2012 Supreme(All) 2658
ALLAHABAD HIGH COURT
BEFORE : PRAKASH KRISHNA AND ARVIND KUMAR TRIPATHI (II), JJ.
STATE OF HARYANA AND OTHERS ....Appellants
Versus
M/s. UNIVERSAL ART PRESS .....Respondent
(First Appeal No. 376 of 2000, decided on 8th October, 2012)
Counsel :
R.P. Dubey and C.S.C. for the Appellant; Yasharth and Smt. Anita Tripathi for the Respondent.
Headnote:Code of Civil Procedure, 1908—Section 20—Jurisdiction of Court—Contract—Delivery of printed lottery tickets—Condition given in the tender not excluding the jurisdiction of Courts at Agra—Hence, it could not be treated as an ouster clause of Agra Court—The trial Court correctly held that the suit was triable by Agra Court inspite of condition of the tender. [Paras 28 to 30]
Hon’ble Arvind Kumar Tripathi (II), J.—Present first appeal has been filed against the judgment and decree dated 18.12.1999 passed by the then Xth Additional District Judge, Agra in Original Suit No. 473/1990 between M/s Universal Art Press and State of Haryana and three others by which Court below has allowed the claim of plaintiff/respondent and decreed the suit for Rs. 5,16,525/- alongwith interest @ 18% with cost. Brief facts of the original suit are mentioned below;
2. M/s Universal Art Press, Agra has filed a suit against the State of Haryana through secretary in-charge, Lottery Department, State of Haryana, Chandigarh, (ii) State of Haryana through Collector, Chandigarh, (iii) Director, Haryana State Lotteries, Chandigarh, (iv) Sri Sube Singh C/o Controller of Printing and Stationery Department State of Haryana, Chandigarh, alleging that plaintiff is a registered firm and Vijay Kumar Bhargava is its partner. A tender was notified on 5.2.1986 by Director, Haryana State Lotteries for printing of lottery tickets. The conditions were that the papers on which the lottery tickets will be printed shall be supplied by Haryana Lottery Department and the unused papers shall be returned. The tickets who have won first and second price, will be sent to the press for verification and will be returned within a week after verification. The colour of the lottery tickets will be yellow and the design approved by the department will be printed. The yellow colour should be of that quality which cannot be changed easily. Security in the shape of bank guarantee of bills of the press will not be accepted. Tender once submitted will not be allowed to be withdrawn, altered or cancelled in part or in whole. In case of forfeiture of earnest money, the decision of the Controller of Printing and Stationery, Haryana, shall be final. The Controller of Printing and Stationery, Chandigarh, reserves the right to withdraw the work in part or the whole. In case, for any unforeseen changes warranted after placing the order, security will be released on receipt of bill complete with all delivery vouchers. Alongwith other conditions, it was also a condition that all disputes will be settled at Chandigarh. The delivery of the printed tickets will be taken by the representative of the Lottery Department at the press premises after carefully counting, checking the tickets and got packed and dispatched in his presence. The printer will not be responsible for the shortage of any kind at later stage. The printed tickets are to be delivered in the office of the department at Delhi duly packed in packets of ten thousand tickets each. After this tender, plaintiff filed its quotation @ Rs. 1,489/- per lakh lottery tickets and being the lowest quotation, he was given order on 12.5.1986 at Agra to print the tickets after there was a meeting in the chamber of Hon’ble Chief Minister, Haryana on 23.4.1986. Plaintiff was bound to supply the printed tickets within 21 days after getting the order but unfortunately, even after trying his best and making several phone calls to the department, he could not get the paper from the Department. Stipulated 21 days was going to lapse and departmental officers were pressurising for supplying the tickets with a threat that penalty will be imposed. Thus, plaintiff being a small entrepreneur, printed the tickets on the paper which was available with him and supplied the tickets before the date fixed for the draw of the lottery as Department failed to supply papers for printing of the tickets within stipulated 21 days. After that, the tickets were supplied from time to time and thereafter, plaintiff sent the bill to Haryana State for payment alongwith the chart but he was paid only Rs. 3,83,869/- against the total bill of Rs. 7,59,510/-. By filing the suit, plaintiff claimed that he is entitled to get Rs. 3,75,641/- the balance amount and also the amount of interest which he has paid to Panjab National Bank, Agra alongwith refund