IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT ALLAHABAD
NEERAJ TIWARI, J.
Braj Bhushan Lal Awasthi – Appellant
Versus
Smt. Urmila (Since Deceased) And 11 Others – Respondents
Matters Under Article 227 No.115 of 2022
Decided on : 28-07-2022
Civil Procedure Code, 1908 - Order VI Rule 17 r/w Section 151 - Cancellation of sale deed rejected - Amendment of pleadings - Petitioner submitted that plaintiff-petitioner has filed Original Suit along with interim injunction application in year 1993 for cancellation of sale deed, which was rejected vide order - During pendency of appeal, plaintiff- petitioner has filed amendment application for amending the plaint - Said appeal as well as amendment application was rejected - Against both the orders, plaintiff-petitioner has preferred Writ Petition before this Court, which was dismissed vide order - However, liberty was given to the plaintiff-petitioner to file amendment application before Court below - Whether it has been filed with clean hand, bonafide intention or only with intention to delay proceedings and if second one is found, no interference is required as present case is - Once Court has granted liberty to file second amendment application, there is no occasion for petitioner-plaintiff to wait for three years when suit was listed for final hearing and also, in mean time, he himself has fiSled Civil Misc. Writ-C before this Court for early disposal of suit.
Finding of the court: This Court view that once Court has granted liberty to file second amendment application, there is no occasion for petitioner-plaintiff to wait for three years when suit was listed for final hearing and also, in mean time, he himself has filed Civil Misc. Writ-C before this Court for early disposal of suit - In fact, it is nothing but an attempt to linger on proceeding by filing such amendment application, therefore, Court below has taken right view that it is nothing but an attempt to raise complexity in matter and allowing amendment application would change the nature of case based on those facts which were very well in knowledge of petitioner-plaintiff since date of filing of suit - On one hand, petitioner-plaintiff himself has filed writ petitions for early disposal of suit and on other hand, he has taken chance to linger on proceeding by filing amendment application at a very belated stage - This Court is not impressed to interfere with impugned orders.
Result: Writ petition dismissed.
JUDGMENT :
1. Heard learned counsel for petitioner and Sri Kirti Kumar Nirkhi, learned counsel for opposite party.
2. Present petition has been filed seeking following reliefs :-
(II) Direct the court below to allow the amendment application (paper No. 289-Ka) dated 08.04.2013 filed by the petitioner before the Trial Court.”
3. Learned counsel for petitioner submitted that plaintiff-petitioner has filed Original Suit No. 2 of 1993 along with interim injunction application in the year 1993 for cancellation of sale deed, which was rejected vide order dated 08.02.1994. Against the said rejection order, plaintiff-petitioner preferred Appeal No. 173/1994. During the pendency of appeal, plaintiff-petitioner has filed amendment application for amending the plaint. The said appeal as well as amendment application was rejected. Against both the orders, plaintiff-petitioner has preferred Writ Petition No. 28148 of 1998 before this Court, which was dismissed vide order dated 17.09.2010. However, liberty was given to the plaintiff-petitioner to file amendment application before the Court below. It is next submitted that in compliance of order dated 17.09.2010, plaintiff-petitioner has filed amendment application in Original Suit No. 2 of 1993 under Order VI Rule 17 read with Section 151 CPC on 08.04.2013. In amendment application, he has clarified the facts and also brings on record certain new facts, which was not in his knowledge at the time of filing of plaint. Opposite party has also filed objection and trial Court vide order dated 11.07.2013 has dismissed the amendment application on the ground of delay. Aggrieved by the order dated 11.07.2013, plaintiff-petitioner has preferred Civil Revision No. 25 of 2013 before the District Judge on 15.02.2014, which was also dismissed vide order dated 01.12.2021 without considering the facts of the case. Hence the present petition.
4. Learned counsel for petitioner submitted that plaintiff-petitioner has challenged the orders dated 01.12.2021 as well as 11.07.2013 basically on the ground that under Order VI Rule 17 of CPC, amendment application may be allowed at any stage of proceedings and the same cannot be rejected only on the ground of laches. Such dismissal order preclude the plaintiff-petitioner from justice. It is next submitted that while rejecting the amendment application, it is required on the part of Court below to see as to whether it is filed with ill intention or with clean hands. Court below was also required to see as to whether in case of rejection of amendment application, either of the parties would suffer from injustice or not, therefore, in the larger interest of justice, ignoring the delay, amendment application has to be allowed. In support of his contention, he has placed reliance upon the judgment of Apex Court passed in the matter of Prithi Pal Singh & another vs. Amrik Singh & others; 2013 0 Supreme(SC) 158 decided on 13.02.2013 and submitted that amendment application may be allowed even at the second appellate stage. Further, he has placed reliance upon the judgment of Rameshkumar Agarwal vs. Rajmala Exports Pvt. Ltd. & Ors.; 2012 0 Supreme(SC) 270 decided on 30.03.2012 and submitted that while considering the amendment application filed under Order VI Rule 17 of CPC, it is required on the part of Court below to take liberal view. In the matter of Mahila Ramkali Devi and others vs. Nandram (D) Thr. Lrs. and others; 2015 0 Supreme(SC) 438 and Mount Mary Enterprises vs. M/s. Jivratna Medi Treat Pvt. Ltd.; 2015 0 Supreme(SC) 89 decided on 30.01.2015, Apex Court has held that if amendment application has not been filed with malafide intention, it is required on the part of Court below to take liberal vi
Mahila Ramkali Devi and others vs. Nandram (D) Thr. Lrs. and others; 2015 0 Supreme(SC) 438
Mount Mary Enterprises vs. M/s. Jivratna Medi Treat Pvt. Ltd.; 2015 0 Supreme(SC) 89
North Eastern Railway Administration
Prithi Pal Singh & another vs. Amrik Singh & others; 2013 0 Supreme(SC) 158
Rajkumar Gurawara (Dead) through L.Rs v. S.K. Sarwagi and Co. Pvt. Ltd. and Anr.; (2008) 14 SCC 364
Revajeetu Builders and Developers v. Narayanaswamy and Sons and Ors. (2009) 10 SCC 84
Rameshkumar Agarwal vs. Rajmala Exports Pvt. Ltd. & Ors.; 2012 0 Supreme(SC) 270
State Bank of Hyderabad vs. Town Municipal Council; 2007 (1) SCC 765
When an application for amendment is listed for hearing on specific points, all listed points should be considered before making a decision. A litigant should not suffer due to the fault of their cou....
Point of Law : In case there is no proper pleading to support the relief as claimed in petition, then respondent has no opportunity to resist or oppose such relief, and if court considers and grant s....
Court's discretion allows amendments even if time-barred, provided they don't change the suit's nature and serve justice.
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