HEMSINGH Vs. MOTISINGH
LAWS(RAJ)-1954-11-25
HIGH COURT OF RAJASTHAN
Decided on November 30,1954

HEMSINGH Appellant
VERSUS
MOTISINGH Respondents

JUDGEMENT

Wanchoo, C. J. - (1.) THIS is a revision by Hem Singh defendant, and has arisen in the following circumstances.
(2.) A suit was brought by Moti Singh and others opposite parties against the defendant applicant for a declaration that they were juna jagirdars, and their jagir should not be taken into consideration in the decree for partition obtained by Hem Singh. The suit related to village Sela. The land in this village is divided into three shares, One-fourth belongs to the State and is khalsa; one-fourth belonged to Bhawani Singh and one-half to Hem Singh. The khalsa share was separated long ago, while the two jagirdars held their shares jointly. A suit was brought by Sheonath Singh, grand-father of Hemsing for partition of his half share, and this was decreed. When the partition began to be effected, the plaintiffs who claimed to be juna jagirdars, objected that their lands should not be taken into account in effecting the partition. This prayer was rejected, thereupon the present suit was filed by the plaintiffs for a declaration that they were juna jagirdars, and their lands were not covered by the decree of partition passed by the revenue court. The trial court framed four issues. I am now concerned with only the first issue which was as follows - "whether the land comprising of fields, wells and beras mentioned in paras 1 and 2 of the plaint are of juna jagir, and the plaintiffs are in possession of the same in their capacity of juna jagirdars. " The trial court decided this issue against the plaintiffs, and dismissed the suit. Obviously if the plaintiffs were not juna jagirdars, they could not claim that their lands should not be taken into consideration in making the partition, for the defendant's case was that the plaintiffs were chhutbhais of the other Jagirdar Bhawanisingh, and their lands were included in the one-fourth share of Bhawanisingh. There was an appeal against this judgment, and the learned District Judge ordered a remand under sec. 151 C. P. C. after framing the following issue - "whether the plaintiffs as chhutbhais of Bhawani Singh are also entitled to retain their holdings free from the subject-matter of partition. " The present revision is directed against this order of remand. A preliminary objection has been raised that no revision lies. It is urged, in the first place, that no case has been decided, and, in the second place, that even if a case has been decided, the order of remand being under sec. 151 C. P. C. is not revisable under sec. 115 C. P. C. I am of opinion that there is no force in these preliminary objections. So far as the objection that this is not a case decided is concerned, reference may be made to Pyarchand vs. Dungar Singh (1 ). In view of that decision it is obvious that the order of the Additional District Judge remanding the suit amounts to case decided. As to the contention that an order under sec. 151 is not revisable, it is enough to say that sec. 151 does not exclude orders under sec. 151, from being questioned in the High Court. The section, as it stands, gives power to the High Court to call for the record of any case, which has been decided by any court subordinate to the High Court, and in which no appeal lies thereto, and if the conditions mentioned in clauses (a), (b) or (c) are satisfied, the High Court may make such order in the case as it thinks fit. The words of sec. 115 are very general and orders under sec. 151 are not excepted in those words. The High Court, therefore, in my view has the power to interfere in revision with an order passed under sec. 151. Whether it will do so or not is a different matter. It appears that it has been held in some courts that an order passed under sec. 151 is not open to revision. For example the Madras High Court has held that no revision lies against an order passed on remand under inherent powers as there is no question of jurisdiction, vide Mallayya vs. Veerayya (2 ). With all respect to the learned Judges, I am of opinion that though clauses (a) and (b) of sec. 115 will not apply to an order passed under sec. 151, classes (c) will apply provided its terms are satisfied. The decision in the Madras case (2) seems to have been based on the view that clause (a) does not apply. The Oudh Chief Court and the Bombay High Court have also held that an order of remand is not revisable, vide Bhagoley vs. Bala Din (3) and Thakoredas Tribuvandas vs. Lalubhai Tribhovandas (4. But the basis of these decisions has been that there is no case decided. Other courts have held that a revision lies and in a latter case the Madras High Court has also held that a revision lies on the ground of material irregularity; vide Vaithilingam Pillai vs. Kanda-swami (5 ). In Purshottam Dattatraya Shetye vs. Yeshwadabai Jayadeo Shetye (6), the Bombay Court has held that a Court has inherent power to remand, but where it acts with material irregularity the High Court has power to interfere in revision. In Govardhan Mahton vs. Sita Ram Singh (7) the Patna High Court has interfered with an improper order of remand made under sec. 151 under its powers under sec. 115. In Sheolal Bal-mukund vs. Jugal Kishore (8), it was held that where an order of remand was passed under sec. 151, it was revisable. In view, therefore, of the general words of sec. 115, which make no exception in favour of orders under sec. 151, and the authorities mentioned above, I am of opinion that a revision lies. Coming to the merits of the order, I have to see whether the lower appellate court committed a material irregularity in making the remand. The lower appellate court did not decide the issue framed by the trial court, namely whether the plaintiffs were juna jagir-dara It held that further enquiry into the case was necessary and framed a new issue and remanded the case for decision of that issue. This issue was as follows : - "whether the plaintiffs as chhutbhais of Bhawani Singh are also entitled to retain their holdings free from the subject-matter of partition. " The plaintiffs had never claimed that as chhutbhais of Bhawani Singh, they were entitled to have their lands separated from Bhawani singh's one-fourth share; nor could they in law make any such claim. If they were chhutbhais of Bhawani Singh, their share must come out of Bhawani Singh's one-fourth share, and cannot be an independent share. The lower appellate court,therefore,in framing this issue on a point which was not even raised by the plaintiffs in their suit was making out a new case altogether, and therefore acted with material irregularity in the exercise of its juris-diction. In these circumstances, the other of remand was improper and must be set aside. I, therefore, allow the revision, set aside the order of remand passed by the lower appellate court, and order that the appeal be decided on the merits. Hem Singh applicant will get his costs of this revision from the plaintiffs opposite parties. ;


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