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TRIPURA HIGH COURT
T. Vaiphei, C.J.
Sri Anil Chandra Poddar —Petitioner
versus
Sri Uttam Poddar and Ors. —Respondents
Civil Revision Petition No.76 of 2016
Decided on 23.2.2017

Counsel for the Parties:
For the Petitioner:Mr. A.K. Bhowmik, Sr. Advocate and Ms. A. Banik, Advocate
For the Respondents:Mr. D. Bhattacharjee and Mr. A.K. Pal, Advocates

Headnote:Civil Procedure Code, 1908—Order 41, Rule 27(1) (aa) 2002, Order 6, Rule 17 of Civil Procedure Code 2002—Amendment of Pleadings and additional evidence at the appellate stage—Whether Permissible?—Criterions of amendment of pleadings and additional evidence at appellate stage—“The Primary aim of court is to try in its merits and ensure that the rule of justice privails, for this the need is that true facts placed before the courts, so that the court has access to all relevant information for making decision, therefore permitted the parties to amend the pleadings on two conditions:-

       (i) No injustice must be done to the other side.

       (ii) The amendment must be necessary for the purpose of determining the real question in controversy between the parties—in simple, “no application for amendment shall be allowed after the trial has commenced, unless the court comes to the conclusion that in spite of due diligence, the party could not have raised the matter before the commencement of trial”.—Due diligence is explained—test for determine whether to exercise the discretion in the situation of request amendment, after the commencement of trial—production of additional evidence in appellate stage, can be permitted only if the evidence sought to be produces could not be produced at the stage of trial. In spite of exercise of due diligence and the evidence could not be produced as if was not within his knowledge and hence was fit to be produced by the appellant before appellate forum—In absence of the above condition precedents, the appellate court can reject the application and hence consequently the revision also dismissed.

JUDGMENT

T. Vaiphei, C.J.—This civil revision is directed against the order dated 29-02-2016 passed by the learned District Judge, Gomati District in T.A. No. 9 of 2008 rejecting the application of the petitioner for amending his plaint and for adducing additional evidence at the appellate stage.

2. As the factual matrix need not be discussed for disposal of this revision, I will straightaway refer to the relevant part of the impugned order, which is in the following terms:

“Law is already settled that even at the appellate stage also, petition for amendment may be allowed for due adjudication of the dispute between the parties and if by allowing this petition real picture comes before the Court.

The Court is not going to decide at this stage whether the proposed amendments are based on correct assertions or false assertions. Even if all the assertions made in the proposed amendment are taken to be gospel truth, still for reasons stated above, the real picture will not come before this Court and will not help the Court in properly adjudicating the matter, rather it will create confusion. As it appears, the appellant is not furnishing the correct information to the Court by the proposed amendment in true form along with submission of all the relevant documents.

All the facts proposed to be incorporated in the plaint and all the deeds proposed to be adduced as additional evidence were already in the custody of the appellant at the time of filing of the suit, but same were not placed though he had ample scope to place the same before the learned trial court at that time. After amendment of provision of Order 6, Rule 17 C.P.C. in the year 2002, no application for amendment shall be allowed after the trial has commenced unless it is shown that despite due diligence, the party could not have raised the matter before the commencement of the trial.

Here, if the matter is viewed leniently in favour of the appellant that despite due diligence he could not place those facts and documents before the commencement of the trial and even if thereby the proposed amendment is allowed and the documents proposed to be taken into evidence as additional evidence, still this Court will not be able to find out the clear picture of the situation and to give proper justice to both the parties.

For that reason, the petition filed under Order 6, Rule 17 C.P.C. and the petition filed under Order 41, Rule 27 C.P.C. for adducing additional evidence as filed on 31-07-2008 are hereby rejected.

Fix 14-07-2016 for argument.”

3. Order 6, Rule 17 of the Code of Civil Procedure (CPC) is in the following terms :

“17. Amendment of pleadings.-The Court may at any stage of the proceedings allow either party to alter or amend his pleadings in such manner and on such terms as may be just, and all such amendments shall be made as may be necessary for the purpose of determining the real questions in controversy between the parties: Provided that no application for amendment shall be allowed after the trial has commenced, unless the Court comes to the conclusion that in spite of due diligence, the party could not have raised the matter before the commencement of trial.”

The principles which govern the question of granting or disallowing amendments under Order 6, Rule 17 CPC are by now well settled. Order 6, Rule 17 CPC postulates amendment of pleadings at any stage of the proceedings. Under the unamended provisions, all amendments ought to be allowed which satisfy the two conditions: (a) of not working injustice to the other side, and (b) of being necessary for the purpose of determining the real questions in controversy between the parties. Amendments should be refused only where the other party cannot be placed in the same position as if the pleading had been originally correct, but the amendment would cause him an injury which could not be compensated in costs. However, with the introduction of the proviso to Order 6, Rule 17 , CPC, a distinction has now b





















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