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1994 Supreme(Ker) 20

Kerala High Court
L.MANOHARAN
Kanhikkamthoppu Parambil Radha - Appellant
Versus
Kondarappatt Velayudhan - Respondent
Decided On : 01/18/1994

Advocates:
C.K. Ramakrishnan, for Petitioner; T.G. Rajendran and Sunny Mathew, for Respondent.

The main legal principle established is that the interpretation of statutes should aim to discover the legislative intent and give effect to all provisions, while also considering the legislative purpose and reconciling potential conflicts.

Headnote:

Guardians and Wards Act - Jurisdiction - Interpretation of Statutes

Fact of the Case:

The revision petitioner, a mother-in-law, sought custody of her grandchildren after her daughter's death. The respondent, the children's father, filed for custody under the Guardians and Wards Act, 1890. The revision petitioner filed a petition for staying the custody proceedings until the investigation into her daughter's death was completed.

Finding of the Court:

The court analyzed the maintainability of the revision and the interpretation of Section 19(5) of the Family Courts Act, 1984. The court found that the revision was not maintainable as per the provisions of the Act and dismissed the petition.

Issues: The main issue was the maintainability of the revision under the Family Courts Act, 1984, and the interpretation of Section 19(5) in relation to interlocutory orders.

Ratio Decidendi: The court held that the literal and natural meaning of 'order' in Section 19(5) of the Act includes interlocutory orders, consistent with the legislative intent to ensure speedy settlement of disputes. The court also emphasized the need to interpret statutes to give effect to all provisions and reconcile potential conflicts.

Final Decision: The revision was found to be not competent, and the court dismissed the petition.

ORDER:-

Revision petitioner is the mother-in-law of the respondent. Respondent married the daughter of the revision petitioner. In the marriage two children were born. The wife died in 1988. After her death the two children are residing with the revision petitioner, their grand mother. While so the respondent filed O. P. 258 of 1992 for the custody of his children under Section 25 of the Guardians and Wards Act, 1890. In that the revision petitioner filed I.A. 567 of 1993 under Section 10 read with Section 151 CPC for staying of O. P. 258 of 1992 till the investigation as to the cause of death of her daughter on the basis of a complaint filed by her is completed. Learned Judge dismissed the petition. This revision is against the said order.

2. A preliminary objection was taken by the respondent's counsel that the revision is not maintainable. According to him no revision is maintainable from the order under challenge as per the provisions in the Family Courts Act, 1984 (for short 'the Act'). Learned counsel for the respondent made reliance on Section 19(5) of the Act in support of his said contention. On the other hand, learned counsel for the revision petitioner maintained that with due regard to Section 48 of the Guardians and Wards Act, 1890 read with Section 3 thereof, a revision since is maintainable against interlocutory order passed under the Guardians and Wards Act, and since under Section 7(1) of the Act the Family Court exercises the same jurisdiction as that of the District Court the revision is maintainable. Consequently according to him Section 19(5) of the Act should receive an interpretation which would give effect to the aforesaid provision of the Guardians and Wards Act.

3. For appreciating the said rival contentions it is necessary to read the aforesaid provisions. Section 48 of the Guardians and Wards Act reads:

"48. Save as provided by the last foregoing section and by section 622 of the Code of Civil Procedure, an order made under this Act shall be final and shall not be liable to be contested by suit or otherwise".

Section 622 therein corresponds to Section 115 of the present C.P.C. Section 7 of the Act so far as it is relevant reads:

"7. Jurisdiction - (1) Subject to the other provisions of this Act, A Family Court shall

(a) have and exercise all the jurisdiction

exercisable by any district Court or any subordinate Civil Court under any law for the time being in force in respect of suits and proceedings of the nature referred to in the Explanation; and

(b) be deemed, for the purposes of exercising such jurisdiction under such law, to be a district court or, as the case may be, such subordinate civil court for the area to which the jurisdiction of the Family Court extends.

Explanation - The suits and proceedings referred to in this sub-section are suits and proceedings of the following nature namely:-

(a) to (f)...........................

(g) a suit or proceeding in relation to the guardianship of the person or the custody of, or access to any minor."


(Emphasis supplied).

Since the order passed under the Guardians and Wards Act is revisable under Section 115 of the C.P.C. as noticed, it is the case of the petitioner, when the powers of the Family Court is understood in the light of Section 7(1) of the Act read with Explanation (g) thereof it could be seen that, the Family Court exercises the same power as that of the District Court. Therefore, according to him an order passed by the Family Court is also revisable under Section 115 CPC.

4. Now the contention of the learned counsel for the respondent, as noticed, is based on sub-section (5) of Section 19 of the Act. Sub-section

(5) of Section 19 enjoins that except as provided for in sub-sections (1) to (4) no appeal or revision shall lie to any court from any judgment, order or decree of a Family Court. Section 19(1) provides for an appeal from any judgment or order other than interlocutory order of a Family Court. Subsection (4) states that a revision shall lie from an




















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