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1969 Supreme(P&H) 111

PUNJAB & HARYANA HIGH COURT
H.R.Sodhi, J.
Tipper Chand Dhanpat
Versus
Matu Ram
SECOND APPEAL No. 541 of 1959,
Decided On : SEPTEMBER 10, 1969

Order 7, Rule 11 of the Code of Civil Procedure does not apply to appeals in terms, and the discretion to extend time for payment of the deficit court-fee under Section 149 of the Code of Civil Procedure must be exercised judicially.

Headnote:

COURT FEES - APPEAL - INSUFFICIENT STAMPING - DISCRETION OF COURT TO EXTEND TIME FOR PAYMENT OF DEFICIT COURT-FEE - ORDER 7, RULE 11, CODE OF CIVIL PROCEDURE - APPLICABILITY TO APPEALS - SECTION 149, CODE OF CIVIL PROCEDURE - JUDICIAL DISCRETION - BONA FIDE MISTAKE.

Fact of the Case:

The appellant filed an appeal against the judgment and decree of the lower court, but the appeal was dismissed on the ground that it was insufficiently stamped. The appellant argued that the lower court should have afforded him an opportunity to correct the valuation and pay the deficit court-fee under Order 7, Rule 11 of the Code of Civil Procedure.

Finding of the Court:

The court held that Order 7, Rule 11 of the Code of Civil Procedure does not apply to appeals in terms, and that it is a matter of discretion with the court under Section 149 of the Code, whether time for payment of the deficit court-fee should be extended or not. The court found that the appellant's mistake in not paying the proper court-fee was not bona fide, and that the lower court was justified in dismissing the appeal on the ground that it was insufficiently stamped.

Issues: 1. Whether Order 7, Rule 11 of the Code of Civil Procedure applies to appeals in terms. 2. Whether the lower court erred in dismissing the appeal on the ground that it was insufficiently stamped.

Ratio Decidendi: 1. Order 7, Rule 11 of the Code of Civil Procedure does not apply to appeals in terms. 2. The discretion to extend time for payment of the deficit court-fee under Section 149 of the Code of Civil Procedure must be exercised judicially, and the court must be satisfied that the mistake in not paying the proper court-fee was a bona fide one.

Final Decision: The appeal was dismissed with no order as to costs.

Judgment

H. R. Sodhi, J.

1. This is a regular second appeal by Tipper Chand defendant against the judgment and decree of the Senior Subordinate Judge, with enhanced appellate powers. Karnal, who dismissed his appeal on 5th December, 1958, on the ground that it was insufficiently stamped and that the mistake on the part of the appellant was not bona fide. The facts as are necessary for the proper disposal of the point of law can be stated In a narrow compass.

2. Matu Ram plaintiff respondent filed a suit against the appellant and his brother ayudhiya Parshad respondent praying for permanent injunction restraining the appellant from interfering with his ownership and possession of the southern one-half portion of the roof of the Inner Dahliz as shown in the plan filed with the plaint, also from using that portion of the roof as passage, and further restraining him from opening any door in the same. The trial Court decreed the suit and granted a permanent Injunction restraining the defendant appellant from in any way interfering with the ownership and possession of the plaintiff in regard to the southern one-half portion of the roof of the inner Dahliz by constructing any door or an opening towards it or by passing over it. It was also directed that the defendant appellant and the plaintiff respondent shall construct a partition wall in the midst of the property in dispute from east to west, 41/2 inches wide and 10 feet high before 1st December, 1957, bearing the expenses equally. It may be mentioned that the defendant appellant took an objection before the trial Court that requisite court-fee in the case had not been paid by the plaintiff. Defendant no.2 did not, however, contest the suit and admitted the facts as stated by the plaintiff in his plaint.

3. An appeal was taken to the Senior Subordinate Judge, with enhanced appellate powers, Karnal, who was of the opinion that necessary issues arising from the pleadings of the parties had not been struck and that the plaint was also not sufficiently stamped. He held that the plaintiff had asked for two distinct and separate reliefs by way of injunction, restraining the defendant No.1 from opening the door and also from using a part of the roof, shown red in the plan, as passage. The alternative relief prayed for was for possession of one-half share of the roof of the inner Dahliz by partition. The Senior Subordinate Judge hearing the appeal relied upon the rules framed under Sec.9 of the Suits Valuation Act in holding that the value for the purposes of court-fee and jurisdiction in respect of the two reliefs was Rs.110/-, and the aggregate amount of court-fee payable for these two reliefs came to Rs.21/-. The case was consequently remanded and the plaintiff was permitted to make good the deficiency in court-fee. The trial Court gave findings on the issues as recast which are not necessary to be reproduced here, but it may be stated that the suit was decreed again. A permanent injunction was granted to the plaintiff restraining defendant No.1 in the terms already referred to above.

4. An appeal was again preferred by the defendant but he valued the relief at Rs.130/- and paid the court-fee of Rs.13/- only. In other words, the appellant paid the court-fee for one of the reliefs and that too was deficient by Rs.1/- though he had himself raised an objection that earlier in the trial Court the court-fee was payable by the plaintiff on two reliefs of injunctions valued at Rs.280/- which required a court-fee of Rs.28/-. The appellant himself had In the previous appeal paid a court-fee of Rs.21/- which was in respect of two distinct reliefs. A preliminary objection was raised by the plaintiff respondent before the Senior subordinate Judge that the appeal was insufficiently stamped and, therefore, liable to be dismissed on that ground alone. This objection prevailed and the appeal was accordingly dismissed. Hence the present second appeal.

5. The only submission made by Mr. A. L. Bahri, lear






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