IN THE HIGH COURT OF GUJARAT AT AHMEDABAD
NISHA M. THAKORE, J.
SANJAY BHULABHAI PATEL – Appellant
Versus
PANKAJ VINODKUMAR PATNI – Respondent
Appeal from Order Nos. 122, 123 of 2022
Decided On : 02-08-2022
Civil Procedure Code, 1908 – Order 43 – Order XX, Rule 19 (2) – Old Code of Civil Procedure, 1882 – Section 216 – Suit filed for declaration and permanent injunction – When present Appeal from Order was taken up for hearing learned advocate appearing on behalf of respondent no. 1 has raised preliminary objection with regard to maintainability of present appeals on ground of pecuniary jurisdiction – Held, Court of opinion that there is no conflict in provisions or statutes – In light of aforesaid principles of interpretation of statute, Court of view that on giving plain literal meaning to words and expressions of order XX Rule 19 of code as well as section 15 of Court Fees act, same if read keeping in mind purpose of provision and scheme of Code/Act, leaves no ambiguity – Court has no hesitation in holding that in a suit where counter claim is filed, suit and counterclaim are required to be treated as unified proceedings – This unification of proceedings forms basis of filing of appeal – Indisputably, valuation of plaint is governed by valuation of “subject matter” involved – As per definition of term “plaint” provided under section 2(c) of Gujarat Court fees act, 2004, it includes counterclaim – Ordered Accordingly.
JUDGMENT :
NISHA M. THAKORE, J.
1. Heard Mr. Salil Thakore, the learned advocate appearing with Mr. Yash J. Patel, the learned advocate on record for the original appellants; Mr. S.P. Majmudar, the learned advocate appearing alongwith Mr. Shashvata Shukla, the learned advocate for the respondent no. 1 and Mr. S.S. Acharya, the learned advocate appearing for the respondent no. 2.
2. When the present Appeal from Order was taken up for hearing Mr. S.P. Majmudar the learned advocate appearing on behalf of the respondent no. 1 has raised preliminary objection with regard to maintainability of present appeals on the ground of pecuniary jurisdiction.
3. Mr. Majmudar has drawn attention of this Court to the copy of the plaint, more particularly, the title of the suit, the prayer sought for in Regular Civil Suit No. 161 of 2022 and considering the subject matter, the valuation of the suit filed for declaration and permanent injunction. He submitted that the Appeal from Order would not be maintainable before the trial Court. He submitted that the respondent no. 1 is the original plaintiff, who has derived ownership right in the suit-property pursuant to the three registered sale-deeds dated 30.08.2021 executed by the defendant no. 1. He further submitted that the cause of action arose for the plaintiff to approach the Court of Civil Judge, Vadodara when the defendant no. 2-appellant herein had stop the entry of the original plaintiff as well as had restrained labourers of the plaintiff to enter the building by taking recourse using force with the help of anti-social ailments, which led to filing of Criminal Complaint against the defendants in December 2021. He further submitted that as per the terms and conditions of the aforesaid registered sale-deeds, the plaintiff is entitled to the use of common amenities of building as well as legal right to have access to the building by ingress and egress through staircase. By making aforesaid submissions, Mr. Majmudar submitted that the suit has rightly been valued considering the subject matter at Rs. 1,000/- and the court fees of Rs. 300/- has also been paid. In absence of any objection being raised by the Registry of Court of Civil Judge, Vadodara, the same has been registered as Regular Civil Suit No. 161 of 2022. He invited attention of this Court to the Notification dated 14.10.2014 and submitted that in case of suit valued more than Rs. 50,00,000/- in that case only, the Appeal from Order would lie before the High Court. He therefore submitted that the original suit being valued at Rs. 1,000/- the present Appeals from Order may not be entertained as the same would lie before the District Court at Vadodara.
4. At this stage, Mr. Majmudar referred to the chronology of the events to demonstrate that the appellant herein has not approached this Court with clean hands and the present appeals may not be entertained only on the ground of suppression of material facts by the original defendant no. 2 i.e. appellant herein. Mr. Majmudar has placed on record the order dated 26.06.2022 passed by the 8th District Judge, Vadodara below Exh.1 in Misc. Civil Appeal No. 15 of 2022. He submitted that the original civil suit was filed by the respondent no. 1 herein on 22.03.2022. It was initially registered as Regular Civil Suit No. 161 of 2022. Considering the averments made in the plaint and upon hearing the learned counsel appearing for the original plaintiff, the learned Additional Senior Civil Judge, Vadodara was pleased to grant ex-parte ad-interim relief vide order dated 26.03.2022. Upon service of summons alongwith ex-parte ad-interim relief granted by the learned Additional Senior Civil Judge, Vadodara, the original defendant no. 2-appellant herein had approached the District & Sessions Court, Vadodara by filing Appeal under Order-43 of Code of Civil Procedure, 1908, which was registered as Misc. Ci
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