2009 Supreme(Mad) 634
High Court of Judicature at Madras
THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE G. RAJASURIA
K. Sivachalam
Versus
Subbanna Gounder & Others
C.R.P.(PD)No.2792 of 2008 and M.P.No.2 of 2008
Decided on: 26-02-2009
For the Petitioner:C. Prakasam, Advocate.
For the Respondents: ----------.
The plaintiff must prove exclusive possession and enjoyment of the suit property before the court can decide in their favor.
Headnote:
Commissioner Warrant - Property Dispute - The court set aside the lower court's order to re-issue the Commissioner warrant, emphasizing that the plaintiff must prove exclusive possession and enjoyment of the suit property before the court can decide in their favor.
Fact of the Case:
The plaintiff filed a suit seeking declaration of ownership and injunction. During the suit, the defendants filed a petition to scrap the Advocate Commissioner's report and re-issue the Commissioner warrant.
Finding of the Court:
The lower court's order to re-issue the Commissioner warrant was set aside as it was found to be vague and not in accordance with the law. The plaintiff must prove exclusive possession and enjoyment of the suit property before the court can decide in their favor.
Issues: The main issue was the lower court's decision to re-issue the Commissioner warrant, which the court found to be erroneous.
Ratio Decidendi: The plaintiff must prove exclusive possession and enjoyment of the suit property before the court can decide in their favor.
Final Decision: The court set aside the lower court's order to re-issue the Commissioner warrant and dismissed the petition. No costs were awarded.
Civil revision petition filed under Article 227 of the Constitution of India against the fair and decreetal order dated 110. 2007 passed in I.A.No.435 of 2005 in O.S.No.54 of 1998 on the file of the Court of the District Munsif, Palladam, Coimbatore District.
Inveighing the order dated 110. 2007, passed by the learned District Munsif, Palladam, Coimbatore District in I.A.No.435 of 2005 in O.S.No.54 of 1998, this civil revision petition is focussed.
2. Heard the learned counsel for the petitioner. Despite printing the names, there is no representation for the respondents.
3. A summation and summarisation of the relevant facts which are absolutely necessary and germane for the disposal of this revision petition would run thus:
(i) The revision petitioner/plaintiff filed the suit O.S.No.54 of 1998 seeking the following relief:
"a) Declaration that the plaintiff is the absolute owner of the suit property as per partition deed dated 10.03.1997;
b) consequentially a permanent injunction restraining the defendants in the enjoyment of the suit property by the plaintiff;
c) granting permanent injunction restraining the defendants their men, agents, servants, relatives etc., from any way interfering in the enjoyment of the north-south 52 palm trees at the east of suit property and Raja Vaikkal in the suit property of S.F.No.533 of Samalapuram village by the plaintiff; and
d)awarding the plaintiffs cost of this suit e) pass such other and further relief as this Honble Court may deem fit and proper under the circumstances of this case and render justice."
(ii) While so, during the pendency of the suit, Advocate Commissioner was got appointed, who measured the suit property and submitted his report with sketch. Whereupon, I.A.No.435 of 2005 was filed by the defendants for scrapping the Advocate Commissioners report and for re-issuing of the Commissioner warrant with a direction to the Commissioner to visit the property concerned and submit an additional report with sketch. Being disconcerted and aggrieved by the order of the lower Court, this revision has been filed on various grounds, inter alia thus:
The lower Court committed serious error in ordering re-issuance of the Commissioner warrant to measure the property and there is no clear finding by the lower Court also in this regard.
4. A poring and perusal of the records would reveal and convey that the lower Court without au fait with law relating to issuance of second Commissioner, simply directed the Commissioner to revisit and measure the property. In paragraph 16 of the certified copy of the order of the lower Court, the learned trial Judge unambiguously and categorically pointed out that the suit property is only bearing Survey No.533 and in respect of that alone reliefs are sought in the plaint. However, in the I.A.No.435 of 2005 the defendants would come forward with the grievance as though the plaintiff encroached a portion of the Survey No.536 which belongs to the defendants. If at all the defendants are aggrieved by he encroachment of their property in Survey No.536, it is open for them to file a suit for removal of encroachment irrespective of any remark passed or opinion given by any of the witnesses in this case.
5. In the said I.A. on the petitioners side, the Surveyor Shanmuga Sundaram was examined as P.W.1 and the Advocate Commissioner Balasubramaniam was examined as P.W.2. In paragraph 18 of the order it is found recorded that P.W.1 deposed as though in S.No.536 on the south eastern side, the plaintiff made encroachment. However, P.W.2, the Commissioner in his deposition had set forth that there was no encroachment either in the plaintiffs land or the defendants land. The crucial and significant point to be noted is that the suit property is not S.No.536 which belongs to the defendants as found set out in the order of the lower Court and in such a case, I am at a loss to understand as to how the lower Court could re-issue the Commissioner warrant so as to