AMTUL RASOOL Versus GHULAM RASOOL
This matter arises from a petition seeking leave to appeal against an order of the High Court of Sind & Baluchistan, which summarily dismissed a civil revision petition challenging the dismissal of an application for cross-examination under Order XIX, rules 1 and 2, Code of Civil Procedure 1908. The core legal question was whether the rejection of an interlocutory application for permission to cross-examine a deponent constitutes a 'case decided' so as to be amenable to civil revision under section 115, Code of Civil Procedure 1908. The Supreme Court held that the revision application filed before the High Court was incompetent because the interlocutory order did not amount to a 'case decided' under section 115, Code of Civil Procedure 1908, and therefore the High Court lacked jurisdiction. The Supreme Court laid down the principle that an interlocutory order refusing cross-examination on affidavits in execution proceedings does not fall within the purview of section 115, Code of Civil Procedure 1908, though clarifying that observations made by the High Court on merits should not prejudice the pending proceedings under Order XXI, rule 100, Code of Civil Procedure 1908.
- Whether the rejection of an application for permission to cross-examine a deponent under Order XIX, rules 1 and 2, Code of Civil Procedure 1908 constitutes a 'case decided' under section 115, Code of Civil Procedure 1908?
- Is a civil revision petition competent against an interlocutory order passed by an executing court in proceedings under Order XXI, rule 100, Code of Civil Procedure 1908?
- Section 13, Urban Rent Restriction Ordinance
- Order XXI Rule 100, Code of Civil Procedure 1908
- Order XXXIX Rules 1 and 2, Code of Civil Procedure 1908
- Order XIX Rules 1 and 2, Code of Civil Procedure 1908
- Section 115, Code of Civil Procedure 1908
ORDER
1. WAHEEDUDDIN AHMAD, J.‑ Respondent No. 2 constructed a single storey 4‑roomed permanent building on a piece of land in Hasrat Mohani Colony, Karachi and has established therein a hotel called `New Azad Hotel'. It is alleged that a shop in the said property was let out to respondent No. 1 since June 1963. It is further alleged that one of the three rooms of the said property was in possession of respondent No. 2 and the remaining two rooms were rented out to Muhammad Idris Bengali, Abdul Qasim, Noor Hussain and Noorul Islam.
2. The case of the petitioner is that on the 22nd March 1971, the respon dent No. 2 executed a general power of attorney in favour of one S. M. A. Haleem son of Abdul Mannan and left Pakistan in the last week of March 1971, and had not returned since then. According to the petitioner, on the 30th December 1972, the Attorney o f respondent No. 2 sold to the petitioner the entire superstructure for Rs.14,000 and asked both the tenants to sign a letter of attornment in favour of the petitioner. Muhammad Idris signed the letter but respondent No. 1 avoided to sign it.
3. Later on, respondent No. 1 claimed that he had purchased the property in dispute from respondent No. 2 and gave a public notice to this effect.
4. Thereafter, the petitioner filed an application for eviction under section 13 of the Urban Rent Restriction Ordinance an the Court of Rent Controller and Civil Judge, 2nd Class, Karachi, which is known as Rent Case No. 703 of 1973. The petitioner was surprised to learn that respondent No. 1 had filed on the 7th March 1973, Rent Case No. 660 of 1973 for the ejectment of respondent No. 2 before the Rent Controller and Civil Judge, 2nd Class, Karachi, describing the respondent No. 2 as his tenant. On the 29th August 1973, respondent No. 1 secured orders for issue of writ of possession and for its execution by breaking open the locks in the absence of respon dent No. 2. On the 1st September 1973, he obtained the possession of the entire part of the property in physical possession of the petitioner and her Bengali tenants. Thereupon, the petitioner moved an application on the 5th September 1973, under Order XXI, rule 100, C. P. C. for the restoration of possession and another application dated the 7th September 1973, under Order XXXIX, rules 1 and 2, C. P. C. for restraining respondent No. 1 from transferring any part of the property to any other person. Respondent No. 1 filed counter‑affidavits and objection to the said applications.
5. The petitioner moved an application on the 2nd November 1973, under Order XIX, rules 1 and 2, C. P. C. for permission to cross‑examine the deponent, namely, respondent No. 1. This application was dismissed by order dated the 28th November 1973. The petitioner challenged this order in Civil Revision No. 23 of 1974, and a learned Single Judge of the High Court of Sind & Baluchistan, Karachi dismissed the application summarily on the 6th February 1974. The petitioner seeks permission to file an appeal against the said order.
6. Mr. A. H. Farooqi, learned counsel for the petitioner, has contended that the learned Single Judge while deciding the revision petition has observed that the application under Order XXI, rule 100, C. P. C. was not maintain able and has thereby prejudiced the case of the petitioner. He further con tended that it was a fit case in which the learned Single Judge should have directed the respondent No. 1 to appear in Court for cross‑examination under Order XIX, rules 1 and 2, C. P. C.
7. After hearing the learned counsel for the petitioner, it appears to us that revision application filed by the petitioner in the High Court was not competent. The rejection of the application under Order XIX, rules 1 and 2, C. P. C. by the executing Court was not a case decided and therefore, dad not fall within the purview of section 115, C. P. C. In view of this, the learned Single Judge had no jurisdiction in the matter and the revision petition should have been dismissed on this ground alone. We, therefore, find no force in the petition and dismiss it. We will, however, observe that any opinion expressed by the learned Single Judge on the merits of the case will not be taken into consideration by the executing Court and the applica tion filed by the petitioner under Order XXI, rule 100, C. P. C. will be disposed of without taking into consideration these observations.
8. Subject to this remark the petition is dismissed.
9. Petition dismissed.
Cited by 5 cases
- MUHAMMAD ARIFUDDIN vs MUJEEBUNISSA And Other K.L.R. 1996 Civil Cases 351
- MUHAMMAD ARIFUDDIN vs Mst. MUJEEBUNNISSA and 3 others 1996 CLC 1372
- MIs. U.C.C. (Pvt.) Ltd. through its Chief Executive and 6 others vs Sharif Trust, through its Trustee, Lahore and 3 others 2007 C.L.R. 421
- M/S. U.C.C (Pvt) Ltd., Through Its Chief Executive And 6 Other vs Sharif Trust K.L.R. 2007 Civil Cases 259
- M/s. U.C.C. (Pvt.) Ltd., through its Chief Executive and 6 others vs Sharif 2007 C.L.R. 630