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2006 Supreme(J&K) 49

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JAMMU AND KASHMIR AT SRINAGAR
Mansoor Ahmad Mir, J.
Bright Way Cars Clinic & Anr. - Appellant
Versus
Central Bank Of India And Ors. - Respondent
CIA No. 68/2005
Decided On : 22 March, 2006

Advocates Appeared:
Advocate For Appellant: Altaf Haqani
Advocate For Respondent: None

The main legal point established in the judgment is that court fees for appeals are to be paid based on the amount in dispute, as per the provisions of the Court Fees Act.

Headnote:

Court Fee - Recovery of Money - Court Fees Act, Section 6, Section 7(i), Section 13 - The court discussed the provisions of the Court Fees Act, specifically Section 6, Section 7(i), and Section 13, which govern the payment of court fees for documents filed in court and the computation of fees payable in suits for money. The court emphasized the requirement to pay court fees for appeals based on the amount in dispute and cited relevant case law to support its interpretation of the Act.

Fact of the Case:

The plaintiff filed a suit for recovery of a specific amount along with interest. The trial court decreed the suit in favor of the plaintiff. The defendant filed an appeal seeking to set aside the judgment and decree, essentially praying for dismissal of the suit. The issue revolved around the payment of court fees for the appeal.

Finding of the Court:

The court found that the appellant was required to pay court fees for the appeal based on the amount in dispute, as per the provisions of the Court Fees Act. The court rejected the argument that court fees are to be paid only once and directed the appellant to deposit the required court fee within two weeks.

Issues: The main issue was whether the appellant was obligated to pay court fees for the appeal, and the interpretation of the relevant provisions of the Court Fees Act.

Ratio Decidendi: The court's decision was based on the interpretation of the Court Fees Act, specifically Section 6, Section 7(i), and Section 13, which govern the payment of court fees for appeals. The court also relied on case law to support its interpretation.

Final Decision: The court directed the appellant to deposit court fee for the appeal within two weeks.

1. In terms of note of the Registry, appellant has not deposited the court fee.

Mr. Haqani, learned counsel for appellants, disputed the correctness of the note of the Registry on the premises that the appellants are not required to pay the court fees because it is to be paid only once which the respondent (plaintiff) had paid at the time of filing of the suit which came to be decreed. Thus the appellants are not required to pay court fee.

Heard. Perused. Considered.

2. It appears that plaintiff had filed a suit before the trial court for recovery of Rs.28,20,542/- along with interest thereon pendentilite and future interest at the rate of 16.5% w.e.f. 31.03.2001 till final liquidation of the decretal amount. The defendant filed written statement before the trial court and trial court framed issues in the suit. The parties lead evidence and after hearing learned counsel for parties, trial court passed judgment dated 29.07.2005 and decreed the suit in favour of respondent No.1 against the appellants and respondents 2 and 3.

3. Appellant feeling aggrieved of the said judgment and decree filed this appeal and prayed that the impugned judgment and decree be set-aside. Appellant has virtually prayed for dismissal of the suit.

4. The issue involved in the first look appears to be simple one but it is interesting one and of public importance.

It is profitable to reproduce Section 6 of the Court Fees Act (hereinafter for short "Act") herein, which reads as under:-

"6. Fees on documents filed etc, in Mufassil Courts or in public offices. -- No document of any of the kinds specified as chargeable in the first or second Schedule to this Act annexed shall be filed, exhibited or recorded in any Court of Justice, or shall be received or furnished by any public officer, unless in respect of such document there be paid a fee of an amount not less than that indicated by either of the said Schedules as the proper fee for such document."

5. In this provision, it is specifically provided that documents specified in the first or second Schedule appended to the Act, shall not be filed, exhibited or recorded in any Court of Justice unless court fees as indicated in the schedule is paid.

It is also useful to reproduce clause-I of Schedule I appended to the Act, herein, which reads as under:-

"NumberProper fee
I. Plaint  
Written statement pleading--------
A set-off or counter claim 
Or memorandum of appeal (not Otherwise provided for by this Act) or of cross objection Presented to any Civil or Revenue Court 

6. While going through Clause-I of Schedule-I, it is specifically provided that the court fee is to be paid in the memorandum of appeal also.

It is profitable to reproduce Section 7(i) of the Act, herein, which reads as under:-

"7. Computation of fees payable in certain suits. -- The amount of fee payable under this Act in the suits next hereinafter mentioned shall be computed as follows:--

(i) for money. -- In suits for money (including suits for damages or compensation, or arrears of maintenance, of annuities, or of other sums payable periodically)-according to the amount claimed;

7. This provision indicates how a suit for recovery of money is to be valued for purposes of court fee.

It is profitable to reproduce Section 13 of the Act, herein, which reads as under;-

"13. Refund of fee paid on memorandum of appeal.-If an appeal or plaint which has been rejected by the Lower Court on any of the grounds mentioned in the Code of Civil Procedure, is ordered to be received, or if a suit is remanded in appeal, on any of the grounds mentioned in Order XLI, Rule 23 of the same Code for a second decision by the Lower Court, the Appellate Court shall grant to the appellant a certificate, authorizing him to receive back from the Collector the full amount of fee paid on the memorandum of appeal:

Provided that if, in the case of a remand in appeal, the order of remand shall not cover the whole of the subject-matter of the suit, the certificate so granted shall not authorize the ap

























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