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2023 Supreme(Ori) 377

IN THE HIGH COURT OF ORISSA AT CUTTACK
K.R.Mohapatra, J.
Umesh Ch. Dixit and others - Petitioners
Versus
Bhikari Mahakud and others - Opposite Parties
CMP Nos. 578 OF 2017 & 1358 of 2017
Decided On : 18-12-2023

Advocates Appeared:
For the Petitioner:Mr. S.S. Rao, Senior Advocate being assisted by Mr. Syed Ejazul Haque, Advocate
For the Opposite Party :Mr. Ajodhya Ranjan Dash, Advocate

The executing Court has the power under Order XXI Rule 32(5) to order necessary demolitions to enforce a decree for permanent injunction despite such powers not being explicitly stated in the original decree.

Headnote:(A) Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 - Order XXI Rule 32 - Execution of decree for demarcation and permanent injunction - Dispute regarding execution where structures exist on the suit property - Court clarified that it has jurisdiction to order necessary demolitions as per Order XXI, Rule 32(5) CPC to enforce the original decree - Set aside lower court's refusal to allow demolition necessary for effective enforcement of injunction. (Paras 7, 16, 18)

Facts of the case:
The decree was to demarcate property and award permanent injunction against disturbance; execution case was dropped as court held it could not order demolitions not specified in the decree. (Paras 5, 16)

Findings of Court:
The Court held that the executing Court erred in stating it could not direct demolition where necessary for enforcing a decree for permanent injunction, thereby underscoring a broader interpretation of executing powers in context. (Paras 15, 19)

Issues: Whether the executing Court has the authority to order the demolition of structures to enforce a decree where the original suit did not specify such action. (Paras 16, 17)

Ratio Decidendi: The Court clarified that Order XXI Rule 32(5) grants the executing Court the power to constructively enforce decrees and that narrow interpretations hindering execution are disfavored to avoid unnecessary litigation. (Paras 8, 18)

Result: Impugned order set aside; the matter remanded for execution from the stage of issuing writ to the commissioner for necessary demarcations. (Paras 20, 21)

Table of Content
1. execution case initiation and prior court orders. (Para 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7)
2. liability and authority of executing court. (Para 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12)
3. court's obligation to consider demarcation execution. (Para 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18)
4. final order and future proceedings. (Para 19 , 20 , 21)

JUDGMENT :

K.R. Mohapatra, J.

1. This matter is taken up through hybrid mode.

2. CMP No.578 of 2017 has been filed assailing the order dated 15th February, 2017 passed by learned Additional Civil Judge (Junior Division), Basudevpur in Execution Case No.4 of 2013, whereby the execution case was dropped holding that the decree for demarcation is not executable.

3. CMP No.1358 of 2017 has been filed to set aside the Commissioner’s report dated 26th March, 2016 and order dated 2nd February, 2017, whereby the Commissioner’s report was accepted.

4. Since both the CMPs arise out of Execution Case No.4 of 2013 and relates to a chain of events in accepting the Commissioner’s report as well as dropping of the execution case accepting the said Commissioner’s report, the same are taken up together for convenience. The parties are described as per their status in the execution case.

5. C.S. No.22 of 2009 was filed by the D.Hrs for demarcation of the suit property as well as for injunction. The suit has been decreed vide judgment dated 30th March, 2013 with the following order:

“The suit of the plaintiffs be and same is decreed on contest against the Def. Nos. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 & 7 and on ex-parte against Def. No. 8. Both parties are at liberty to get the boundary line of the suit property demarcated as per prayer in the plaint, amicably within a period of 3(three) months failing which, the parties may take resort to the process of this Court for the said purpose. Once boundary lines of the suit plots are duly demarcated, the contesting defendants will be permanently injuncted from entering into the suit property and from disturbing the peaceful possession of the plaintiffs over the suit land. But in the present facts and circumstances, there is no order as to cost.”

6. As amicable demarcation of the property could not be possible within the time stipulated, the D.Hrs filed Execution Case No.4 of 2013. The J.Drs filed an application under Section 47 CPC , which was registered as I.A. No.201 of 2016. The said application was rejected vide order dated 6th February, 2017. Thereafter, Plaintiff in C.S. No.83 of 2015 filed an application to be impleaded as party to the execution case (CMA No.1486 of 2015), which was rejected. In due course, learned executing Court appointed a Civil Court Commissioner for demarcation of the property, who submitted his report on 26th March, 2016. Relevant portion of the said report reads as under:

“Then the DHR No.3 identified me the decretal plot which is to be demarcated and supplied me the original village M.S. map of Mouza Apartipur. I was directed by the Hon’ble Court for demarcation of southern side of ‘Ka’ schedule land, eastern side of ‘Kha’ schedule land and Eastern and Southern side of ‘Ga’ schedule land as per plaint. I verified the records and original village map and started my measurement work on the field. By checking from various fix point nearby the suit plot and finally I demarcated the Southern side of ‘Ka’ schedule property, Eastern side of ‘Kha’ schedule property and Eastern and Southern side of ‘Ga’ schedule property. The DHRs and his labourers put pucca pillars on Southern side of ‘Ka’ schedule property and Southern side of ‘Ga’ schedule property. But the eastern side of ‘Kha’ & ‘Ga’ schedule property though I have demarcated, but the DHRs could not pillaring on it because on the demarcating line the JDRs have encroached some portion and created building house and some thatched house over the decretal plot. the thatched house are used as cowshed and kitchen which I have clearly shown in my demarcation map. The DHRs and their labourers put pucca pillars on Southern side of ‘Ka’ & ‘Ga’ schedul

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