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2005 Supreme(All) 579

IN THE HIGH COURT OF ALLAHABAD
S. N. SRIVASTAVA
RAJPATI DEVI - Appellant
Versus
RAM sewak SINGH - Respondents
Review Appln. 1689 Of 2002
Decided On : 03/31/2005

Advocates Appeared:
A.N.BHARGAWA, R.K.OJHA, R.K.TIWARI, R.N.Singh, R.N.UPADHAYA, R.S.DWIVEDI, V.S.Dwivedi

An error of law can be considered apparent on the face of the record if it is patent, manifest, or self-evident, and the omission of considering material evidence can give rise to a substantial question of law.

Headnote:

Review Petition - Specific Performance - Order 47 Rule 1 C. P. C. - Error Apparent on the Record - Substantial Question of Law

Fact of the Case:

The plaintiff filed a suit for specific performance based on an agreement to sell a property. The trial court dismissed the suit, but the first appellate court allowed it, directing the execution of the sale deed for certain plots. The second appeal was dismissed by the court, leading to the review petition.

Finding of the Court:

The court found that the lower appellate court had ignored the evidence of handwriting experts, which was vital to the case. This constituted an error of law apparent on the face of the record and gave rise to a substantial question of law.

Issues: The main issue was whether the lower appellate court erred in ignoring the evidence of handwriting experts, leading to a substantial question of law for review.

Ratio Decidendi: The court held that an error can be said to be apparent on the face of the record if it is patent, manifest, or self-evident. The omission of considering material evidence, such as the opinions of experts, can give rise to a substantial question of law.

Final Decision: The review petition was allowed, and the judgment and order dismissing the appeal in limine were set aside.

( 1 ) THE defendant appellant has preferred this review petition in which is impugned the judgment of this Court dated 28-12-2004 rendered by Hon. B. K. Rathi, j. whereby second appeal was dismissed holding that no substantial question of law arose for decision,

( 2 ) INITIALLY, a preliminary objection was brought to bear assailing the jurisdiction of this Court which was a Court presided over by a Judge other than the Judge who decided the second appeal and therefore, arguments were heard and the preliminary objection was disposed of by means of order dated 31-3-2005 in which plea was upheld that review was maintainable. The case was set down for hearing on merit on sustairiability of review petition on grounds as envisaged in Order 47, Rule 1 C. P. C. for today. It is today that the matter has been heard on merit at prolix length.

( 3 ) A brief resume of necessary facts is essential for proper appreciation of the dispute involved in this case. It would appear that a suit was instituted by the plaintiff appellant for specific performance on the basis of agreement to sale attended with further relief to deliver possession of the property in question. The plaintiff set up a case that defendant Ram Prasad had executed an agreement in favour of plaintiff jagjit Singh on 3-8-1975 for sale of property in question agreeing to a consideration of Rs. 40,000/- out of which a sum of rs. 30,000/- was accepted by the defendant no. 1 and the balance was agreed to be paid at the time of execution of sale deed. It is alleged that plaintiff was delivered possession of the property in question after receipt of Rs. 30,000/ -. It is further alleged that the defendant No. 1 dodged the issue of execution of sale deed and subsequently, executed sale deed in favour of defendant No. 2. As a result, the deceased plaintiff Jagit singh served a registered notice and when it elicited no response, he instituted the suit aforestated. The defendants filed a joint written statement repudiating the plaint allegations and denying execution of agreement to sale as well as receipt of consideration. It was pleaded by them that the document was forged and unenforceable in law and it was also refuted that it bore signatures of defendant No. 1.

( 4 ) THE trial Court framed as many as seven issues and in ultimate analysis, dismissed the suit by means of judgment and decree dated 27-1-1984. The plaintiff, thereafter, preferred an appeal, which culminated in being allowed, vide judgment and decree dated 21-9-2001 attended with direction to execute sale deed in terms of agreement excepting plot Nos. 1235, 1236, 1239, 1306 and 1407. It is in this backdrop that the second appeal came to be preferred in this court. As stated supra, the second appeal was dismissed in limine by Hon. B. K. Rathi, j. by means of judgment dated 28-11 -2001. The judgment dated 28-11-2001 rendered by Hon. B. K. Rathi, is excerpted below. "hon. B. K. Rathi. j. The suit was filed by respondent Nos. 1 and 2 for specific performance of contract for sale against the appellants Smt, Rajpati devi and her father Ram Prasad Singh, who has since died. The suit was dismissed by the trial Court. The first appellate Court has allowed the appeal and decreed the suit for specific performance of contract for sale. Aggrieved by it, this second appeal has been preferred. I have heard Sri R. K. Ojha, learned counsel for the appellant and Sri R. N. Upadhyaya, learned counsel for the respondents Nos. 1 and 2. It is contended that the agreement was unilateral and it was not signed by the purchasers. However, the learned counsel for the appellant could not show that the agreement to sale should be bilateral. The next question is that prior to the agreement of sale certain plots were already transferred by the defendants. The plaintiff respondents, therefore, requested that they forego claims regarding those plots and the suit may be decreed regarding other plots for the agreed consideration. Therefore, this is also no i















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