HIGH COURT OF ALLAHBAD
MISRA, J.
Ram Bharosey
Versus
Mahadeo Singh
Second Appeal No.470 of 1948
Decided On : 06-08-1952
Mortgage - Amendment of Final Decree - Interpretation of U.P. Debt Redemption Act
Fact of the Case:
The mortgagee appealed against the order for amendment of a final mortgage decree under S.8, U.P. Debt Redemption Act. The preliminary decree for sale was made before the Act came into force, and the final decree was passed after the Act came into force. The amendment application was filed after the final decree, reducing the decretal sum.
Finding of the Court:
The court held that the judgment-debtor cannot benefit from S.8 or S.9 if the preliminary decree is superseded by a final decree for sale. The final decree cannot be amended as it is passed after the Act came into force. The decision of the Courts below amending the decree was deemed wrong and without jurisdiction. The appeal was allowed, and the application for amendment under S.8 was rejected.
Issues: The issues involved the interpretation of the U.P. Debt Redemption Act in relation to the amendment of a final mortgage decree, the applicability of S.8 and S.9, and the timing of the amendment application.
Ratio Decidendi: The judgment-debtor cannot benefit from S.8 or S.9 if the preliminary decree is superseded by a final decree for sale. The final decree cannot be amended as it is passed after the Act came into force. The amendment application must be made during the pendency of the suit to benefit from S.9 (1).
Final Decision: The appeal was allowed, the decision of the Courts below was set aside, and the application for amendment under S.8, U.P. Debt Redemption Act was rejected. The appellant was entitled to costs.
2. The respondents concede that on merits they have no case left but they raise a preliminary objection to the hearing of the appeal on the ground that the entire appeal has abated by reason of its abatement against Sanoman Singh, one of the transferees of a portion of the hypothecated property. It is urged that by reason of the abatement against Sanoman Singh, his liability has now been finally determined and it cannot be disturbed for if the appeal succeeds it will bring into existence a conflicting decree, an eventuality which must be avoided. I regret I am unable to accept the argument. There are three answers for it and each of them in my opinion is sufficient for overruling the contention. They are : (1) The mere fact that the success of the appeal might bring into effect two conflicting decrees is by itself hardly a reason for ordering the abatement of the appeal. As held in Lachmi Narain v. Musaddi Lal, AIR.1942 oudh 155 :
"The law Courts as far as possible will avoid inconsistency but it is their business to do justice between parties, and if by a pedantic adherence to consistency injustice will be done, they will prefer justice to consistency……….and therefore inconsistency is not an absolute test. "
(2). The interest of Sanoman Singh in the mortgage deed and therefore in the decree is separate and refusal to amend the decree so far as the other respondents are concerned will not necessarily affect the rights of Sanoman Singh adversely, and (3) That the amendment was made at the instance of a Mahadeo Singh alone. The other debtors were not shown to be entitled to the benefits of the Debt Redemption Act and were not made parties to the proceedings under S.8. The amendment of the decree, therefore, must be deemed to be for his benefit alone. Sanoman Singh and the ot
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