High Court Of Madhya Pradesh
V. R. Newaskar, J.
RAMCHANDRA JEETMAL - Appellant
Versus
JEETMAL GANPAT PORWAL - Respondents
Misc. Civil Appeal 194 Of 1960
Decided On : 10/13/1961
APPOINTMENT OF RECEIVER - PARTITION SUIT - PRELIMINARY DECREE - APPEAL PENDING - JURISDICTION OF TRIAL COURT - ORDER 40, RULE 1, C. P. C. - SUMMARY
Fact of the Case:
In a partition suit, a preliminary decree was passed, and an appeal was filed against it. The plaintiffs applied for the appointment of a receiver, but the trial court refused, holding that it had no jurisdiction to do so since the appeal was pending. The plaintiffs appealed.
Finding of the Court:
The High Court held that the trial court had jurisdiction to appoint a receiver, as the suit was still pending before it, and the pendency referred to is in the Court which initially tried the suit.
Issues: Whether the trial court had jurisdiction to appoint a receiver in a partition suit in which a preliminary decree had been passed and an appeal was pending.
Ratio Decidendi: The power to appoint a receiver under Order 40, Rule 1, C. P. C. is limited to cases where the proceedings are still pending before the court. In a partition suit, the pendency referred to is in the Court which initially tried the suit. Therefore, the trial court had jurisdiction to appoint a receiver, even though an appeal against the preliminary decree was pending.
Final Decision: The appeal was allowed, and the trial court was directed to appoint a receiver as early as possible.
( 1 ) THIS appeal is directed against an order refusing to appoint a receiver.
( 2 ) THE facts necessary for the consideration of the question raised in this appeal are as follows:
( 3 ) PETITIONER Ramchandra along with his two minor sons Daulal and Kailash filed the present suit against Jeetmal and Ramniwas the father and the third son of ramchandra for partition of joint family property. A preliminary decree for partition of certain items of property was passed by the trial Court on 24-1-1959 and a Commissioner was appointed to take accounts and the property in possession of the defendants. Against the preliminary decree thus passed the defendants went up in appeal and the plaintiffs filed cross-objections. The appeal 33 well as the cross-objections are still pending. On being moved by the defendants for a stay of further proceeding in the suit subsequent to the preliminary decree the High Court directed withholding of the passing of the final decree in the case until the disposal of the appeal. It was further specifically mentioned in the order of the High Court that the proceedings before the commissioner shall continue. This order was passed on 8-7-1960 and was communicated to the Court below on the 9th.
( 4 ) AN application was made for appointment of a receiver. This was resisted by the defendants on two grounds. Firstly, it was contended that it was not just and convenient to appoint a receiver in the present case sand secondly that at any rate the power to appoint a receiver Is no longer in the trial Court inasmuch as an appeal has been preferred against the preliminary decree passed in the case.
( 5 ) ON the first ground of contention the trial Court held that there were sufficient grounds shown on behalf of the plaintiffs for the appointment of a receiver. It was held that the plaintiffs had been kept out of enjoyment of the joint family property and the profits thereof during the pendency of the suit and even after the passing of the preliminary decree. The decision of the appeal, it was further held, will take a long time and till then the plaintiff will not be able to get their due share in the joint family property in view of the order, for stay of the passing of the final decree, passed by the High Court. It was therefore thought by the trial Court Just and convenient to appoint a receiver. Reliance was placed by the trial Court for this view of the matter upon the decision reported in AIR 1929 Lah 497, Basant ram v. Dasondhi Mal, AIR 1947 Nag 26, Dadoo Balaji v. Kanhaiyalal Dhanaram and AIR 1942 Sind 60, Sahijram Rupchand v. Alu Tundu. Thus on this part of the case the trial Court was with the plaintiffs.
( 6 ) BUT on the second ground of contention it found against them. It held that in view of the fact that the preliminary decree had been appealed against the order for appointment of the receiver can be made only by the appellate court. For this view the trial court relied upon the commentary by Chitale under Order 40, Rule 1, c. P. C. Note No. 12. In this view of the matter the trial Court rejected the application for appointment of the receiver. ( 7 ) IN his appeal it is contended by Mr. Patel for the appellant that the trial Court failed to exercise jurisdiction vested in it by law. The suit or at any rate the proceedings subsequent to the passing of the preliminary decree were pending in the trial Court although an appeal had been preferred against the preliminary decree and it had therefore sufficient jurisdiction to act in exercise of its powers under Order 40, Rule 1, C. P. C. to appoint a receiver. Reliance in this connection was placed by the learned counsel upon the decision reported in AIR 1937 Mad 163, Chidambaram v. Pethaperumal and AIR 1940 PC 11, Jadhunath v. Parameswar.
( 8 ) IN my opinion the contention put forward by Mr. Patel in the present case ought to be accepted. It Is no doubt implicit in the provision of Order 40, Rule 1, C. P. C. that in order to enable the Court t
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