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IN THE HIGH COURT OF MADHYA PRADESH
AT GWALIOR
BEFORE
HON'BLE SHRI JUSTICE SATYENDRA KUMAR SINGH
ON THE 24th OF JANUARY, 2023
MISCELLANEOUS PETITION NO.3518 OF 2019
BETWEEN:-
SHYAM SINGH TOMAR, S/O LATE SHRI
SWAROOP SINGH TOMAR, AGED ABOUT 62
YEARS, OCCUPATION – PRIVATE SERVICE, R/O
RADHA KRISHNA LODGE, M.G. ROAD, TEHSIL
MARWAHI, BILASPUR (CHHATTISGARH).
….....PETITIONER
(BY SHRI D.K. AGRAWAL – ADVOCATE)
AND
STATE BANK OF INDIA, THROUGH : BRANCH
MANAGER, COMMERCIAL BRANCH, CITY
CENTRE, GWALIOR (MADHYA PRADESH).
….....RESPONDENT
(BY SHRI RAJU SHARMA - ADVOCATE)
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This petition coming on for admission this day, the Court passed
the following:
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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
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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
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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, 1976 AIR (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.
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Learned Trial Court has not committed any error in allowing his
aforesaid applicat
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