High Court of Judicature at Madras
V. DHANAPALAN, J.
K. Umapathy
Versus
A.C. Abraham Kinsely
C.R.P. (PD). No. 372 of 2012 & M.P. No. 1 of 2012
Decided On : 16-08-2012
amendment - civil injunction - Order 6 Rule 17 CPC - 2011 (12) SCC 268, 2012 (2) SCC 300 - The trial Court allowed the petition for amendment of the plaint, but the High Court set aside the order. The Supreme Court held that the amendment ordered by the trial Court cannot be allowed to stand as it was moved only at the stage of arguments, after the conclusion of trial, and there was no due diligence shown by the respondent/plaintiff in taking up the matter in time for moving the application for amendment of pleadings before the commencement of trial.
Fact of the Case:
The respondent/plaintiff filed a suit for permanent injunction restraining the petitioner/defendant from carrying out construction work in a common passage. During the pendency of the suit, the respondent/plaintiff filed a petition to amend the plaint to include a prayer for demolition of the construction put up on the common passage.
Finding of the Court:
The trial Court allowed the petition for amendment of the plaint, but the High Court set aside the order. The Supreme Court held that the amendment ordered by the trial Court cannot be allowed to stand as it was moved only at the stage of arguments, after the conclusion of trial, and there was no due diligence shown by the respondent/plaintiff in taking up the matter in time for moving the application for amendment of pleadings before the commencement of trial.
Issues: The main issue was whether the petition for amendment of the plaint, filed at the stage of arguments after the conclusion of trial, should be allowed.
Ratio Decidendi: The Court held that the amendment ordered by the trial Court cannot be allowed to stand as it was moved only at the stage of arguments, after the conclusion of trial, and there was no due diligence shown by the respondent/plaintiff in taking up the matter in time for moving the application for amendment of pleadings before the commencement of trial.
Final Decision: The Supreme Court allowed the Civil Revision Petition and set aside the order of the trial Court allowing the petition for amendment of the plaint. No costs were awarded.
1. The Civil Revision Petition is filed challenging the order dated 23.12.2011 in I.A.No.10304 of 2011 in O.S.No.5511 of 2010, on the file of the II Assistant Judge, City Civil Court, Chennai.
2. The defendant in the suit is the revision petitioner herein. The suit has been filed by the respondent/plaintiff for permanent injunction restraining the petitioner/defendant, his men, agents, servants or anybody authorised through the defendant from in any manner carrying out construction work in the common passage ad-measuring 337.5 square feet situate in T.S.No.4692 of Block No.105 in No.112, T.Nagar Village, morefully described in Schedule C.
3. Pending suit, the respondent/plaintiff filed I.A.No.10304 of 2011 to amend the plaint averring as follows:
(a) As per paragraph (a) of the relief sought for in the plaint, in particular, the plaintiff stated in paragraph 6 of the plaint that the defendant's property is situated in the corner portion of the South-Eastern side, and in front of the plaintiff's property, there is a common passage from North to South vice versa and there was entrance. The said passage is common for the plaintiff and the adjacent owners. But the defendant, taking advantage of the corner portion as referred to above, tried to construct a building which would block the plaintiff's backside way and also prevent the sunlight and the ventilation to the plaintiff's Eastern side of the building.
(b) In view of the above situation, the plaintiff filed the above suit on 14.6.2010 and after notice to the defendant, by order dated 23.7.2010 passed in I.A.No.10833 of 2010 for interim injunction, the Court ordered "status quo". Inspite of such an order of "status quo", the defendant continued and completed the construction and totally blocked the entrance to the passage on the Eastern side in the Southern corner entrance egress to the plaintiff and other house of the neighbours.
(c) The defendant in his written statement dated 1.12.2010 has stated that he has completed the construction work in his property and as such, the present suit has become infructuous and liable to be dismissed with no cause of action. The plaintiff states that the above suit was taken up for trial and the defendant as DW1 deposed in his evidence by proof affidavit dated 16.3.2011 and cross-examination dated 22.3.2011 and 12.4.2011 that he has completed his construction work in the common passage and deposed as if he was not aware of the injunction order, though the injunction order was passed after hearing both sides. Hence, it has become necessary that the plaint of the suit is to be amended with the corresponding prayer for the relief of demolition of the construction put up on the common passage during the pendency of the above suit.
(d) Since the defendant in his written statement and his evidence has admitted the completion of the construction in the common passage, no further proof by way of trial is necessary. As per Order 6 Rule 17 C.P.C., a plaint can be amended at any time and as such, it has become necessary for the plaintiff to amend the plaint by praying for demolition of the constructions put up in the common passage.
(e) Paragraph 8 (a) has to be inserted between paragraph 8 and 9 of the plaint as follows:
"In view of the admitted position as made out by the defendant in his written statement read with his evidence as DW1 that he has completed the construction in the suit disputed passage, this Hon'ble Court may be pleased to pass an order of a mandatory injunction directing the defendant to remove the construction made in the suit disputed common passage."
Paragraph 10(a) has to be inserted between paragraph 10 and 11 of the plaint as follows:
"The plaintiff values the suit for the relief of mandatory injunction at Rs.1,000/- and pays a Court Fee of Rs.75.50 under Section 27(c) of the Tamil Nadu Court Fees and Suits Valuation Act, 1955 as amended by Act 17 of 2003."
In the prayer column, paragraph 11(a)(1) is to be ins
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