HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS
K. KALYANASUNDARAM, J.
The Anthiyur Town Panchayat Rep. by its Executive Officer, Anthiyur – Appellant
Versus
G. Arumugam (Deceased) & Others – Respondent
C.R.P(NPD).No. 4604 of 2014 & M.P.No. 1 of 2014
Decided On : 02-02-2015
Civil Procedure Code - Section 151 - Order 21 - Rule 26 – Condo nation of delay - Recovery of possession - Right in suit property - Petitioner is 2nd defendant which was filed by father of respondents against petitioner and one for recovery of possession - After contest suit was dismissed by District but in appeal plaintiff succeeded - Learned Appellate Judge decreed suit - Petitioner chose to file to condone delay in filing second appeal - This court dismissed application - Aggrieved by order petitioner filed an appeal before Honble Supreme Court and same is pending - Decree holder levied an execution petition in for delivery of possession - Petitioner filed under Order 21 Rule 26 and Section 151 CPC seeking stay of further proceedings in execution petition till disposal of SLP - Application was opposed by decree holder - Executing Court dismissed application. Challenging order present revision is filed – Held, On aforesaid circumstances Executing Court District only by non-application of mind has erroneously granted stay of Execution proceeding without jurisdiction after dismissal of Second Appeal - Respondent herein could have filed Stay Application against Execution Proceeding since Second Appeal pending before this Court was dismissed for default – Respondent Judgment Debtor is not entitled to invoke Order 21, Rule 26 of Code of Civil Procedure seeking stay after dismissal of Second Appeal - Executing Court has no authority or jurisdiction to grant any stay after dismissal of Second Appeal by this Court - Decisions cited by counsel for Respondent referred to above are no way applicable to facts and circumstances of this Revision Petition - Order 21, Rule 26 of Code of Civil Procedure is only to meet ends of justice and not to abuse anything to stay any Execution Petition proceeding against law - In instant case Execution Petition was filed by decree-holder a senior citizen aged - As Second Appeal preferred by Respondent Judgment Debtor was dismissed he could have filed a petition seeking stay only before this Court - He cannot approach District Court against Execution Proceeding as Decree holder is entitled to execute decree - It is seen that impugned order of stay has been granted by court below after dismissal of Second Appeal – Hence impugned order is unsustainable in law and liable to be set aside - It is seen from records that decree holder filed execution petition during month of January - Petitioner had ample opportunity to approach Appellate Court and get a stay of execution of decree - This court had dismissed condone delay application - Even after nine years of dismissal of condone delay application petitioner is not able to secure stay of further proceedings in execution petition - It is settled law that mere filing of appeal would not amount to stay of operation of decree of lower court and decree holder is entitled to execute decree unless it is stayed by Appellate Court - In present case it is also seen that petitioner filed an application for stay in SLP before Honble Apex Court but Apex Court was not inclined to grant stay of execution proceedings - Executing court rightly dismissed stay application - In view of above facts court do not find any merit in this revision - Civil Revision Petition is dismissed
This revision arises out of the order passed by the Principal District Munsif, Bhavani in E.A.No.167 of 2014 in E.P.No.219 of 2004.
2. The petitioner is the 2nd defendant in O.S.No.267 of 1992 which was filed by the father of the respondents namely G.Arumugam against the petitioner and one Nagarajan for recovery of possession. After contest, the suit was dismissed by the learned District Munsif, Bhavani but in the appeal in A.S.No.109 of 1999, the plaintiff succeeded. The learned Appellate Judge decreed the suit on 14.11.2000.
3. The petitioner chose to file CMP No.4874 of 2006 to condone the delay in filing the second appeal. This court, on 17.04.2006 dismissed the application. Aggrieved by the order, the petitioner filed an appeal before the Hon'ble Supreme Court and the same is pending in SLP No.10988 of 2006.
4. The decree holder levied an execution petition in E.P.No.219 of 2004 for delivery of possession. The petitioner filed E.A.No.167 of 2014 under Order 21 Rule 26 and Section 151 CPC seeking stay of further proceedings in the execution petition till the disposal of the SLP. The application was opposed by the decree holder. The Executing Court dismissed the application. Challenging the order, the present revision is filed.
5. Mr.D.Selvaraju, learned counsel for the petitioner submitted that the petitioner is a Panchayat and the plaintiff /decree holder does not have right in the suit property. It is further contended that the decree passed by the Appellate Court is under challenge before the Hon'ble Supreme Court and in the meanwhile, if the decree is executed, serious prejudice would be caused to the petitioner.
6. Per contra, Mr. P.Valliappan, learned counsel for the respondent would submit that the suit was filed in the year 1992 and the Appellate Court decreed the suit in the year 2000 and inspite of passage of 15 years, the decree holders are not able to enjoy the fruits of the decree. The learned counsel further submitted that the condone delay application filed by the petitioner was dismissed on 17.04.2006 and the appeal filed by the petitioner before the Hon'ble Supreme Court is pending from the year 2006. When the Appellate Court was not inclined to grant stay, the executing court is entitled to proceed with the execution of the decree and thus prayed for dismissal of the revision.
7. In 2014 (1) CTC 246 [G.Arumugam v. P.Jayaraman], the Second Appeal filed by the defendant was dismissed for default. Thereafter, the defendant moved an application under Order 21 Rule 26 CPC seeking stay of the execution proceedings. The executing court has granted stay. This Court has held as follows -
“13. On the aforesaid circumstances, the Executing Court , District Munsif, Jayandkondam, only by non-application of mind has erroneously granted stay of the Execution proceeding without jurisdiction, after the dismissal of Second Appeal. The Respondent herein could have filed Stay Application against the Execution Proceeding since the Second Appeal pending before this Court was dismissed for default. The Respondent/Judgment Debtor is not entitled to invoke Order 21, Rule 26 of Code of Civil Procedure seeking stay after the dismissal of the Second Appeal. The Executing Court has no authority or jurisdiction to grant any stay after the dismissal of the Second Appeal by this Court. The decisions cited by the learned counsel for the Respondent referred to above, are no way applicable to the facts and circumstances of this Revision Petition. Order 21, Rule 26 of the Code of Civil Procedure is only to meet the ends of justice and not to abuse anything to stay any Execution Petition proceeding against law. In the instant case, the Execution Petition was filed by the decree-holder, a senior citizen aged more than 84 years. As the Second Appeal preferred by Respondent/Judgment Debtor was dismissed, he could have filed a petition seeking stay only before this Court. He cannot approach the District Munsif Court, Jayankondam against the
Login now and unlock free premium legal research
Login to SupremeToday AI and access free legal analysis, AI highlights, and smart tools.
Login
now!
India’s Legal research and Law Firm App, Download now!
Copyright © 2023 Vikas Info Solution Pvt Ltd. All Rights Reserved.