Jurisdiction for suits related to mortgage of immovable property is determined by the location of the property, as specified in Section 16 of the Civil Procedure Code.

( 1 ) THIS revision petition is heard finally on request of both the counsel appearing for contesting litigants.

( 2 ) SHRI A. K. Sethi, counsel for the petitioner submitted that the loan granted to petitioner was at Indore, the documents in respect of said loan were also executed at Indore and the petitioner resides at Indore. The loan was obtained from branch of Opponent No. 1 situated at Indore. Therefore, only the Indore Civil Court is having jurisdiction to entertain suit in view of provisions of S. 20 of C. P. C.

( 3 ) SHRI Sethi, also pointed out that the prayer clause of the plaint deals with prayer for refund of money and it also indicated that money should be refunded along with the interest and, therefore, though the property which has been mortgaged is situated within the jurisdiction of Ratlam Court, Ratlam Civil Court does not have the jurisdiction to entertain the suit.

( 4 ) HE made a grievance that learned trial Court did not consider this important facet of the matter and committed the error of law in rejecting the prayer of the petitioner disputing the jurisdiction of the Court. He submitted that said order be reversed as it is illegal.

( 5 ) REPLYING to it, Shri P. M. Bargat, counsel for Opponent No. 1 submitted that the impugned order is correct, proper and legal because the property which has been mortgaged is situated within the jurisdiction of Civil Court, Ratlam and, therefore, Court has rightly considered the issue in controversy in view of provisions of S. 16 of the C. P. C.

( 6 ) SECTION 16 of C. P. C. reads as -"subject to the pecuniary or other limitations prescribed by any law suits - (a) for the recovery of immovable property with or without rent or profits, (b) for the partition of immovable property, (c) for the foreclosure, sale or redemption in the case of a mortgage of or charge upon immovable property, (d) for the determination of any other right to or interest in immovable property, (e) for compensation for wrong to immovable property, (f) for the recovery of movable property actually under distraint or attachment,shall be instituted in the Court within the local limits of whose jurisdiction the property is situate. "

( 7 ) SECTION 20 of C. P. C. reads as -"subject to the limitations aforesaid, every suit shall be instituted in a court within the local limits of whose jurisdiction - (a) the defendant, or each of the defendants where there are more than one, at the time of the commencement of the suit, actually and voluntarily resides, or carried on business, or personally works for gain; or (b) any of the defendants, where there are more than one, at the time of the commencement of the suit, actually and voluntarily resides, or carries on business, or personally works for gains, provided that in such case either the leave of the Court is given, or the defendants who do not reside, or carry on business, or personally work for gain, as aforesaid, acquiesce in such institution; or (c) the cause of action, wholly or in part, arises.

( 8 ) THE jurisdiction is to be decided by considering the averments made in the plaint. In the plaint it has been well indicated that said loan was granted by mortgaging the property which is situated within jurisdiction of Ratlam Civil Court. The plaint also shows that in addition to prayer of refund of loan amount, the plaint deals with a prayer of redemption of mortgage.

( 9 ) SECTION 6 provides that-subject to pecuniary or other limitations prescribed by any law suits for foreclosure, sale or redemption in the case of a mortgage of or charge upon immovable property, shall be instituted in the Court within the local limits of whose jurisdiction the property is situate.

( 10 ) IT is pertinent to note that S. 20 starts with "subject to the limitations aforesaid". Therefore, when S. 16 has provided that when the suit is in respect of foreclosure, sale or redemption in the case of mortgage of or charge upon immovable property, the suit shall be inst