AGNIGUNDALA VENKATA RANGA RAO Vs INDUKURU RAMCHANDRA REDDY(DEAD) BY LRS. .
Bench: ABHAY MANOHAR SAPRE,NAVIN SINHA
Case number: C.A. No.-005817-005817 / 2012
Diary number: 21257 / 2012
Advocates: SRIDHAR POTARAJU Vs
C. S. N. MOHAN RAO
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REPORTABLE
IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA
CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION
CIVIL APPEAL No.5817 OF 2012
Agnigundala Venkata Ranga Rao ….Appellant(s)
VERSUS
Indukuru Ramachandra Reddy (Dead) by LRs. & Ors. .…Respondent(s)
J U D G M E N T
Abhay Manohar Sapre, J.
1) This appeal by certificate is filed by the
plaintiff against the final judgment and order dated
28.10.2011 of the High Court of Judicature, Andhra
Pradesh at Hyderabad in Appeal Suit No.4141 of
2003 whereby the High Court allowed the appeal
preferred by the defendants(respondents herein)
and reversed the final judgment and decree dated
22.09.2003 of the Additional Senior Civil Judge,
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Narasaraopet in Original Suit No. 98 of 1998.
2) In order to appreciate the issue involved in the
appeal, which lies in a narrow compass, it is
necessary to state few relevant facts taken from the
appeal paper books.
3) The appellant is the plaintiff whereas the
respondents are the defendants in the civil suit out
of which this appeal arises.
4) The subject matter of this appeal is an
agriculture land measuring Ac.13.38 cents in
Survey No. 436 and Ac. 9.38 cents in Survey No.
826 (total land-22 acres 76 cents) situated in
-Agnigundala Village of Ipur Mandal, District
Guntur Andhra Pradesh (hereinafter referred to as
the "suit land”).
5) The appellant owned several acres of
agriculture lands, which also included the suit land.
The Andhra Pradesh Land Reforms (Ceiling on
Agricultural Holdings) Act, 1973 (for short, “the
Act”) was enacted on 01.01.1973. It came into force
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on 01.01.1975. The appellant being a "person" as
defined under Section 3(o) of the Act and was
holding the land in excess of the limits prescribed
under the Act filed a declaration in respect of his
holding before the Tribunal as required under
Section 7 of the Act. During the pendency of his
case before the Tribunal, the appellant sold the suit
land vide sale deed dated 16.07.1975 to the
respondents. The sale deed, inter alia, recited that
the appellant has also delivered possession of the
suit land to the respondents. Respondent No. 1 then
mortgaged the suit land along with his other lands
to the State Bank of India and obtained loan
wherein the appellant had stood as the guarantor.
6) The Tribunal, on 21.08.1976, passed an order
in CC No.2311/VKD/75 under Section 7 of the Act
and held inter alia that the appellant was holding
the land in excess of the limits prescribed in the
Act. It was further held that so far as the transfer of
the suit land made by the appellant in favour of the
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respondents vide sale deed dated 16.07.1975 is
concerned, the same was void because it was
effected by the appellant after the Act had come into
force which was prohibited under Section 7(2) read
with Section 17 of the Act. The appellant was,
therefore, directed to surrender the excess land held
by him in favour of the State as provided in the Act.
7) In 1995-1998, i.e., almost after 2 decades from
the date of the order of the Tribunal (21.08.1976),
another litigation began between the appellant and
the respondents in relation to the suit land. This
was under the provisions of the Andhra Pradesh
Rights in Land and Pattadar Pass Books Act, 1971
(for short, "the Act of 1971 ") wherein the issue was
whose name - the appellant or the respondents be
entered in the Pass Book in relation to the suit land
as Pattadar. This litigation ended in appellant's
favour by the orders of the revisionary Court.
8) On 29.10.1998, i.e., almost after 22 years from
the date of the Tribunal’s order (21.08.1976) the
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appellant filed a civil suit (O.S.No. 98/1998) against
the respondents before the Additional Senior Civil
Judge, Narsaraopet out of which this appeal arises.
The suit was for permanent injunction in relation to
the suit land against the respondents. It was
essentially founded on the allegations that the
appellant is the owner of the suit land to the
exclusion of all persons including the respondents,
who have no right to interfere in the appellant's
possession over the suit land. It was averred that
the appellant has been and continues to remain in
possession of the suit land and since the
respondents are threatening the appellant to
dispossess him from the suit land, hence he was
constrained to file the civil suit seeking permanent
injunction against the respondents restraining them
from interfering in appellant’s peaceful possession
over the suit land.
9) The respondents filed written statement. They
denied the appellant's claim and set up a title in
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themselves over the suit land. It was contended
that the respondents purchased the suit land from
the appellant vide sale deed dated 16.07.1975 and
since then they have been in its possession. It was
contended that the respondents on purchase of the
suit land obtained the loan from S.B.I and
mortgaged it with the Bank by way of security for
the loan taken. It was also contended that the
appellant is estopped from raising any contention
once he sold the suit land to the respondents and
stake any claim over the suit land.
10) The Trial Court, on the basis of pleadings,
framed two issues viz., (1) whether the plaintiff
(appellant) is in lawful possession of the suit land;
and (2) whether the plaintiff (appellant) is entitled
for injunction as prayed for?
11) The Trial Court vide judgment/decree dated
22.09.2003 decreed the plaintiff's suit. It was held
that the sale made by the appellant to the
respondent of the suit land vide sale deed dated
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16.07.1975 (Ex-B-1) is null and void being in
contravention of Section 17 of the Act. It was held
that such sale, even if made, did not convey any
right, title and interest in respondents’ favour. It
was further held that the plaintiff is in lawful
possession of the suit land as he was able to prove
his actual possession on the basis of evidence
adduced by him and hence was entitled to seek
permanent injunction against the respondents
restraining the respondents not to dispossess the
appellant from the suit land.
12) Felt aggrieved, the defendants (respondents)
filed first appeal before the High Court. By
impugned judgment and order, the Single Judge of
the High Court allowed the appeal and while setting
aside the judgment/decree of the Trial Court
dismissed the suit. The plaintiff (respondent before
the High Court) then orally prayed to the Single
Judge to grant leave to file appeal to this Court
(Supreme Court) as provided under Article 134-A(b)
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of the Constitution. The Single Judge granted
"leave" to the plaintiff as prayed. This is how this
appeal is brought before this Court on the strength
of the certificate granted by the High Court.
13) Heard Mr. V.V.S.Rao, learned senior counsel
for the appellant and Mr. B. Adinarayana Rao,
learned senior counsel for the respondents. We also
perused the written submissions filed by the
parties.
14) Learned senior counsel for the appellant
(plaintiff), while assailing the legality and
correctness of the impugned judgment, contended
that the High Court (Single Judge) erred in reversing
the judgment/decree passed by the Trial Court. The
submission of the learned counsel, in substance,
was that the judgment of the Trial Court, which had
rightly decreed the appellant’s suit, should be
restored. It is this submission, which learned
counsel elaborated by pointing out various
provisions of the two Acts and the exhibits and
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findings of the two courts below.
15) In reply, learned senior counsel for the
respondents supported the impugned judgment and
contended that no case is made out to interfere in
the impugned order and hence appeal deserves to
be dismissed.
16) Before we consider the merits of the case, it is
apposite to deal with one question which though
arises, was not argued by pointing out the relevant
provisions governing the question.
17) As mentioned above, this appeal is filed on a
certificate granted by the High Court (Single Judge)
on the oral application made by the appellant
immediately after the pronouncement of the
impugned judgment as provided under Article
134-A of the Constitution. The order granting
certificate is a part of the impugned judgment in its
concluding Para which reads thus:
“Learned counsel for the respondent seeks leave of this Court to prefer an appeal against this judgment.
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Accordingly, leave is granted.”
18) What is the true interpretation of Articles 133
and 134-A of the Constitution and who can grant
the certificate of fitness to appeal to the Supreme
Court remains no more res integra. It is settled by
the decision of this Court in State Bank of India &
Anr. Vs. S.B.I. Employees’ Union & Anr., 1987 (4)
SCC 370.
19) The facts of this case and the one involved in
the SBI case (supra) are somewhat similar wherein
Their Lordships examined the issue as to whether
the certificate granted by the High Court (Single
Judge) satisfied the requirements contained in
Articles 133 and 134-A. Justice Venkataramiah (as
His Lordship then was and later became CJI)
speaking for the Bench held thus:
2. The certificate contemplated under Article 134-A of the Constitution can only be a certificate which is referred to in clause (1) of Article 132 or in clause (1) of Article 133 or in sub-clause (c) of clause (1) of Article 134 of the Constitution. This is quite obvious from the language of Article 134-A of the
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Constitution. This case does not fall either under Article 132(1) or under sub-clause (c) of Article 134(1) as it neither involves a substantial question of law as to the interpretation of the Constitution nor it is a criminal proceeding. It can only fall, if at all, under Article 133(1) of the Constitution. Article 133 of the Constitution reads thus:
“133. (1) An appeal shall lie to the Supreme Court from any judgment, decree or final order in a civil proceeding of a High Court in the territory of India if the High Court certifies under Article 134-A— (a) that the case involves a substantial question of law of general importance; and (b) that in the opinion of the High Court the said question needs to be decided by the Supreme Court. (2) Notwithstanding anything in Article 132, any party appealing to the Supreme Court under clause (1) may urge as one of the grounds in such appeal that a substantial question of law as to the interpretation of this Constitution has been wrongly decided. (3) Notwithstanding anything in this article, no appeal shall, unless Parliament by law otherwise provides, lie to the Supreme Court from the judgment, decree or final order of one judge of a High Court.”
3. Clause (3) of Article 133 says that notwithstanding anything in that article no appeal shall, unless Parliament by law otherwise provides, lie to the Supreme Court from the judgment, decree or final order of one judge of the High Court. Before the introduction of Article 134-A of the
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Constitution by the Forty-fourth Amendment of the Constitution there was no express provision in Articles 132, 133 and 134 of the Constitution regarding the time and manner in which an application for a certificate under any of those articles could be made before the High Court. There was also a doubt as to the power of the High Court to issue a certificate suo motu under any of those articles. Article 134-A was enacted to make good the said deficiencies. Article 134-A does not constitute an independent provision under which a certificate can be issued. It is ancillary to Article 132(1), Article 133(1) and Article 134(1)(c) of the Constitution. That is the reason for the use of words “if the High Court certifies under Article 134-A” in Article 132(1) and Article 133(1) and for the use of the words certifies under Article 134-A in Article 134(1)(c). The High Court can issue a certificate only when it is satisfied that the conditions in Article 132 or Article 133 or Article 134 of the Constitution as the case may be are satisfied. In the instant case such a certificate could not have been issued by reason of clause (3) of Article 133 of the Constitution by the learned Single Judge.
4. The fact that in a similar case a certificate had been issued by a Division Bench of the High Court consisting of two judges in a case decided by the Division Bench did not empower the Single Judge to issue the certificate under Article 133(1) of the Constitution in a case decided by him. The restriction placed by clause (3) of Article 133 of the Constitution could not be got over by relying upon the order of the Division Bench.
5. We, therefore, revoke the certificate. This petition of appeal may, however, be treated as a special leave petition under Article 136 of the Constitution and posted for preliminary hearing.”
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20) In our considered opinion, the law laid down in
S.B.I case (supra) would squarely apply to the case
at hand because in the instant case also, the
impugned judgment and the certificate of fitness to
file an appeal was passed by the Single Judge of
the High Court.
21) As held in S.B.I. case, such certificate/leave
could not have been issued/granted by the Single
Judge by reason of clause (3) of Article 133 of the
Constitution. In other words, the Single Judge of
the High Court had no jurisdiction to grant
certificate in the light of restrictions contained in
clause (3) of Article 133 of the Constitution.
22) We, therefore, revoke the certificate granted by
the Single Judge of the High Court. However, this
appeal is treated as a special leave petition under
Article 136 of the Constitution as was done by this
Court in S.B.I case (supra). Leave is accordingly
granted.
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23) Coming now to the merits of the case, the
short question, which arises for consideration in
this appeal and which was also debated before the
two Courts below, is who was in possession of the
suit land- the appellant or the respondents on the
date of filing of the suit and whether the appellant
(plaintiff) was entitled to claim permanent
injunction against the respondents(defendants) in
relation to the suit land.
24) The Trial Court held the appellant (plaintiff) to
be in possession of the suit land and accordingly
granted permanent injunction restraining the
respondents (defendants) from interfering in the
appellant's possession over the suit land whereas
the High Court in an appeal filed by the
respondents reversed the finding of the Trial Court
and dismissed the suit giving rise to filing of this
appeal by the plaintiff on certificate.
25) One cannot dispute the legal proposition being
well settled that the question as to who is in
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possession of the suit property is essentially a
question of fact. Such question is required to be
decided on appreciation of evidence adduced by the
parties in support of their respective contentions.
Once the Trial Court renders a finding either way
and the same is then appreciated by the first
appellate Court in exercise of its appellate
jurisdiction, such finding is usually held binding on
the second appellate Court and this Court.
26) It is only when such finding of fact is found to
be against the pleading or evidence or any provision
of law or when it is found to be so perverse or/and
arbitrary to the extent that no judicial person of an
average capacity can ever record, the same would
not be binding on the higher Courts and may in
appropriate case call for interference.
27) Coming to the facts of the case, we are of the
considered opinion, that the appellant (plaintiff)
simply abused the process of law in filing the suit
for permanent injunction in relation to the suit land
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against the respondents. The suit, in our opinion,
was misconceived and deserved dismissal on facts
and in law on the grounds, which are indeed
apparent on the face of the record of the case as
mentioned below.
28) Firstly, the legal effect of the coming into force
of the Act was that on and after 01.01.1975 (notified
date), the appellant being the holder of agriculture
lands had no right to sell or/and transfer the suit
land whether for consideration or otherwise. In
other words, the sale/transfer of agriculture land by
the holder of the land was prohibited on and after
-01.01.1975 by virtue of the provisions of the Act. In
this view of the matter, the sale made by the
appellant vide sale deed dated 16.07.1975 in favour
of the respondents in relation to the suit land was
null and void.
29) Secondly, the Tribunal having rightly held in
the order dated 21.08.1976 that the sale deed dated
16.07.1975 executed by the appellant in favour of
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the respondents was null and void because it was
made in contravention of the provisions of the Act
and secondly, having held that the appellant's total
holding was in excess of the ceiling limits prescribed
in the Act, the suit land was not available to the
appellant for its disposal. Indeed its disposal could
be done only in accordance with the provisions of
the Act with the intervention of the State.
30) That apart, one of the legal effects that ensued
consequent upon passing of the order by the
Tribunal dated 21.08.1976 was that the character of
the suit land had changed. It was then in the nature
of "surrendered" or "deemed surrendered" land in
favour of the State as prescribed under Sections 10
and 11 and other related provisions of the Act.
31) Thirdly, the litigation, which had ensued
during 1995-98 between the appellant and the
respondents under "The Act of 1971" in relation to
the entries of their names in the revenue record
(Pass Book) pertaining to the suit land was neither
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of any consequence and nor was of any significance
and nor had any impact on the present litigation. It
was for the reason that Section 28 of the Act that
gives overriding effect to the provisions of the Act on
all those laws, which are inconsistent with the
provisions of the Act, had applied to this case. The
Act of 1971 is one such law and, therefore, any
order passed under the Act of 1971 in relation to
the suit land was of no avail to any party and nor it
could have been made basis for determining the
issue of possession of any party over the suit land
while considering the grant of injunction.
32) In other words, no benefit of the order(s), even
if passed, under the Act 1971 could be taken by the
parties either way against each other in these
proceedings by virtue of Section 28 of the Act.
Moreover, in our considered view, no proceedings
under the Act 1971 could either be initiated or be
pursued by the appellant/respondents in relation to
the suit land after the Act had come into force
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(01.01.1975). Even the proceedings under the Act of
1971 were subject to the final outcome of the
proceedings under the Act.
33) Fourthly, the appellant did not come to the
Civil Court with clean hands inasmuch as he
suppressed the material fact that he had already
sold the suit land much prior to filing of the Suit to
the respondents and, therefore, had no subsisting
interest in the suit land. Indeed filing of the civil
suit by the appellant (29.10.1998) almost after 22
years from the date of passing of the order by the
Tribunal (21.08.1976) was totally uncalled for. In
fact, it was a collusive suit filed to frustrate the
rights of the State which had accrued in State’s
favour in the suit land by virtue of the order dated
21.08.1976 read with the provisions of the Act.
Such frivolous suit, in our considered opinion,
deserved rejection at its threshold.
34) Fifthly, the Trial Court and the High Court
having held on the strength of Tribunal's finding
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recorded in the order 21.08.1976 which has
attained finality that the appellant was not the
owner of the suit land, the respondents too did not
acquire any right, title and interest in the suit land
through sale deed dated 16.07.1975. It being a
settled principle of law that a person can transfer
only those rights, which he has in the property and
cannot transfer any rights, which he does not have
would apply to this case.
35) In other words, when the appellant was
prohibited to transfer any of his rights, title and
interest in the suit land by virtue of the provisions
of the Act to any person - a fortiori, the respondents
too could not acquire any rights, title and interest in
the suit land through sale deed dated 16.07.1975
from the appellant and he too was, therefore, in the
same position like that of the appellant.
36) Seventhly, once the appellant's rights in the
suit land stood determined by the Tribunal vide its
order dated 21.08.1976 under the Act, there did not
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arise any occasion to hold the appellant to be in
“lawful possession" of the suit land on the date of
filing of the suit (29.10.98) for considering grant of
injunction over the suit land against the
respondents.
37) It is a settled principle of law that in order to
claim prohibitory (temporary or permanent)
injunction, it is necessary for the plaintiff to prima
facie prove apart from establishing other two
ingredients, namely, irreparable loss and injury that
his possession over the suit land is "legal". In this
case, it was not so and nor it could be for the simple
reason that as far back on 21.08.1976, the Tribunal
had already declared the land held by the plaintiff to
be in excess of the ceiling limits prescribed under
the Act. In these circumstances, the plaintiff was
neither holding the land nor could he be held to be
in its lawful possession so as to enable him to
exercise any ownership rights against any other
private party over the suit land. The appellant had
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then very limited rights left to exercise under the
Act in relation to the suit land and such rights were
available to him only against the State. Such is not
the case here.
38) Lastly, this being a simple suit for grant of
permanent injunction between the two private
parties in relation to the land which was subject
matter of the State Ceiling Laws, was liable to be
dismissed on the short ground apart from many
others as detailed above that any order that may be
passed by the Civil Court would adversely affect and
interfere in the rights of the State under the Act,
which had not been impleaded as party defendant.
39) Learned counsel for the appellant took us to
the various documents including orders of the
Revenue authorities to show that it was the plaintiff
who was in possession of the suit land on the date
of filing of the suit as was rightly held by the Trial
Court and, therefore, this Court should restore the
finding of the Trial Court.
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40) We are afraid we cannot re-appreciate the
documentary or/and oral evidence again in our
appellate jurisdiction. Firstly, it is not permissible
for want of any case made out to that effect and
secondly, it is not considered necessary in the light
of what we have held above.
41) Learned counsel for the appellant placed
reliance on several decisions in support of his
submission such as Nagubai Ammal & Ors. vs. B.
Shama Rao & Ors., AIR 1956 SC 593, Bhagwati
Prasad vs. Shri Chandramaul, AIR 1966 SC 735,
Pinninti Kishtamma & Ors. vs. Duvvada
Parasuram Chowdary & Ors. 2010 (2) SCC 452,
State of Tamil Nadu vs. Ramalinga Samigal
Madam, 1985 (4) SCC 10, Annamreddi Bodayya &
Anr. vs. Lokanarapu Ramaswamy(Dead) by L.Rs.
1984 Suppl SCC 391, Anathula Sudhakar vs. P.
Buchi Reddy(D) by L.Rs., 2008 (4) SCC 594,
Rajendra Singh & Ors. vs. State of U.P. & Ors.,
(1998) 7 SCC 654 and Karnail Singh vs. State of
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Haryana & Anr., (1995) Suppl(3) SCC 376. We have
perused these decisions and find no quarrel with
the general proposition of law laid down therein. In
our view, all the decisions cited are distinguishable
on facts and hence have no application to the facts
of this case.
42) It is pertinent to mention that in order to limit
filing of such frivolous suits by the private parties in
relation to agricultural land which are subjected to
the State ceiling laws, the State of M.P. amended
the Code of Civil Procedure by Act No. 29 of 1984
w.e.f. 14.8.84. By this State amendment, Rule 3-B
was added in Order 1 Rule 10 making it obligatory
upon the plaintiff to implead the State as party
defendant along with private party defendant in
every such suit. The amendment further provides
that so long as the plaintiff does not implead the
State as party defendant in the suit, the Court will
not proceed with the trial of the Suit. The object
behind introducing such amendment was to give
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notice to the State of filing of such suit by the
holder of the agricultural land which would enable
the State to defend their rights, which had accrued
in State's favour in the land under the Act.
43) In the absence of any such rule in operation in
the State of A.P., the State remained unnoticed of
the suit proceedings, which continued in Courts for
last more than two decades.
44) In view of foregoing discussion, we uphold the
conclusion arrived at by the High Court on our
reasoning given supra. As a consequence, the
appeal fails and is accordingly dismissed.
45) Before parting, we consider it apposite to state
that the appellant and the respondents made frantic
efforts to somehow retain the suit land to them and
keep the land away from the clutches of The Act.
With this aim in view, they got the suit land
involved in this litigation since 1976. All this was
done without notice to the State Authorities.
46) We, therefore, direct the Tribunal to take up
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the case of the appellant on its Board and pass
appropriate consequential order, if necessary under
the Act keeping in view the order dated 21.08.1976
of the Tribunal passed in CC No. 2311/VKD/75
and take all remedial steps as are necessary in
relation to the land held by the appellant including
the suit land.
47) Registry is directed to send a copy of this order
to the concerned Tribunal.
…... ……..................................J.
[ABHAY MANOHAR SAPRE]
………...................................J. [NAVIN SINHA]
New Delhi; April 13, 2017
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