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2004 Supreme(Ker) 227

Judges : R.BHASKARAN
Kurien E.Kalathil - Appellant
Versus
Thomas - Respondent
Case No : E.P.(C) No. 35938 of 2003
Decided On : 06/07/2004
Advocates Appeared :
C.E. Unnikrishnan For Petitioner Bechu Kurian Thomas, N. Manoj Kumar & E. Subramani For Respondents.

Headnote:

Civil Procedure Code 1908, Order XXXVIII, Rule 9 - Petition is filed challenging orders passed by Sub Court - Petitioner in was defendant in suit was filed for realization of balance unpaid purchase money in a sale transaction - Petitioner is a subsequent assignee from original assignee filed the suit as indigent person application has been dismissed by impugned order in this Writ Petition - Original plaintiff filed application for permission to file suit as indigent person and before adjudication died and additional plaintiff was impleaded - Case where plaintiff has come by fresh means to enable him to pay court fee is not a case where it enables Court to review the earlier order which was passed after considering case on merit That is clear from the words he ought not to continue to sue as indigent person - Held, Court has held that while considering question whether plaintiff should be allowed to sue as an indigent person or not defendant has locus to contest application and show deserves dismissal decision has no application in present case also relied on the decision of this Court reported in It is stated in case when an applicant does not disclose an asset held by him in his application is liable to be rejected there is no complaint that any particular asset was not disclosed and therefore petition is liable to be rejected - No complaint of non disclosure in application for impleading or in application filed by original In absence of any complaint of additional plaintiff obtaining any property subsequent to passing of order petition filed can only be dismissed is more so in this case evidence has started and is in mid way - Petition disposed (Para 5 and 7)

Judgment :-

R. Bhaskaran, J.

This Writ Petition is filed challenging Exts. P2 and P4 orders passed by the Sub Court, Nedumangad. The petitioner in the Writ Petition was the 7th defendant in O.S.79/2002. The suit was filed for realisation of balance unpaid purchase money in a sale transaction. The petitioner is a subsequent assignee from the original assignee. The original plaintiff filed the suit as indigent person. After his death the first respondent has been impleaded as additional plaintiff and he was also allowed to continue the suit as indigent person. Subsequently the present petitioner filed an application under O.XXXVIII, R.9 of the C.P.C. to withdraw the permission granted to the plaintiff to file the suit as indigent person. That application has been dismissed by the impugned order in this Writ Petition. The reason stated is that the petition is highly belated and the suit is already listed for evidence.

2. According to the learned Counsel for the petitioner the Trial Court has not considered any of the contentions of the parties and the order is not a speaking order and therefore it has to be set aside and the Court is to be directed to pass proper order.

3. Learned Counsel for the contesting respondents on the other hand contended that the attempt of the petitioner is only to delay the passing of decree in the suit which was filed as early as in 2002.

4. After hearing learned Counsel on both sides I do not find any ground to set aside the order passed by the Sub Court. It is to be noted that the original plaintiff filed application for permission to file the suit as indigent person and before adjudication the original plaintiff died and additional plaintiff was impleaded.

He also filed application for permission to continue the suit as indigent person. He has given the details of his assets. The present petitioner did not contest that application. After inquiry the same was allowed. Now the petitioner filed petition under O.XXXVIII, R.9 C.P.C. O.XXXVIII, R.9 contemplates three situations to enable the defendant to approach the Court to disprove the original plaintiff. They are cases where:

(a) If the plaintiff was guilty of vexatious or improper conduct in the course of the suit;

(b) If it appears that his means are such that he ought not to continue to sue as an indigent person; or

(c) If he has entered into any agreement with reference to the subject-matter of the suit under which any other person has obtained an interest in such subject-matter.

5. According to the learned Counsel for the petitioner, the second Clause will apply to the facts of this case. But that Clause will apply only in a case where the plaintiff has come by fresh means to enable him to pay court fee and it is not a case where it enables the Court to review the earlier order which was passed after considering the case on merit. That is clear from the words "he ought not to continue to sue as indigent person". In the petition filed by the additional second plaintiff he has given the details of his assets. According to learned Counsel for the petitioner the second plaintiff has not shown the details of the immovable properties obtained by him. In the counter-affidavit it is controverted stating that these properties were shown in the schedule of the petition filed by the original plaintiff and those properties were already under attachment. No fresh asset has been shown as obtained by the additional plaintiff. Therefore, it is not a case where the additional plaintiff has come by any fresh means so as to enable the Court not to allow him to continue the suit as indigent person.

6. Learned Counsel for the petitioner brought to my notice the decision of the Supreme Court reported inM.LSethi v. R.P.Kapur, AIR 1972 SC 2379. In that case the Supreme Court has held that while considering the question whether the plaintiff should be allowed to sue as an indigent person or not the defendant has locus standi to contest the application and show that application de


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