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1936 Supreme(Mad) 251

IN THE HIGH COURT OF MADRAS
Menon, J.
Muthayyan Swaminatha Sastrial and Ors.
Versus
S. Narayanaswami Sastrial and Ors.
Decided On : 21.08.1936

The suit as originally framed was maintainable and it was not necessary for the plaintiff to add a prayer for declaration. The order of the trial Court directing the plaintiff to amend the plaint was not appealable, and the learned Subordinate Judge had jurisdiction to question the correctness of the order of the trial Court requiring the plaintiff to amend the plaint.

Headnote:

Revision - Jurisdiction - The court held that the suit as originally framed was maintainable and it was not necessary for the plaintiff to add a prayer for declaration. The order of the trial Court directing the plaintiff to amend the plaint was not appealable, and the learned Subordinate Judge had jurisdiction to question the correctness of the order of the trial Court requiring the plaintiff to amend the plaint.

Fact of the Case:

The suit was for an injunction restraining defendants from interfering with the plaintiff's possession and enjoyment of the properties. The District Munsif directed the plaintiffs to amend the plaint by adding a prayer for a declaration and to pay additional court-fee. The plaint was amended, but no additional court-fee was paid. The District Munsif found that the plaint as amended was beyond his pecuniary jurisdiction and returned it for presentation to the proper Court.

Finding of the Court:

The learned Subordinate Judge held that the suit as originally framed was maintainable and directed the trial Court to re-entertain the suit. The court dismissed the petition to revise the order of the Principal Subordinate Judge.

Issues: The issues included the maintainability of the suit as originally framed, the jurisdiction of the trial Court to direct the plaintiff to amend the plaint, and the jurisdiction of the Subordinate Judge to question the correctness of the order of the trial Court.

Ratio Decidendi: The court held that the suit as originally framed was maintainable and it was not necessary for the plaintiff to add a prayer for declaration. The order of the trial Court directing the plaintiff to amend the plaint was not appealable, and the learned Subordinate Judge had jurisdiction to question the correctness of the order of the trial Court requiring the plaintiff to amend the plaint.

Final Decision: The petition to revise the order of the Principal Subordinate Judge was dismissed with costs.

ORDER

Menon, J.

1. This is an application to revise-the order of the Principal Subordinate Judge of Kumbakonam, dated 24th January 1935, in C. M. A. No. 15 of 34, setting aside an order of the District Munsif of Valangiman, returning the plaint in-; O.S. No. 6 of 34 for presentation to the proper Court.

2. The suit was for an injunction restraining defendants 1 to 9 from interfering with the plaintiffs possession and enjoyment of the plaint properties. It was alleged that the properties were Samudayam properties owned by the mirasdars of the village, that plaintiffs 1 to 4 and defendant 10 were appointed as managers for the properties, that the other plaintiffs were lessees under those managers and that defendants 2 to 9 were interfering with the possession of the plaintiffs. The defendants denied those allegations and contended that plaintiffs 1 to 4 and defendant 10 were not appointed managers in respect of those properties. The learned District Munsif, holding that the suit was in effect to have the right of plaintiffs 1 to 4 and defendant 10 as managers in respect of these properties declared, directed the plaintiffs to amend the plaint by adding a prayer for a declaration to that effect and to pay additional court-fee. The plaint was accordingly amended, but no additional court-fee was paid. As the learned District Munsif found that the plaint as amended was beyond his pecuniary jurisdiction, he returned it for presentation to the proper Court. On appeal to the Subordinate Judge that order was, as already observed, reversed, the Subordinate Judge holding that it was not necessary for the plaintiff to add a prayer for declaration and that the suit as originally framed was maintainable. The trial Court was, therefore, directed to re-entertain the suit; hence this petition.

3. On the merits, I have no doubt that the learned Subordinate Judge was right in holding that the suit as originally framed was maintainable. It is true that in establishing their right to have an injunction against the defendants, the plaintiffs will have to prove that plaintiffs 1 to 4 and defendant 10 were properly appointed managers in respect of the properties and that the other plaintiffs are the lessees under them. But it does not follow from this that the plaintiffs are suing for a declaration of the title of plaintiffs 1 to i and defendant 10 as managers. Their allegation is that they are in lawful possession of the properties and that their possession is threatened to be interfered with by the defendants. On these allegations, they were perfectly entitled to sue for a mere injunction. The learned District Munsif was, therefore, wrong in ordering the amendment of the plaint.

4. But Mr. Raja Ayyar contends, firstly, hat as the plaintiff actually got the plaint amended in accordance with the direction of the trial Court, he is precluded from questioning the validity of that order, and secondly, that the earned Subordinate Judge was not entitled to go into the question of the correctness of that order of the trial Court in the appeal before him. I am unable accept either of these contentions. The order of the trial Court directing the plaintiff to amend the plaint was not appealable. All that the plaintiff could have done was to file a petition in this Court to revise that order. It cannot be said that because he did not take that extraordinary step, he is estopped or precluded from questioning the correctness of that order. Further it is seen that he did not fully comply with the directions of the District Munsif, for he did not pay the requisite court-fee, but only got the plaint amended. It is not as if a person, having obtained the benefits conferred by an order and stood by it, subsequently challenges its correctness. There is, therefore, no substance in the first contention.

5. The second contention that the learned Subordinate Judge had no jurisdiction to question the correctness of the order of the trial Court requiring the plaintiff to amend the

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