IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH
Meenakshi I. Mehta, J.
Parveen Goyal and another - Petitioners - Appellant
Versus
Raghbir Singh - Respondent - Respondent
CR No.5729 of 2022 (O&M)
Decided On : 23-01-2023
Local Commissioner Appointment - Civil Suit - Order 26 Rule 9, Section 151 CPC - ILR Punjab and Haryana (1979)1, 147 (DB); 1989 AIR (Kerala) 78; 2001(2) Land L.R. 293 (SC); 2002(3) ALL MR 881 (Bombay); 2005(28) R.C.R. (Civil) 379 (P&H); 2005(29) R.C.R. (Civil) 235 (AP); 2009(41) R.C.R. (Civil) 538 (P&H); 2010(43) R.C.R. (Civil) 295 (AP); 2013(33) R.C.R. (Civil) 255 (P&H); 2014(61) R.C.R. (Civil) 140 (Bombay); 2015(9) R.C.R. (Civil) 590 (P&H); 2016(2) A.R.C. 133 (Allahabad); 2016(5) A.L.T. 728 (Telangana and Andhra Pradesh High Court); 2021(1) R.C.R. (Civil) 177 (P&H); 2022(1) Law Herald 178 (P&H)
Fact of the Case:
Defendants sought appointment of Local Commissioner to settle the controversy regarding the area of the suit property. The trial Court dismissed the application as the requested points were deemed unnecessary or to be ascertained through evidence evaluation.
Finding of the Court:
The court found that the appointment of a Local Commissioner for the requested purposes would amount to collecting evidence for the defendants, and the trial Court should evaluate the evidence presented by both parties. The court also held that the impugned order did not suffer from any infirmity, illegality, irregularity, or perversity.
Issues: Controversy over the area of the suit property, necessity of appointing a Local Commissioner, and maintainability of the revision petition.
Ratio Decidendi: The appointment of a Local Commissioner should not be used to collect evidence for one party, and the trial Court should evaluate the evidence presented by both parties. An order refusing to appoint a Local Commissioner does not decide any issue nor adjudicate any right or obligation of the parties for the purpose of the suit.
Final Decision: The revision petition was dismissed for lacking merit.
MEENAKSHI I. MEHTA, J.
By way of the instant revision petition, the petitioners-defendants (here-in-after to be referred as ‘the defendants’) have laid challenge to the order dated 14.11.2022 (Annexure P-7) passed by learned Civil Judge (Junior Division), Ludhiana (for short ‘the trial Court’), in Civil Suit No.910 of 2021, whereby the application (Annexure P-5) moved by them under Order 26 Rule 9 read with Section 151 CPC for seeking the appointment of the Local Commissioner, has been dismissed.
2. I have heard learned Senior counsel for the defendants in the present revision petition, at the preliminary stage and have also perused the file carefully.
3. Learned Senior Counsel for the defendants has contended that the parties to the above-said Civil Suit have put-forth different versions in their respective pleadings regarding the area of the suit property and the controversy between them on this point can be settled by appointing the Local Commissioner, while directing him to visit the said property and to submit his report qua the same. To buttress his contentions, he has placed reliance upon the observations made in Harvinder Kaur etc. Versus Godha Ram etc. I.L.R. Punjab and Haryana (1979)1, 147 (DB); John Versus Kamarunnissa 1989 AIR (Kerala) 78; Shreepat Versus Rajendra Prasad and Others 2001(2) Land L.R. 293 (SC); Rajesh Versus Ramkishan 2002(3) ALL MR 881 (Bombay); Hari Om Versus Minish Kumar 2005(28) R.C.R. (Civil) 379 (P&H); Mukund Lal Versus Sharada Bai and Others 2005(29) R.C.R. (Civil) 235 (AP); Gurdial Singh and Another Versus S. Avtar Singh and Others 2009(41) R.C.R. (Civil) 538 (P&H); Varala Ramachandra Reddy Versus Mekala Yadi Reddy 2010(43) R.C.R. (Civil) 295 (AP); Deepak Narula Versus Shri Satruhan Dwivedi and Others 2013(33) R.C.R. (Civil) 255 (P&H); Shyam Janardan Chaoudary Versus Asha Ramdas Katkar 2014(61) R.C.R. (Civil) 140 (Bombay); Banarasi Das Versus Sardha Ram and Others 2015(9) R.C.R. (Civil) 590 (P&H); New Meena Sahkari Awas Samiti Ltd. Lko Thru its President Versus Addl. District Judge, Ct. No.2 Lko and Others 2016(2) A.R.C. 133 (Allahabad); Mundladinne Gopal Reddy Versus P. Ramachandra Reddy 2016(5) A.L.T. 728 (Telangana and Andhra Pradesh High Court); M/s Allwin Infrastructure Limited, Panchkula Versus M/s MAXXUS Developers and Others 2021(1) R.C.R. (Civil) 177 (P&H) and Jitender alias Leela Versus Rashma 2022(1) Law Herald 178 (P&H).
4. However, the afore-raised contention is devoid of any force because in their application Annexure P-5, the defendants have prayed for the appointment of the Local Commissioner with the direction to him to submit the report on the following points:-
(ii) The particulars/details of the electric connection(s) used for supply of electricity to the suit property,
(iii) The purpose for which the suit property is being used and by whom,
(iv) Who locks and opens the suit property and also for the following purposes:-
(v) To prepare a site plan of the suit property with the help of a Draftsman
(vi) To get the photographs of the suit property clicked/taken by the photographer.
5. As regards the area of the suit property, the respondent-plaintiff has specifically mentioned the boundaries and dimensions of the same in the plaint Annexure P-1 and in their written statement Annexure P-2, the defendants claim to have entered into an agreement to sell in respect of this property on 08.02.2008 and the said agreement, though not placed on the file by them (defendants), is supposed to be containing the categoric details of the boundaries and dimensions of the subject matter thereof and therefore, there would be no necessity to seek the report from the Local Commissioner in respect thereof.
6. So far as the remaining above-said purposes are concerned, the appointment of the Local Commissioner for the same would certainly amount to collecting the evidence for the defendants and rather, these facts are to be ascertained by the trial Court after appreciating and ev
M/s Allwin Infrastructure Limited
New Meena Sahkari Awas Samiti Ltd. Lko Thru its President Versus Addl. District Judge
The trial Court should evaluate the evidence presented by both parties, and an order refusing to appoint a Local Commissioner does not decide any issue or adjudicate any right or obligation of the pa....
The discretion to appoint a local commissioner rests with the court, and the party must lead evidence to prove ownership and possession over the property.
The main legal point established in the judgment is the court's interpretation of the appointment of a Local Commissioner under Order 26 Rule 9 CPC and its exercise of discretion in allowing the appo....
An order refusing to appoint a Local Commissioner does not decide any issue nor adjudicate any rights of the parties for the purpose of the suit, and therefore, is not revisable.
An order refusing to appoint a local commissioner does not decide any issues or rights in a suit and is therefore non-revisable.
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