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1994 Supreme(Raj) 396

Rajasthan High Court
Honble R.R. Yadav, J.
Malkiyat Singh and Another - Appellant
Versus
Om Prakash and Others - Respondents
S.B. Civil Revision Petition No. 833 of 1994
Decided On : September 09, 1994

Advocates Appeared:
Bhagwati Prasad & Sanjeev Sharma, for Petitioners H.M. Lodha & H.S. Tak for Respondent No. 5

Headnote:(a) Civil Procedure Code - Order 32 Rule 12 and Order 8 Rule 9 — Doctrine of election — A plaintiff has a right to elect whether he will proceed with the suit on attending majority — But there is no specific provision for a defendant when he attains majority during the pendency of the suit — Held — For the sake of justice the court should use the residuary powers as contemplated by Section 151 — Defendant has to obtain permission of the court for filing his written statement. (Para 5, 6 & 10)(b) Civil Procedure Code — Order 8 Rule 9 — Subsequent pleadings — To invoke the residuary powers of the court the defendant will show that the case so far contested was improper — His interest was not sufficiently protected — After satisfying the court he will obtain the permission of the court to file subsequent pleadings (written statement) (Para 11)

       

Honble YADAV, J. — The instant revision is directed against the order dated 27.7.94 passed by learned Civil Judge-cum- Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate, Sangaria District Sri Ganganagar in Civil Suit No 84 of 1993, whereby, the learned court issued notices under. Order 32, CPC to the defendant- petitioners on 31.3.94 calling upon the defendant-petitioners to attend the court and to do Pairvi of the case on their behalf as they have attained majority during the pendency of litigation instead of pairvi being done by their natural guardian Shri Hakam Singh who happened to be their father. The learned court- below vide its notice dated 31.3.94 called upon the defendant- petitioners to put in their appearance on 28.4.1994.

(2) In pursuance of the aforesaid notice issued by the learned Civil Judge-cum-Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate, both the defendant-petitioners appeared in court and moved an application on 18.5.94 seeking the leave of the court to file written statement. In the said application, they have stated that they want to put forth with their claim at their own discretion. They also alleged in their application that they are not able to contest; their suit in correct perspective unless they are allowed to file fresh written statement. A copy of the said application was served to the plaintiffs who filed a detailed objection reiterating therein that a proper pairvi was always done on their behalf by Shri Hakam Singh, who was a co-defendant along with them and was also their natural guardian being their father. It is also alleged in the counter objection by the plaintiff-non- petitioners No.l and 2 that the present application has been moved by the defendant-petitioners in collusion of their natural guardian in order to delay early disposal of the suit. It is also stated in the counter that the defendant-petitioners cannot be allowed to counter-blast the defence taken by their father Hakam Singh. According to plaintiff-non-petitioners No.l and 2, the defendant-petitioners were not entitled to file fresh written statement as contemplated under order 32, C.P.C.

(3). After hearing the learned counsel for the defendant- petitioners as well as the plaintiff-non-petitioners No.l and 2, learned Civil Judge rejected the afore-mentioned application for filing fresh written statement on behalf of the defendant- petitioners. Learned Civil Judge in support of his conclusion placed reliance on a decision rendered by the Patna High Court in the case of Ram Khelawan Singh vs. Ganga Prasad (1). The learned Civil Judge has taken a view that in view of the provisions of Order 8, Rule 9 and Order 6 Rule 7, CPC in the case of minors, where a guardian ad litem representing the minor-defendants files a written statement and the minors attain majority during the pendency of the suit, they cannot be allowed to file a fresh written statement so as to supersede the written statement filed by their guardian ad litem.

(4). I have heard Mr. Bhagwati Prasad, learned counsel for the defendantpefltioners and Mr. Hanuwant Mal Lodha, learned counsel for the plaintiff non-petitioners at length and carefully gone through the impugned order passed by the learned court below.

(5). Mr. Bhagwati Prasad, learned counsel for" the defendant- petitioners urged before me that after attaining majority during the pendency of a suit as the plaintiff has a right of election under Order 32, Rule 12, C.P.C. similarly, although there are no specific provisions for right of election for the defendants, yet on the same analogy, the right of election to continue with the proceedings or to chose their stand, should also be allowed to the defendants as well. (6). A close scrutiny of Order 32, Rule 12, CPC leads towards an irresistible conclusion that under Order 32, Rule 12 CPC, there is a complete procedure given for a minor plaintiff on whose behalf a suit is pending, on attaining majority, to elect whether he choses to proceed with the suit or application or he elects to














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