IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE FOR RAJASTHAN BENCH AT JAIPUR
MANINDRA MOHAN SHRIVASTAVA, VINOD KUMAR BHARWANI, JJ.
Amit Vyas S/o Suresh Chand Vyas – Appellant
Versus
Pramila @ Ranjana W/o Amit Vyas – Respondent
D.B. Civil Review Petition No. 79/2018 In D.B. Civil Misc. Appeal No. 3744/2016
Decided on : 27-05-2022
Constitution of India, 1950 – Article 141 – Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 – Section 125 – Hindu Marriage Act, 1955 – Section 24 – Family Courts Act, 1984 – Section 19, 19 (1) – Rajasthan High Court Rules, 1952 – Rule 59 – Granting interim maintenance – By Review Petition review applicant has sought review of order passed in D.B. Civil Misc Appeal whereby, appeal directed against an order passed under Section 24 of Hindu Marriage Act, 1955 granting interim maintenance to respondent-wife, was held not maintainable under Section 19 of Family Courts Act, 1984 – Held, Appeal is not maintainable against an order passed under Section 24 of the Hindu Marriage Act, be reviewed and recalled and appeal filed by the review-applicant be restored to its original number for consideration on its own merits by holding that appeal is maintainable under Section 19(1) of the Family Courts Act – Though, learned Amicus Curiae assisting Court argued that as judgment of Hon’ble Supreme Court in case of Captain (supra) holds field declaring that an order passed under Section 24 of Hindu Marriage Act is an interlocutory order and, therefore, it will not be appealable under Section 19(1) of the Family Courts Act, view of Full Bench of this Court in case (supra), which was delivered without taking into consideration aforesaid authoritative pronouncement of Hon’ble Supreme Court, is per incuraim and, therefore, is not binding precedent – Ordered Accordingly.
ORDER :
Manindra Mohan Shrivastava, J.
By Review Petition No. 79/2018, the review applicant (appellant in connected D.B. Civil Misc. Appeal No. 1709/2020, 1712/2020 and 1718/2020) has sought review of order dated 27.10.2017 passed in D.B. Civil Misc. Appeal No. 3744/2016, Amit Vyas Vs. Pramila Alias Ranjana, whereby, appeal directed against an order passed under Section 24 of the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955 (for short ‘the Hindu Marriage Act’), granting interim maintenance to the respondent-wife, was held not maintainable under Section 19 of the Family Courts Act, 1984 (for short ‘the Family Courts Act’).
2. Learned counsel for the review-applicant would argue that though earlier an order was passed on 27.10.2017, dismissing the appeal as not maintainable, it being against an order of grant of maintenance pendente lite under Section 24 of the Hindu Marriage Act in favour of the respondent-wife, relying upon various decisions of different High Courts as also this Court, later on the issue with regard to maintainability of appeal under Section 19 of the Family Courts Act against an order of grant of maintenance pendente lite under Section 24 of the Hindu Marriage Act has been resolved by Full Bench of this Court at principal seat at Jodhpur in this case of Kavita Vyas Vs. Deepak Dave, 2018(1) RLW 97 (Raj.). It is contended that the issue of maintainability of appeal against an order passed under Section 24 of the Hindu Marriage Act led to reference to Larger Bench. After examining the statutory scheme of the Family Courts Act, particularly the scope and ambit of Section 19 thereof and various judgments on the principle regarding interpretation of interlocutory order and finding support from the view taken by various High Courts, it has been finally concluded, while answering the reference, by declaring that the Division Bench of this Court in the case of Ajay Malik Vs. Smt. Shashi, 2011(2) RLW1615 (Raj.), does not lay down the correct view. The reference was answered by holding that an appeal shall lie under Section 19(1) of the Family Courts Act against an order passed by the Family Court under Section 24 of the Hindu Marriage Act. Therefore, the submission is that in view of the aforesaid decision, which is binding in nature, the order under review, which held that the appeal is not maintainable against an order passed under Section 24 of the Hindu Marriage Act, be reviewed and recalled and the appeal filed by the review-applicant be restored to its original number for consideration on its own merits by holding that the appeal is maintainable under Section 19(1) of the Family Courts Act.
3. Per contra, learned counsel for the respondent contended that this Court in the case of Rahul Singh Shekhawat Vs. Smt. Rama Chauhan (D.B. Civil Misc. Appeal No. 2535/2018 decided on 09.11.2021), relying upon direct decision of the Hon’ble Supreme Court in the case of Captain Ramesh Chander Kaushal Vs. Mrs. Veena Kaushal and Others (1978) 4 SCC 70, has held that the appeal against an order passed under Section 24 of the Hindu Marriage Act would not be maintainable. Argument of learned counsel for the respondent is that the law laid down by the Hon’ble Supreme Court in the case of Captain Ramesh Chander Kaushal (supra) is binding on all courts under Article 141 of the Constitution of India and, therefore, Full Bench judgment of this Court in the case of Kavita Vyas (supra), which has not taken into consideration the authoritative pronouncement of the Hon’ble Supreme Court in the case of Captain Ramesh Chander Kaushal (supra), has no precedential value.
4. Considering the complexity of the issue, this Court had requested Mr. R.N. Mathur, learned Senior Advocate to assist the Court in arriving at just decision.
Mr. R.N. Mathur, learned Senior Advocate made elaborate submissions with reference to plethora of decisions and contended that the issue regarding maintainability of an appeal under Section 19(1) of the Family Courts Act would depend upon wh
Chandra Prakash v. State of U.P.
Captain Ramesh Chander Kaushal Vs. Mrs. Veena Kaushal and Others (1978) 4 SCC 70
Commissioner of Income Tax Vs. Sun Engineering Works (P) Ltd.
Roger Shashoua and Others Vs. Mukesh Sharma and Others (2017) 14 SCC 722
Sundeep Kumar Bafna v. State of Maharashtra
State of Gujarat & Another Vs. Manoharsinhji Pradyumansinhji Jadeja
Interim maintenance orders under Section 24 of the Hindu Marriage Act are interlocutory and not appealable under Section 19 of the Family Courts Act.
A reference to a larger bench is only warranted in the presence of conflicting decisions, not merely to create a precedent.
An interim maintenance order under Section 24 of the Hindu Marriage Act is interlocutory and not appealable under Section 19 of the Family Courts Act; thus, Article 227 is the appropriate remedy.
The Court upheld the principle that maintenance pendente lite may be granted based on a comparative assessment of both parties' incomes under Section 24 of the Hindu Marriage Act.
Appeal under Section 19 of Family Courts Act, 1984, would lie against order passed under Section 24 of Hindu Marriage Act for grant of interim maintenance.
The court ruled that appeals under Section 19 of the Family Courts Act are not maintainable against interlocutory orders that do not affect substantial rights.
The court emphasized that proceedings for interim maintenance under Section 24 of the Hindu Marriage Act must take precedence to ensure subsistence for dependent spouses during ongoing divorce litiga....
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