Rameshwar Dayal
Mangla @ Ramesh Chand Vs. Harish Chand & ANR. [2009] INSC 556 (18 March
2009)
Judgment
IN THE SUPREME COURT
OF INDIA CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION CIVIL APPEAL NOS.1694-1695 OF 2009
(Arising out of SLP (C) Nos.17497-17498 of 2008) Rameshwar Dayal Mangala @
Ramesh Chand ..Appellant Versus Harish Chand & Anr. ..Respondents
Dr. ARIJIT PASAYAT,
J.
1.
Leave
granted.
2.
These
appeals are directed against the judgment of a learned Single Judge of the
Punjab and Haryana High Court disposing of an appeal filed under Section 100 of
the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 (in short `CPC').
3.
The
respondent as plaintiff has filed a suit for mandatory injunction. The
appellant filed written statement refuting the assertions by the plaintiff.
Replication was filed by the respondent. The trial court framed 11 issues and
learned Subordinate Judge, 1st class, Palwal, decided issue nos. 1, 2 and 10 in
favour of the respondent decreeing the suit in mandatory injunction. An appeal
was preferred by the appellant which was decided by learned Additional District
Judge, Faridabad, and was allowed.
Questioning the judgment
and decree passed by the First Appellate Court, second appeal was filed which
was allowed by the impugned judgment. It is to be noted that cross objection
was also filed in terms of Order 41 Rule 22 CPC. Though many points have been
urged in support of the appeal, the primary stand is that the second appeal was
allowed without formulating any substantial question of law. Learned counsel
for the respondent submitted that though question of law was not formulated,
after analysing evidence and applicable principles of law the High Court has
allowed this appeal.
4.
Section
100 of CPC deals with "Second Appeal". The provision reads as
follows:
"Section 100 -
Second Appeal: (1) Save as otherwise expressly provided in the body of this
Code or by any other law for the time being in force, an appeal shall lie to
the High Court from every decree passed in appeal by any Court subordinate to
the High Court, if the High Court is satisfied that the case involves a
substantial question of law.
(2) An appeal may lie
under this section from an appellate decree passed ex parte.
(3) In an appeal
under this Section, the memorandum of appeal shall precisely state the
substantial question of law involved in the appeal.
(4) Where the High
Court is satisfied that a substantial question of law is involved in any case,
it shall formulate that question.
(5) The appeal shall
be heard on the question so formulated and the respondent shall, at the hearing
of the appeal, be allowed to argue that the case does not involve such question:
Provided that nothing
take away or abridge the power of the question of law, not formulated by it, if
it is satisfied that the case involves such question."
5.
A
perusal of the impugned judgment passed by the High Court does not show that
any substantial question of law has been formulated or that the second appeal
was heard on the question, if any, so formulated. That being so, the judgment
cannot be maintained, which is set aside and remitted back to the High Court
for proceeding in the matter in accordance with law and in terms of
observations made herein.
6.
In
Ishwar Dass Jain v. Sohan Lal (2000 (1) 5CC 434), this Court in para 10, has
stated thus:
"10. Now under
Section 100 CPC, after the 1976 Amendment, it is essential for the High Court to
formulate a substantial question of law and it is not permissible to reverse
the doing so."
7.
Yet
again in Roop Singh v. Ram Singh (2000 (3) SCC 708), this Court has expressed
that the jurisdiction of a High Court is confined to appeals involving substantial
question of law. Para 7 of the said judgment reads:
"7. It is to be
reiterated that under Section 100 CPC of the High Court to entertain a second
appeal is confined only to such appeals which involve a substantial question of
law and it does not confer any jurisdiction on the High Court to interfere with
pure questions of fact while exercising its jurisdiction under section 100
CPC."
8.
The
position has been reiterated in Kanhaiyalal and Ors. v. Anupkumar and Ors.
(2003 (1) SCC 430),
Mathakala Krishnaiah v. V. Rajagopal (2004 (10) 5CC 676), Smt. Ram Sakhi Devi
v. Chhatra Devi & Ors. (JT 2005 (6) SC 167), Sasikumar & Ors. v. Kunnath
Chellapan Nair & Ors. (2005 (12) SCC 588), Gian Dass v. The Gram Panchayat
Village Sunner Kalan & Ors. (2006 (6) 5CC 271), Shah Mansukhlal Chhaganlal
(d) through Lrs. v. Gohil Amarsing Govindbhai (d) through Lrs. (2006 (13) SCALE
99).
9.
The
appeals are allowed and the impugned order is set aside. The matter is remitted
to the High Court to rehear the Second Appeal, keeping in view the position in
law set out above. There will be no order as to costs.
........................................J.
(Dr. ARIJIT PASAYAT)
........................................J.
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