IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS
S.RAJESWARAN J.
N.Maheswari ... Petitioner
Vs.
Mariappan... Respondents
C.R.P.(NPD)No.3487 of 2011 and M.P.No.1 of 2011
Decided on : 24.09.2012.
Civil Revision Petition - Declaration of Title - Code of Civil Procedure - [CPC 1908, Section 115] - The court set aside the judgment and decree in O.S.No.3 of 2002 on the grounds of mis-carriage of justice and illegal decree passed without proper evaluation of evidence.
Fact of the Case:
The plaintiff filed a suit for declaration of title and permanent injunction. The trial court decreed the suit without proper evaluation of evidence. The revision petitioner, a third party to the suit, filed a Civil Revision Petition under Article 227 of the Constitution of India to set aside the judgment and decree.
Finding of the Court:
The court found that the trial court's judgment was illegal and opposed to the provisions of the Code of Civil Procedure. It set aside the judgment and decree and remanded the case for fresh consideration in so far as the first defendant is concerned.
Issues: The issues included the entitlement of the plaintiff for the relief of declaration and permanent injunction.
Ratio Decidendi: The court held that the trial court's decree was illegal and passed without proper evaluation of evidence, leading to mis-carriage of justice.
Final Decision: The Civil Revision Petition was allowed, and O.S.No.3 of 2002 was remanded for fresh consideration in so far as the first defendant is concerned. The suit was dismissed against the second defendant.
1. This Civil Revision Petition has been filed under Article 227 of the Constitution of India, praying to set aside the judgment and decree in O.S.No.3 of 2002 on the file of the District Munsif Court, Chengalpattu. The main contention of the revision petitioner, who is a third party to the suit proceedings, is that the Trial Court decreed the suit mechanically without application of mind resulting in grave injustice being caused to the revision petitioner herein. Therefore, she applied for leave for filing the Civil Revision Petition and after obtaining leave, the above Civil Revision Petition has been filed for the aforesaid relief.
2. Normally, this Court will not entertain any Civil Revision Petition under Article 227 of the Constitution of India against a judgment and decree passed in a suit, as the aggrieved party could very well maintain a fully-fledged First Appeal to the Appellate Court. However, considering the nature of the case and the peculiarity of the judgment passed by the Trial Court, I consider this revision petition as an extraordinary one and consequently proceed to dispose off the same.
3. O.S.No.3 of 2002 was filed by one Mariappan, who is the first respondent herein, for a declaration, declaring his title to the suit properties and for a permanent injunction restraining the defendants from in any manner interfering with the plaintiff's possession and enjoyment of the suit properties. The suit property is situated in 23, Vengadamangalam Village, Guduvancherry Firka, Chengalpattu Taluk and comprised in old S.No.91/6 of an extent of 2.42 Ac. Kist. The first defendant in the suit is one Lakshmipathi, the second defendant herein and the second defendant in the suit is one Elumalai, the third respondent herein. The revision petitioner herein / a third party purchased the suit property from the second defendant in the suit / the third respondent herein.
4. The case of the plaintiff in O.S.No.3 of 2002 is that, the suit properties were originally owned by his wife Nesamani and it was situated in S.No.91/E measuring an extent of Ac. 2.42 cents. The plaintiff's wife purchased the property from one Deivayani Ammal under an oral sale. The plaintiff's wife has been in possession of the suit properties since 1980, cultivating the land and by paying kists and other charges. In any event, by her continuous possession and enjoyment for more than the statutory period, the plaintiff's wife has also prescribed her title. Since her possession was sought to be disturbed by 1) Deivayani Ammal, 2) Lakshmipathy and 3) Ramakrishnan Pillai, she filed a suit in O.S.No.430 of 1989 on the file of the District Munsiff Court, Chengalpattu, for a permanent injunction. Though the suit was dismissed, she succeeded in the appeal filed in A.S.No.67 of 1990 on the file of the District Munsiff Court, Chengalpattu. After obtaining a decree for permanent injunction on 29.01.1991, in A.S.No.67 of 1990, the plaintiff's wife applied for grant of patta on 18.06.1996. On 19.03.1997, the Tahsildhar, Chengalpattu informed that the decree obtained by her is only for a permanent injunction and therefore, unless the title is declared by the Court the patta could not be issued to her. To her surprise, she was further informed that S.No.91/6 has been sub-divided into 91/6A, 91/6B2 and 91/6B1 and items 1 and 2 of the suit property have been in the name of the second defendant / Elumalai and item No.3 has been in the name of the first Defendant / Lakshmipathy. According to the plaintiff, the defendants have no title nor possession. The second defendant is claiming that he has purchased the property, but, the same was made subsequent to the decree obtained by his wife. His wife Nesamani executed two settlement deeds in favour of the plaintiff settling the suit property. By virtue of the settlement deeds, the plaintiff has become the owner and he is now in possession of the same. Therefore, the suit in O.S.No.3 of 2002 has been filed for t
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