiff of that suit on 20. 03. 2001. The learned Judge has further recorded that it was on account of pendency of Regular Civil Suit no. 1961 of 1986 that the judgement creditor did not file darkhast and it was filed on 19th August 2002, after the suit (Regular Civil Suit No. 1961 of 1986) was dismissed.
( 5 ) THE learned advocate appearing for the petitioners also contended that the decree was obtained by fraud, and therefore, the same is vitiated and cannot be enforc
SupremeToday
Login now and unlock free premium legal research
Login to SupremeToday AI and access free legal analysis, AI highlights, and smart tools.
Login
now!
India’s Legal research and Law Firm App, Download now!
Copyright © 2023 Vikas Info Solution Pvt Ltd. All Rights Reserved.