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1993 Supreme(Raj) 116

Rajasthan High Court, Jaipur Bench
Honble N.L. Tibrewal, J.
Dholpur Stone Company, Karauli - Appellant
Versus
State of Rajasthan - Respondents
S.B. Civil Revision Petition No. 67 of 1991
Decided On : March 22, 1993

Advocates Appeared:
B.L. Sharma, for petitioner B.P. Agrawal along with K.K. Sharma, for Non-petitioners

Headnote:(a) C.P.C. Order XXIII, Rule 3 (Amendment Act, 1976)—Words "in writing and signed by the parties"—Meaning thereof— There must be a concluded agreement/settlement between the parties-----Correspondence between the parties can not be treated as concluded agreement—Terms of compromise are to be reduced in writing and signed by the parties—The terms of a compromise are permitted to include all matters relating to the parties to the suit. (Para 10 & 13)(b) Constitution of India, Art. 299(1) and Minor Mineral Concession Rules, 1977, Rule 19— Execution of lease deed—Provisions of Art. 299(1) of (he Constitution are attracted in a case of contract relating to the renewal of a mining lease. (Para 31)

       

Honble N.L. TIBREWAL, J.—The plaintiff-Firm, a holder of Mining Lease of mineral sand-stone, has filed the present revision petition U/s. 115, CPC against the order dated December 22, 1990 of Additional District Judge, Dholpur, whereby the application filed by it under Order XXIII Rule, 3, C.P.C was dismissed.

2. In order to appreciate the controversy involved in the matter, a narration of necessary facts is given. The plaintiff filed a civil suit for declaration and permanent injunction on October 29, 1980 against the State of Rajasthan and other officers of Mining Department, the non-petitioners in the present revision petition. The plaintiff sought a declaration that the Firm was entitled to get third renewal of the existing mining lease for 10 years from 1.05.1980 to 30.04.1990, and also permanent injunction restraining the defendants from dispossessing it from the lease area of 77.36 sq. miles situated at Bareli, Tehsil Baseri, District Dholpur.

3. As per the plaintiffs case, the Firm was granted mining lease of Sand-stone mineral by the erstwhile Dholpur State for the whole of Dholpur State. Subsequently, the mining lease area was reduced to 96. 7 Sq. miles by the State of Rajasthan in the year 1955 and it was further reduced to 77.36 Sq. miles. According to the plaintiff, the Firm was having this area in its possession when the suit was filed and a patta was also executed between the parties for a period of 10 years from 1.5.1970 to 30.41980. This was second renewal of the mining lease. For the third renewal of the lease, the plaintiff submitted an application on October 25, 1970 to the Assistant Mining Engineer, Bari as required under Rule 8 (2) of the Minor Mineral Concession Rules, 1977 (for short Mining Rules), this application was not decided before the expiry of the lease period, as such the lease period stood extended for further six months upto October 31, 1980. The plaintiff filed the suit for the reliefs as its application for the grant of third renewal of the lease was not decided by the defendants.

4. The defendants, in their joint statement, denied the averments made in the plaint, and pleaded inter-alia the circumstances and the unsatisfactory past performance of the plaintiff disentitling it to get the renewal of the mining lease. It was also pleaded that the plaintiff was not entitled to get the renewal of mining lease for more than the prescribed area as per the Mining Rules. Various other legal objections were also taken. On the basis of pleadings of the parties, issues were framed by the trial Court on 22.2.1985.

5. On 5.05.1990, the plaintiff moved an application in the trial court purporting under O. XXIII, R. 3, C.P.C. with a prayer to record the compromise entered, into between the parties and to pass a decree in terms thereof. In the application, the plaintiff referred certain documents on the basis of which it was pleaded that there was a final agreement or a concluded contract between the parties. This application was vehemently opposed by the respondents on several grounds and the fact of a concluded agreement/ contract between the parties was, also denied. It was then pleaded that unless the terms of a compromise were embodied in an agreement in writing and signed by the parties, it could not be given effect to under the provisions of O. XXIII, R. 3, CPC. It was further stated that for a valid and lawful agreement, it should be in accordance with the provisions of the Mines & Mineral (Regulations of Development) Act, 1957, and the Mineral Rules of 1977 and that a formal deed under Art. 299(1) of the Constitution was also obligatory.

6. The learned trial Court, after hearing the arguments of the parties, dismissed the aforesaid application of the plaintiff, vide impugned order dated 22-12-1990.

7. Mr. B.L. Sharma learned counsel, appearing for the plaintiff-petitioner, in his usual perseverance contended that by a series of correspondence between the parties, there was a final agreement or a conclud



















































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