Case: Mohamed Ali Vs. V. Jaya &amp; Ors

2. The facts leading to the present appeals in a nutshell are as under: -2.1 That the appellant herein – original plaintiff instituted a suit being O.S. No. 15/2010 on the file of I Additional District Judge (PCR), Trichy for specific performance of an agreement to sell dated 17.07.2009. The said suit was filed against four defendants. The defendants were placed ex- parte. The learned Trial Court passed an ex-parte judgment and decree dated 31.10.2012. That original defendant Nos. 2 to 4 filed an application to set aside the ex-parte judgment and decree. There was a delay of 2345 days in filing the petition to set aside the ex-parte judgment and decree. Therefore, original defendant Nos. 2 to 4 filed an application requesting to condone the delay of 2345 days. The original defendant No. 1 also filed an application to set aside the ex-parte judgment and decree. There was a delay of 1522 days in filing the petition to set aside the ex-parte judgment and decree. Therefore, original defendant No. 1 also filed an application to condone the delay of 1522 days in filing the petition to set aside the ex- parte judgment and decree. The learned Trial Court dismissed both the applications, one filed by original defendant No. 1 and another filed by original defendant Nos. 2 to 4.2.2 Feeling aggrieved and dissatisfied with the order passed by the learned Trial Court refusing to condone the delay of 2345 days in filing the petition to set aside the ex-parte judgment and decree, original defendant Nos. 2 to 4 preferred Civil Revision Petition No. 1054/2021 before the High Court. Though, original defendant No. 1 did not challenge the order passed by the learned Trial Court dismissing his application to condone the delay of 1522 days in filing the petition to set aside the ex-parte judgment and decree, filed revision petition before the High Court under Article 227 of the Constitution of India being Civil Revision Petition No. 1301/2021 to set aside the ex- parte judgment and decree. By the impugned common judgment and order, the High Court has allowed the aforesaid two revision petitions and has set aside the judgment and decree passed by the learned Trial Court by observing that the judgment and decree passed by the learned Trial Court is on a total non-application of mind as before passing the decree for specific performance, the learned Trial Court has not considered the aspect of readiness and willingness on the part of the plaintiff. Thus, by the impugned common judgment and order in exercise of powers under Article 227 of the Constitution of India, the High Court has set aside the ex-parte judgment and decree passed by the learned Trial Court, without expressing anything on merits, whether the learned Trial Court was justified in refusing to condone the delay of 2345 days in filing the petition to set aside the ex-parte judgment and decree. Thus, the High Court has allowed Civil Revision Petition (CRP) No. 1045/2021 filed by original defendant Nos. 2 to 4. Being aggrieved by the impugned judgment(s) and order(s) passed by the High Court in CRP No. 1301/2021 (filed by original defendant No. 1 to set aside the ex-parte judgment and decree) and CRP No. 1045/2021 (filed by original defendant Nos. 2 to 4) challenging the order passed by the learned Trial Court refusing to condone the delay of 2345 days in filing the petition to set aside the ex-parte judgment and decree, the original plaintiff has preferred the present appeals.

Court's reasoning:
6.1 Having gone through the impugned common judgment and order passed by the High Court, it can be seen that as such the High Court has not at all considered whether the learned Trial Court was justified in refusing to condone such a huge delay of 2345 days. The High Court has also not appreciated and considered the fact that as such the order passed by the learned Trial Court refusing to condone the delay of 1522 days in so far as original defendant No. 1, had attained the finality. Original defendant No. 1 straightway challenged the ex-parte judgment and decree passed by the learned Trial Court by way of revision application under Article 227 of the Constitution of India. Whether the revision application before the High Court under Article 227 of the Constitution of India can be said to be maintainable or not has not at all been considered. Even otherwise, the remedy against an ex-parte judgment and decree available to the defendants was, either to file an application under Order IX Rule 13 of CPC or to prefer an appeal before the First Appellate Court. The defendants availed the first remedy by way of filing the applications under Order IX Rule 13 of CPC. However, there was a huge delay of 1522 and 2345 days, which was not condoned by the learned Trial Court. Without expressing anything on whether the learned Trial Court was justified in refusing to condone the delay, the High Court has simply set aside the order passed by the learned Trial Court refusing to condone the delay in so far as original defendant Nos. 2 to 4 are concerned. The High Court ought to have dealt with and considered the question, whether, the learned Trial Court was justified in refusing to condone the delay or not. There is no discussion at all on the order passed by the learned Trial Court refusing to condone the delay.6.2 Even otherwise and as observed hereinabove, against the ex-parte judgment and decree, the remedy by way of an appeal before the First Appellate Court was available. Therefore, the High Court ought not to have entertained the revision application under Section 115 of CPC and under Article 227 of the Constitution of India. The High Court ought not to have entertained such a revision application challenging the ex-parte judgment and decree. Once there was a statutory alternative remedy by way of an appeal available to the defendants, the High Court ought not to have entertained a writ petition or revision application under Article 227 of the Constitution of India.7. At this stage, the decision of this Court in the case of Virudhunagar Hindu Nadargal Dharma Paribalana Sabai and Ors. Vs. Tuticorin Educational Society and Ors.; (2019) 9 SCC 538,  is required to be referred to. In the said decision, it is observed and held by this Court that wherever the proceedings are under the Code of Civil Procedure and the forum is the civil court, the availability of a remedy under CPC, will deter the High Court and therefore, the High Court shall not entertain the revision under Article 227 of the Constitution of India especially in a case where a specific remedy of appeal is provided under the CPC itself. While holding so, it is observed and held in paragraphs 11 to 13 as under: -11. Secondly, the High Court ought to have seen that when a remedy of appeal under Section 104(1)(i) read with Order 43, Rule 1(r) of the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908, was directly available, Respondents 1 and 2 ought to have taken recourse to the same. It is true that the availability of a remedy of appeal may not always be a bar for the exercise of supervisory jurisdiction of the High Court. In A. Venkatasubbiah Naidu v. S. Chellappan [A. Venkatasubbiah Naidu v. S. Chellappan, (2000) 7 SCC 695]  , this Court held that though no hurdle can be put against the exercise of the constitutional powers of the High Court, it is a well- recognised principle which gained judicial recognition that the High Court should direct the party to avail himself of such remedies before he resorts to a constitutional remedy.12. But courts should always bear in mind a distinction between (i) cases where such alternative remedy is available before civil courts in terms of the provisions of Code of Civil Procedure, and (ii) cases where such alternative remedy is available under special enactments and/or statutory rules and the fora provided therein happen to be quasi-judicial authorities and tribunals. In respect of cases falling under the first category, which may involve suits and other proceedings before civil courts, the availability of an appellate remedy in terms of the provisions of CPC, may have to be construed as a near total bar. Otherwise, there is a danger that someone may challenge in a revision under Article 227, even a decree passed in a suit, on the same grounds on which Respondents 1 and 2 invoked the jurisdiction of the High Court. This is why, a 3-member Bench of this Court, while overruling the decision in Surya Dev Rai v. Ram Chander Rai [Surya Dev Rai v. Ram Chander Rai, (2003) 6 SCC 675]  , pointed out in Radhey Shyam v. Chhabi Nath [Radhey Shyam v. Chhabi Nath, (2015) 5 SCC 423  : (2015) 3 SCC (Civ) 67] that orders of civil court stand on different footing from the orders of authorities or tribunals or courts other than judicial/civil courts.13. Therefore wherever the proceedings are under the Code of Civil Procedure and the forum is the civil court, the availability of a remedy under the CPC, will deter the High Court, not merely as a measure of self-imposed restriction, but as a matter of discipline and prudence, from exercising its power of superintendence under the Constitution. Hence, the High Court ought not to have entertained the revision under Article 227 especially in a case where a specific remedy of appeal is provided under the Code of Civil Procedure itself.7.1 Applying the law laid down by this Court in the aforesaid decision to the facts of the case on hand, the High Court ought not to have entertained the revision petition under Article 227 of the Constitution of India against the ex-parte judgment and decree passed by the learned Trial Court in view of a specific remedy of appeal as provided under the Code of Civil Procedure itself. Therefore, the High Court has committed a grave error in entertaining the revision petition under Article 227 challenging the ex-parte judgment and decree passed by the learned Trial Court and in quashing and setting aside the same in exercise of powers under Article 227 of the Constitution of India.7.2 Even otherwise considering the impugned common judgment and order passed by the High Court, it appears that while setting aside the ex-parte judgment and decree, the High Court has commented upon the legality and validity of the judgment and decree passed by the learned Trial Court as if the High Court was exercising the appellate jurisdiction against the judgment and decree passed by the learned Trial Court. Before considering the judgment and decree on merits and/or expressing anything on merits on the legality and validity of the judgment and decree (ex-parte), the High Court was required to consider whether the learned Trial Court was justified in passing the ex-parte judgment and decree or not. The High Court was also required to consider whether the learned Trial Court was justified in refusing to condone the delay of 1522 and 2345 days in filing the petition challenging the ex-parte judgment and decree. Therefore, in the facts and circumstances of the case, the impugned common judgment and order passed by the High Court is unsustainable, both, on law as well as on facts. The High Court has exceeded in its jurisdiction while setting aside the ex-parte judgment and decree in exercise of powers under Article 227 of the Constriction of India. The impugned common judgment and order passed by the High Court is on irrelevant considerations and the relevant aspects as observed hereinabove have not been considered and dealt with by the High Court. Under the circumstances, the impugned common judgment and order passed by the High Court deserve to be quashed and set aside.