Sanjay Kumar Pandey and Ors. v. Gulbahar Sheikh and Ors.
.
735
736 SUPREME COURT REPORTS j2004] 3 S.C.R.
A Leave granted.
Plaintiff-appellants filed a suit under Section 6 of the Specific Relief
Act 1963 (hereinafter referred to as the "Act') complaining of their
dispossession of immovable property otherwise than in due course of law by
the respondents. The suit was contested. Evidenc~. oral and documentary,
B was adduced. The trial Court found the plaintiff-appellants entitled to a decree
and hence decreed the suit.
The defendant-respondents filed a revision under Section 115 of Code
of Civil Procedure, 1908 (hereinafter 'the Code', for short). The revision has
been allowed and the suit filed by the plaintiff-appellants directed to be
C dismissed. Feeling aggrieved, the plaintiffs have come up in appeal by special
leave.
A suit under Section 6 of the Act is often called a summary suit inasmuch
as the enquiry in the suit under Section 6 is confined to firiding out the
D possession and dispossession within a period of six months from the date of
the institution of the suit ignoring the question of title. Sub-Section (3) of
Section 6 provides that no appeal shall lie from any order or decree passed
in any suit instituted under this Section. No review of any such order or
decree is permitted. The remedy of a person unsuccessful in a suit under
Section 6 of the Act is to file a regular suit establishing his title to the suit
E property and in the event of his succeeding he will be entitled to recover
possession of the property notwithstanding the adverse decision under Section
6 of the Act. Thus, as against a decision under Section 6 of the Act, the
remedy of unsuccessful party is to file a suit based on title. The remedy of
filing a revision is available but that is only by way of an exception; for the
F High Court would not interfere with a decree or order under Section 6 of the
Act except on a case for interference being made out within the well settled
parameters of the exercise of revisional jurisdiction under Section 115 of the
Code.
A perusal of the order of the High Court shows that the High Court has
G for the purpose of reversing the decree of the trial Court relied on the oral
statements ofNatai Sheikh, PW-3 and Ram Sevak Ram, PW-5. One sentence
each from the two depositions has been extracted and set out by the High
Court in its order for the purpose of forming an opinion that they are not the
plaintiffs but the defendants who were in possession of the suit property
before six months from the date of the institution of the suit. The High Court
H has not looked into all the material available on record and has also not
' "
S.K. PANDEY L GULBAHAR SHEIKH 737
indicated clearly the availability of any of the grounds within the parameters A
of Section 115 of the Code so as to exercise revisional jurisdiction calling for
reversal of the decision of the trial Court under Section 6 of the Act. The
revision filed before the High Court cannot be said to have been satisfactorily
disposed of.
The appeal is allowed. The impugned order of the High Court is set B
aside. The civil revision in the High Court shall stand restored to file for
hearing and decision afresh in accordance with law. No order as to the costs
in this appeal.
Parties, through their respective counsel, are directed to appear before
the High Court on 17th May, 2004. C
R.P. Appeal allowed.