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Dhanraj Sitaramji Ghatbanbe Vs Chunnibhai Chaganlal Mansatha

Case No: Civil Revision Applan. No. 788 of 1985

Date of Decision: Jan. 20, 1986

Acts Referred: Civil Procedure Code, 1908 (CPC) — Section 151#Provincial Small Cause Courts Act, 1887 — Section 15

Hon'ble Judges: H.W. Dhabee, J

Bench: Single Bench

Advocate: C.W. Moharir, for the Appellant; S.W. Ghate, for the Respondent

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Judgement

@JUDGMENTTAG-ORDER

1. A short question which is raised for consideration inthis revision by the revision applicant is whether the Small Cause Court had jurisdiciton

todirect him to grant his consent and further to direct the Nagpur Corporation authorities to restore the water Supply of the non applicant/tenant.

2. Briefly the facts are that plaintiff is the landlord of the suit premises. He filed the suit for egectment of certain water charges and for damages

againt the defendant who occupied the suit premsies as his tenant. During the pendency of the suit before the Court of Small Causes th water

connection of the defendant was disconnected bythe corporation for non-payment of water charges. He filed an applicatioin Exh. 24 in the Court

of the Small Causes to direct the plaintiff/landlord to give his consent and to direct the corporation authorities to restore the water supply to the

defendant at is have cost even though the plaintiff might not have granted his conssnt. The plaintiff opposed the said application of the

defendant/tenant on the ground the that court of Small Causes has ;not jurisdiciton to give any such directions to him, The learned court of Small

Causes, however, held that it has power topass such an order undr S. 151 of the Civil P. C. (forshort ""CPC"") He therefore, directed the plaintiff

togive his consent. He further directed that if the plaintiff does not give his consent still without waiting for his consent the Nagpur Corporation

authorities houle restore the water suply to the defendant/tenant at his costss on the basis of the order. He also directed that the plaintiff/landlord

whould not obstruct in the process otherwise than by due course of law. Being aggrived the plaintiff/landlord has preferred the instant revision in

the court.

3. The learned counsel for the plaintiff has urged before me theat the nature of relief claimed bythe defendant/tenant was in the nature of he

mandatory injunction as well as a prohibitory order also. According tohim a suit toobtain injunction was barred from the jurisdiction of the Court of

Small Causes by virtue of tiem 17 of the Second Schedult of the Provincial Small Cause Courts Act, 1887. His submission therefore, is that if no

to suit of obtain injunction could lie in the Court of Small Causes the said Court could not exercise any power under S. 151 of the CPC to pall any

orders in the nature of an injunction. The learned counselforthe defendant/tenant has however supported the impugned order under the inherent

powers of the Court under S. 151 of the CPC for which reliances is placed upona decision of the Supreme Court int;he case of Manohar Lal

Chopra Vs. Rai Bahadur Rao Raja Seth Hiralal,

4. In my view, the decision of the supreme Court relied uponby the defendant/tenant is of no assistance to him in the facts of te instant case. In the

said case the Supreme Court was concerned with the power of the Regular civil Couurt under S. 151 of the CPC to issue injurinctions in cases

notcovered by O. XXXIX, c. 1 and 2 of the CPC It may be sern that the regular Civil Court had power to issue injuncations and , therefore, in

cases not covered by XXXIX, Re, 1 and 2 of the CPC it is no to it toexercise its inherent power under 151 of the CPC such is not the case

............ the Court of Small Causes is concerned may be seen that the Court of Small Causes Court of limited jurisdictino S. 15(1) of Provicial

Small Cause Courses Act exclued certain suits form the jurisdic on the Courts of Smal Court I, e. suits which are specified in the Second Schedule

of the above Act. As already pointed out item 17 of ;the Second Schedule of the above Act excludes the jurisdiction of the Small Cause Court in

regard toa suit to obtain an injunction.

4A. It cannot be disputed that the nature of direction claimed bythe defendant/ tenant by his application Exh. 24 is a direction inth enature of a

mandatory injuncation. Further the impugned order of the learned trial Court would show that it has also issued a prohibitory order against the

plaintiff topreveent him form obstruction the process otherwise than in due course of law. No suit to claim such reliefs could lie before the Court of

Small Causes ;because of the express exclusion in item 17 of the Second Schedule. It there is not substantive power tot he Court of Small Causes

to grant injunctionas such suits were exempoted form its cognizance it was not opentoits toexercise the said power by recourse to S. 151 of the

CPC Section 151 of the CPC postualtes that the court has power to gant such a relief. It there is no power to grant such a relief S. 151 cannot

assist the Court to creact such a power. In other words the powers which are specifically barred by the Second Schedule of ;the above Act

cannot be exercised by the Court of Small Causes under S. 151 of the CPC. The above contention raised on behalf of the plaintiff is therefore,

well-founded and has tobe accepted.

5. The learned counsel for the defendant has, however, informed me that before the interim order of stay was communicated to the defendant his

water supply was restored by the Nagpur Corporation. The learned counsel for the plaintiff has agreed that the watere supply ofhe defendant

which is now resported would lnot be interfered with by him because of the setting aside of the impugned order of the learned trail court.

6. In the result. The instant revision is allowed. The impugned order of the learened trial Court is set aside. However, the plaintiff shallnot interfer

with the water supply of the defendant already restored to him by reason of the fact that the impugned order of the learned trial Court is set aside.

Costs of the revision are saddled upon the defendant.

7. Revision allowed.