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1965 Supreme(All) 104

Allahbad High Court
D.S.MATHUR
Basant Lal and Sons - Appellant
Versus
Surya Kant Pooran Mal - Respondent
Decided On : 08/11/1965

Advocates:
Hari Swarup, for Applicant; S.P. Gupta, for Opposite Party.

The ex-factory price fixed under the Government Order under the Sugar (Control) Order, 1955, was applicable to the plaintiffs, even though they were not producers of sugar.

Headnote:

SMALL CAUSE COURT - REVISION - JURISDICTION OF DISTRICT JUDGE - S. 40, BENGAL, AGRA AND ASSAM CIVIL COURTS ACT - S. 25, PROVINCIAL SMALL CAUSE COURTS ACT - EX-FACTORY PRICE - SUGAR (CONTROL) ORDER, 1955 - INTERPRETATION.

Fact of the Case:

Plaintiffs filed a suit in the Small Cause Court for the recovery of the sale price of sugar sold to the defendants. The Trial Court decreed the suit for the full amount claimed by the plaintiffs. On revision, the Additional District Judge reduced the amount of the decree, holding that the ex-factory price fixed by the Government Order under the Sugar (Control) Order, 1955, was applicable and the plaintiffs could not claim the sale consideration at the rate agreed upon.

Finding of the Court:

The Court held that the Additional District Judge had jurisdiction to hear the revision under S. 25 of the Provincial Small Cause Courts Act and that the ex-factory price fixed under the Government Order was applicable to the plaintiffs.

Issues: 1. Whether the Additional District Judge had jurisdiction to hear the revision under S. 25 of the Provincial Small Cause Courts Act? 2. Whether the ex-factory price fixed under the Government Order was applicable to the plaintiffs?

Ratio Decidendi: 1. Section 40 of the Bengal, Agra and Assam Civil Courts Act applies to Courts of Small Causes constituted under the Provincial Small Cause Courts Act, 1887, and not to other Courts. The Court of the District Judge or of the Additional District Judge is not a Court of Small Causes and it is also not a Court constituted under the Provincial Small Cause Courts Act. 2. Section 25 of the Provincial Small Cause Courts Act, as amended under the U. P. Civil Laws Amendment Act, gives power to the District Judge including an Additional District Judge to exercise the revisional jurisdiction where the decision of the Judge, Small Cause Court, is not according to law. 3. The definition of "ex-factory price" contained in the Sugar (Control) Order, 1955, includes the price of sugar inclusive of excise duty to be loaded at the buyer's option and it also includes all incidental charges which are on account of the ex-factory seller. In this definition both the words "producer" and "seller" have been used. "Producer" is not necessarily a "seller" as contemplated by this Order. Thus every seller selling goods ex-factory shall be an ex-factory seller.

Final Decision: The revision was dismissed.

ORDER :- This is a revision under S. 115, C. P. C. by M/s. Basant Lal Mittal and Sons, plaintiffs, against the order of the Additional District Judge of Agra allowing the revision under S. 25 of the Provincial Small Cause Courts Act of M/s. Surya Kant Pooran Mal and another, defendants, and thereby decreeing the suit for a sum of Rs. 11.41 paisas only. The Judge Small Cause Court had decreed the suit for Rs. 619-9-3 on the ground that the plaintiffs were entitled to recover the sale price as agreed upon. The Additional District Judge took a contrary view holding that the ex-factory price as fixed under the Government Order was applicable and the plaintiffs could not claim sale consideration at that rate. This is why the amount of the decree was reduced to Rs. 11.41 paisas.

2. It was first of all contended on behalf of the plaintiffs that the Additional District Judge had no jurisdiction to hear the revision under S. 25 of the Provincial Small Cause Courts Act and, consequently the order under revision deserves to be set aside and the revision under S. 25 remanded for a fresh hearing by the District Judge. This contention was repelled by me in the case of Maya Ram v. Sant Ram, 1964 All LJ 998. In other case also a request was made for reconsideration on the ground that the effect of Section 40 of the Bengal. Agra and Assam Civil Courts Act had not been considered. None of these oases were marked A. F. R. simply because it was not necessary to increase the number of A. F.R. cases on account of a new point being raised a point which did not appeal to the Court to have any importance. To make this judgment complete I shall refer to the scope and effect of S. 40 of the Bengal, Agra and Assam Civil Courts Act.

3. Sub-section (1) of S. 40 of the above Act provides that this section and also a few other sections of the Act apply to Courts of Small Causes constituted under the Provincial Small Cause Courts Act, 1887. Sub-section (2) further clarifies that the other sections of this Act do not apply to these Courts, i.e., Courts of Small Causes constituted under the Provincial Small Cause Courts Act. The words "Courts of Small Causes constituted under the Provincial Small Cause Courts Act. 1887" are of great significance and make it clear that S. 40 applies to such Courts and not to others. The Court of the District Judge or of the Additional District Judge is not a Court of Small Causes and it is also not a Court constituted under the Provincial Small Cause Courts Act. The Courts constituted under the Provincial Small Cause Courts Act are those which are constituted under S. 5 of that Act.

In other words, therefore, all the provisions of, the Bengal, Agra and Assam Civil Courts Act shall apply to the Courts of the District Judge and of the Additional District Judge while entertaining revisions under S. 25 of the Provincial Small Cause Courts Act and such revisions can also be transferred to the Additional! District Judge for hearing.

4. Section 25 of the Provincial Small Cause Courts Act, as amended under the U. P. Civil Laws Amendment Act, gives power to the District Judge including an Additional District Judge to exercise the revisional jurisdiction where the decision of the Judge, Small Cause Court, is not according to law. Where the finding of fact recorded is perverse, it shall become a question of law and the District Judge can set aside such a decision of the Judge, Small Cause Court.

5. In the instant case the interpretation of the agreement was, in substance, not in issue. The document is so clear and unambiguous that it could not be given more than one meaning. It is the application of the Sugar (Control) Order, 1965, and the Government Order issued thereunder which have the effect of disallowing the, plaintiffs the price contracted upon.

6. Under the agreement the price ex-factory of the Sugar sold was Rs. 36-14-0 per maund. The actual words used are "price ex factory" which would mean nothing else than ex-factory price. The agre






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