IN THE HIGH COURT OF ALLAHABAD
O. K. Seth
KANHAIYA LAL - Appellant
Versus
RAJNARAIN SARIN - Respondents
First Appeal 710 Of 1992
Decided On : 05/15/2000
Order 7 Rule 11 - Rejection of Plaint - [Cause of Action, Pleadings, Possession, Ownership, Partition] - [Order 7 Rule 11] - The court discussed the scope of Order 7 Rule 11, emphasizing that the consideration of rejection of a plaint is confined to the pleadings made in the plaint alone. The court cannot consider extrinsic aids such as the written statement, defense, or materials brought by the defendants. The court held that the plaint disclosed a cause of action and could not be rejected under Order 7 Rule 11.
Fact of the Case:
The plaintiff filed a suit seeking partition of a property based on possession and ownership. The defendants contended that the suit was frivolous and collusive, and the plaintiff was not in possession. The court analyzed the pleadings and found that the plaint disclosed a cause of action.
Finding of the Court:
The court found that the plaint disclosed a cause of action and could not be rejected under Order 7 Rule 11. The court criticized the lower court for considering extrinsic factors and making findings beyond the scope of the pleadings.
Issues: The issues involved the scope of Order 7 Rule 11, the sufficiency of pleadings to disclose a cause of action, and the consideration of extrinsic aids by the court.
Ratio Decidendi: The court emphasized that the consideration of rejection of a plaint is confined to the pleadings made in the plaint alone, without considering extrinsic aids. The court held that a meaningful reading of the plaint is necessary to determine if it discloses a cause of action.
Final Decision: The appeal was allowed, and the order rejecting the plaint was set aside. The lower court was directed to decide the question under Order 10 of the Code of Civil Procedure if the defendants made a prayer to that extent.
( 1 ) THIS appeal arises out of an order of rejection of a plaint under order 7 Rule 11 passed by the learned Civil Judge, agra in Suit No. 499 of 1990 on 23rd October, 1992. Mr. G. N. Verma assisted by Mr. P. K. Jain, learned counsel for the appellant contended that the learned Court below while deciding the question under Order 7 Rule 11 had taken aid of defence that has been brought in by the defendnts and had proceeded on the basis of certain findings as to the veracity of the statement made in the plaint and in fact, has pre-empted the finding with regard to the various issues that might have cropped up on the basis of the plaint. According to him, in order to determine a question under Order 7 rule 11, it is only the pleadings made out in the plaint, which is to be looked into. The Court cannot look into anything beyond the plaint. It cannot consider either the written statement or the defence or other material that might have been produced by the defendants. Therefore, the order appealed against cannot be sustained.
( 2 ) MR. B. D. Mandhyan, learned counsel for the defendants on the other hand contends that from the plaint itself, it appears that the suit is absolutely frivolous and vexatious. He points out that it is a collusive suit. One Sri aziz had set up the plaintiff after the said Aziz had been unsuccessful in his attempt up to the apex Court. He also contends that the plaintiff was never in possession and the defendants were in possession and had also referred to various documents which were produced by way of defence as well as had based his submission on arguments with regard to the defence case and probability of the plaintiffs case as well as various materials to show that the plaintiffs case cannot be sustained and the plaintiffs statement made in the plaint are incorrect and untrue. He led me through various documents to show that the plaintiff did not have any title and they were out of possession and that the statement made in the plaint with regard to the possession is wholly baseless. In fact he had addressed the Court on the question of merit of the case having regard to the defence in order to prove that the pleadings made out in the plaint are baseless and that those are incorrect. He had also relied on certain decisions in support of his contention to which reference would be made at appropriate stage. I have heard both the counsels at length.
( 3 ) ORDER 7 Rule 11 provides that a plaint shall be rejected where it does not disclose a cause of action. The expression it refers to the plaint. Thus Order 7 Rule 11 confines the consideration of rejection of a plaint only to the pleadings made out in the plaint in order to find out as to whether it discloses a cause of action or not. This provision is exercised at the threshold in order to prevent frivolous litigation. If the plaint does not disclose any cause of action in that event, there is no right for the plaintiff to pursue a suit since he had no cause of action. This question is to be looked into within the four corners of the pleadings made out in the plaint alone. No extrinsic aid can be available to the Court for the purpose of determining a question under Order 7 Rule 11 or from any source whatsoever. It can neither look into the written statement nor it can look into the materials that might be brought by the defendants nor it can look into the defence that might be taken by the defendants. Mr. Mandhyan contended that he had only brought about the deed itself which has been referred to in the plaint, to have been executed in the year 1941 by the predecessor in interest of the plaintiffs and sought to point out from the deed itself that an interpretation of the deed will show that no cause of action has been pleaded in the plaint, which could be available to the plaintiff. But I am afraid that such a proposition can be accepted. If any external aid is to be taken from the deed itself then again it will be outside the scope of th
REFERRED TO : Purnmasi Yadav v. Narbedeshwar Tripathi and Ors.
Katikara Chintamani Dora and Ors. Guatreddi Annamanaidu and Ors.
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