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1950 Supreme(All) 128

IN THE HIGH COURT OF ALLAHABAD
Chandiramani, J.
BHAJJU LAL - Appellant
Versus
BECHEY SINGH - Respondents
Application 189 Of 1945
Decided On : 04/14/1950

Advocates Appeared:
B.P.MISHRA, K.N.Tandon

A revision application abates as a whole if there is a joint decree in favor of multiple respondents and one of the respondents dies during the pendency of the application, and their heirs are not substituted within a reasonable time.

Headnote:

ABATEMENT OF REVISION - JOINT DECREE - DEATH OF ONE OF THE RESPONDENTS - NO SUBSTITUTION OF HEIRS WITHIN REASONABLE TIME - REVISION ABATES AS A WHOLE.

Fact of the Case:

Lalta Singh, the owner of a 5 biswas share in zamindari property, executed a usufructuary mortgage in favor of Gajodhar. After his death, the shares devolved among his heirs. Bechey Singh and Khetal Singh purchased Mt. Rukmin's share and applied for redemption under Section 12 of the Agriculturists Relief Act, which was allowed without payment of mortgage money. The opposite parties filed an appeal, which was dismissed. They then filed a revision application, but Khetal Singh died during its pendency. An application for substitution of his heirs was rejected due to delay.

Finding of the Court:

The court held that the revision application abated as a whole since there was a joint decree for redemption in favor of both Khetal Singh and Bechey Singh, and allowing the revision application would result in two inconsistent decrees. The court also held that there was no duty on the High Court to consider the revision application if the applicant failed to carry out their duties as a litigant, including applying for substitution of heirs within a reasonable time.

Issues: Whether the revision application abated as a whole due to the death of one of the respondents and the failure to substitute their heirs within a reasonable time.

Ratio Decidendi: The court relied on the principles established in Bam Jas v. Ram Lal and Ghulam Abbas v. Safdar Jha Zahid Ali, which held that a joint decree in favor of multiple respondents abates as a whole if one of the respondents dies during the pendency of an appeal or revision and their heirs are not impleaded. The court also referred to Khuda Rux v. Mahanand Tewari, which held that there is no duty on the High Court to consider a revision application if the applicant fails to apply for substitution of heirs within a reasonable time.

Final Decision: The revision application abated as a whole and was dismissed with costs.

CHANDIRAMANI, J.

( 1 ) IT appears that one Lalta Singh was owner of a 5 biswas share in zamindari property. He executed a usufructuary mortgage of it on 3rd October 1882, for Rs. 1750 is favour of one gajodhar. On his death the shares in his property devolved as follows : Mt. Rukmin got one biswa, Mt. Chhoti got one biswa, Mt. Mulla got one biswa, Mt. Umrai got one biswa and Durga singh got one biswa.

( 2 ) BECHEY Singh and Khetal Singh bought Mt. Rukmins share. Under Section 12, Agriculturists relief Act, they applied for redemption of this share of her property. This application was-allowed on 24th November 1944, without payment of any mortgage money, The present. applicants, who were the opposite parties in that application under Section 12, Agriculturists relief Act, went up is appeal. The appeal was dismissed. Then they filed the present application in revision. Daring the pendency of this application Khetal Singh, one of the two applicants under Section 12, died on or about 15th August 1948, On 12th September 1949 an application was made for substituting his heirs on the record. This-Court held that there was no sufficient cause for the application for substitution having been made more than one year after the death of khetal Singh, The application for substitution was rejected and it was said that the revision abated so far as Khetal Singh was concerted and its effect on the whole revision would be considered at the time of hearing of the revision, application.

( 3 ) THE learned counsel for the opposite parties has accordingly raised a preliminary objection that the revision has abated not only against Khetal Singh but as a whole. He has-pointed out that there is a joint decree foe redemption in favour both of Khetal Singh and Bechey Singh that should the revision application be allowed there would be two inconsistent, decrees in the case. The learned counsel for the applicants states that there is a khewat on the record which shows that the interest of Khetal Singh and Bechey Singh was separable and separate and each possessed equal interest. That might be so but the decree itself is indivisible and does not specify the shares of Bechey Singh and Khetal Singh. In Bam Jas v. Ram Lal, 1935 O. W. N. 297 : (A. I. R. (23) 1936 Oudh 209), it has been held that ; the question, whether an appeal can or cannot proceed in the absence of the legal representatives of a deceased respondent, must depend upon the nature of each case, and it is impossible to lay down a general rule applicable to all such cases. Each case must depend upon its own circumstances, If in such a case the decree under appeal is a joint decree in favour of all the respondents the appeal abates! as a whole, for if the whole appeal is allowed not to abate, the decision may result in two conflicting decisions with regard to the same subject-matter. " earlier decisions of the Allahabad High Court on the same point were followed. In Ghulam abbas v. Safdar Jha Zahid Ali, 1941 O. W. N. 418 : (A I. R. (28) 1941 Oudh 219 F. B.), the decision referred to above wan approved and. accepted. The learned counsel for the applicants has been unable to show me any authority where it has been held to the contrary in such cases like the present where a joint decree hast been obtained by the respondents and one of them dies during the pendency of the appeal or the revision as the case may be end his heirs are not impleaded. In these circumstances this revision must abate as a whole.

( 4 ) THE learned counsel for the applicants pointed out that no limitation is prescibed for making an application for substitution in revision applications, and that in these circumstances if necessary the heirs may be substituted even now. It is true that the provisions of Order 29, Civil p. C. , do not in terms apply to revision applications. In Khuda Rux v. Mahanand Tewari, 1947 o. W. N. 221 : (A. I. R. (35) 1948 Oudh 84) it has been held by a Bench of the late Oudh Chief court:

"order 22, Civil P.





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