IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS
T.V. THAMILSELVI, J.
Bhuvaneswari & Another – Appellants
Versus
Dharanidaran & Others – Respondents
Crl. No. 2677 of 2019
Decided On : 11-09-2023
Abuse of Process of Law - Civil Revision Petition - O.S No. 4958 of 2019 - Order II Rule 2(1) of CPC, Order II Rule 2(2), Order II Rule 2(3) - The court allowed the plaintiff to proceed with the suit for the relief of declaration and permanent injunction after striking off the earlier suit filed for the relief of permanent injunction due to abuse of process of law.
Fact of the Case:
The plaintiff filed a suit for the relief of permanent injunction in O.S No. 4958 of 2019, claiming lawful possession of the property and alleging interference by the defendants. The defendants filed a petition to strike off the plaint, citing abuse of process of law, as the plaintiff had previously filed a suit for permanent injunction for the same property without obtaining leave of the Court.
Finding of the Court:
The court found that the plaintiff had filed a comprehensive suit for the same cause of action without obtaining leave of the Court, which was in violation of Order II Rule 2 of CPC. The court ordered the plaint in the earlier suit to be struck off but allowed the plaintiff to proceed with the present suit for the relief of declaration and permanent injunction.
Issues: Abuse of process of law, violation of Order II Rule 2 of CPC, entitlement to file a comprehensive suit for the same cause of action, and the requirement to obtain leave of the Court.
Ratio Decidendi: The court held that while the plaintiff is entitled to protect their rights and property, they are not entitled to proceed with multiple cases for the same cause of action without obtaining leave of the Court. The plaintiff's failure to obtain leave before filing the comprehensive suit led to the striking off of the earlier suit but allowed them to proceed with the present suit.
Final Decision: The court partly allowed the petition, struck off the plaint in the earlier suit, and directed the Trial Court to dispose of the present suit within six months.
JUDGMENT
(Prayer: This Civil Revision Petition is filed under Article 227 of Constitution of India, to strike off the plaint in O.S No. 4958 of 2019, pending on the file of the Hon''ble VI Additional City Civil Court, Chennai.)
1. This petition has been filed to strike off the plaint in O.S No. 4958 of 2019, pending on the file of the Hon''ble VI Additional City Civil Court, Chennai.
2. The petitioners herein are the defendants in suit O.S. No. 4958 of 2019 on the file of the VI Additional City Civil Court, Chennai, filed by the first respondents herein/plaintiff for the relief of permanent injunction in respect of suit property as described in the plaint schedule, claiming that they are in lawful possession of the property in which the defendants/revision petitioners herein have no right but they caused interference. After receipt of notice the petitioners/defendant filed this petition to strike off the plaint in O.S No. 4958 of 2019 stating that the respondents herein had already filed a suit in O.S No. 2542 of 2018 in the same court for the relief of permanent injunction but without obtaining leave of this Court the respondents herein filed a suit in O.S No. 4958 of 2019 for the same property as such is clear case of abuse of process of law. Further this petitioner also filed C.S No. 612 of 2018 before this court.
3. The learned counsel for the respondents submitted that the present suit was filed with comprehensive prayer of declaration by including various cause of action and the earlier suit filed by them for permanent injunction. Subsequently, in order to protect his right over the property they filed comprehensive suit for which they are entitle. Accordingly he prayed to dismiss this petitioner.
4. By way of reply, the learned counsel for the petitioner submitted that respondent filed the suit contrary to Order II Rule (2) (1 ) of CPC which mandates that every suit shall include the whole of the claim which the plaintiffs entitled to make in respect of the cause of action; but a plaintiff may relinquish any portion of their claim in order to bring the suit within jurisdiction of any Court. Further, Order II Rule 2 (2), stipulates that where a plaintiff omits to sue in respect of, or intentionally relinquishes, any portion of their claim, he shall not afterwards sue in respect of the portion so omitted or relinquished. Further, Order II Rule 2(3) provides that a person entitled to more than one relief in respect of the same cause of action may sue for all or any of such relief. By relying above provisions, the learned counsel for the petitioner submitted that in the instant case, cause of action for the filing of suit is one and same, party also one and the same without obtaining leave of this Court present suit filed for the relief of declaration as such is deserves to be strike off by invoking Article 227 of Constitution of India.
5. Considering the submissions on either side and also on perusal of records, it reveals that in the year of 2018 respondent herein filed a suit in O.S No. 2542 of 2018 for the relief of permanent injunction against the petitioners, for the same property petitioners herein filed a suit in C.S No. 612 of 2018 before this Court for the relief of partition, permanent injunction and other consequential relief against the respondents. Thereafter, the respondents herein filed O.S No. 4958 of 2019 for the relief of declaration for the same property. Admittedly, at earliest point of time the respondents herein not obtained leave of the Court to file a comprehensive suit, as per Order II Rule 2 (1) of CPC which mandates that every suit shall include the whole of claim which the plaintiff entitled to make in respect of the cause of action but the plaintiff may relinquish any portion on their claim in order to bring the suit within the jurisdiction of any Court. Further, Order II Rule 2 (2), stipulates that where a plaintiff omits to sue in respect of, or intentionally relinquishes, any portion of their clai
The main legal point established is that the invocation of Article 227 of the Constitution of India to strike off a plaint requires extraordinary circumstances and is not maintainable when an alterna....
The court can strike off a plaint as an abuse of process when it constitutes re-litigation of previously settled matters, thereby preventing unnecessary litigation.
Re-litigating the same issue which has already been tried and decided earlier against a party amounts to an abuse of the process of Court.
The court emphasized that claims of vexatious suits should be resolved in trial, not through premature revisions, affirming procedural adherence in civil litigation.
The court can strike off a suit under Article 227 of the Constitution of India when it is a clear abuse of process and the facts are not controverted and admitted by the plaintiff.
Court permitted withdrawal of revision petition, dismissing it without costs.
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