High Court Of Madhya Pradesh
B. K. Chaturvedi, J.
SHAUKAT HUSSAIN - Appellant
Versus
SHEODAYAL SAKSAINA - Respondents
Criminal Revn. 47 Of 1957
Decided On : 04/25/1957
CRIMINAL PROCEDURE CODE - SECTION 133 - PUBLIC NUISANCE - DEFINITION AND APPLICATION - DISTINCTION BETWEEN PUBLIC AND PRIVATE NUISANCE - JURISDICTION OF MAGISTRATE - INTERPRETATION OF SECTION 133, CRIMINAL PROCEDURE CODE - SCOPE AND LIMITATIONS - REMEDY FOR PRIVATE NUISANCE - CIVIL SUIT - HEALTH OFFICER'S REPORT - ADMISSIBILITY AS EVIDENCE.
Fact of the Case:
The petitioners, who operated a small cotton carding machine in a locality, were ordered by the Additional District Magistrate to stop its operation due to complaints of noise and air pollution. The petitioners challenged the order, arguing that the magistrate had exceeded his jurisdiction and that the alleged nuisance was private, not public.
Finding of the Court:
The court held that the magistrate had erred in applying Section 133 of the Criminal Procedure Code, which deals with public nuisances, to a case of private nuisance. The court noted that the evidence showed that only a few neighbors were affected by the machine's operation and that the majority of the residents in the locality did not have any complaints. The court also held that the magistrate had no jurisdiction to order the Municipal Board to cancel the petitioners' license.
Issues: 1. Whether the magistrate had jurisdiction to apply Section 133 of the Criminal Procedure Code to a case of private nuisance. 2. Whether the evidence supported a finding that the machine constituted a public nuisance. 3. Whether the magistrate had jurisdiction to order the Municipal Board to cancel the petitioners' license.
Ratio Decidendi: 1. Section 133 of the Criminal Procedure Code applies only to public nuisances, not private nuisances. 2. A public nuisance is an act or omission that causes common injury, danger, or annoyance to the public or to the people in general who dwell or occupy property in the vicinity. 3. The evidence showed that only a few neighbors were affected by the machine's operation and that the majority of the residents in the locality did not have any complaints. This did not constitute a public nuisance. 4. A magistrate has no jurisdiction to order the Municipal Board to cancel a license.
Final Decision: The court allowed the revision petition and set aside the order of the magistrate. The court also clarified that the non-applicant was at liberty to pursue his remedy in a civil court against a private nuisance, if he so desired.
( 1 ) THE applicants work a small cotton carding machine of five horse power in mohalla Gajrat Khana Katra in the town of Rewa. The non-applicant filed an application in the Court of the Additional District Magistrate, Rewa, alleging that the small particles of cotton are blown in the air from the machine and cause harm to breathing and that the machine also produces noise and disturbance to public peace; so it must be stopped. This application has been granted by the Court below. The present petitioners have been asked to stop the working of the machine. The Court below has also gone beyond its jurisdiction under Section 133 of the Code of Criminal Procedure in issuing an order to the Municipality that the licence granted to the petitioners must be cancelled. The petitioners have come in revision to this Court against the order passed by the Additional District magistrate, Rewa.
( 2 ) THE non-applicant raised an objection that, unless the petitioners had applied to the Sessions Court, a revision cannot be entertained under Rule 15, Chapter 4 of the Madhya Pradesh High Court Rules. I understand that this objection was raised at the time of the admission of the revision, but it was overruled. I am of opinion that the High Court should not ordinarily interfere when a party does not exhaust his remedy by applying to the Sessions Court; but at the same time it is difficult to overlook the provisions of the Code of Criminal Procedure. The jurisdiction conferred by the Code on the High Court under Sections 435 and 439 is very wide and it should not be fettered by any hard and fast Rule. 1 am fortified in this view by certain rulings; e. g. reported in Basavana Gowd v. Krishna Rao Naidu, AIR 1916 Mad 713 (A); Bihar Municipality v. Mt. Ramnandi Kuer, AIR 1941 Pat 548 (B), and Suraj Bali v. Emperor, AIR 1942 Oudh 438 (C ).
( 3 ) AS regards the merits of the case, it would be sufficient to state that the learned magistrate has not cared to see that Chapter X of the Code of Criminal Procedure deals with 'public Nuisances', and not with private nuisances. The remedy for the latter is a civil suit, although what constitutes nuisance may be common to both classes. Section. 133 of the Code of Criminal Procedure provides a speedy and summary remedy in case of urgency where danger to public interest or public health is concerned. In all other cases the party should be referred to the remedy under the ordinary law. Paragraph 3 of Section 133 runs as follows :
"that the conduct of any trade or occupation, or the keeping of any goods or merchandise, is injurious to the health or physical comfort of the, community, and that in consequence such trade or occupation should be prohibited or regulated or such goods or merchandise should be removed or the keeping thereof regulated. "
It will be obvious that the word "community" in this paragraph is deliberately used, and that word has a definite meaning. It means the public at large or the residents of an entire locality. The expression "public nuisance" has been defined in Section 268 of the Indian Penal Code as an act or illegal omission which causes any common injury, danger or annoyance to the public or to the people in general who dwell or occupy property in the vicinity.
( 4 ) THE learned Magistrate has not discussed or analysed the evidence adduced in the case; but he has stressed the importance of the report of the Health Officer and has also based his decision on his own inspection note. It is on the basis of these two reports that he has passed an order to the Municipal Board that the licence granted to the applicants must be cancelled. A Magistrate, no doubt, has jurisdiction to pass an order under Section 133, Criminal Procedure Code, directing a person to whom a licence has been granted by a Municipality for carrying on a trade to take precautions so as to prevent his trade from being a nuisance to the community; but even then it is inexpedient that a Magistrate should ta
Login now and unlock free premium legal research
Login to SupremeToday AI and access free legal analysis, AI highlights, and smart tools.
Login
now!
India’s Legal research and Law Firm App, Download now!
Copyright © 2023 Vikas Info Solution Pvt Ltd. All Rights Reserved.