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2010 Supreme(Mad) 2835

High Court of Judicature at Madras
THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE T.S. SIVAGNANAM
Sridhar Babu
Versus
Muthulakshmi & Others
CRP(PD) No.28 of 2006 & C.M.P.No.311 of 2006
Decided On : 15-07-2010

Advocates Appeared:
For the Petitioners:D. Ravichandran for T.R. Rajaraman, Advocates.
For the Respondent:R1, N. Sathyamoorthy, Advocate, R2-R3, No Appearance.

The amendment to pleadings should be allowed if it does not change the basic structure of the suit and is necessary for determining the real controversy between the parties.

Headnote:

Amendment - Mandatory Injunction - Order 6 Rule 17 CPC - [Rule 17 Order 6 CPC] - The court allowed the amendment to incorporate the measurements of the construction in the plaint for the relief of mandatory injunction. The amendment did not change the cause of action or introduce a new case, and therefore, was permitted.

Fact of the Case:

The plaintiff filed a suit for a mandatory injunction to remove a construction put up by the defendants. During the pendency of the suit, the plaintiff filed an application to include the measurements of the construction in the plaint. The defendants opposed the amendment, but the Trail Court allowed it.

Finding of the Court:

The Court found that the amendment sought did not change the cause of action or introduce a new case, and therefore, it was permitted under Rule 17 Order 6 CPC.

Issues: The main issue was whether the amendment to incorporate the measurements of the construction in the plaint for the relief of mandatory injunction should be allowed.

Ratio Decidendi: The Court held that the amendment should be allowed if it does not change the basic structure of the suit and is necessary for determining the real controversy between the parties. The amendment in this case did not alter the cause of action or introduce a new case, and therefore, it was permitted.

Final Decision: The Civil Revision Petition was dismissed, and the order passed by the Trail Court allowing the amendment was upheld.

Judgment :-

The revision petitioner is the second defendant in O.S.No.143/2005 on the file of the District Munsif Court, Nagapattinam.

2. The first respondent/plaintiff filed the suit for a Judgment and decree of mandatory injunction directing the removal of the construction put up by the defendants and for consequential permanent injunction. The defendants had filed written statement and the suit was dismissed and on appeal at the instance of the first respondent, the matter was remanded and is pending trail.

3. During the pendency of the suit on remand, the first respondent filed I.A.No.847/2005 under Order 6 Rule 17 CPC, for including the measurements of the construction, which was sought to be removed by a decree of mandatory injunction. According to the first respondent, she was not aware of the exact measurement of the construction put up and the measurements came to her knowledge only after the Advocate Commissioner, who was appointed in the matter, inspected the property and submitted his report. This application for amendment of the plaint was resisted by the petitioner herein by filing a counter stating that such amendment cannot be allowed based on the report submitted by the Advocate Commissioner and the admissibility of the report is yet to be decided, and at this stage amendment should not be permitted. The Trail Court by order dated 19.11.2005 in I.A.No.836/2005 allowed the petition and permitted to the amendment to be carried out. Aggrieved by such order, the petitioner is before this Court by way of present revision petition filed under Article 227 of the Constitution of India.

4. The learned counsel appearing for the petitioner contended that the prayer for mandatory injunction as originally prayed for in the plaint does not give clear description of the property and the first respondent cannot be permitted to take advantage of the report submitted by the Advocate Commissioner. Further, it is contended that the amendment sought for is barred by limitation, since, new survey numbers are sought to be added and a new case is being introduced. Further, it is submitted that the petitioner has already filed their objections to the Advocate Commissioners report and if the report is scrapped by the Trail Court, there is no necessity for the amendment of the plaint. The learned counsel appearing for the petitioner relied on the following decisions of the Honble Supreme Court in support of his contentions: Munilal Vs. Oriental Fire & General Insurance Co. Ltd and another, (1996) 1 SCC 90 and Radhika Devi Vs. Bajrangi Singh and others, (1996) 7 SCC 486.

5. The learned counsel appearing for the respondents would contend that there is absolutely no change of cause of action brought about as a result of the amendment and the encroachment has been specifically and correctly pleaded in the plaint. The schedule of property has also been clearly mentioned and the plea that if the amendment is allowed, it defeats the law of limitation is untenable. It is further submitted by the learned counsel appearing for the respondents that the petitioner is the brother of the first respondent and the first respondent was not in a position to go into the property to take measurement and after the report submitted by the Advocate Commissioner, the measurement have been included and the same does not introduce a new case as alleged by the petitioner. The learned counsel relied on the decision of the Honble Supreme Court in Rajkumar Gurawara Vs. S.K.Sarwagi & Co. Pvt. Ltd & another, 2008 (5) CTC 253, in support of his contentions.

6. Heard the learned counsel appearing for the petitioner as well as the learned counsel appearing for the respondents and perused the materials available on record.

7. Under Rule 17 Order 6 CPC, the Court may at any stage of the proceedings allow either party to alter or amend his pleadings in such manner and on such terms, as may be just and all such amendments shall be made, as may be necessary for the purpos




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