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 revision petition challenges the order of the executing court dated 8-12-1990, which dismissed the objections raised by the petitioner. The Punjab National Bank, as decree-holder, filed an execution application to recover Rs. 78,801.25 from the judgment-debtors, who were both loanees and guarantors. The guarantor objected to the execution on the ground that his property could not be attached or sold until the decree-holder exhausted all remedies against the principal debtor. The executing court considered multiple objections raised by the guarantor and dismissed them, leading to the present revision petition.

Legal Issues Presented

  1. Whether the executing court erred in dismissing the guarantor's objection that his property could not be attached before exhausting remedies against the principal debtor.
  2. Whether the executing court was required to separately calculate principal and interest amounts during execution.
  3. Whether awarding future interest exceeding 6% per annum was permissible under the facts of the case and applicable law.
  4. Whether the attachment of the loanee's property was appropriately conducted.

Arguments of the Parties

Petitioner-Guarantor's Arguments

  • The executing court should have separately calculated the principal and interest amounts due.
  • Future interest awarded should not exceed 6% per annum as per Section 34 of the Code of Civil Procedure.
  • The loanee's machines and other properties should have been attached before attaching the guarantor's property.
  • The guarantor's liability should arise only after the decree-holder exhausts all remedies against the principal debtor.

Decree-Holder's Arguments

  • The guarantor's liability is joint and several with the principal debtor, thus the guarantor cannot insist on exhausting remedies against the principal debtor first.
  • The executing court rightly dismissed the objections as the guarantor's contentions lacked merit.

Table of Precedents Cited

Precedent Rule or Principle Cited For Application by the Court
Section 128 of the Contract Act Establishes that the liability of a surety (guarantor) is co-extensive with that of the principal debtor and immediate. The court applied this principle to reject the guarantor's objection that recovery should be pursued only after exhausting remedies against the principal debtor, holding the guarantor liable without such precondition.

Court's Reasoning and Analysis

The court analyzed each objection raised by the guarantor in detail. It held that the executing court was not required to separately calculate principal and interest amounts as this was within the jurisdiction of the court that granted the decree, and no appeal had been filed against that decree by the petitioner. Regarding the objection on future interest, the court noted that the loan was for a commercial purpose, making the 6% per annum statutory bar inapplicable, and that the awarded interest did not exceed the contractual rate of 10.5% per annum. The court found the objection about non-attachment of the loanee's machines to be factually incorrect. Most importantly, relying on Section 128 of the Contract Act, the court emphasized the joint and several liability of the guarantor with the principal debtor, rejecting the contention that recovery from the guarantor must await exhausting all remedies against the principal debtor. On this basis, the court affirmed the executing court's dismissal of the objections as legally sound and justified.

Holding and Implications

The revision petition is dismissed.

The court upheld the executing court's order dismissing the guarantor's objections, confirming the principle that a guarantor’s liability is immediate and co-extensive with the principal debtor’s liability. The decision directly affects the parties by allowing the decree-holder to proceed with recovery against the guarantor without first exhausting remedies against the principal debtor. No new precedent was established beyond reaffirming existing legal principles.

    Mukhtiar Singh v. Punjab National Bank And Ors

    1. This revision-petition is against the order of the executing court dated 8-12-1990 whereby objections of the petitioner were dismissed.

    2. Briefly put, the Punjab National Bank - the decree-holder-filed an execution application for recovery for a sum of Rs. 78,801.25 paise against the judgment-debtors the loanees as well as guarantors. The guarantor raised objection to the execution on the ground that his property cannot be attached/sold till the decree-holder has exhausted all his remedies against the resorted to in the present case.

    3. Decree-holder put in appearance and controverted the averments made by the objectors. It was specifically stated that liability of the objector being a guarantor for the loan was joint and several and so the objector was estopped to say that decree-holder should take measures to recover from the guarantor till such time. The executing court considered the various objections raised by the guarantor, i. e. (i) not properly calculating the principal amount and interest amount separately (ii) objection of the judgment-debtor that attachment of agricultural land of the objector-guarantor-was against law ; (iii) no steps having been taken for attaching the property of the judgment-debtor/loanee which comprised of 3 machines, one electric motor and one takar ; and (iv) the award of future interest beyond 6%. The executing court found no merit in any of the submission made by the judgment-debtor and so dismissed the same.

    4. Much emphasis has been laid by the counsel on identical pleas which did not find favour with the executing court. Though the various contentions again sought to be raised could be brushed aside with the simple observation that same is not amenable to the revisional jurisdiction of this court, yet in view of the fact that guarantor- petitioner-is to bear the burnt of the decree I have examined the matter in all its details.

    5. The first submission of the learned counsel that it was incumbent upon the executing court to calculate separately the principal amount due and interest which has accrued thereupon in fact lay within the purview of the Court which granted the decree. It is not a matter which can be considered by the executing court. Since the petitioner who too is a judgment debtor did not file any appeal against the judgment and decree which is subject matter of the execution, this objection is without any merit.

    6. Even the next contention that future interest could not be awarded exceeding 6% per anum in view of section 34 of the C PC. is too without any substance Admittedly, the loan was advanced for a commercial purpose and so the bar of interest @ 6% per annum is not applicable in sueh like case. Furture interest as agreed between the parties was fixed at 10 1/2 per annum. It is not the case of the judgment-debtor that decree holder has been awarded future interest at the rate exceeding the contractual rate of interest. As regards the objection of the guarantor that loanee's machines have not been attached, was found to be against the facts on record.

    7. The last submission of the petitioner that loan could be recovered from the guarantor after exhausting all the remedies against the principal debtor is too contrary to the language of section 128 of the Contract. Act. Section 128 of the Contract Act, the liability of the surety is extensive with that, of the principal debtor Surety becomes liable to pay the entire amount and his liability is immediate. In fact, unless some special case is made out by the surety, an action initiated against him by the decree-holder cannot be put off only on ground the principal is solvent. Since the liability of the surety is co-extensive, no objection by the guarantor is permissible on such like premises before the executing court. In the present case, the executing court indeed has examined the various aspects of the objections raised in minute detail and found no merit in any of these objections. I feel the impugned order of the executing court is perfectly legal and just in the circumstances of the case. Revision petition is devoid of any merit and is consequently dismissed. No order as to costs.

    Use AI to get other relevant cases.

    Comments

    Mukhtiar Singh v. Punjab National Bank And Ors
    (Sep 1, 1992)