Allahbad High Court
B.DAYAL,D.S.MATHUR,D.P.UNIYAL
Nidhpal Sharma - Appellant
Versus
Union of India - Respondent
Decided On : 12/21/1965
ARTICLE 133 - CIVIL PROCEEDING - FINAL ORDER - AUCTION PURCHASER - RIGHT IN PROPERTY - SETTING ASIDE OF SALE - CERTIFICATE FOR APPEAL TO SUPREME COURT - GRANT OF CERTIFICATE - CONDITIONS.
Fact of the Case:
The applicants, auction-purchasers, applied for a certificate to appeal to the Supreme Court against an order setting aside the sale of immovable property in an execution proceeding. The Union of India, the decree-holder, opposed the application, contending that the order was not a "final order" within the meaning of Article 133 of the Constitution of India.
Finding of the Court:
The Court held that the order setting aside the sale was not a "final order" within the meaning of Article 133 of the Constitution of India and dismissed the application for a certificate to appeal to the Supreme Court.
Issues: 1. Whether the "civil proceeding" contemplated by Article 133(1) of the Constitution of India is the execution proceeding initiated on an application made in execution of the decree or the proceeding based on an application under Order XXI, Rule 90, C.P.C. to have the sale set aside? 2. Whether the order setting aside the sale under Order XXI, Rule 90, C.P.C. amounts to a "final order"?
Ratio Decidendi: 1. The "civil proceeding" contemplated by Article 133(1) of the Constitution of India is the execution proceeding initiated on an application made in execution of the decree, and not the proceeding based on an application under Order XXI, Rule 90, C.P.C. to have the sale set aside. 2. An order setting aside the sale under Order XXI, Rule 90, C.P.C. does not amount to a "final order" within the meaning of Article 133 of the Constitution of India unless it finally and completely decides the rights or liabilities of the parties.
Final Decision: The Court dismissed the application for a certificate to appeal to the Supreme Court.
MATHUR, J. : This application under Article 133 of the Constitution of India by Nidhpal Sharma and two others, auction-purchasers, for a certificate to appeal to the Supreme Court has been referred to the Full Bench to resolve the conflict between two earlier decisions of this Court, namely, the unreported decision in Lala Devi Charan v. Smt. Duloo, Supreme Court Appeal No. 111 of 1958, dated 7-11-1958 (All) and Janki Prasad v. Kailash, AIR 1956 All 735.
2. The facts of the case material for the decision of the present application are that in suit No. 404 of 1952 the Union of India obtained a decree against Messrs. Palson Soap Mills and Company through Vishwapal Sharma for Rupees Two Lacs and odd from the Court of the Subordinate Judge First Class, Delhi, and the execution thereof was transferred to the Court of the Civil Judge, Mathura, where many houses belonging to the judgment-debtor were attached and eventually auctioned. They went purchased by the present applicants for a paltry sum of a few hundred rupees. The applicants are near relations of the Judgment-debtor, Vishwapal Sharma. Applicants Nos. 1 and 2 are his sons, while applicant No. 3 is the widow of his predeceased son.
3. The Union of India applied to the Civil Judge, Mathura under O. XXI, R. 90, C.P.C. to set aside the sale on the ground of material irregularity in publishing and conducting the sale, but the application was dismissed and the sale was confirmed. The Union of India preferred an appeal against this order and the High Court allowed the appeal and has set aside the sale under order dated 13-1-1964. The applicants desire to challenge ibis order before the Supreme Court, and consequently moved the present application under Article 133 of the Constitution of India, which was listed before a Division Bench of this Court and has now been referred to this Full Bench.
4. The final order passed in the two cases, Supreme Court Appeal No. 111 of 1958 (All) and AIR 1956 All 735 (supra) is in conflict, but no contrary finding on any point has been recorded in either. In fact, the points raised in the two cases were different in AIR 1956 All 735 (supra) the only point in issue was the valuation for purposes of Article 133 of the Constitution of India. No one had pleaded that the order setting aside the sale did not amount to a "final order" and it not being a judgment or decree, no appeal lay to the Supreme Court. This question was, however, raised and decided in Supreme Court Appeal No. 111 of 1958 (All). Considering that the whole case has been referred to us for decision, it is but proper that we should, on consideration of the provisions of the Constitution and the case law, decide till the material questions involved.
5. The material part of Article 133(1) of the Constitution of India runs as below :
"An appeal shall lie to the Supreme Court from any judgment, decree or final order in a civil" proceeding of a High Court in the territory of India if the High Court certifies -
(a) that the amount or value of the subject-matter of the dispute in the court of first instance and still in dispute on appeal was and is not less than twenty thousand rupees or such other sum as may be specified in that behalf by Parliament by law; or
(b) that the judgment, decree or final order involves directly or indirectly some claim or question respecting property of the like amount or value; or
(c) that the case is a fit one for appeal to the Supreme Court.
It is not in dispute that the value of the property auctioned and purchased by the applicants exceeds twenty thousand rupees. Consequently, the applicants can appeal, as a matter of right, to the Supreme Court, if the High Court's order dated 13-1-1964, sought to he challenged before the Supreme Court, is or amounts to a "judgment, decree or final order in a civil proceeding".
6. An application under O. XXI, R. 90, C.P.C. is made during the execution proceeding, and it does not relate to the matters in controversy in the suit;
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