IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM
K. HARILAL, ANNIE JOHN, JJ.
Sainudeen S/o. Kunhi Pocker - Appellant
Vs.
Shareefa K.M. & Ors. - Respondents
Tr. Appeal (C) No. 10 of 2017 in TPC 83 of 2017
Decided On : 16-07-2018
Facts of the Case:
Transfer Appeal (Civil) has been filed challenging the order passed by the Single Bench of this Court in Tr.P(C).No.83/2017 filed by the first respondent - As per the impugned order, O.S.No.119/2014 of the Munsiff Court, Tirur has been withdrawn and transferred to the Family Court, Tirur to be tried along with O.P.No.85/2016 filed by the respondents 1 to 3 -O.S.No.119/2014 of the Munsiff Court, Tirur was filed by the appellant herein, against the respondents, seeking a decree to recover the plaint schedule property on the strength of the appellant's title, from the possession of the respondents 1 to 3 herein and if they refuse to abide the decree and vacate the plaint schedule property, allowing him to recover the same through the process of the court-The respondents 1 and 4 herein are the wife and husband respectively and respondents 2 and 3 are their children.
Reasons for the Decision:
The plaintiffs in O.P.No.85/2016, who are the defendants 1 to 3 in O.S.No.119/2014 have trespassed into the plaint schedule property and took possession of the same, which is owned by the plaintiff on the claim that the plaint schedule property is the shared house of the first and 4th respondents, who are parties to the marriage- In O.S.No.119/2014, the plaintiff prayed for recovery of possession of the same property from the plaintiff in O.S.No.85/2016-Cause of action in O.S.No.119/2014 arose out of the marital dispute between the first and 4th respondents in the said suit- O.S.No.119/2014 is also a suit for an order against the parties to the marriage arose out of the circumstance arising out of a marital relationship- O.S.No.119/2014 also would fall under Clause (d) of Section 7 of the Family Court Act. Thus, the Family Court has got competency and jurisdiction to try O.S.No.119/2014 also under Clause (c) and (d) of the Family Court Act.
Finding of the Court:
The Family Court is competent to try O.S.No.119/2016 also-It is permissible to transfer O.S.No.119/2016 to the Family Court under Section 24 of the Code of Civil Procedure- Joint trial of O.S.No.119/2014 with O.P.No.85/2016 is essential for adjudication of the common issue involved in both the Original Suit and Original Petition effectively and completely.
Result: Dismissed
K. Harilal, J.
This Transfer Appeal (Civil) has been filed challenging the order passed by the Single Bench of this Court in Tr.P(C).No.83/2017 filed by the first respondent herein. As per the impugned order, O.S.No.119/2014 of the Munsiff Court, Tirur has been withdrawn and transferred to the Family Court, Tirur to be tried along with O.P.No.85/2016 filed by the respondents 1 to 3 herein. O.S.No.119/2014 of the Munsiff Court, Tirur was filed by the appellant herein, against the respondents, seeking a decree to recover the plaint schedule property on the strength of the appellant's title, from the possession of the respondents 1 to 3 herein and if they refuse to abide the decree and vacate the plaint schedule property, allowing him to recover the same through the process of the court. The respondents 1 and 4 herein are the wife and husband respectively and respondents 2 and 3 are their children.
2. According to the averments in the Original Suit No.119/2014, the 4th respondent pronounced Talaq and thereby divorced the first respondent. The 4th respondent has executed a sale deed with respect to the plaint schedule property in favour of the appellant herein, and subsequently the respondents 1 to 3 herein trespassed into the said property and took possession of the property. Going by the impugned order, it can be seen that the first respondent had approached the Judicial First Class Magistrate Court-I, Tirur with CMP No.9109/2013 under the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act and obtained Annexure-A4 order, restraining the 4th respondent from alienating the subject matter in O.S.No.119/2014. According to the first respondent, the said order was passed on 25.11.2013 and thereafter, the 4th respondent herein has executed the sale deed in favour of the appellant. In the above backdrop, she approached the Family Court, Tirur and filed O.P. No. 85/2016 seeking a decree declaring that the aforesaid sale deed executed by the 4th respondent herein in favour of the appellant herein is null and void and also for an order of injunction restraining the appellant herein from obstructing the possession and enjoyment of the said property by the first respondent herein. Thus, O.S.No.119/2014 filed by the appellant herein was pending before the Munsiff Court, Tirur against the respondents 1 to 4 herein and O.P.No.85/2016 filed by the respondents 1 to 3 herein against the appellant and the 4th respondent was pending before the Family Court, Tirur. In the above context, the first respondent herein filed the aforesaid Transfer Original Petition seeking an order to withdraw O.S.No.119/2014 from the Munsiff Court, Tirur and transfer the said Original Suit to the Family Court, Tirur for enabling a joint trial with O.P.No.85/2016 pending before the Family Court, Tirur.
3. The appellant herein opposed the said application contending that the Family Court, Tirur has no jurisdiction to try the said suit under Section 7 of the Family Court Act. So this Court under Section 24 of the Code of Civil Procedure cannot transfer a case to a Court having no jurisdiction to try the suit.
4. After considering the aforesaid objection, the Single Bench of this Court passed the impugned order on a finding that the matters in issue involved in O.S.No.119/2014 and O.P.No.85/2016 are one and the same and any decision taken in O.S.No.119/2014 will have a direct impact on the proceedings pending before the Family Court in O.P.No.85/2016. The legality and propriety of the aforesaid findings are challenged in this appeal.
5. Heard the learned counsel for the appellant and the learned counsel for the respondent.
6. The sum and substance of the argument advanced by the learned counsel for the appellant is that the Family Court, Tirur has no competency or jurisdiction to try O.S.No.119/2014. Therefore O.S.No.119/2014 could not have been transferred to the Family Court, Tirur, as it was impermissible under Section 24 of the C.P.C. Thus, the impugned order has been pa
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