2011 Supreme(J&K) 517
JAMMU & KASHMIR HIGH COURT
Mohammad Yaqoob Mir, J.
Narboo Tsering & Anr. -Appellant
Versus
President Chemist Association & Ors. -Resopndent
OWP No. 1373/2011 & CMP No. 2174/2011
Decided On : 05-11-2011
Important Points
Subject
Civil Law - Injunctions
Act Referred
Headnote
Injunction - Medical Outlet - The court considered the jurisdiction of the High Court to entertain a petition regarding the grant of an injunction and emphasized the need for the trial court to consider public interest and equitable relief when granting interim injunctions. The court also clarified the appeal process for orders passed subject to objections and emphasized the need for timely disposal of applications for temporary injunctions.
Fact of the Case:
A suit for prohibitory injunction was filed to restrain the defendants from opening a medical outlet within the premises of S. N. M. Hospital Leh. The trial court granted ad-interim injunction without prior notice to the defendants.
Finding of the Court:
The High Court held that the petitioners' petition was not entertainable and emphasized the need for the trial court to ensure timely disposal of the application for grant of injunction.
Issues: The issue was whether the petition was entertainable and whether the trial court had passed the order without jurisdiction.
Ratio Decidendi: The court clarified the jurisdiction of the High Court to entertain petitions regarding injunctions, emphasized the need for the trial court to consider public interest and equitable relief, and outlined the appeal process for orders passed subject to objections.
Final Decision: The petition was disposed of, and the petitioners were directed to have recourse to available remedial measures, such as filing application/objections for modification/vacation/alteration of the interim order.
Mr. Z. A. Shah, Sr. Advocate for Petitioners.
None for Respondents.
"It is, therefore, most respectfully prayed that the decree for permanent prohibitory injunction restraining the defendants from opening of medical outlet within the premises of S. N. M. Hospital Leh may kindly be passed in favour of the plaintiffs and against the defendants and any one claiming through him."
2. Along-side an application for grant of temporary injunction has been filed. While considering the same, learned trial court, while dispensing with the requirement of prior notice to the petitioners (defendants) as permissible under Order 39 Rule 3 CPC has granted ad-interim injunction to the following effect:
"....Issue notice to the other side for filing objections and written statement. In the meantime the defendants are restrained to open a low price medical outlet within the compound of S. N. M. Hospital. This order is subject to objections from the other side and other side is at liberty to seek vacation or modification of this order before the next date fixed in the case, if they so choose...."
3. The petitioners (defendants) instead of filing alteration of the order or instead of filing an appeal, have filed the instant petition.
4. The question for consideration is as to whether this petition is entertainable. The High Court has power of superintendence and control over subordinate courts under Section 104 of the Constitution of J&K, so has to ensure that the subordinate courts function within their limits. Such power at the instance of the aggrieved party is exercisable normally only when other efficacious remedy is not available to him.
5. Learned counsel would contend that the order has been passed without jurisdiction and the laudable object of the scheme which is to help the poor in getting the medicine at cheaper rates has been ignored. Only few vested persons, with the purpose of defeating the very object, have filed the suit so as to forestall the process as has been initiated.
6. The submission made is attractive because after all trial court is supposed to take care that the public interest shall not suffer. While weighing the ingredients for grant or otherwise of interim injunction, such as prima facie case, balance of convenience and irreparable loss, other host of circumstances are also to be taken note of. Equitable relief has to be granted only when party approaches the court with clean hands.
7. It is also settled now that the order of injunction ex-parte is appealable under Order XLIII of the Code of Civil Procedure but this Court in various judgments has settled the position i.e. as a matter of practice appeal against the orders passed subject to objections are not entertained subject to exception and this practice has hardened into rule. So it is for the petitioners (defendants), if they choose, to file an appeal to carve out an exception for filing such appeal, or otherwise to have to file application/objections for modification/alteration of the order.
8. It is also made clear that when the trial court has passed the order after dispensing with the requirement of prior notice, the application for temporary injunction has to be disposed of preferably within a period of 30 days as is envisaged by Order 39 Rule 3-A of the Code of Civil Procedure.
9. In the aforesaid backdrop, it shall not be appropriate to entertain the present writ petition. Petitioners (defendants) shall be free to have recourse to the available remedial measures, such as to file application/objections, if not already filed, for modification/vacation/alteration of the interim order impugned dated 22.09.2011. Learned trial court shall ensure that the application for grant of injunction is disposed of without any fail within the permissible period.
10. This petition shall accordingly stand disposed of along with connected CMP.