IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH
DARSHAN SINGH, J.
Sukhraj Singh - Petitioner
Versus
Deesha Mahi - Respondent
CR No.5713 of 2016(O&M)
Decided On : 15-11-2016
Order 7 Rule 11 - Rejection of Plaint - Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 - Section 151 - [Order 7 Rule 11, Section 151, Order 6 Rule 17, Code of Civil Procedure, 1908] - The court discussed the application under Order 7 Rule 11 CPC for rejection of the plaint and the application filed under Order 6 Rule 17 read with Section 151 CPC for amendment of the plaint. The court emphasized that the cause of action is a bundle of facts required to be proved for obtaining relief and that the entire plaint should be considered to determine if it discloses a cause of action. The court also highlighted the provision of Order 6 Rule 17 CPC, allowing parties to alter or amend pleadings to determine the real questions in controversy between the parties.
Fact of the Case:
The respondent-plaintiff filed a suit for possession of a residential house and eviction of the petitioner-respondent her tenant. The petitioner-defendant filed an application under Order 7 Rule 11 CPC for rejection of the plaint, alleging that it did not disclose any cause of action and that the plaintiff had concealed facts regarding previous litigation.
Finding of the Court:
The court found that the plaint disclosed the cause of action and that the application for amendment of the plaint was allowed to clarify the position with respect to the cause of action and previous litigation, in accordance with the provisions of Order 6 Rule 17 CPC.
Issues: The issues involved the rejection of the plaint under Order 7 Rule 11 CPC and the allowance of the application for amendment of the plaint under Order 6 Rule 17 CPC.
Ratio Decidendi: The court emphasized that the cause of action is a bundle of facts required to be proved for obtaining relief and that the entire plaint should be considered to determine if it discloses a cause of action. The court also highlighted the provision of Order 6 Rule 17 CPC, allowing parties to alter or amend pleadings to determine the real questions in controversy between the parties.
Final Decision: The revision petition was dismissed as the impugned order did not suffer from any illegality and did not call for any interference by the Court.
DARSHAN SINGH, J.
The present revision petition has been preferred against the order dated 28.07.2016 passed by the learned Civil Judge (Jr. Division), Jalandhar, whereby the application moved by the petitioner-defendant under Order 7 Rule 11 read with Section 151 of the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 (for short 'CPC') for rejection of the plaint has been dismissed and application filed by the respondent-plaintiff under Order 6 Rule 17 read with Section 151 CPC for amendment of the plaint has been allowed.
2. I have heard Mr. Vikas Bali, Advocate, learned counsel for the petitioner and have carefully gone through the paper book.
3. Learned counsel for the petitioner contended that the petitioner-defendant has filed the application under Order 7 rule 11 CPC for rejection of the plaint on the ground that the plaint did not disclose any cause of action and the plaintiff-respondent has also concealed the facts regarding the previous litigation. He contended that in order to meet out the pleas raised by the petitioner-defendant, the plaintiff moved an application for amendment of the plaint to incorporate the para regarding cause of action. He contended that such amendment after filing of the application under Order 7 Rule 11 CPC should not have been allowed. The original plaint did not disclose any cause of action. The plaintiff has also concealed the facts regarding the previous litigation. So, the plaint was liable to be rejected.
4. I have duly considered the aforesaid contentions.
5. In the instant case, respondent-plaintiff has filed the suit for possession with respect to the residential house bearing no. 819 situated at Baba Isher Singh Nagar, village Dhina, Tehsil and District Jalandhar seeking the eviction of the petitioner-respondent her tenant on various grounds mentioned in the plaint. It was also categorically mentioned in para no. 5 of the plaint that before filing the suit, the plaintiff issued a registered notice dated 17.04.2015 to the defendant to handover the vacant possession of the house in question and to pay the arrears of the rent along with interest within 15 days from the date of receipt of the notice. But, the defendant even after receiving the notice in question kept the matter pending. Ultimately, a day before yesterday, he refused to comply with the direction given in the notice, hence the cause of action to file the suit. Thus, in para no. 5 of the plaint, the plaintiff-respondent has mentioned the facts constituting the cause of action to file the suit.
6. It is settled principle of law that in order to decide the application under Order 7 Rule 11 CPC, only the contents of the plaint are to be taken into consideration. The plea raised by the defendant in the written statement or in the application under Order 7 Rule 11 CPC cannot be made the basis to reject the plaint. It is further the settled principle of law that the Court has to read the entire plaint as a whole to find out whether it discloses a cause of action and if it does, then the plaint cannot be rejected by the Court exercising the power under Order 7 Rule 11 CPC. The Hon'ble Apex Court in case Mayar (H.K.) Ltd. and others vs. Owners and Parties, Vessel M.V.Fortune Express and Others 2006 S.C 1828 has laid down as under:
“The Court has to read the entire plaint as a whole to find out whether it discloses a cause of action and if it does, then the plaint cannot be rejected by the Court exercising the powers under Order 7 Rule 11 of the Code. Essentially, whether the plaint discloses a cause of action, is a question of fact which has to be gathered on the basis of the averments made in the plaint in its entirety taking those averments to be correct. A cause of action is a bundle of facts which are required to be proved for obtaining relief and for the said purpose, the material facts are required to be stated but not the evidence except in certain cases where the pleadings relied on are in regard to misrepresentation, fraud, willful defa
Login now and unlock free premium legal research
Login to SupremeToday AI and access free legal analysis, AI highlights, and smart tools.
Login
now!
India’s Legal research and Law Firm App, Download now!
Copyright © 2023 Vikas Info Solution Pvt Ltd. All Rights Reserved.