High Court of KeralaSingle JudgeOriginal Petition closed; appellate remedy to b...

Nabeesa Beevi (Petitioner) v. Sulaiman S/o Navurkani Rawther, P.S. Hamsa, Abdul Rahim, Sulekha Beevi, Salim, Naseema, Seenath, Hairunnissa, Nissar

Case / Petition Number:OP(C).No. 3206 of 2011(O)

Case Details & Bench

Court
High Court of Kerala
Hon'ble Judges
  • The Honourable Mr. Justice Thomas P. Joseph
Judgment Date
2011-10-04
Court Decision / Holding
Original Petition is closed; petitioner is directed to pursue the statutory appeal under Order XLIII Rule 1(d) challenging Ext.P14 (and Ext.P13 in that appeal). This Court will not exercise jurisdiction under Article 227.
Final Disposition
Original Petition closed; appellate remedy to be pursued under Order XLIII Rule 1(d); no invocation of Article 227

Parties to the Case

Appellants / Petitioners

  • Nabeesa Beevi

Respondents

  • Sulaiman, S/o Navurkani Rawther, residing at Mahi Manzil, Kottippilparambil, Velookkara, Kottayam Village, Vaikom Taluk, P.O. Kottayam-686501
  • P.S. Hamsa, S/o Saidumohammed Moosambi Pulaparambil House, Velookkara Village, Kottayam Taluk, P.O. Kottayam-686501
  • Abdul Rahim, S/o Pareeth, Maniparambil House, Velookara, Velookara Village, Kottayam Taluk, P.O. Kottayam-686501
  • Sulekha Beevi, W/o Moideen Rawther Thottinazhath Veetil, Thalayolapparambu, Vadayar Village, Thalayolapparambu Kara, Vaikom Taluk, P.O. Thalayolaparambu-686605
  • Salim, Moideen Rawther, Thottinazhath Veetil, Thalayolapparambu, Vadayar Village, Thalayolapparambu Kara, Vaikom Taluk, P.O. Thalayolaparambu-686605
  • Naseema, D/o Moideen Rawther, Thottinazhath Veetil, Thalayolapparambu, Vadayar Village, Thalayolapparambu Kara, Vaikom Taluk, P.O. Thalayolaparambu-686605
  • Seenath, D/o Moideen Rawther, Thottinazhath Veetil, Thalayolapparambu, Vadayar Village, Thalayolapparambu Kara, Vaikom Taluk, P.O. Thalayolaparambu-686605
  • Hairunnissa, D/o Moideen Rawther, Thottinazhath Veetil, Thalayolapparambu, Vadayar Village, Thalayolapparambu Kara, Vaikom Taluk, P.O. Thalayolaparambu-686605
  • Nissar, S/o Moideen Rawther, Thottinazhath Veetil, Thalayolapparambu, Vadayar Village, Thalayolapparambu Kara, Vaikom Taluk, P.O. Thalayolaparambu-686605

Legal Representation & Advocates

Counsels for Petitioners

  • • Sri K. Shrirhari Rao
  • • Smt. N. Shobha
  • • Sri K.S. Balakrishnan

Counsels for Respondents

  • • P.B. Krishnan

Case Synopsis & Summary

This is an OP(C) petition (OP(C).No. 3206 of 2011) filed in the Kerala High Court, Ernakulam, by Nabeesa Beevi, guardian of the third judgment debtor, challenging Exts.P13 and P14 orders in EP No.164/2010 in OS No.101/89 of the Munsiff’s Vaikom. Ex parte preliminary and final decrees had been passed against the third judgment debtor. During execution, the guardian filed I.A. Nos.1129/2011 and 1131/2011 seeking to condone delay and to set aside the decrees, but the Munsiff denied condonation and dismissed I.A.1131/2011. Respondents asserted that the petitioner’s proper remedy is to file an appeal under Order XLIII Rule 1(d) CPC to challenge Ext.P14 and, in that appeal, Ext.P13 as well. The petitioner contended that the challenge is to the correctness of the orders rather than merits, and invoked the court’s inherent jurisdiction under Article 227. The judge relied on decisions in Lakhsmikutty Panickathi v. Bharghavi Panickathi (1987 [2] KLT 562), 2004 [3] KLT 712 and C.K. Thomas & Co. v. Muthoot Leasing and Finance Ltd. (2007 [2] KLT 32) to hold that a statutory appeal is the proper remedy. Consequently, the petition was closed, directing the petitioner to pursue the appellate remedy and not exercise jurisdiction under Article 227. The court emphasized Ext.P12 delivery order is not the subject of challenge here.

Provisions of Law Cited

Order XLIII Rule 1(d) of the Code of Civil ProcedureArticle 227 of the Constitution

Submissions & Arguments

Contentions of Appellants / Petitioners

The petitioner contends that Exts.P13 and P14 challenge ex parte decrees and that the remedy lies in challenging their correctness via an appeal under Order XLIII Rule 1(d) CPC. She asserts that the delay in IA Nos.1129/2011 and 1131/2011 should be considered, and that Ext.P12 (delivery order) is not the subject of challenge in this petition; the appropriate course is to pursue an appellate remedy challenging both Ext.P14 and Ext.P13.

Contentions of Respondents

Respondents’ counsel submits that the statutory remedy is to file an appeal under Order XLIII Rule 1(d) CPC to challenge Ext.P14 (and, in that appeal, Ext.P13). Reliance is placed on decisions in Lakhsmikutty Panickathi v. Bharghavi Panickathi (1987 [2] KLT 562), (2004 [3] KLT 712) and C.K. Thomas & Co. v. Muthoot Leasing and Finance Ltd. (2007 [2] KLT 32) to contend that Article 227 jurisdiction is unwarranted; the petition should be disposed with the direction to pursue the appellate remedy.

Cited Precedents (3)

Case NameCitationTreatmentExplanation
Lakhsmikutty Panickathi v. Bharghavi Panickathi1987 [2] KLT 562PositiveCited as authority supporting the proposition that the remedy lies in an appeal under Order XLIII Rule 1(d).
Lakhsmikutty Panickathi v. Bharghavi Panickathi2004 [3] KLT 712PositiveCited for the same appellate remedy principle in a subsequent decision of this Court.
C.K. Thomas & Co. v. Muthoot Leasing and Finance Ltd.2007 [2] KLT 32PositiveCited to reinforce the requirement of pursuing a statutory appeal rather than invoking Article 227.

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Extracted Judgment Text

Exact text extracted from official judgment records.

## **IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM** **PRESENT :** **THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE THOMAS P.JOSEPH** **TUESDAY, THE 4TH OCTOBER 2011 / 12TH ASWINA 1933** **OP(C).No. 3206 of 2011(O) ----------------------------------** ## **E.P.164/10 IN OS NO.101/89 OF MUNSIFF COURT, VAIKOM** ## **PETITIONER** - **------------------** **NABEESA BEEVI, THOTTINOZHATHU VEETIL, THALAYOLAPARAMBU KARA, VAIKOM TALUK, KOTTAYAM DISTRICT, P.O.THALAYOLAPARAMBU-686605. REPRESENTED BY HER DAUGHTER AND GUARDIAN LAILA BEEVI.** **BY ADVS. SRI.K.SHRIHARI RAO SMT.N.SHOBHA SRI.K.S.BALAKRISHNAN** ## **RESPONDENT(S):** **------------------------** **1. SULAIMAN, S/O. NAVURKANI RAWTHER, RESIDING AT MAHI MANZIL, KOTTIPPLIPARAMBIL, VELOORKARA, KOTTAYAM VILLAGE, KOTTAYAM TALUK, P.O.KOTTAYAM-686501.** **2. P.S. HAMSA, S/O. SAIDUMOHAMMED MOOSAMBI PULAPARMBIL HOUSE, VELOORKARA VILLAGE, KOTTAYAM TALUK, P.O.KOTTAYAM-686501.** **3. ABDUL RAHIM, S/O. PAREETH, MANIPARAMBIL HOUSE, VELOORKARA, VELOORKARA VILLAGE,KOTTAYAM TALUK, P.O.KOTTAYAM. PIN-686501.** **4. SULEKHA BEEVI, W/O. MOIDEEN RAWTHER THOTTINEZHATH VEETIL, THALAYOLAPARAMBU, VADAYAR VILLAGE, THALAYOLAPARAMBU KARA, VAIKOM TALUK, P.O.THALAYOLAPARAMBU-686605.** **5. SALIM, MOIDEEN RAWTHER, THOTTINEZHATH VEETIL, THALAYOLAPARAMBU, VADAYAR VILLAGE, THALAYOLAPARAMBU KARA, VAIKOM TALUK, P.O.THALAYOLAPARAMBU-686605.** **....2** **..2..** **6. NASEEMA, D/O.MOIDEEN RAWTHER, THOTTINEZHATH VEETIL, THALAYOLAPARAMBU, VADAYAR VILLAGE, THALAYOLAPARAMBU KARA, VAIKOM TALUK, P.O.THALAYOLAPARAMBU-686605.** **7. SEENATH, D/O.MOIDEEN RAWTHER, THOTTINEZHATH VEETIL, THALAYOLAPARAMBU, VADAYAR VILLAGE, THALAYOLAPARAMBU KARA, VAIKOM TALUK, P.O.THALAYOLAPARAMBU-686605.** **8. HAIRUNNISSA, D/O.MOIDEEN RAWTHER, THOTTINEZHATH VEETIL, THALAYOLAPARAMBU, VADAYAR VILLAGE, THALAYOLAPARAMBU KARA, VAIKOM TALUK, P.O.THALAYOLAPARAMBU-686605.** **9. NISSAR, S/O.MOIDEEN RAWTHER, THOTTINEZHATH VEETIL, THALAYOLAPARAMBU, VADAYAR VILLAGE, THALAYOLAPARAMBU KARA, VAIKOM TALUK, P.O.THALAYOLAPARAMBU-686605.** **R2 & R3 BY ADV. P.B. KRISHNAN** **THIS OP (CIVIL) HAVING COME UP FOR ADMISSION ON 04/10/2011, THE COURT ON THE SAME DAY DELIVERED THE FOLLOWING:** **STU** ## **OP(C).No. 3206 of 2011(O)** ## **APPENDIX** ## **PETITIONER'S EXHIBITS:** **EXT.P1 : TRUE COPY OF THE MEDICAL CERTIFICATE DATED 6-1-2011 ISSUED BY THE AMRITA INSTITUTE OF MEDICAL SCIENCE IN THE NAME OF NABEESA BEEVI.** **EXT.P2 : TRUE COPY OF THE MEDICAL CERTIFICATE DATED 6-1-2011 ISSUED BY THE AMRITA INSTITUTE OF MEDICAL SCIENCE IN THE NAME OF AJARA BEEVI.** - **EXT.P3 : TRUE COPY OF THE JUDGMENT IN OS NO.101/89 BY PASSING PRELIMINARY DECREE BY MUNSIFF'S COURT VAIKOM.** **EXT.P4 : TRUE COPY OF THE JUDGMENT IN IA NO.911/08 OS NO.101/89 OF PASSING OF FINAL DECREE IN OS NO.101/89 OF THE MUNSIFF'S COURT, VAIKOM.** - **EXT.P5 : TRUE COPY OF THE FINAL DECREE DRAWN IN THE STAMP PAPER DATED 11/3/2009 IN IA NO.911/08 IN OS NO.101/89 OF THE MUNSIFF'S COURT, VAIKOM.** - **EXT.P6 : TRUE COPY OF THE IA NO.1129/2011 IN OS NO.101/89 FILED BY THE PETITIONER PRAYING TO CONDONE THE DELAY IN FILING AN IA TO SETASIDE THE EXPARTE DECREES ON THE FILE OF MUNSIFF'S COURT VAIKOM.** - **EXT.P7 : TRUE COPY OF THE I.A. NO.1131/2011 IN OS NO.101/89 FILED BY THE PETITIONER PRAYING TO SETASIDE THE DECREES IN OS NO.101/89 ON THE FILE OF MUNSIFFS COURT VAIKOM.** - **EXT.P8 : TRUE COPY OF THE ORDER DATED 19-08-2011 IN EP NO.164/2010 IN OS NO.101/89 ON THE FILE OF MUNSIFF'S COURT VAIKOM.** - **EXT.P9 : TRUE COPY OF THE ORDER DATED 19-8-2011 IN EA NO.297/2011 IN E.P NO.164/2010 IN OS NO.101/89 ON THE FILE OFTHE** - **MUNSIFFS COURT VAIKOM.** - **EXT.P10: TRUE COPY OF THE SKETCH ISSUED BY THE CENTRAL SURVEY OFFICE, TRIVANDRUM REGARDING THE LIE OF PROPERTIES INCLUDING PROPERTIES IN SY.NO.224/29,224/33 OF VADAYAAR VILLAGE WITH SETTLEMENT REGISTER.** - **EXT.P11 : TRUE COPY OF THE SKETCH PREPARED BY THE SURVEYOR IN COMMISSION IN OS NO.17/89 ON THE FILE OF THE MUNSIFFS COURT VAIKOM.** - **EXT.P12 : TRUE COPY OF THE JUDGMENT DATED 26-8-2011 IN OPC NO.2830/2011 OF THIS HON'BLE COURT.** **STU** **EXT.P13 : TRUE COPY OF THE ORDER DATED 20-09-2011 IN IA NO.1129/2011 IN OS NO.101/89 ON THE FILE OF THE MUNSIFFS COURT VAIKOM.** **EXT.P14 : TRUE COPY OF THE ORDER DATED 20/9/2011 IN IA NO.1131/2011 IN OS NO.101/89 ON THE FILE OF THE MUNSIFF'S COURT VAIKOM** ## **RESPONDENTS' EXHIBITS :** ## **NIL** **//TRUE COPY/** ## **STU** **P.A. TO JUDGE** **THOMAS P.JOSEPH, J. ==================================== O.P(C) No.3206 of 2011 ==================================== Dated this the 04[th] day of October, 2011** ## **J U D G M E N T** Respondents 2 and 3 appears through counsel. Petitioner claiming to be the guardian of the third judgment debtor in E.P. No.164 of 2010 filed O.S. No.101 of 1989 of the court of learned Munsiff, Vaikom filed this petition challenging Exts.P13 and P14, orders. There was ex parte preliminary and final decrees against the third judgment debtor. In the course of execution, petitioner claiming to be the guardian of the third judgment debtor who is allegedly insane filed I.A. No.1129 and 1131 of 2011 on the trial side to set aside the ex parte preliminary **O.P(C) No.3206 of 2011** -: 2 :- and final decrees and condone the delay. Learned Munsiff refused to condone the delay by Ext.P13, order and consequently dismissed I.A. No.1131 of 2011 by Ext.P14, order. It is pointed by learned counsel for respondents 2 and 3 that remedy available to the petitioner is to challenge correctness of Ext.P14, order in an appeal as provided under Order XLIII Rule 1 (d) of the Code of Civil Procedure and in that appeal challenge the correctness of Ext.P13, order. Learned counsel for petitioner would contend that dismissal of I.A. No.1131 of 2011 is not on merit but merely for the reason that learned Munsiff has refused to condone the delay as prayed in I.A. No.1129 of 2011. ## **O.P(C) No.3206 of 2011** -: 3 :- In the light of decisions of this Court in **Lakhsmikutty** **Panickathi v. Bharghavi Panickathi** (1987 [2] KLT 562), (2004 [3] KLT 712) and **C.K. Thomas & Co. v. Muthoot** **Leasing and Finance Ltd.** (2007 [2] KLT 32) whatever be the reason for dismissal of I.A. No.1131 of 2011 be it for the reason that learned Munsiff has refused to condone the delay, there is dismissal of the application to set aside the ex parte and preliminary and final decrees remedy therefore is to prefer appeal against Ext.P14 under Rule 1(d) of Order XLIII of the Code and in that appeal challenge the correctness of Ext.P13, order leading to the dismissal of I.A. No.1131 of 2011. When that ## **O.P(C) No.3206 of 2011** -: 4 :- statutory remedy of appeal is available to the petitioner this Court is not required to exercise the power under Article 227 of the Constitution. Learned counsel for respondents 2 and 3 pointed out that in view of Ext.P12, order petitioner cannot challenge the delivery order. I make it clear that the said order was passed when petitioner challenged the delivery order while in this proceeding what is under challenge is dismissal of the application to set aside the ex parte preliminary and final decrees and hence notwithstanding Ext.P12, order it is open to the petitioner to ## **O.P(C) No.3206 of 2011** -: 5 :- challenge correctness of Ext.P14, order (and in that appeal challenge the correctness of Ext.P13, order as well) in the appeal that may be preferred against Ext.P14, order. With the above direction this Original Petition is closed. ## **THOMAS P. JOSEPH, JUDGE.** vsv