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2008 Supreme(J&K) 190

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JAMMU AND KASHMIR AT JAMMU
Sunil Hali, J.
Tsering Narboo - Appellant
Versus
Tashi Phunchok & Anr. - Respondent
CIA No. 26/2007
Decided On : 26 May, 2008

Advocates Appeared:
Advocate For Respondent: L.K. Sharma
Advocate For Appellant: P.N. Raina

Headnote:Code of Civil Procedure-Order-39-Rule 1 [a] [h] and [c]-Seeking of temporary injunctions by defendants- A bare perusal of order 39 Rule 1 (a), (b) and (c) reveals that the Court has the power to grant an order of injunction under clause (a) on an application filed by a party to the suit, if it is found that the property in dispute is in danger of being wasted, damaged or alienated by any party to the suit or wrongfully sold in execution of a decree. Clause (b) empowers the Court to issue temporary injunction in case the conditions indicated in clause (a) are satisfied. Clause (b) also empowers to grant the order of injunction if the defendant threatens or intends to remove or dispose of his property with a view to defrauding his creditors. It is clear from the conjoint reading of clauses (a) and (b) that power to grant injunction on an application filed by the defendant is restricted to the extent indicated hereinabove and none other. This fact is further corroborated when we examine the clause (b) in totality. It reveals that the power to grant injunction against dispossession can only be revoked by the plaintiff and not by the defendant. The Court can pass an order of injunction in the mandatory form also, if the facts so permit. So from the conjoint reading of the above said provisions it is clear that no order of injunction to restrain the plaintiff to dis-possessing the defendant in a suit filed by the plaintiff can be passed. Further the defendant can seek temporary injunction against the plaintiff even without filing counter claim only when the relief claimed arises out of plaintiffs cause of action. The remedy for the defendant in that case may be to file a fresh suit. The other kind of injunction which can be granted under clause (b) of Rule 1 is restricted to dispossession the plaintiff may face from defendant in respect of any property in dispute. Clause (c) also empowers the Court to grant temporary injunction in case the defendant threatens to dispossess the plaintiff or otherwise causes injury to the plaintiff in relation to any property in dispute in the suit. The reading of the provisions mentioned above clearly restricts the Courts power under O.39 R 1 (a) (b) and (c) in respect of threat of dispossession to the plaintiff only. If the legislature intended to confer power on the court to grant temporary injunction in favour of the defendants in respect of his dispossession, same would have been incorporated in the statute. The statute clearly omits this rightly so because while granting order of temporary injunction in a suit filed by the plaintiff seeking protection of property, the defendant cannot seek an order of injunction against dispossession in the said suit.

1. A civil suit came to be filed by the appellant before the District Judge, Leh seeking declaration to the effect that the plaintiff and the defendants are co-sharers, co-sharers and in joint possession of land comprising in Khasra No. 698, 701, 1184, 1185, 1408, Khewat No. 111 situated at Skurbucan, Leh. Further declaration was sought that the appellant is owner in possession of land measuring 1 Kanal 4 Marlas, comprising in Khewat No. 111, Khasra No. 1410 situate at Skurbuchan, Leh on account of adverse possession claiming against the respondents for over 30 years.

2. Alongwith the suit an application for temporary injunction restraining defendant/ respondent No.1 from interfering with the peaceful possession of land under Khewat No. 111, Khasra No. 1410 measuring 1 Kanal 4 Marlas was filed.

3. The defendants in their written statement denied the title of the plaintiff over the suit land as a co-sharer on the ground that he was not the son of Late Tundup Namgial. They have also denied the plaintiffs possession over the suit land as claimed by him.

4. The application for seeking temporary injunction against the defendants/ respondents came to be decided by the learned District Judge, Leh on 11-8-2006. The learned District Judge did not find the petitioner entitled to the relief of injunction on the ground that there was no prima facie case in his favour, except for the averments made by him in the plaint. The plaintiff/ petitioner claimed this land as in adverse possession against the defendants.

5. It is important to mention that the application for temporary injunction was confined only to Khasra No. 1410 measuring 1 Kanal 4 Marlas. The said application came to be dismissed.

6. During the pendency of the suit the defendants/ respondents filed an application against the plaintiff/petitioner seeking a direction against the plaintiff/ petitioner not to interfere with the peaceful possession over the land measuring 1 Kanal 4 Marlas comprising in Khasra No. 1410.

7. The said application was allowed by the learned District Judge in which he restrained the petitioner/ plaintiff permanently from causing any type of interference in the land measuring 1 Kanal 4 Marlas comprised in Survey No. 1410 situated in village Skarbuchan, Leh in cultivating possession of defendant/ respondent No.1 till final disposal of the suit. It was also directed that the defendant shall not change the nature of the suit property till the final disposal of the suit. It is this order of the District Judge, Leh which is subject matter of challenge in this appeal.

8. Mr. Raina, learned counsel appearing for the petitioner submits that the application filed by the defendants/ respondents before the trial Court under Order 39 Rule 1 & 2 Code of Civil Procedure was not maintainable for the following reasons:

(i) That under Order 39 Rule-1 (a) & (b) CPC the power to grant injunction on an application filed by a party in the suit is restricted only for preventing the wasting, damaging, alienation, sale, removal of the property; There is no power vested with the trial Court to order stay of dis-possession of the defendant by the plaintiff in a suit filed by the plaintiff. In other words Mr. Raina states that no application for seeking stay of dis-possession by the defendants can be filed under Order 39 Rule 1 (a) (b) (c) of Code of Civil Procedure.

(ii) The second ground is that assuming but not admitting that there is power to grant injunction even then the same cannot be done on the application filed by the defendant as he cannot claim any right on the cause of action of the plaintiff.

9. In support of his arguments Mr. Raina, learned counsel for the petitioner has cited the cases (i) Suganda Bai Vs Sulu Bai and others, AIR 1975 Karnataka 135; and (ii) Dr/ Ashis Ranjan Das Vs Rajendra Nath Mullick, AIR 1982 Cal 529

10. On the other hand Mr. L.K. Sharma, learned counsel appearing for the respondents states that the Court has the power to grant injunction to the defendant in










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