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2011 Supreme(Mad) 2680

High Court of Judicature at Madras
G. RAJASURIA
T.M. Sornam & Another
Versus
Kamalam & Others
S.A.No.613 of 2011 & M.P.No.1 of 2011
Decided on : 09-06-2011

Advocates Appeared:
For the Appellants:N. Manokaran, Advocate.

The appellate Court's authority to rectify mistakes committed by the trial Court and the absence of substantial question of law in the matter.

Headnote:

Substantial Question of Law - Permanent Injunction - The appellate Court was justified in nullifying the limited relief granted by the trial Court and the Second Appeal is dismissed.

Fact of the Case:

The plaintiffs filed a suit seeking permanent injunction against the defendants, contending that they are entitled to the suit property as absolute owners by virtue of a codicil executed by their propositus.

Finding of the Court:

The appellate Court nullified the limited relief granted by the trial Court, stating that the proper course for the plaintiffs is to file a comprehensive suit seeking appropriate relief. The Second Appeal was dismissed.

Issues: Whether the plaintiffs' suit for permanent injunction without seeking declaration of title is maintainable under law? Whether the appellate Court is correct in reversing the decree granted in favor of the plaintiff who has filed the appeal against the disallowed portion of the trial Court decree in the absence of any appeal/cross appeal at the instance of the defendants? Whether the Courts below committed an error in exclusively deciding the disputes relating to title under Ex.A1 and Ex.B1 in the suit for permanent injunction particularly when there were no issues to decide the same?

Ratio Decidendi: The appellate Court was justified in nullifying the limited relief granted by the trial Court, and no substantial question of law was involved in the matter.

Final Decision: The Second Appeal was dismissed, and no costs were awarded. The intended suit for declaring the title and for injunction was not treated as one barred by res judicata.

JUDGMENT :-

1. This Second appeal is focussed by the original plaintiffs 2 and 3, animadverting upon the judgment and decree dated 31.01.2011 passed in A.S.No.179 of 2008 (A.S.No.16 of 2004-Sub Court, Namakkal, A.S.No.3 of 2007-District Court, Namakkal) by the learned Subordinate Judge, Tiruchengode, in partly allowing the judgment and decree of the learned District Munsif, Tiruchengode in O.S.No.280 of 1996. The parties are referred to hereunder according to their litigative status and ranking before the trial Court.

2. Compendiously and concisely, the relevant facts absolutely necessary and germane for the disposal of this Second Appeal would run thus:

(a) The appellants/plaintiffs 2 and 3 and also the deceased plaintiff, namely T.C.A.Manickam, filed the suit seeking permanent injunction as against Kamalam/R1 and the Commissioner/R2 on various grounds, virtually contending that the plaintiffs are entitled to the suit property as absolute owners by virtue of the codicil executed by their propositus, namely Pachiammal.

(b) The trial Court felt that the plaintiffs should file a regular suit for declaration of the title and for injunction and after holding so it simply granted three months' time for it, which in my opinion was without any rhyme or reason.

(c) Whereupon, the plaintiffs themselves preferred appeal and the appellate Court dismissed the appeal and also erased the said granting of three months' time by the trial Court. Being aggrieved by and dissatisfied with the judgments of both the Courts below, this Second Appeal has been focussed on various grounds suggesting the following substantial questions of law:

"(a) Whether the plaintiffs' suit for permanent injunction without seeking declaration of title is maintainable under law?

(b) Whether the First Appellate Court is correct in law in reversing the decree granted in favour of the plaintiff who has filed the appeal against the disallowed portion of the trial Court decree in the absence of any appeal/cross appeal at the instance of the defendants?

(c) Whether the Courts below committed an error in exclusively deciding the disputes relating to title under Ex.A1 and Ex.B1 in the suit for permanent injunction particularly when there were no issues to decide the same?"

(extracted as such)

4. At the outset, I fumigate my mind with the following decision of the Hon'ble Apex Court: (2011) 1 SCC 673 [VIJAY KUMAR TALWAR vs. COMMISSIONER OF INCOME TAX, DELHI]; certain excerpts from it would run thus:

"19. It is manifest from a bare reading of the section that an appeal to the High Court from a decision of the Tribunal lies only when a substantial question of law is involved, and where the High Court comes to the conclusion that a substantial question of law arises from the said order, it is mandatory that such question(s) must be formulated. The expression "substantial question of law" is not defined in the act. Nevertheless, it has acquired a definite connotation through various judicial pronouncements.

23. A finding of fact may give rise to a substantial question of law, inter alia, in the event the findings are based on no evidence and/or while arriving at the said finding, relevant admissible evidence has not been taken into consideration or inadmissible evidence has been taken into consideration or legal principles have not been applied in appreciating the evidence, or when the evidence has been misread."

5. A mere poring over and perusal of those excerpts including the whole judgment would reveal that unless there is any perversity or illegality in the findings of the Courts below or that the Courts below failed to apply the correct law, the question of interference in the Second Appeal does not arise.

6. It is therefore, just and necessary to find out as to whether any substantial question of law is involved in this matter.

7. The learned counsel for the appellants would implore and entreat that even though the plaintiffs are under the necessity to file a suit for getting their


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