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  • s. 225 of the Rajasthan Tenancy Act 1955 (hereinafter referred to as the Act).
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  • s. 225 of the Rajasthan Tenancy Act 1955 (hereinafter referred to as the Act).
Smart Summary

Factual and Procedural Background

This opinion arises from a plaintiff's appeal against the judgment of the Additional District Judge (2), Alwar, which had accepted the appeal in part and modified the order of the trial court dated 21.2.77. The learned Advocate for the respondent submitted that the Miscellaneous Appeal was not maintainable because it only challenged an order of the appellate court and should be treated as a revision; the Court accepted that contention and treated the Civil Miscellaneous Appeal as a revision.

The underlying dispute concerns agricultural land in Gram (village) Chandoli, Tehsil Alwar. The opinion refers initially to the land as Khasra No. 803 measuring 2 Bighas & 4 Biswas (para 2) and later refers to Khasra No. 403 measuring 2 Bighas & Biswas (para 5). The petitioner claimed to be the khatedar and filed a suit in the Court of the learned Munsif, Alwar on 26.4.75 seeking, inter alia, a declaration that the Assistant Collector's order dated 22.4.75 was invalid and ineffective with respect to his rights.

The suit was contested by Bamboo (non-petitioner (1)), who also claimed to be the khatedar and pleaded that the Assistant Collector's order of 22.4.75 had been made after hearing the petitioner and was appealable under s.225 of the Rajasthan Tenancy Act, 1955. It was contended that the suit was barred by s.256 of the Act because it was a matter exclusively triable by a revenue court under s.207 read with Schedule III, item No. 83.

Procedurally, in the suit the petitioner obtained an ex parte interim order under Order 39, Rules 1 and 2, C.P.C. (26.4.75) which the learned Munsif made absolute by order dated 13.12.75. A non-petitioner appealed that order; the appeal was accepted by the appellate court, remanded to the trial court with an issue framed on jurisdiction and a direction that the trial court first decide jurisdiction. The trial court, on 21.2.77, held that it had no jurisdiction and dismissed the suit. The petitioner then appealed to the District Judge; Additional District Judge No. 2 held that the order rejecting the suit was not an order under Order 7, Rule 10, C.P.C., and directed the trial court to return the plaint under that rule so the plaintiff could present it in the proper court. Both parties had agreed before the Additional District Judge that the civil court had no jurisdiction to try the suit.

Legal Issues Presented

  1. Whether the Civil Miscellaneous Appeal was maintainable or whether it should be treated as a revision.
  2. Whether the Civil Court had jurisdiction to try the plaintiff's suit challenging the Assistant Collector's order dated 22.4.75, or whether jurisdiction was barred by s.256 of the Rajasthan Tenancy Act read with Schedule III, item No. 83.
  3. Whether the appellate court (Additional District Judge) acted illegally or with material irregularity by deciding the entire appeal after hearing arguments only on a limited point (i.e., whether the trial court should be directed to frame a decree under Order 7, Rule 10, C.P.C.).
  4. When the matter is before this Court in revision, whether this Court should decide the matter on merits (including invoking inherent powers under s.151, C.P.C.) or remit the matter to the trial/appellate court.

Arguments of the Parties

Petitioner's Arguments

  • The impugned order of the Additional District Judge shows that arguments were heard only on whether the trial court should be directed to frame a decree under Order 7, Rule 10, C.P.C.; the appeal was not heard on merits.
  • Because the appellate court did not hear the entire appeal, the appellate court acted illegally or with material irregularity in disposing of the entire appeal.
  • Implicitly, the petitioner also contends that the suit challenging the Assistant Collector's order could not properly be brought in the Revenue Court (see court's statement of the petitioner's submission to that effect).

Non-petitioners' (Respondents') Arguments

  • Since the matter has been treated as a revision, it is for this Court to pass the proper order on revision.
  • The facts are "so glaring" that the suit did not lie in a Civil Court (i.e., the civil court lacked jurisdiction), and therefore even though the entire appeal was not heard, this Court should not interfere in revision and should uphold the conclusion that the civil court had no jurisdiction.

Table of Precedents Cited

Precedent Rule or Principle Cited For Application by the Court
Smt. Raj Laxmi Dasi v. Banmai Sai Cited in connection with the exercise of revisional powers—support for the proposition that a revisional court may examine record and make a final order on the merits when justice requires. The court invoked this line of authority to justify examining the record in revision and deciding the matter on merits rather than remitting it, where justice and circumstances warranted such action.
Avirah Ouseph v. Karthiyayani Amma Ammukutty Amma Puthen Cited in connection with the exercise of revisional powers—same context as above. The court relied on the principle to exercise revisional powers to examine and dispose of the matter on merits where appropriate.
Dr. Brijendra Mohan v. Rajendra Nath Cited in connection with the exercise of revisional powers—same context as above. Used to support the court's decision to exercise revisional and inherent powers (s.151, C.P.C.) to address and dispose of the matter on its merits.

Court's Reasoning and Analysis

The Court proceeded in two connected phases: (1) review of procedural irregularity at the appellate stage, and (2) merits analysis on revision.

On procedure: The record showed that the Additional District Judge heard arguments only on whether the trial court should be directed to frame a decree under Order 7, Rule 10, C.P.C., and did not hear the appeal on its full merits. An affidavit by the petitioner's counsel (who argued the appeal) was on file and unrebutted. On that basis the Court found that the appellate court had indeed decided the entire appeal after hearing argument on only a single point, which constituted acting "illegally or with material irregularity" in the exercise of jurisdiction.

On revisional authority and inherent powers: Despite the procedural irregularity, the Court emphasised that when a case comes in revision, the revisional court has a duty to pass necessary and legal orders. The Court cited authorities (named in the opinion) for the proposition that a revisional court may, when the justice of the case requires, examine the case record and make the final order on the merits. The Court also observed that inherent powers under s.151, C.P.C. exist and may be exercised in the interest of justice, for example to "nip in the bud" litigation that is evidently without foundation.

On jurisdiction and merits: The Court examined the documentary record and material facts. Revenue proceedings between the parties were pending: the Board of Revenue by judgment dated 15.4.75 in a Criminal Revision directed that possession taken from the petitioner be returned to the prior possessor in execution of prior orders; the Assistant Collector then passed the order of 22.4.75 directing the receiver to take possession from Sherkhan and deliver it to the non-petitioner Bamboo in execution of the Board's orders. The petitioner had appealed against that order before the Revenue Appellate Authority and had also filed a revision before the Board of Revenue; the Board of Revenue passed an order on 26.5.75 instructing the Tehsildar to take possession from Sherkhan and retain it pending enquiry.

The Court analysed the character of the Assistant Collector's order of 22.4.75 and concluded it was an order passed in execution proceedings pursuant to the Board of Revenue's decision. The Court treated the 22.4.75 order as an order under s.185 of the Rajasthan Tenancy Act (i.e., an order for execution of a decree or order) and therefore as an order appealable under s.225 of the Act. Because an appeal (and revision) remedy existed and had been invoked, the Court held that the remedy before revenue authorities was available and that, under s.256 read with Item 83 of Schedule III, jurisdiction of the civil court was barred where a remedy under the Act was provided.

The Court addressed the petitioner's submission that the challenge to the 22.4.75 order could not properly have been brought in revenue courts and therefore the civil court's jurisdiction was not barred. The Court rejected that contention on the basis that an appeal against the order would have enabled a challenge on all grounds and could have resulted in setting aside of the order; in substance the civil suit sought relief (setting aside the order) that was available in appeal and was already pending in the revenue forum.

The Court also noted the broader factual context: long-running revenue litigation between the parties; petitioner having obtained possession under earlier revenue orders and later continuing in possession despite the Board of Revenue's orders; and the fact that the Board of Revenue had modified the order that was the subject of the suit, so that the order in the form dated 22.4.75 no longer existed. Taken together, these facts led the Court to view the civil suit as apparently without foundation, not bona fide, and likely to be fruitless.

On balance, although there was a procedural irregularity at the appellate stage, the court exercised its revisional and inherent powers to examine the record and concluded that no interference with the appellate decision was warranted because the trial court's order (dismissing for want of jurisdiction) was the correct outcome on the merits.

Holding and Implications

Holding (final decision): The Court dismissed the revision petition. The core ruling can be summarized as: REVISION DISMISSED.

Consequences and implications:

  • Direct effect on the parties: The trial court's dismissal for want of jurisdiction is effectively sustained; the civil suit challenging the Assistant Collector's order was held to be barred by s.256 of the Rajasthan Tenancy Act read with Schedule III, item No. 83, because an appeal/revisional remedy existed and had been invoked in the revenue forum. The revision is dismissed and costs were ordered as reported in the opinion ("the costs are made easy").
  • No broader precedent beyond the case facts is explicitly declared by the opinion; the Court relied on established principles concerning the limits of civil court jurisdiction where the Act and its remedy provisions apply, and on the revisional/inherent-power principle that a revisional court may decide on merits when justice requires. The opinion does not announce a novel legal rule beyond applying those principles to the facts at hand.

This summary is strictly confined to matters expressly stated in the provided opinion and does not introduce facts or inferences not present in the original text.

    Sher Khan v. Bamboo

    Mahendra Bhushan, J.:— This is a plaintiff's appeal against the judgment of the learned Additional District Judge (2), Alwar accepting his appeal in part and modifying the order of the trial Court dated 21.2.77 The learned Advocate submits that this Miscellaneous Appeal is not maintainable, as it only challenges the order of the appellate court, and it should be treated as a revision. The learned trial Court had ordered the return of the plaint to the appellant and he preferred an appeal against that order to the Additional District Judge (2), Alwar, which was disposed of. Therefore, the order is reviseable. The prayer of the appellant is accepted and this Civil Misc. Appeal is treated as a revision and shall be disposed of as such.

    2. The dispute relates to agricultural land Khasra No. 803 measuring 2 Bighas & 4 Biswas situated in village Chandoli, Tehsil Alwar. The petitioner claims himself to be the Khatedar of the land in dispute and he filed a suit in the Court of the learned Munsif, Alwar on 26.4.75 interalia on the grounds that the order of the Assistant Collector dated 22.4.75 is invalid and ineffective so far as his rights are concerned. I will later on have the occasion to deal with that order in detail. The suit was contested by Bamboo, who claimed himself to be the Khatedar of the land in dispute and also pleaded that the order dated April 22, 1975 was passed by the Assistant Collector after hearing the petitioner, and an appeal lies against that order under s. 225 of the Rajasthan Tenancy Act 1955 (hereinafter referred to as the Act). The suit was, therefore, barred under S. 256 of the Act as the suit was exclusively triable by a revenue court under S. 207 of the Act read with Schedule III, item No. 83. It may also be mention here that in the suit itself, an application under 0.39, r.1 and 2, C.P.C was filed by the petitioner on 26.4.75, and the learned Munsif vide his order dated 13.12.75 made the ex parte order dated 26.4.75 absolute. The non-petitioner (1) preferred an appeal against that order, and according to the learned Advocate for the non-petitioner (1) that the appeal was accepted and the case was remanded back to the trial court after framing an issue of jurisdiction and directing the trial court to first decide the issue of jurisdiction. The learned trial Court decided the issue of jurisdiction on the basis of record vide his order dated 21.2.77 and held that he had no jurisdiction to try the suit and dismissed the suit. The petitioner preferred an appeal before the learned District Judge, Alwar, which was decided by Additional District Judge No. 2, Alwar, who held that the order rejecting the suit was not an order under 0.7, r. 10, C.P.C and as such it was not necessary to frame a decree. He also directed the trial court to return the plaint under 0.7, r. 10, C.P.C to the petitioner for being presented in the proper Court. Both the parties agreed before the learned Additional District-Judge that the Civil Court had no jurisdiction to try the suit.

    3. It is submitted by the learned Advocate for the petitioner that a perusal of the impugned order will show that arguments were only heard on the point, as to whether the trial Court should be directed to frame a decree in terms of the judgment and the appeal was not heard on merits, and therefore, the learned appellate Court has acted illegally or with material irregularity in the exercise of his jurisdiction when he disposed of the entire appeal. Mr. Khan, the learned Advocate for the non-petitioners (1), submits that because it is a revision now, it is for this Court to pass proper order and according to him the facts were so glaring that the suit does not lie in a Civil Court, and therefore, notwithstanding the fact that the entire appeal was not heard, this Court should not interfere in revision.

    4. It appears from the perusal of the impugned order that arguments were only heard on the point as to whether the trial Court should be directed to frame a decree in terms of the judgment rejecting the plaint. An affidavit has been filed by the petitioner's counsel, who argued the appeal, and there is no rebuttal. It can, therefore, be said that the entire appeal was not heard by the learned Additional District Judge, and only on one point arguments were heard, but the entire appeal has been decided, and, therefore, the Court has acted illegally or with material irregularity in the exercise of its jurisdiction. But, once a case comes in revision to this Court, it is the duty of this Court to pass necessary and legal orders. In this connection, reference may be made to Smt. Raj Laxmi Dasi v. Banmai Sai (1), Avirah Ouseph v. Karthiyayani Amma Ammukutty Amma Puthen (2) and Dr. Brijendra Mohan v. Rajendra Nath (3). To my mind, while exercising the powers of revision, if the justice of the case requires, the Court should examine the case record and make the final order on the merits of the case. Apart from revisional powers, inherent powers are vested in this Court u/s 151, C.P.C and they can always be exercised in the interest of justice, if the situation so demands. The courts are over worked, and if the case is such which upon the parusal of the plaint itself and the other record of the case, appears to be such which is without any foundation and to the Court it appears that the litigation is fruitless and the outcome is certain, that it has no merit, it is the duty of the Court to nib in the bud such sort of litigation.

    5. In the instant case, it is to be seen as to what should be the just order whether the case should be sent back to the appellate court or the trial court or this court should pass such order which the circumstances of the case warrant and to the court appear to be just. Some facts which are not disputed are these.

    6. Khasra No. 403 measuring 2 Bighas & Biswas situated in Gram Chandoli is agricultural land. Cases were pending in between the parties relating to this land in revenue courts, and the Revenue Board vide its judgment dated 15.4.75 in Criminal Revision to which the petitioner and the non-petitioner (1) were parties directed that the receiver shall take back possession of the land in dispute from the petitioner to whom the possession had been delivered under the order of the Revenue Appellate Authority, and shall deliver the possession to such of the parties from whom the possession was taken in execution of the orders dated 7.11.74 After these orders of the Board of Revenue, the Assistant Collector, the original court, where the suit was pending, passed the order dated April-22, 1975 that the possession of the land in dispute be taken from Sherkhan by the receiver and should be delivered to the non-petitioner (1) Bamboo from whom it was taken. The petitioner preferred an appeal against that order of the Revenue Appellate Authority, and a revision was also preferred by him in the Board of Revenue. The Board of Revenue passed an order on 26.5.75 to the effect that the Tehsildar should take possession from Sherkhan and keep it to himself till an enquiry is held. The petitioner after having filed the appeal and also a revision in the Board of Revenue, and after securing the above mentioned order and concealing this fact, filed a suit for a declaration that the order of the Assistant Collector dated April 22, 1975 was invalid and ineffective so far as his interests are concerned for the reasons mentioned in para 5 of the plaint.

    7. It can, therefore, be said that the order dated April 22, 1975 which was passed by the Assistant Collector is an order passed in execution proceedings and was passed in pursuance of the order of the Board of Revenue, referred to above. Even prima facie, it does not appear as to how the order is without jurisdiction and invalid. Under s. 185 of the Act, the decree or order is to be executed and the order dated April 22, 1975 of the Assistant Collector is one under s. 185 of the Act for execution of the order of the Board of Revenue, referred to above. Such an order is appealabls under s. 225 of the Act, and an appeal was filed by the petitioner against that order before the Revenue Appellate Authority and a revision was also filed before the Board of Revenue. Under s. 256 of the Act read with Item 83 of Schedule III, if any matter is arising under the Act, a remedy by way of appeal or otherwise is provided, then the jurisdication of the civil court is barred. Therefore, it is so patent in the facts and circumstances of this case that the order of the Assistant Collector dated 22.4.75 was an appellable order and appeal was filed and, therefore, that order could not have been challenged in the Civil Court.

    8. It is submitted by the learned Advocate for the petitioner that a suit for declaration of the order dated 22.4.75 is invalid and ineffective so far as the rights of the petitioner are concerned could not have been filed in the Revenue Court and, therefore, the jurisdiction of the Civil Court was not barred. But, to my mind, when the order dated 22.4.75 could be challenged in appeal, the challenge could be on all the grounds, and that order could have been set aside. In substance, the suit was for setting aside that order, a relief which could have been granted in appeal, which was preferred and is pending. It may be observed here that litigation concerning he disputed land which is only 2 Bighas and 4 Biswas is going on since long between the parties in revenue courts, and the petitioner himself got possession under the orders of the “Revenue Appellate Authority” from the receiver, and when the Revenue Board has set aside that order the Assistant Collector in execution of that order directed the receiver to take possession from the petitioner. The petitioner rushed to the Civil Court and continues to be in possession till today, in spite of the order of the Board of Revenue, referred to above, passed on his revision. All these facts go to show that the suit is such which is barred under s 256 of the Act read with item 83 of Schedule III, and the Civil Court has no jurisdiction to try a suit of the present nature. To me, it appears to be a litigation which is fruitless, not bona fide, and the outcome of the suit appears to be none else but rejection of the plaint, which has been done. As already observed above, the Court has got inherent powers in the interests of justice to nib in the bud such sort of litigation, rather than to allow the valuable time of the courts and the parties to be wasted. Therefore, in the facts and circumstances of this case, no interference on revisional side in the order of the learned Additional District Judge is called for, as even otherwise the proper order appears to be one, which was passed by the trial Court. It may also be observed that the order which was challenged in the suit has already been modified by the Board of Revenue, as already observed above, and in the form it was passed on April 22, 1975 does not exist.

    9. With these observations, the revision petition is hereby dismissed, but the costs are made easy.

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    Comments

    Sher Khan v. Bamboo
    (Feb 22, 1980)