IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS
P.B. BALAJI, J.
Senthil Kumar.K - Petitioner
Versus
Sundaralingam Arumugam – Respondent
CRP.No.5968 of 2025
Decided on : 19.12.2025
ORDER :
P.B. BALAJI, J.
1. This Civil Revision Petition has been filed to set aside the docket order dated 12.11.2025 made in I.A.S.F.R.No.4961 of 2025 in O.S.No.67 of 2024 on the file of the learned District Judge, Nilgiris District, Udhagamandalam.
2.I have heard Mr.M.Rajasekar, learned counsel for the petitioner.
3.The revision petitioner is the plaintiff, who filed an application for review under Section 114 of CPC r/w Order 47 Rule 1 of CPC to review the judgment and decree dated 17.07.2025, by amending the alternate relief granted in the suit, by creating a charge on the suit property as contemplated under Section 55(6)(b) of the Transfer of Property Act.
4.The learned counsel for the revision petitioner would submit that the revision petitioner filed O.S.No.67 of 2024 for specific performance of an agreement of sale, with an alternate relief of refund of advance amount. The trial Court declined to grant the relief of specific performance, but however, proceeded to grant a decree for refund of sum of Rs.73,48,163/-, together with interest at 12% per annum on Rs.70,00,000/-, within a period of four months. The trial Court has specifically given a finding that the plaintiff is not entitled for a charge over the suit property with regard to the alternate relief granted to the plaintiff.
5.The learned counsel for the petitioner would further submit that under Section 55(6)(b) of the Transfer of Property Act, the revision petitioner has a statutory charge over the property, in respect of which, there was an agreement of sale. He would therefore state that the trial Court, in the first place, ought not to have specifically given a finding that there would be no charge over the suit property, insofar as the alternate relief is concerned. Even otherwise, it is the contention of the learned counsel for the petitioner, the trial Court has not given even a single reason as to why the plaintiff/revision petitioner is not entitled to a charge over the suit property in respect of the refund of advance amount.
6.The learned counsel for the petitioner would further take me through the plaint averments, as well as the judgment and decree passed by the trial Court. To fortify his submissions that the review application should not have been returned and in fact, should have been entertained and allowed, as the petitioner is entitled to a statutory charge under Section 55(6)(b) of Transfer of Property Act, the learned counsel for the petitioner also places reliance on the decision of this Court in Buvaneswari Vs. Muthusamy and others, in A.S.No.101 of 2001 dated 25.09.2014 and K.Savithiri and another Vs. L.Ramasamy and others, reported in 2017 (3) CTC 812.
7.I have carefully considered the submissions advanced by the learned counsel for the petitioner.
8.In view of the limited relief sought for in the revision, namely to set aside the docket order dated 12.11.2025, refusing to entertain the review application at the numbering stage itself, I am inclined to dispense with notice to the respondents.
9.Admittedly, the petitioner filed the suit for specific performance of an agreement of sale for a consideration of Rs.1,47,00,000/-. The trial Court, finding that the plaintiff is not entitled to the discretionary relief of specific performance, has proceeded to grant the alternate relief and directed to return of Rs.73,48,163/-, together with interest at 12% per annum on Rs.70,00,000/-. However, the trial Court has specifically stated that towards the said alternate relief, the plaintiff is not entitled for a charge over the suit property. As rightly contended by the learned counsel for the petitioner, no reasons have been assigned by the trial Court as to why such a finding has been rendered in the first place. I find from the judgment that the trial Court has found that towards part sale consideration, Rs.70,00,000/-, has already been paid by the plaintiff.
10.Section 55(6)(b) of the Transfer of Property Act is extracted hereunder for easy reference:
“55.
A statutory charge under Section 55(6)(b) of the Transfer of Property Act cannot be granted by a court without framing a specific issue and conducting an inquiry into whether the buyer had fulfilled ....
Point of Law : Review jurisdiction is extremely limited and unless there is mistake apparent on the face of the record, the order/judgment does not call for a review.
A statutory charge under Section 55(6)(b) of the Transfer of Property Act is enforceable against a bona fide purchaser for value, despite their claim to protection under the Specific Relief Act.
The main legal point established in the judgment is the entitlement of the plaintiff to a refund of advance money and the absence of a charge over the property in the absence of specific recital for ....
Buyer entitled to charged decree within limitation under Section 55(6)(b) of the Transfer of Property Act if non-performance not due to buyer's fault.
Agreement for sale does not create charge on property; specific performance suit barred by limitation extinguishes refund claim absent statutory charge.
A second appeal under Section 100 of the C.P.C. requires a substantial question of law, which was not present in this case, coupled with the enforceability of statutory charges under the Transfer of ....
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