Translate
Text Highlighter

Bookmark

PDF

Share

Report a problem
AMICUS AI
Citation Codes
Equivalent Citations
citation codes
Case Number
Advocates
Judges
Are you a practicing lawyer?
Enhance your digital presence and reach by creating a Casemine profile.
Upload pleading to use the new AI search
Cites
Cited by
Citation Codes
Equivalent Citations
citation codes
Case Number
Advocates
Judges
Smart Summary

Factual and Procedural Background

This petition challenges the trial court's order dated 14 October 1985 directing the plaintiff (a Bank) under Order 6 Rule 5, Code of Civil Procedure (CPC), to file a break-up of its claim in the suit showing separately the amounts of principal and interest before the defendant could file his written statement. The suit was originally filed on 13 October 1984. Service on the defendant could not be effected in the ordinary course and was ultimately made by publication dated 13 June 1985. The defendant repeatedly sought and obtained time to file his written statement (23 July 1985 and again on 6 August 1985) and on 20 August 1985 moved an application under O.6 R.5 CPC. The Bank filed a detailed reply to that application dated 12 September 1985. The present petition assails the trial court's direction for a break-up of the claim.

Legal Issues Presented

  1. Whether a revision petition under Section 115, Code of Civil Procedure, is maintainable against an order passed under Order 6 Rule 5, CPC (i.e., an order directing particulars/break-up of claim).
  2. Whether the trial court's order directing the plaintiff-Bank to file a break-up showing principal and interest was justified in the circumstances of this case.
  3. Whether the defendant's application under O.6 R.5 CPC was bona fide or a dilatory device.

Arguments of the Parties

Defendant's Arguments

  • A preliminary objection was raised that a revision petition under Section 115 CPC is not maintainable against an order passed under O.6 R.5 CPC.
  • Counsel for the defendant relied on the precedent Ralyaram Melaram v. Kaluram Agarwala, AIR 1950 Cal 149, for the proposition that "a wrong decision upon the question whether in the circumstances certain particulars should be ordered or not has nothing whatsoever to do with jurisdiction and cannot be revised under S.115".
  • The defendant sought the break-up and relied on the trial court's order to obtain particulars before filing a written statement.

Plaintiff-Bank's Arguments

  • The Bank contended that it was not possible to file the break-up of its claim showing separate principal and interest amounts (according to the Bank).
  • In its detailed reply dated 12 September 1985 the Bank provided necessary details said to enable the defendant to file his written statement and explained that amounts sought had been communicated by notices issued from time to time.
  • The Bank stated that the "principal amount found due" included amounts due on interest which had become part of the principal.

Table of Precedents Cited

Precedent Rule or Principle Cited For Application by the Court
Ralyaram Melaram v. Kaluram Agarwala, AIR 1950 Cal 149 Held that "a wrong decision upon the question whether in the circumstances certain particulars should be ordered or not has nothing whatsoever to do with jurisdiction and cannot be revised under S.115". The court considered and distinguished this precedent: it found that the factual context in that case (whether a loan was a commercial loan on net) differed from the present case. The court held that where an order (such as ordering a break-up of claim) may be impossible or difficult to comply with and could lead to drastic consequences (stay, rejection of plaint or dismissal), Section 115 revision may be competent. Thus the precedent did not preclude revision in the present circumstances.

Court's Reasoning and Analysis

The court first addressed the preliminary objection that Section 115 CPC does not permit revision of an order under O.6 R.5 CPC. It examined the cited precedent and concluded that the precedent's holding arose in a different factual context; therefore the blanket principle in that case did not make revision automatically incompetent in every instance.

The court then posed and answered the critical question present in this matter: where an order directs a plaintiff to produce a break-up of claim (principal and interest) which, according to the plaintiff, is not possible to provide, and where non-compliance might lead the trial court to stay proceedings, reject the plaint, or dismiss the suit, such an order may be subject to revision under Section 115 CPC. The court emphasised that while ordinarily it would not entertain petitions against orders under O.6 R.5 CPC, revision is permissible when the impugned order could cause grave injustice or be unreasonably burdensome or impossible to comply with.

The court reviewed the procedural conduct in this case: the defendant had been served by publication after ordinary service failed, repeatedly obtained time to file his written statement, and sought particulars under O.6 R.5 CPC on 20 August 1985. The court found this conduct to have the appearance of deliberate delay and not bona fide.

On the substantive point, the court accepted that the Bank's detailed reply dated 12 September 1985 supplied the necessary particulars and that amounts sought had been disclosed in notices issued over time. The Bank's explanation that the principal amount included interest which had become part of the principal was noted. In view of those facts, the court found no occasion for the trial court to have directed the Bank to file the detailed break-up ordered.

Consequent to this analysis, the court concluded that the impugned order should be set aside and that the revision petition was competent and well-founded on the facts of this case.

Holding and Implications

Holding: The petition is allowed and the impugned order dated 14 October 1985 (directing the plaintiff to file a break-up of its claim showing principal and interest before the defendant could file his written statement) is set aside.

Immediate Consequences for the Parties: The defendant is directed to file his Written Statement on or before 12 February 1986, and the parties (through counsel) are directed to appear in the trial court on that date.

Broader Implications: The opinion explains that while ordinarily revision under Section 115 CPC will not be entertained against orders under O.6 R.5 CPC, revision may be competent where the impugned order is such that it cannot be easily complied with or may cause grave injustice (for example by leading to stay, rejection of plaint, or dismissal). The judgment does not purport to lay down a new binding precedent beyond the facts of the case; it applies the Section 115 jurisdiction to the particular circumstances before the court.

Disposition: Petition allowed. (R.M.S.)

    State Bank Of India v. Avtar Singh

    J.V Gupta, J.:— This petition is directed against the order of the trial Court dated 14th October 1985, whereby the plaintiff has bean directed under O. 6 R. 5, Code of Civil Procedure to file a break up of his claim in suit, showing the amount of the principal and the interest before the defendant could file his written Statement

    2. A preliminary objection has been raised on behalf of the defendant-respondent that no revision petition u/s. 115, Code of Civil Procedure, is maintainable against an order passed under O. 6, R. 5 C.P.C in support of his contention Id. counsel relied on Ralyaram Melaram v. Kaluram Agarwala . AIR 1950 Cal 149., wherein it was held that “a wrong decision upon the question whether in the circumstances certain particulars should be ordered or not has nothing whatsoever to do with jurisdiction and cannot be revised under S. 115”

    3. After hearing the learned counsel for the parties on the preliminary objection I do not find that no revision petition is competeat against the Impugned order. In the precedent referred to above, the question was whether the loan was a commercial loan on net. As regards the present case, the Bank had been directed to file a breakup of its claim in the suit, showing the amount of the principal and the interest which, according to the plaintiff-Bank, was not possible. Thus, the question is if the impugned order is such which could not be easily complied with, whether such an order is liable to be revised u/s 115, C.P.C or not. It is not disputed that if the said order is not complied with, the trial court can either stay the proceedings in the suit, or the plaint may be rejected, or even the suit can be dismissed Under the circumstances, it could not be successfully argued that no revision petition is competent against the impugned order, although ordinarily this Court would not entertain petitions against orders possed U.O 6, R. 5, C.P.C, unless grave injustice is shown to have been caused by the impugned order

    4. The present suit was filed on 13th October, 1984. Surprisingly enough, the defendant could not be served in the ordinary course, and ultimately he was served through publication dated 13th June, 1985 On 23rd July, 1985, he took time to file the Written Statement. Again on 6th August, 1985, he was given more time to file the Written Statement On 20th August, 1985, he moved the present application under O. 6, R. 5, C.P.C, to which a detailed reply dated 12th September, 1985, was filed on behalf of the Bank. Thus the conduct of the defendant appears to be to delay the proceedings in one way or the other. Under these circumstances, the application could not be termed at bona fide. Moreover, as observed earlier, in the reply filed on behalf of the Bank to the said application, necessary details were given as to enable the defendant to file his Written Statement. The amounts sought to be realized by the Bank from the defendant were given from time to time in the notices issued by it, and, therefore, there was no occasion for the trial court to direct the Bank to file a break-up of its claim, showing the amount of the principal and the interest, particularly in view of the detail reply filed on its behalf wherein it was stated that the principal amount found due rut only means the principal amount but also the amount due on interest which has become part of the principal. In this view of the matter, the petition succeeds and the impugned order is set aside. The defendant is directed to file the Written Statement on or before 12th February, 1986

    5. The parties, through counsel, are directed to appear in the trial court on the aforesaid date.

    R.M.S
    Petition allowed.

    Use AI to get other relevant cases.

    Comments

    State Bank Of India v. Avtar Singh
    (Jan 31, 1986)