1953 Supreme(HP) 9
HIGH COURT OF HIMACHAL PRADESH
CHOWDHRY, J.
Narotam
Versus
Sardaru
Second Appeal No.32 of 1952,
Decided On : 28-03-1953
D.N. Vaidya, for Appellant; D.R. Chaudhary, for Respondents.
Premature objections lacking cause of action may be dismissed without going into the merits of the allegations.
Headnote:
Objection - Execution Proceedings - Premature objection dismissed due to lack of cause of action
Fact of the Case:
Narotam filed an objection in the execution proceedings against the State of Himachal Pradesh as judgment-debtor, claiming to be a tenant and sub-tenant of the property left by Sudama. The objection was dismissed by the execution Court and the District Judge.
Finding of the Court:
The Court found that Narotam's objection was premature as no warrant of dakhal for putting the decree-holder into possession had been issued, and he had no cause of action for filing the objection at that time. The Court maintained the orders of the lower Courts on the ground that the objection was premature and without going into the merits of the allegations.
Issues: The main issue was the premature nature of Narotam's objection in the execution proceedings.
Ratio Decidendi: The Court held that Narotam's objection was premature and lacked cause of action, and therefore dismissed the appeal.
Final Decision: The Court dismissed the appeal, making no order as to the costs of the appeal.
2. I need not go into the question whether a revision rather than an appeal was the proper remedy, for even if the proper remedy was by a petition in revision, this would be a clear case for interference due, as I shall presently show, to the Courts below having exercised jurisdiction which did not really vest in them.
3. One Sudama left an estate totalling 28 bighas and 15 biswas. He owned malguzari rights in 22 bighas and 12 biswansis out of the said area and the rights of a tenant-at-will in the remaining 6 bighas 14 biswas and 8 biswansis which was grass land. The State took the property by escheat on the death of Sudama. Thereupon Sardaru, claiming to be a reversioner, filed a suit against the State for recovery of possession of the property left by Sudama, and he obtained a decree on 10-12-1948. After obtaining the decree Sardaru put it into execution against the State and prayed for recovery of possession of the said land. In that execution Narotam filed an objection on 21-4-1950 challenging the right of Sardaru decree-holder to eject him. Narotam based his objection on two grounds: (1) that he had been holding the cultivated land of 22 bighas and 12 biswansis as a tenant, and been in possession of the remaining grass land as a sub-tenant, of Sudama, and (2) that pending the said litigation between Sardaru and the State the latter had settled half the area of the agricultural land with him on payment of nazrana. Both the Courts below have gone into the merits of the objection and dismissed it. In doing so they have done something which they were not called upon to do.
4. By the date on which the objection was filed not even a warrant of dakhal for putting the decree-holder into possession had been issued. The decree-holder had simply prayed to be put in possession of the property, and this prayer was made only against the judgment-debtor, the State of Himachal Pradesh. The decree-holder was certainly entitled to do so on foot of the aforesaid decree. He never prayed that Narotam or anybody be ejected from any portion of the land. Narotaaa had therefore no cause of action whatsoever for filing the aforesaid objection on 21-4-1950, as he did. Of course, if he were actually dispossessed of the land in question, or any portion of that land, it would have been open to him to come forward with an application to the execution Court under O.21, R.100, C.P. Code. His application would then have been enquired into, and, if it were decided against him, he would have had a right of suit under R.103. It was not even obligatory on him to file an application under rule 100, for, independently of any such application, he could also have brought a suit against the person dispossessing him, i.e., against Sardaru.
It is said that subsequent to the institution of the present appeal the warrant of dakhal has been executed, it being a matter of controversy between the learned counsel for the parties whether actual dakhal has or has not been obtainted by the decree-holder. With this however I am not concerned because that is something which has happened long after the institution of the objection dated 21-4-1950. From what has been stated above, therefore, it is manifest that Narotam had no cause of action whatsoever for filing the aforesaid objection on 21-4-19504 the objection was premature. Narotams objection should have therefore been dismissed on that -ground alone, and the Courts below were not justified in going into the merits of the objection. In the circumstances, whatever the Courts below have adjudged on the merits of the objection is mere obiter dictum and will not affect the rights of the parties in any possible future litigation between the