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1996 Supreme(All) 605

HIGH COURT OF ALLAHABAD
D.K.Seth
AWADESH SINGH
Versus
IIND ADDL D J DEORIA
Decided On : 16 May 1996
Civil Misc. W. P. No. 14662 of 1987

Advocates Appeared:
Shashi Nandan,

A decree for possession in a suit for foreclosure against a landless agricultural labourer is not executable under the U. P. Debt Relief Act, 1977.

Headnote:

EXECUTION OF DECREE - SUIT FOR POSSESSION - MORTGAGE DEED - ORDER XXXIV - U. P. DEBT RELIEF ACT, 1977 - SECTIONS 4 AND 5 - DISCHARGE OF DEBT - CONSEQUENCES - APPLICABILITY - LANDLESS AGRICULTURAL LABOURER - BURDEN OF PROOF.

Fact of the Case:

A suit for possession was filed in 1981 based on a mortgage deed containing a clause for delivery of possession. The suit was decreed ex parte in 1992. The judgment debtor filed an objection under Section 47 of the Code of Civil Procedure (CPC) challenging the executability of the decree. The trial court allowed the objection and directed restoration of possession to the judgment debtor. The petitioner challenged this order in revision, which was dismissed. The petitioner then filed a writ petition under Article 227 of the Constitution of India.

Finding of the Court:

The court held that the suit was a suit for foreclosure, as it contained a prayer for possession in case a decree for foreclosure was not possible. The court also held that the decree passed was a final decree and not a preliminary decree, as required under Order XXXIV of the CPC. The court further held that the judgment debtor was a landless agricultural labourer and, therefore, a debtor under the U. P. Debt Relief Act, 1977. The court also held that the debt under the mortgage deed was discharged with the commencement of the Act and, therefore, the decree was not executable.

Issues: 1. Whether a suit for possession claimed in terms of the condition of delivery of possession contained in a mortgage deed without seeking relief of foreclosure comes within the purview of Order XXXIV requiring passing for preliminary decree and then drawing up a final decree and whether such decree can be held inexecutable before final decree is passed in an objection under Section 47 of the Code of Civil Procedure (CPC) after the decree is satisfied by delivery of possession. 2. Whether such a decree can be negatived by reasons of Sections 4 and 5 of the U. P. Debt Relief Act, 1977 and the possession already delivered could be restored to the judgment debtor.

Ratio Decidendi: 1. A suit for possession claimed in terms of the condition of delivery of possession contained in a mortgage deed without seeking relief of foreclosure does not come within the purview of Order XXXIV of the CPC. Therefore, such a decree is not executable before a final decree is passed. 2. A decree for possession in a suit for foreclosure is not executable unless a preliminary decree is passed and the conditions contemplated in Rule 3 of Order XXXIV are satisfied. 3. The U. P. Debt Relief Act, 1977 discharges all debts, including debts under mortgage deeds, of landless agricultural labourers with the commencement of the Act. Therefore, a decree for possession in a suit for foreclosure against a landless agricultural labourer is not executable.

Final Decision: The petition was dismissed. The petitioner was directed to restore possession of the property to the judgment debtor within 30 days from the date of the order. The petitioner was also granted liberty to avail of any relief under Section 6 of the U. P. Debt Relief Act, 1977.

D. K. SETH, J.

Mr. Shashi Nindan, learned counsel for the petitioner, raised very interesting questions in the present case, namely : -

(1) Whether a suit for possession claimed in terms of the condition of delivery of possession contained in mortgage deed without seeking relief of foreclosure comes within the purview of Order XXXIV requiring passing for preliminary decree and then drawing up a final decree and whether such decree can be held inexecutable before final decree is passed in an objection under Section 47 of the Code of Civil Procedure (hereinafter referred to as the Code) after the decree is satisfied by delivery of possession.

(2) Whether such a decree can be negatived by reasons of Sections 4 and 5 of the U. P. Debt Relief Act, 1977 and the possession already delivered could be restored to the judge ment debtor.

2. The brief facts relating to the present case are summarised as follows :

3. Pursuant to a mortgage dated 3-9-1975 for a period of five years containing a clause for delivery of possession a suit was filed in 1981. The said suit was decreed ex parte on 18-1-1992. Application under Order IX, Rule 13 of the Code for setting aside the decree was rejected. There was no appeal against the ex pane decree. The Proceeding under Order IX, Rule 13 has also reached its finality. Execution Case No. 45 of 1984 was levied by the decree- holder which stood fully satisfied by delivery of possession of the property pursuant to the decree on 21-8-1984. An objection under Section 47 was filed on"21-ll-1985 challenging the executability of the said decree. Admittedly the decree for costs was still unsatisfied. The learned trial court by an order dated 4-5-1987 allowed the said objection and direct restoration and posses sion of the property. The said order dated 4-5-1987 passed by the learned Munsif, Kasia, district Deoria in Execution Case No. 45 of 1984 arising out of suit No. 1143 of 1981 was challenged by means of Civil Revision No. 79 of 1987 before the learned District Judge, Deoria. By an order dated 18-7-1987 the learned Additional District Judge, Second Court, Deoria, to whom the said case was assigned, had dismissed the Civil Revision No. 79 of 1987 and affirmed the order passed by the learned Munsif and directed delivery of the property back to the judgment-debtor within a period of 30 days. Out of these orders the present writ petition arises.

4. On the prayer of Mr. Shahshi Nandan leave is granted to amend the cause title so as to convert the petition into one under Article 227 of the Constitution of India. Accordingly this petition is being treated as an application under Article 227 of the Constitution of India.

5. A plain reading of the plaint (Annexure 1) as translated at the Bar by Mr. Shahshi Nandan reveals that it contains a prayer that in case a decree for possession is not possible, in that event, the principal and the interest payable may be decreed. The said prayer has been couched as prayer No. 3. The first prayer was a decree for possession while the second prayer as for a decree for a sum of Rs. 3600 being the occupation charges payable by the defendant. The plaint in paragraph 2 has given the particulars of the mortgage as is required in the pleading for a suit for foreclosure which is provided in Form No. 45 Appendix A to the Code. They also claimed an alternative decree for principal and interest in case the first two reliefs are found not available. The description of the property is also included in the plaint as is requried in the pleading of a suit for foreclosure.

6. The right to foreclose a mortgage is provided under Section 67 of the Trans fer of Property Act which runs as follows :

"67. Right to foreclosure or sale.-In the absence of a contract to the contrary, the mortgagee has, at any time after the mortgage-money has become due to him, and before a decree has been made for the redemption of the mortgaged property, or the mortgage-money has been paid or deposited as hereinafter provide























































































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