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2023 Supreme(P&H) 2365

IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH
KARAMJIT SINGH, J.
Kamal Singh – Petitioner
Versus
Joint Commissioner & Anr. – Respondents
CR-4340 of 2023 (O&M)
Decided On : 31-08-2023

Advocates Appeared:
Mr. Jai Bhagwan Sharma, Advocate; For the Petitioner

Headnote:(A) Haryana Municipal Corporation Act, 1994 - Section 261 - Civil Procedure Code, 1908 - Order 6, Rule 17 - Amendment of plaint - An application for amendment of the plaint was dismissed on grounds of belatedness and lack of due diligence, despite the petitioner’s assertion that the amendments arose from subsequent events of demolition during pendency. Court holds that merits of amendment should not be considered at this stage and dismissing without allowing the amendment may lead to multiplicity of litigation. (Paras 3, 5, 6)

(B) Legal Principle - Court must make allowances for amendments arising from subsequent events; absence of appropriate prayer in plaint at initial stages can complicate litigation unnecessarily. (Paras 5, 6)

Facts of the case:
Petitioner sought a declaration regarding the validity of a notice and order issued by municipal respondents and claimed that the defendants illegally demolished the property despite a status quo order.

Findings of Court:
The trial court's dismissal of the amendment application found to be erroneous, with directions for the amendment to be allowed to prevent further litigation.

Issues: Whether the petitioner's application for amendment was timely and justified based on subsequent events of demolition.

Ratio Decidendi: The court asserted that an amendment should not hinge on potential litigation complexities at the initial stages and should be allowed if it helps in proper adjudication.

Result: Petition allowed; application for amendment of plaint granted.

Table of Content
1. amendment of plaint during ongoing litigation. (Para 1 , 2 , 3)
2. court's rationale against the trial court's dismissal. (Para 4 , 5)
3. set aside dismissal; allow amendment with costs. (Para 6 , 7)

JUDGMENT

Mr. Karamjit Singh, J.

Challenge in the instant revision petition is to order dated 5.5.2023 (Annexure P-1) passed by the Court of Civil Judge, Junior Division, Faridabad whereby an application filed by the petitioner/plaintiff seeking amendment of the plaint under Order 6, Rule 17 CPC has been dismissed.

2. Counsel for the petitioner has inter alia contended that initially, the petitioner filed suit for declaration to the effect that notice dated 24.10.2016 issued by respondent No.2-Municipal Corporation under Section 261 of Haryana Municipal Corporation Act, 1994 is null and void and is not binding on the petitioner and further declaration to the effect that order dated 21.4.2017 passed by respondent No.1-Joint Commissioner, is also illegal, null and void and a decree for permanent injunction restraining the defendants from encroaching/demolishing the suit property and a decree for mandatory injunction directing the defendants to withdraw impugned notice dated 24.10.2016. It has been further submitted that the suit is being contested by the defendants/respondents and that the learned trial Court directed the parties to maintain status quo with regard to property in question.

3. Counsel for the petitioner has further contended that however, during the pendency of the suit, the defendants illegally demolished the suit property in violation of the aforesaid order of status quo passed by the learned trial Court; that on account of said subsequent events, the petitioner intends to amend the plaint in order to seek directions to the defendants/respondents to restore the suit property to its original position as was on the date of filing the suit and accordingly, an application for amendment of the plaint was filed under Order 6, Rule 17 CPC; that, however, the said application has been dismissed by the learned trial Court vide impugned order (Annexure P-1) on the ground that the proposed amendment has been sought at the belated stage and further, the petitioner has not exercised due diligence in filing the application seeking amendment of the plaint. The trial Court while dismissing the application for amendment of the plaint, further observed that it is not mentioned by the plaintiff that he wants to make changes in the plaint which can justify addition of the prayer clause and merely addition in the prayer clause of the plaint without amendment in the plaint does not make any sense as in the original plaint, there is no mention regarding demolition of the house by the defendants. Counsel for the petitioner further submits that the proposed amendment is not barred under the provisions of law and that no prejudice is going to be caused to the opposite party if the proposed amendment is allowed. He further submits that the suit is at its initial stage as till date, no witness has been examined on behalf of the petitioner. So, prayer is made that the present petition be allowed and the petitioner be permitted to amend the plaint to the extent as stated above.

4. I have considered the submissions made by the counsel for the petitioner.

5. Initially, the petitioner filed suit for declaration to challenge the validity of the notice dated 24.10.2016 issued by defendant No.2 and order dated 21.4.2017 passed by defendant No.1 and to further restrain the defendants from demolishing the suit property and decree for mandatory injunction to direct the defendants to withdraw impugned notice dated 24.10.2016. It is the plea of the petitioner that during the pendency of the suit, the defendants/respondents demolished the suit property despite the fact that the learned trial Court directed the parties to maintain status quo with regard to the same. Thus, amendment of the plaint was sought by the petitioner on account of subs

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