Radhika
Devi Vs. Bajrangi Singh & Ors [1996] INSC 91 (18 January 1996)
Ramaswamy,
K.Ramaswamy, K.G.B. Pattanaik (J)
CITATION:
JT 1996 (2) 238 1996 SCALE (1)750
ACT:
HEAD NOTE:
O R D
E R
We
have heard learned counsel for both sides.
Leave
granted.
The appellant
has instituted Partition Suit No.24/88 in the Court of Subordinate Judge, Aurangabad for partition of certain
properties. Respondents 16 to 20 herein filed written statement on June 15, 1988 wherein they pleaded that Ramdeo
Singh had executed and registered a gift deed in their favour on July 28, 1978 bequeathing the properties covered
there under. They became owners of those lands and the appellant is bound by
the same. Pending the suit, the appellant filed an application under Order 6
Rule l7, CPC on November
11, 1992 seeking
declaration that the gift deed was obtained by the respondents illegally and
fraudulently and, therefore, it was ineffective and does not bind the
appellant. Though the trial Court by order dated November 24, 1992 allowed the petition, the High Court in Revision no.1657/92
by order dated August
13, 1993 allowed the
petition and set aside the order directing amendment of the plaint. Thus, this
appeal by special leave. Shri S.K. Sinha, learned counsel for the appellant has
contended that the appellant had no knowledge of the execution of the gift deed
by Ramdeo Singh and by the amendment of the plaint, the appellant is not
defeating the right of the respondents but is merely seeking to avoid the gift
deed executed which was detrimental to appellant's right, title and interest in
the property. Therefore, the amendment does not alter either the character of
the suit or the nature and the relief already sought, viz., partition of the
property. Shri Sanyal, the learned senior counsel for the respondents,
contended that the appellants had lost the right to seek the above declaration
as being barred by limitation. The registration of the document is a notice to
everyone claiming any right, title and interest therein; even otherwise, the respondents
in the written statement filed on June 15, 1988 has specifically pleaded about the
gift being made by Ramdeo Singh in their favour. Despite that, the appellant
had not taken any steps till November 1999 by which time even the suit for
declaration within the limitation of three years from the date of knowledge had
got time-barred. Therefore the appellant is not entitled to amend the plaint
which would prejudicially affect the rights of the respondents.
We
find no force in the contention of the appellant. No doubt, the amendment of
the plaint is normally granted and only in exceptional cases where the accrued
rights are taken away by amendment of the pleading, the Court would refuse the
amendment. This Court in Laxmidas Dahyabhai Kabarwala vs. Nunabhai Chunilal Kabarwala
[(l964) 2 SCR 567 at 582) held thus:
"It
is, no doubt, true that, save in exceptional cases, leave to amend under 0.6,
r.l7 of the Code will ordinarily be refused when the effect of the amendment
would be to take away from a party a legal right which had accrued to him by
lapse of time. But this rule can apply only when either fresh allegations added
or fresh reliefs sought by way of amendment. Where, for instance, an amendment
is sought which merely clarifies an existing pleading and does not in substance
add to or alter it, it has never been held that the question of a bar of
limitation is one of the questions to be considered in allowing such
clarification of a matter already contained in the original pleading. The
present is a fortiori so. The defendants here were not seeking to add any
allegation nor to claim any fresh relief which they had prayed for in the
pleading already filed." In that case this Court considered the
cross-objections to be treated as a cross suit since no alteration was being
made in the written statement to treat it as a plaint originally instituted.
The amendment which was sought to be made was treated to be clarificatory and,
therefore, this Court had upheld the amendment of the written statement and
treated it to be a cross suit. The ratio therein squarely applies to a fact
situation where the party acquires right by bar of limitation and if the same
is sought to be taken away by amendment of the pleading, amendment in such
circumstances would be refused. In the present case, the gift deed was executed
and registered as early as July 28, 1978
which is a notice to everyone. Even after filing of the written statement, for
3 years no steps were taken to file the application for amendment of the
plaint. Thereby the occurred right in favour of the respondents would be
defeated by permitting amendment of the plaint. The High Court, therefore, was
right in refusing to grant permission to amend the plaint.
The
appeal is accordingly dismissed but without costs.
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