IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM
C.K. ABDUL REHIM & SHAJI P. CHALY, JJ.
MANGA LAKSHMI - APPELLANT
Vs.
K. BASANTH KUMAR - RESPONDENT
Mat. Appeal No. 1243 OF 2015
Decided On : 17-03-2016
Family Courts Act, 1984 - Sections 19 and 19( 1) -Interlocutory order - Whether order can terminate the proceedings or finally decides the right of the parties - Appeal against - Held, The conclusion is inescapable that an order which does not terminate the proceedings or finally decide the rights of the parties is only an interlocutory order. In other words, in ordinary sense of the term, an interlocutory order is one which only decides a particular aspect or a particular issue or a particular matter in a proceeding, suit or trial, but which does not however conclude the trial - No appeal will lie under Section 19(1) of the Family Courts Act from an interlocutory order.
Abdul Rehim, J.
Challenge in the above Mat.Appeal, filed under Section 19 (1) of the Family Courts Act, 1984, is against an order passed by the Family Court, Irinjalakuda in IA No.1467/2015 in OP No.634/2015. The appellant herein is the respondent before the court below, both in the I.A. as well as in the original petition. The respondent herein is the petitioner before the Family Court.
2. Original Petition before the Family Court was instituted seeking declaration that the appellant is not the legally wedded wife of the deceased brother of the respondent, and also seeking consequential permanent prohibitory injunction with respect to the immovable property scheduled in the original petition. IA No.1467/2015 was filed by the respondent herein seeking a temporary injunction restraining the appellant from tresspassing into the scheduled properties and from committing any waste or damage therein, till the disposal of the original petition. Initially the Family Court had granted an ad-interim order of injunction. After the appellant filed detailed counter affidavit, the matter was heard by the court below. The order impugned herein was passed on 14-10-2015, confirming the temporary injunction based on a finding that, the question as to whether the appellant is the legally wedded wife of the deceased brother of the respondent, is a matter which need to be decided after taking evidence, and will then, considering the balance of convenience the court below has got a duty to preserve the scheduled properties pending disposal of the original petition. Therefore it is found that it is necessary to restrain the appellant from tresspassing into the scheduled properties and from committing any waste or damages therein. It is aggrieved by the said order of temporary injunction passed under Order XXXIX Rule 1 of Code of Civil Procedure, the above appeal is filed.
3. The respondent herein entered appearance. A counter affidavit is filed, inter alia raising a preliminary objection regarding maintainability of the appeal, contending that the impugned order being interlocutory in nature is not appealable under Section 19 (1) of the Family Courts Act, 1984. In view of the above objection it is necessary for this court to decide the question of maintainability of the above Mat. Appeal.
4. Section 19 of the Family Courts Act provides that, notwithstanding anything contained in the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 or in the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 or in any other law, an appeal shall lie against every judgment or order, not being an interlocutory order, of a Family Court to the High Court, both on facts and on law. Evidently the Act prohibits the appellate remedy against interlocutory orders of the Family Courts. Sub section (5) of Section 19 further provides that, except as provided under sub sections (1) to (4) no appeal or revision shall lie to any court from any judgment, order or decree of a Family Court.
5. Therefore it is evident that the statute had banned or foreclosed the remedy of appeal and revision with respect to any judgment, order or decree passed by the Family Court, except as contemplated under Section 19 of the Act. Further, there is a ban against the appellate remedy in the case of interlocutory orders, under sub section (1) of Section 19. Therefore, question arise as to whether an order or interim injunction passed by the Family Court under Order XXXIX Rule 1 of CPC will come under the term 'interlocutory order' as provided under Section 19 (1) of the Act, in which an appeal is prohibited.
6. This court had occasion to consider the ambit and scope of the prohibition imposed by virtue of Section 19, against the appellate and revisional remedies, in the case of interlocutory orders passed by the Family Court. The oldest among the line of precedents seems to be a decision rendered by a learned Judge of this court in Radha V. Velayudhan (1994 (1) KLT 398). Referring to the prohibition contained under sub-section (5) of Se
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