1. Heard.

2. Petitioner/plaintiff claiming right over the suit property through their common ancestor Sardar Kushwaha sought declaration of title over the suit property detailed in paragraphs 2(a) and 2(b) of the plaint, situated at village Ramtoriya, Patwari Halka No.5. Revenue Circle Village Ghuwara, Tahsil Bada Malehara, District Chhatarpur and for the relief that the sale deeds executed on 5.9.2012, 13.9.2012, 17.9.2012, 1.10.2012 and 3.1.2013 be declared null and void and the decree passed on 24.12.2002 in Civil Suit No.49-A/1999 as null and void being obtained by playing fraud and for setting aside the order of mutation. The trial Court taking into consideration the number of plaintiffs and a finding that several causes of action have been joined (in context to the different sale deed) in the suit as permissible, under Order 2 rule 3, Code of Civil Procedure, 1908; however, taking note of the decision of our High Court in Rakesh Gautam and others v. State of M.P. and others [ILR (2011) MP 2734], directed for payment of separate court-fees by each of the plaintiff.

3. Evidently, the case of Rakesh Gautam (supra), was a petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India; wherein on a finding that respective petitioners were though joined in the single petition but were having distinct and separate cause of action and on the principles carved out from section 17 of the Court-fees Act, 1870 to avoid inconvenience, separate court-fees by respective petitioners was ordered. The trial Court observed :

^^bl izdkj bl U;k;n`"V~kar vkb-,y-vkj- 2011 ,e-ih- ist 2734 ds vuqlkj bl O;ogkj izjd.k esa 13 oknhx.k us fHkUu&fHkUu okn gsrqdksa ds fy, ek= 2000@& #i;s LoRo ?kks"k.kk ds fy, ,oa 100@& #i;s dk LFkkbZ fu"ks/kkKk ds fy, U;k;'kqYd vnk fd;k gSA tcfd U;k;'kqYd vf/kfu;e dh /kkjk 17 ds vuqlkj tgk¡ ,d ls vf/kd O;fDr ,d gh okn esa tqM+s gksa vkSj fHkUu&fHkUu vkSj i`Fkd&i`Fkd okn gsrqdksa ij lHkh oknhx.k vuqrks"k pkg jgs gksa] rc izR;sd oknh dks vyx&vyx U;k;'kqYd vnk djuk pkfg,A oknhx.k us i`Fkd&i`Fkd U;k;'kqYd vnk ugha fd;k gSA bl dkj.k izR;sd oknhx.k dks bl O;ogkj izdj.k esa 2000&2000 #i;s U;k;'kqYd vnk djuk pkfg,] ftls izR;sd oknh us vnk ugha fd;k gS rFkk LFkkbZ fu"ks/kkKk ds fy, ek= 100@& #i;s dk U;k;'kqYd vnk fd;k gS] tcfd LFkkbZ fu"ks/kkKk dh fMØh izkIr djus ds fy, izR;sd oknh dks 100&100 #i;s dk i`Fkd&i`Fkd U;k;'kqYd vnk djuk pkfg,A bl izdkj bl O;ogkj izdj.k esa izR;sd oknh 2000 x 13 ¾ 26]000@& #i;s LoRo ?kks"k.kk ds fy, ,oa 100 x 13 = 1300@& #i;s LFkkbZ fu"ks/kkKk dh fMØh izkIr djus ds fy, U;k;'kqYd vnk djuk pfg,A tcfd oknhx.k us ek= 2000@& #i;s U;k;'kqYd LoRo ?kks"k.kk ds fy, LFkkbZ fu"ks/kkKk ds fy, 100@& #i;s U;k;'kqYd vnk fd;k gSA ,slh fLFkfr esa oknhx.k 27]000&2100 ¾ 25]200@& #i;s dh U;k;'kqYd dh jkf'k 15 fnol esa vko';d #i ls vnk djsa] rHkh bl O;ogkj okn dks ^^v^^ iath esa ntZ fd;k tk,xk vFkkZr~ oknhx.k dks 25]200@& #i;s dh U;k;'kqYd vnk djus ds fy, 15 fnol dk le; iznku fd;k tkrk gSA^^

Section 17 of Court-fees Act, 1870 envisages:

“17. Multifarious suit- (1) In any suit in which two or more separate and distinct causes of action are joined and separate and distinct reliefs are sought in respect of each, the plaint shall be chargeable with the aggregate amount of fees with which the plaints would be chargeable under this Act, if separate suits where instituted in respect of each cause of action.

Provided that nothing in this sub-section shall be deemed to effect any power conferred by or under the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908, to order separate trials.

(2) Where more reliefs than one based on the same cause of action are sought jointly in any suit, the plaint shall be chargeable with the aggregate amount of the fees with which the plaints would be chargeable under this Act if separate suits were instituted in respect of each relief.

Provided that if a relief is sought only as ancillary to the main relief the plaint shall be chargeable only in respect of the main relief.

(3) Where more reliefs