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2009 Supreme(Mad) 3402

High Court of Judicature at Madras
THE HONOURBLE MR. JUSTICE S. TAMILVANAN
M. Subramani
Versus
Anbazhagan
S.A. No. 86 of 2008
Decided on: 28-08-2009

Important Points

A plaint cannot be rejected based solely on the defendant's allegations, and the cause of action should be determined based on the averments in the plaint. The mandatory procedure for rejecting a plaint under Order VII Rule 11 CPC must be followed.

Subject

Civil Law - Civil Procedure

Act Referred

CIVIL PROCEDURE CODE : S.100, O.7 R.11

Headnote

Rejection of Plaint - Cause of Action - Order VII Rule 11 CPC - [FRAUDULENT DOCUMENT, CAUSE OF ACTION, REJECTION OF PLAINT]

Fact of the Case:

The appellant filed a suit seeking a decree declaring a settlement deed as illegal and void, and to direct the respondent to deliver peaceful possession of the property. The respondent filed an interlocutory application seeking rejection of the plaint, alleging the patta produced by the appellant was forged. The trial court allowed the application and rejected the plaint, which was confirmed by the appellate court.

Finding of the Court:

The court found that the rejection of the plaint was based solely on the respondent's allegations without proper examination of evidence and without providing the appellant an opportunity to defend. The court held that the plaint disclosed a cause of action and should not have been rejected.

Issues: The issues included whether the court was right in rejecting the plaint, invoking Order VII Rule 11 CPC, and whether the court gave undue preference to the defendant's unsubstantiated case.

Ratio Decidendi: The court emphasized that a plaint cannot be rejected based on the defendant's allegations alone, and that the cause of action should be determined based on the averments in the plaint. The court also highlighted the mandatory procedure for rejecting a plaint under Order VII Rule 11 CPC.

Final Decision: The second appeal was allowed, the impugned judgment and decree were set aside, and the matter was remitted back to the trial court to be disposed solely on merits, uninfluenced by the findings of the second appeal. Each party was directed to bear their own costs, and the trial court was instructed to dispose of the case within six months.

Advocates Appeared:
For the Appellant:V. Lakshminarayanan, Advocate.
For the Respondent:S. Rajendrakumar, Advocate.

Judgment

1. This Second appeal has been preferred against the judgment and decree dated 210. 2007 made in A.S.No.461 of 2007 on the file of the III Additional Judge, City, Civil Court, Chennai confirming the order and decreetal order passed in I.A.No.3589 of 2006 made in O.S.No.4327 of 2004 dismissing the suit, on the file of the I Assistant Judge, City Civil Court, Chennai.

2. It is an admitted fact that the appellant/plaintiff had filed the suit, in O.S.No.4327 of 2004, on the file of the trial Court seeking a decree declaring that the settlement deed, in document No.1157 of 1995 dated 22.03.1995, on the file of the Sub Registrar Office, Villivakkam as illegal, void abinitio and not binding on the plaintiff and to direct the respondent/defendant to deliver peaceful possession of the property and for other consequential reliefs. The suit had been taken on file and the respondent/defendant also filed his written statement. However, while the suit was pending, the respondent herein as defendant in the suit, filed an interlocutory application in I.A.No.3589 of 2006, under Order VII Rule 11 CPC seeking an order rejecting the plaint, on the ground that a fraudulent document had been filed by the appellant/plaintiff in support of the suit claim. In the affidavit dated 20.02.2006, the respondent/defendant has averred that he had addressed the Tahsildar questioning the patta that was issued in the name of the appellant herein, for which, the Tahsildar sent his reply on 212. 2005 informing the respondent herein that no patta was issued in favour of the appellant and that the patta produced by the appellant herein was a forged document. In support of his claim, the respondent had filed a xerox copy of the alleged communication. The appellant herein as respondent/plaintiff filed his counter statement wherein, he had denied the allegations levelled against him by the respondent/defendant. As per the averments made in the counter, the appellant herein has stated that the petition filed by the defendant was totally devoid of merits and the respondent/defendant, suppressing the material fact that he had filed a suit in O.S.No.4344 of 2005 seeking relief of recovery of possession of the property from the appellants occupation and also for permanent injunction. According to him, the appellant/plaintiff had no knowledge whether the respondent/defendant had obtained any letter from the Tahsildar or not. The respondent herein having obtained a settlement deed from a person who has no right in the suit property and also a letter from a Tahsildar having no authority to issue the same, by producing the same, in support of his claim and the trial court based on the unreliable document rejected the plaint.

3. It is not in dispute that by order dated 23.02.2007, the Trial Court allowed, the petition filed by the respondent/defendant whereby rejected the plaint filed by the appellant herein. Aggrieved, by which the appeal in A.S.No.46 of 2007 was preferred by the appellant/plaintiff. Confirming the order and decreetal order passed by the Trial Court rejecting the plaint, the appeal was dismissed by the Appellate Court by the impugned judgment dated 210. 2007 and hence the second appeal has been preferred by the appellant/plaintiff.

4. Learned counsel appearing for the appellant raised the following substantial questions of law in the second appeal:

1. Whether the Court below are right in rejecting the plaint when a cause of action for the institution of the suit had been clearly disclosed in the plaint?

2. Whether Order VII Rule 11 CPC can be invoked to reject the plaint relying upon the defence raised by the defendant?

3. Are the Court below justified in giving undue preference to the unsubstantiated case of the defendant by relying upon the settlement deed, police complaint and other documents generated pending the proceedings?

5. Mr. V. Lakshminarayanan, learned counsel appearing for the appellant submitted that the court below without following the ma









































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