2012 Supreme(UK) 75

2012 (1) UAD 767
SUPREME COURT OF INDIA
Hon'ble Mr. Justice R.M. Lodha and Hon'ble Mr. Justice H.L. Gokhale
Civil Appeal No. 2689 of 2012
JITU PATNAIK – Appellant
Versus
SANATAN MOHAKUD & ORS. – Respondents
Decided on : 02.03.2012

Headnote:(A) Representation of People Act, 1951, Secs. 36, 38, 52 as amended in 1996 and Instruction provided in Handbook issued to returning officer — Death of an independent candidate after publication of list of contesting candidates under Sec. 38 and before poll — Held — Adjournment of poll can be announced by the returning officer only in case of death of a candidate set up by a recognised political party before the poll as envisaged u/s 52 of the 1951 Act, as amended by amendment made in 1996. (Paras 13 to 26)

       (B) Civil Procedure Code, 1908, Or. 6, Rule 2 — Pleadings — Mandatory requirements — Pleading to state material facts and not evidence — Every pleading shall contain, and contain only, a statement in a concise form of the material facts on which the party pleading relies for his claim or defence as the case may be, but not the evidence by which they are to be proved. (Para 30)

       (C) Representaiton of People Act, 1951, Sec. 83(1)(a) — Election petition — Material facts are such facts which afford a basis for the allegations made in the election petition. (Paras 32 to 34)

       (D) "Material facts" and "particulars" — Distinction — 'Material facts" are primary or basic facts which must be pleaded by the plaintiff or by the defendant in support of the case set up by him either to prove his cause of action or defence — "Particulars" on the other hand, are details in support of material facts pleaded by the party — They amplify, refine and embellish material facts by giving distinctive touch to the basic contours of a picture already drawn so as to make it full, more clear and more informative — "Particulars" thus ensure conduct of fair trial and would not take the opposite party by surprise. (Para 33)

       (E) Representation of People Act, 1951, Secs. 100(1)(d)(iii), (iv), 83(1)(a) and Civil Procedure Code, 1908, Or. VI, Rule 16 r/w Sec. 151 and Or. 7, Rule 11 — Election petition — Pleadings with out concise statements of material facts disclosing cause of action — Such certain pleadings struck out by High Court and Election Tribunal leaving two — The remaining two were struck out by Hon'ble Supreme Court — Where there is no cause of action surviving — Election Petition liable to be rejected. (Paras 26 to 29, 36 to 43)

        ¼v½ yksd izfrfuf/k vf/kfu;e] 1951] /kkjk 36] 38] 52 tSlk fd 1996 esa la'kksf/kr vkSj fuokZpu vf/kdkjh dks tkjh iqfLrdk esa iznku funsZ'k & /kkjk 38 ds rgr pquko yM+ jgs mEehnokjksa dh lwph ds izdk'ku ds ckn ,d Lora= mEehnokj dh ekSr pquko ls igys & /kkfjr fd & pquko dk LFkxu ,d mEehnokj dh ekSr ds ekeys esa fuokZpu vf/kdkjh }kjk ?kksf"kr fd;k tk ldrk gS] tks fd ,d ekU;rk izkIr jktuhfrd ny }kjk tuer ls igys & tSlk fd ifjdfYir gS u/s 52, vf/kfu;e] 1951] tSlk fd la'kksf/kr gS 1996 ds la'kks/ku esaA ¼izLrj 13 lsa 26½

       ¼c½ nhokuh izfØ;k lafgrk] 1908] vkns'k 6] fu;e 2 & okn & vfuok;Z vko';drk,¡ & izkFkZuk vfr vko';d rF;ksa dks crkus ds fy, u fd vkSj lcwrksa dh & gj izkFkZuk esa gksuk pkfg, flQZ vkSj flQZ ,d mYys[k] laf{kIr :i esa t:jh rF;ksa dk ftl ij izkFkZuk djus okyh ikVhZ fuHkZj dj lds vius nkos ;k cpko ds fy, tSlk Hkh ekeyk gks] ijUrq og lk{; ugha ftl ij rF;ksa dks lkfcr fd;k tkuk gksA ¼izLrj 30½

       ¼l½ yksd izfrfuf/k vf/kfu;e] 1951] /kkjk 83¼1½¼d½ & pquko ;kfpdk & vfr vko';d rF; ,sls rR; gSa tks pquko ;kfpdk esa fd, x, vkjksiksa ds fy, ,d vk/kkj dk ogu djrs gSaA ¼izLrj 32 ls 34½

       ¼n½ ßlkexzh rF;Þ vkSj ßfooj.kÞ & Hksn & vfr vko';d rF; ßizkFkfed ;k cqfu;knh rF; gksrs gSa tks oknh }kjk ;k mlds }kjk LFkkfir ekeys ds leFkZu esa ;k izfroknh }kjk mlds dkj.k lkfcr djus ds fy, ;k j{kk ds fy, pkfg, gSa & nwljs gkFk ij] fooj.k] C;kSjk gSa rF;ks ds leFkZu esa vfr vko';d rF;ksa dk ftudh ikVhZ }kjk odkyr dh xbZ & os c<+krs gSa] ifj"Ñr djrs gSa ,d rLohj ds ewy Lo:i dks vkSj mls iwjk rS;kj djus ds fy, fof'k"V Li'kZ nsrs gSa] vkSj vf/kd Li"V lq'kksfHkr vkSj vf/kd lwpukRed C;ksjk nsus ds fy, & fooj.k ßbl rjg fu"i{k lquokbZ dk lapkyu lqfuf'pr djrs gSa vkSj foijhr ikVhZ dks vk'p;Z ugha nsrsA ¼izLrj 33½

       ¼;½ yksd izfrfuf/k vf/kfu;e] 1951] /kkjk 100(1)(d)(iii), (iv), 83(1)(a) vkSj nhokuh izfØ;k lafgrk] 1908] vkns'k 6] fu;e 16 lifBr /kkjk 151 vkSj vkns'k 7] fu;e 11 & pquko ;kfpdk & izkFkZuk cxSj vfr vko';d rF;ksa ds laf{kIr mYys[k ds tks dkj.k izdV rF;ksa dk C;kSjk ns & bl rjg ds dqN okn mPp U;k;ky; vkSj pquko fVªC;wuy }kjk NksM+s x, flQZ nks dks NksM+dj vkSj ckdh nks dks mPpre U;k;ky; us vLohdkj dj fn;k & tgk¡ dk;Zokgh dk dksbZ dkj.k ekStwn ugha] pquko ;kfpdk fujLr gksus ;ksX;A

        ¼izLrj 26 ls 29] 36 ls 43½