Judges : MR T.C.RAGHAVAN,N.D.P.NAMBOODIRIPAD
A. - Appellant
Versus
BALAN - Respondent
Case No : C. M. P. No. 9279 of 1972 in O. P. No. of 1972
Decided On : 07/14/1972
Advocates Appeared :
M. S. Kurien; For Petitioner
Pauper - Jurisdiction of High Court under Art.226 of the Constitution - 0.33 of the Code of Civil Procedure does not apply to proceedings under Art.226 of the Constitution
Fact of the Case:
The petitioner sought to claim pauper status under 0.33 of the Code of Civil Procedure for proceedings under Art.226 of the Constitution.
Finding of the Court:
The court found that 0.33 of the Code of Civil Procedure, which applies only to suits, cannot apply to proceedings under Art.226 of the Constitution, as they are not suits.
Issues: The main issue was whether the petitioner could claim pauper status under 0.33 of the Code of Civil Procedure for proceedings under Art.226 of the Constitution.
Ratio Decidendi: The court relied on previous decisions and the distinction between original jurisdiction and appellate/revisional jurisdiction to conclude that 0.33 does not apply to Art.226 proceedings.
Final Decision: The petition was dismissed, and the petitioner was given a week to pay the court fee.
1. The question we have to consider in this miscellaneous petition is whether the petitioner can claim to be a pauper under 0.33 of the Code of Civil Procedure. Apparently, 0.33 applies only to suits. The Supreme Court has said in State of Uttar Pradesh v. Dr. Vijay Anand Maharaj (AIR. 1963 S.C. 946) that the jurisdiction of a High Court to issue a writ under Art.226 of the Constitution is original jurisdiction as distinguished from the appellate or revisional jurisdiction and that it may be described as extraordinary original jurisdiction. In another decision, viz., Lt. Col. Khajoor Singh v. Union of India (AIR. 1961 S. C. 532), the Supreme Court has said that the proceedings under Art.226 are not suits. It is thus clear beyond doubt that 0.33 of the Code of Civil Procedure, which applies only to suits, cannot apply to proceedings under Art.226 of the Constitution, which are not suits.
2. Mr. M. S. Kurien, the counsel of the petitioner, has brought to our notice the decision of the Calcutta High Court in Krishnalal Sadhu v. State of West Bengal (AIR. 1967 Cal. 275), where a Division Bench of the Calcutta High Court has held that 0.22 of the Code of Civil Procedure applies to proceedings under Art.226. The correctness of this decision need not be considered by us in this case, because what we have to consider here is only whether 0.33 of the Code of Civil Procedure applies to proceedings under Art.226 of the Constitution.
3. We have also a Division Bench decision of our High Court in Raghavan v. The Government of Kerala (C. M. P. No. 11141 of 1970), where the learned judges have said that 0.33 and 44 of the Code of Civil Procedure do not apply to writ petitions and appeals therefrom.
The petition is dismissed. A week is allowed for paying court fee.
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