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1979 Supreme(P&H) 4

PUNJAB & HARYANA HIGH COURT
Surinder Singh, J.
Ram Sarup
Versus
Food Corporation Of India
Execution First Appeal No. 72 of 1975,
Decided On : JANUARY 12, 1979

An executing Court cannot go behind a final order of the original Court unless there was an inherent lack of jurisdiction to deal with the matter.

Headnote:

LAND ACQUISITION ACT, 1894 - SECTION 18 - EXECUTION OF AWARD - JURISDICTION OF EXECUTING COURT - ERRONEOUS EXERCISE OF JURISDICTION - INHERENT LACK OF JURISDICTION - DISTINCTION - EFFECT OF FINAL ORDER - RES JUDICATA.

Fact of the Case:

The appellant's land was acquired by the respondent-Food Corporation of India. The appellant was awarded compensation by the Collector, which he challenged under Section 18 of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894. The Additional District Judge (Mr. Saini) enhanced the compensation for 7 kanals and 9 marlas of land but omitted to grant enhancement for one-third share in 17 marlas of land owned by the appellant. The appellant filed an application before the successor Additional District Judge (Mr. Bahri), who amended the award to include compensation for the one-third share. The respondent-Corporation did not challenge this order. When the appellant applied for execution of the amended award, the respondent-Corporation resisted, arguing that the appellant had already received compensation for the property and that the claim for compensation for the one-third share was not made in the initial claim application. The Additional District Judge (Mr. Bahri) dismissed the execution application, holding that his earlier order was without jurisdiction.

Finding of the Court:

The High Court held that the Additional District Judge erred in holding that his earlier order was without jurisdiction. The Court distinguished between an inherent lack of jurisdiction and an erroneous exercise of jurisdiction, holding that an executing Court can only go behind the decree of the original Court if there was an inherent lack of jurisdiction. The Court found that the Additional District Judge had jurisdiction to deal with the matter and that his order was not passed behind the back of the respondents. The Court also noted that the respondents had not challenged the order in appeal or otherwise, and that it had therefore become final. The Court set aside the order dismissing the execution application and remanded the case to the Additional District Judge for execution in accordance with law.

Issues: 1. Whether the Additional District Judge had jurisdiction to amend the award to include compensation for the one-third share in 17 marlas of land. 2. Whether the order of the Additional District Judge was executable.

Ratio Decidendi: 1. An executing Court can only go behind the decree of the original Court if there was an inherent lack of jurisdiction to deal with the matter by that Court. 2. An erroneous exercise of jurisdiction does not render an order void. 3. A final order cannot be challenged in execution proceedings.

Final Decision: The High Court set aside the order dismissing the execution application and remanded the case to the Additional District Judge for execution in accordance with law.

Judgment

1. The facts giving rise to this Execution First Appeal may be, briefly, recapitulated. Some land belonging to the appellant was acquired for a public purpose by the respondent-Food Corporation of India and the appellant was awarded compensation for the same by the Collector as per his award, dated August 30, 1983. The appellant feeling dissatisfied with the quantum of compensation, approached the Additional District Judge under Section 18 of the Land Acquisition Act, for enhancement of the compensation. The learned Additional District Judge (Shri Dev Raj Saini) after considering the matter which was contested by the parties, gave his award, dated June 25, 1971, enhancing the compensation regarding 7 kanals and 9 marlas of land owned by the appellant. In the order of Mr. Saini, there is, however, a mention that the appellant was the owner of one-third share in land measuring 17 marlas in which there is a well, a neem tree and a Kotha. No enhancement of any compensation in regard to this land was, however, ordered in the award of Mr. Saini. Subsequently, the appellant moved an application before the successor Additional District Judge (Shri Amrit Lal Bahri), Patiala, in which it was specifically urged that the learned Additional District Judge while granting enhanced compensation in respect of the land of the appellant, had omitted to grant enhancement of compensation in respect of one-third share in 17 marlas of land owned by the appellant, referred to above. This application was resisted by the respondent-Corporation who put in their written reply. However, in answer to the specific allegation regarding acquisition of the above property as, made in para 2 of the application, all that was said in the reply, is that "Para No. 2 is legal". In the wake of the respective stands of the parties, the learned Additional District Judge framed a general issue to the following effect :

"Whether the market value of the acquired land is inadequate. If so, what should be the market value of the land ?"

2. After considering the material placed on the record by the parties, the learned Additional District Judge held that the claim made by the appellant was well based. The following observations in this behalf are worth noticing :

"Thus it is clear that though the claimant was owner of 1/3rd share in 17 marlas of land, no compensation for the land was allowed to the claimant-applicant. This is only a matter of calculation. At the rate of Rs. 14000/- per kanal, the price of 17 marlas of land would be Rs. 11900/- and 1/3rd share of the applicant-claimant would be Rs. 3966.65 plus 15 per cent compulsory acquisition charges, i.e. total Rs. 4560.31 p. to which the claimant is entitled to have over and above the amount already awarded by judgement dated 25-6-1971. Thus the judgement dated 25-6-1971 is amended as stated above. The claimant-applicant will also be entitled to interest at 6 per cent per annum on Rs. 4560.31 p. from 15-4-1968 till realisation. No costs."

The order of the learned Additional District Judge passed in this behalf is dated September 1, 1973. It is not disputed that the respondent-Corporation did not impugn this order of the Additional District Judge in any higher Court by way of appeal, revision or otherwise.

3 It transpires that when the appellant applied for execution of the award of the Additional District Judge as passed by Mr. Saini and amended by Mr. Amrit Lal Bahri by means of the order, dated September 1, 1973, the respondent-Corporation sought to resist the execution with a plea that the appellant had already received compensation for the property acquired from them and there was no reference made in their claim application with respect to one-third share of 17 marlas of land for which the compensation was awarded by the order of Mr. Bahri, dated September 1, 1973. The matter was considered in execution proceedings by Mr. Amrit Lal Bahri, Additional District Judge, Patiala, himself. The learned Additional Dis

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