IN THE HIGH COURT OF RAJASTHAN
NUPUR BHATI, J.
Prem Travels - Petitioner
Versus
State of Rajasthan and Ors. – Respondents
S.B. Civil Writ Petition No. 4634 of 2021
Decided On : 01-08-2023
| Table of Content |
|---|
| 1. overview of factual background of writ petition. (Para 1 , 2 , 3) |
| 2. petitioner's argument for refund of court fees. (Para 4) |
| 3. court's reasoning against previous judgment applicability. (Para 6) |
| 4. final decision and dismissal of the petition. (Para 7 , 8) |
ORDER :
(Nupur Bhati, J.)
The present writ petition has been filed with the following prayers:-
2. Briefly stated the facts of the case are that the petitioner has filed a civil suit before the Additional District Judge No.6, Jodhpur Metropolitan and challenged the bid issued by respondent No.5 as it was opened in favour of the respondent Amit Kumar wherein, the notices were issued to the defendants and the civil suit was kept pending for written statements. Thereafter, the petitioner moved an application for withdrawal of the suit with a request to refund back the court fees as incurred at the time of filing of the suit. There were no objection raised by defendants and the learned trial Court has allowed the application and the suit was disposed of as withdrawn but, thereafter, the trial Court vide order dated 22.07.2019, refused to refund the court fees incurred on plaint. The petitioner thereafter, moved an application under section 151 of CPC to refund the court fees in light of the order 23 CPC and section 13 of COURT FEES ACT , 1870.
3. The learned trial Court vide order dated 26.08.2020 dismissed the said application without taking any cogent reasons, being aggrieved of the same, the present writ petition has been filed.
4. Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that the petitioner has moved an application for withdrawal of the suit with a prayer to refund the court fees however, the learned trial Court has failed to appreciate the basic intent of the legislature as per Section 13 of the Court Fee Act, 1870 wherein a categorical provision has been given to refund the court fees in case where the appeal has been rejected by the lower Court or if a suit is remanded in appeal and on any of the ground mentioned in the Section 351 of the CPC for a second decision given by the lower Court. Learned counsel for the petitioner places reliance upon the judgment passed by Jaipur Bench, Jaipur of this Court vide order dated 22.07.2022 in the case of Majid Khan v. Mijjal & Anr. (S.B. Civil First Appeal No.742/2017) wherein, this Court, while dealing with the Section 13 of CPC along with the Section 65 -B of The Rajasthan Court Fees and Suits Valuation Rules, 1961 has disposed of the first appeal while holding that the appellant and the respondent would be entitled to refund the court fees in the case of Majid Khan (supra) and the relevant portion is reproduced hereunder:-
In view of the settled proposition of law and the directions issued in the judgments cited above, the prayer made by the counsel for the parties for refund of the court fees is allowed.
The application (IA No. 1/2022) filed under Order 23, Rule 1 CPC stands allowed. Legal representatives of the plaintiff respondent No. 1 are allowed to withdraw the suit.
In the instant case, the appellant and the respondents No. 1
Point of law :Recall of compromise decree - Application for recalling of a compromise decree has to be filed only before the Court that had recorded the compromise in terms of Order XXIII Rule 3(a) o....
Court fees must be refunded when a suit is dismissed due to lack of jurisdiction, establishing a right to full refund in such cases.
The court lacks power to refund court fees if withdrawn appeals do not meet statutory refund conditions under applicable acts.
Section 70 of the Act comes into play only when there is no adjudicatory process.
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