IN THE HIGH COURT OF MADHYA PRADESH AT GWALIOR BENCH
SATYENDRA KUMAR SINGH, J.
Shyam Singh Tomar S/o Late Shri Swaroop Singh Tomar – Petitioner
Versus
State Bank of India, through Branch Manager, Gwalior – Respondent
Miscellaneous Petition No. 3518 of 2019
Decided On : 24-01-2023
Article 227 - Civil Procedure Code - Section 151, Order IX Rule 13 - The court discussed the application filed under Section 151 of CPC for restoration of an application filed under Order IX Rule 13 of CPC. The court referred to the specific provisions of appeal available under Order XLIII Rule 1 (c) of CPC and the judgment passed by Hon'ble the Full Bench of this Court in the case of Nathu Prasad vs. Singhai Kapurchand, AIR 1976 MP 136, and the judgment passed by Hon'ble the Apex Court in the case of Neerja Realtors Private Limited vs. Janglu (Dead) through Legal Representative, (2018) 2 SCC 649. The court also discussed the amended provisions of section 141 of CPC and its explanation. The court highlighted the legal principle that mentioning of a wrong provision or non-mentioning of a provision does not invalidate an order if the court and/or statutory authority had the requisite jurisdiction therefor.
Fact of the Case:
The respondent filed an application under Section 151 of CPC for restoration of his application filed under Order IX Rule 13 of CPC. The petitioner challenged the maintainability of the respondent's application under Section 151 of CPC, citing specific provisions of appeal available under Order XLIII Rule 1 (c) of CPC.
Finding of the Court:
The court found that the respondent's application under Section 151 of CPC for restoration of his application filed under Order IX Rule 13 of CPC was maintainable, as it was filed for restoration of the application and not for restoration of the civil suit. The court also found that the mentioning of a wrong provision or non-mentioning of a provision does not invalidate an order if the court had the requisite jurisdiction.
Issues: The issues involved the maintainability of the respondent's application under Section 151 of CPC and the interpretation of the amended provisions of section 141 of CPC.
Ratio Decidendi: The court held that the respondent's application under Section 151 of CPC for restoration of his application filed under Order IX Rule 13 of CPC was maintainable, and the mentioning of a wrong provision or non-mentioning of a provision does not invalidate an order if the court had the requisite jurisdiction.
Final Decision: The petition was dismissed by the court.
ORDER :
1. This petition under Article 227 of the Constitution of India has been preferred against the order dated 4/4/2019, passed by the Court of 3rd Additional District Judge, Gwalior in MJC No. 46-A/2015, whereby the application filed by the respondent/State Bank of India under Section 151 of Civil Procedure Code (for brevity “CPC”) was allowed and his application filed under Order IX Rule 13 of CPC bearing MJC No. 26-A/2014 was restored.
2. Brief facts giving rise to this petition are that the petitioner/plaintiff has filed a civil suit bearing No. 16-A/2007 before the Court of 14th Additional District Judge, Gwalior, wherein the respondent/State Bank of India was one of the party as defendant no. 5. The aforesaid civil suit was transferred to the Court of 3rd Additional District Judge, Gwalior and registered as Civil Suit No. 56-A/2009. During the trial of above civil suit, at the stage of defence evidence, respondent did not produce his witness for cross-examination and remained absent, therefore, ex parte judgment dated 15/9/2010 was passed against him. The respondent filed First Appeal before this Court as well as an application under Order IX Rule 13 of CPC before the Court of 3rd Additional District Judge, Gwalior for setting aside the alleged ex parte judgment and decree passed against him. His application filed under Order IX Rule 13 of CPC was registered as MJC bearing No. 26-A/2014, which was dismissed on 29/7/2015 for want of prosecution as well as for non-compliance of the orders of the learned Trial Court. The respondent/State Bank of India filed an application under Section 151 of CPC bearing MJC No. 46-A/2015 for setting aside the aforesaid order dated 29/7/2015 and restoration of MJC No. 26-A/2014. By the impugned order, learned Trial Court allowed respondent's application and restored the application filed under Order IX Rule 13 of CPC bearing MJC No. 26-A/2014, which is pending before the Court of 3rd Additional District Judge, Gwalior.
3. Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that in view of the specific provisions of appeal available under Order XLIII Rule 1 (c) of CPC, the order of dismissal of the application filed under Order IX Rule 13 of CPC cannot be assailed under Section 151 of CPC before the same Court, as held by Hon'ble the Full Bench of this Court in the case of Nathu Prasad vs. Singhai Kapurchand, AIR 1976 MP 136, hence, the application filed by the respondent under Section 151 of CPC was not maintainable. Learned Trial Court has committed error of jurisdiction in entertaining and allowing the respondent's application filed under Section 151 of CPC. He has also relied upon the judgment passed by Hon'ble the Apex Court in the case of Neerja Realtors Private Limited vs. Janglu (Dead) through Legal Representative, (2018) 2 SCC 649. He further submits that the application filed by the respondent under Section 151 of CPC was without sign and seal of the authorised person of the respondent/State Bank of India. The counsel for the respondent himself filed the said application without any authority. Learned Trial Court illegally held that the Vakalatnama filed in MJC No. 26-A/2014 will be treated as a valid Vakalatnama in the aforesaid case bearing MJC No. 46-A/2015. Thus, the impugned order dated 4/4/2019 is liable to be set aside, hence, be set aside.
4. Learned counsel for the respondent/State Bank of India by referring to the same judgment passed by the Full Bench of this Court in the case of Nathu Prasad (supra) submits that an application assailing the order of dismissal of the application filed under Order IX Rule 13 of CPC, cannot be said to be an application for restoration suit, therefore, the same is not appealable under Order XLIII Rule 1 (c) of CPC, and hence, respondent's application filed under Section 151 of CPC for setting aside the order dated 29/7/2015 was very well maintainable.
Learned Trial Court has not committed any error in allowing his aforesaid application. The petition
Nathu Prasad vs. Singhai Kapurchand
Mahadeolal Kanodia vs. The Administrator General of West Bengal
Neerja Realtors Private Limited vs. Janglu (Dead) through Legal Representative
The mentioning of a wrong provision or non-mentioning of a provision does not invalidate an order if the court had the requisite jurisdiction.
The main legal point established in the judgment is that the lack of provision for restoration of an application under Order 9 Rule 13 of the CPC can be overcome by treating the application as one un....
A party cannot shift their accountability for negligence to their attorney; multiple applications dismissed for the same reasons demonstrate abuse of the judicial process.
The main legal point established in the judgment is the importance of fair opportunity to contest the suit and the right to property involved in the suit, along with the simultaneous resort to remedi....
The application for rejection of the plaint should be decided before proceeding with the trial, and the written statement should not be filed until the application is disposed of.
Order passed under Rule 13 of Order 9 of CPC rejecting application for an order to set aside a decree passed ex parte, appeal would lie under Order XLIII Rule 1 (d) of CPC.
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