2018 Supreme(All) 1241
IN THE HIGH COURT OF ALLAHABAD, LUCKNOW BENCH
PRATYUSH KUMAR, J.
Sahab Deen - Appellant
Versus
Keshav Prasad and Ors. - Respondent
Second Appeal No. 187 of 2017
Decided On : 11-01-2018
Angrej Nath Shukla, Adv., Ram Dev Tiwari, Adv.
The main legal point established is the importance of framing issues for deciding the real dispute and the liability for contempt under Order 39 Rule 2A.
Headnote:
Framing of Issues - Civil Procedure - Code of Civil Procedure - Section 96, Order 7 Rule 11, Order 39 Rule 2A - The court discussed the importance of framing issues for deciding the real dispute, the significance of illegality in rejecting a civil suit without framing issues, and the liability for contempt under Order 39 Rule 2A.
Fact of the Case:
The plaintiff-appellant filed an application in a Second Appeal, complaining about the violation of an order for maintaining status quo and seeking contempt notices against the respondents.
Finding of the Court:
The court rejected the application for modification of the order, stating that it did not fall within the scope of Section 152 of the Code of Civil Procedure.
Issues: The issues included the rejection of the civil suit without framing issues, the passing of judgment without framing issues in cases related to cancellation of sale deed, and the ignoring of evidence and witness statements in the judgment.
Ratio Decidendi: The court emphasized the necessity of framing issues for appreciating evidence and deciding the real dispute, and discussed the liability for contempt under Order 39 Rule 2A.
Final Decision: The application for contempt notices was dismissed as it was found that the persons named in the affidavit were not bound by the order of status-quo.
PRATYUSH KUMAR, J.
1. C. M. Appln. No.52818 of 2017
2. The instant application has been moved by plaintiff-appellant in Second Appeal No.187 of 2017 wherein Keshav Prasad, Suman Dixit, C.L. Dixit, Sarju and Devendra were arrayed as respondents. On 1st May, 2017, this Court while admitting second appeal, issued notices to respondents with the direction to maintain status-quo by both the parties. Further sake of clarity, the order in question is quoted here-in-below:-
"Heard learned counsel for the parties.
Regular Suit No. 64 of 1999 for cancellation of sale-deed dated 23.11.1998 was instituted before the trial court in the month of January, 1999. It is evident from the judgment rendered by the trial court that the suit proceedings against the defendants proceeded ex parte by order dated 18.10.2002. The trial court before rejecting the civil suit has evidently recorded the statement of the witnesses i.e. plaintiff, his wife and one of the marginal witnesses of the sale deed. The vendor Sahab Deen was kidnapped on 21.11.1998 where after a sale deed under duress was got executed by threatening him and this fact is also deposed by the marginal witness. It appears that a telegram was also sent by the wife of vendor Sahab Deen on 22.11.1998 but an F.I.R. came to be lodged in respect of the alleged occurrence belatedly on 28.1.2001. In the plaint filed before the tribunal, the kidnapping of the vendor is specifically stated and in the suit proceedings the evidence to this effect was also recorded before the trial court. The trial court in stead of framing issues for the purposes of appreciating the evidence rejected the civil suit merely on the ground of delay in lodging the F.I.R. The appellant preferred First Appeal under Section 96 of the Code of Civil Procedure but the first appellate court has not attached any significance to the illegality in the matter of rejection of civil suit without framing of the issues for the purposes of deciding the real dispute.
Both the courts below have thus failed to frame issue before rejecting the suit as well as the first appeal. The plaint could not be rejected merely on the ground of non-disclosure of delay in lodging F.I.R. and there was equally not any objection filed under Order 7 Rule 11 C.P.C. The second appeal thus deserves to be admitted on the following substantial question of law framed at 1, 4 and 5 in addition to 'a', which read as under :-
1. Whether the dispute can be decided without framing the issues in the case.
4. Whether the judgment can be passed without framing the issues if the matter relates to cancellation of sale deed.
5. Whether judgment can be passed without discussing the evidence and statement of the witnesses in the proceeding.
a. Whether without framing of issues, evidence of witnesses can be ignored in the judgment on the mere strength of probability of a fact which even does not constitute a part of cause of action.
Admit.
Issue notice.
Status quo during the pendency of appeal shall be maintained by both the parties."
3. By the instant application plaintiff-appellant has complained that the order along with application was served on S.O. Chinnhat on 8th May, 2017. On his intervention for sometime construction work was stopped but from 10th May, 2017, it has again started. In Para 17 of the supporting affidavit, the appellant has named four persons for committing willful and deliberate disobedience of order dated 1st May, 2017 quoted here-in-above. Therefore, he prays for issue of contempt notices to them and prosecuted them. With the supporting affidavit, copy of application dated 8th May, 2017, copy of order dated 1st May, 2017, copy of application dated 11th May, 2017 and postal receipts have been annexed.
4. On behalf of the respondents, the application has been objected which necessitated the appellant for moving an application under section 152 Cr.P.C. for modification/correction of order dated 3rd July, 2017. The order dated 3rd July, 2017 is quoted he