2013 Supreme(Raj) 888
RAJASTHAN HIGH COURT AT JAIPUR BENCH
Raghuvendra S.Rathore, J.
Ganga Sahai Sharma - Appellant
Versus
State of Rajasthan and others - Respondent
S.B. Civil Writ Petition No.6401 of 2003.
Decided On : 28-02-2013
For the Respondent:R.K. Agrawal, senior advocate with Ms. Sunita Pareek, N.K. Maloo, senior advocate with Mr. V.K. Tamoliya Bhawani Shankar Sharma, Advocates.
Headnote:
WITHDRAWAL OF WRIT PETITION - Permission of Court - Subsequent Developments - Liberty to File Fresh Writ Petition - Implied Permission - Public Policy - Principle of Res Judicata - Applicability to Writ Petitions - Bench-Hunting Tactics - Dismissal of Writ Petition as Withdrawn at the Instance of the Petitioner.
Fact of the Case:
The petitioner, claiming to be the khatedar tenant of the land, filed a writ petition seeking directions to de-acquire the land or regularize the possession of the land in his favor. The Jaipur Development Authority (JDA) contested the petition, raising preliminary objections and challenging the petitioner's locus standi. During the pendency of the writ petition, the petitioner filed an application for withdrawal, citing subsequent developments, including notices issued by the JDA for dispossessing him from the land and an appeal filed before the JDA Appellate Tribunal.
Finding of the Court:
The court observed that the petitioner's application for withdrawal was based on subsequent developments and the fact that the question of regularisation of the land was also raised before the JDA Appellate Tribunal in an appeal filed by the petitioner. The court noted that the primary relief sought in both the proceedings was similar.
Issues: 1. Whether permission should be granted to the petitioner to withdraw the writ petition based on subsequent developments and the pendency of an appeal before the JDA Appellate Tribunal. 2. Whether the withdrawal of the writ petition would imply permission to file a fresh writ petition, considering the similar relief sought in both proceedings.
Ratio Decidendi: 1. The court held that permission for withdrawal of the writ petition need not be granted by the court, as the petitioner could withdraw the petition on his own and at his risk. 2. The court declined to grant permission for withdrawal, considering the principle of public policy underlying Rule 1 Order 23 of the Civil Procedure Code, which is applicable to writ proceedings. 3. The court emphasized that withdrawal of a writ petition without permission to file a fresh petition would bar such a petition in the High Court involving the same subject matter. 4. The court clarified that the principle of res judicata would not apply in cases of withdrawal of writ petitions, but the remedy under Article 226 of the Constitution would be deemed to have been abandoned by the petitioner. 5. The court distinguished cases involving personal liberty and enforcement of fundamental rights under Article 21 of the Constitution, which stand on a different footing.
Final Decision: The court dismissed the writ petition as withdrawn at the instance of the petitioner, declining to grant permission for withdrawal. The application for withdrawal was disposed of accordingly.
'Occasions do arise in certain cases where the litigants try to take advantage of certain situations by seeking withdrawal of the application which they have moved seeking certain reliefs. But when the attempt is quite adroit and the intention is not sanguine and the effort is made to frustrate the cause of justice and to have an advantage because of withdrawal, the Courts are under an obligation not to grant permission to withdraw. A litigant cannot visit the Court as if it is a laboratory. He cannot endeavour to play a game of Chess. He cannot be permitted to box the compass. The purpose of saying so is that when the case was called the learned counsel for the petitioner stood up and sought permission seeking withdrawal of the adjudication the sacrosanctity of law has to be saved. In that backdrop, this Court thought it apposite not to grant leave to withdraw the writ petition. The pristine purity of law has to be maintained and no one should be allowed to spoil the alter of the temple.'