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1908 DIGILAW 30 (MAD)

Bahubalendrani Guruvaraju v. Bahubalendrani Chandrasakara Raju by guardian Gopinatha Tripathi

1908-02-19

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JUDGMENT 1. It is urged that there is no appeal in this case under Section 19 of the Succession Certificate Act from the order of the Agent to the Governor at Vizagapatam, as it is contended that the Agent is not a District Court and the decision in Chakrapani v. Varahalamma I.L.R. (1894) M. p. 227 is referred to. Mr. Thiruvenkata Chariar has, however, very properly called our attention to the definition of District Judge in the General Clauses Act, 1868, which was in force in 1880 when the Succession Certificate Act was passed. 2. In Section 2(12) "District Judge" is denned as the Judge of a Principal Civil Court of Original Jurisdiction. 3. We think under Section 3 of the Act XXIV of 1839 and Rule X, Clause 4, of the Rules framed pursuant to that Act, the Agent is the Judge of the Principal Civil Court of Original Jurisdiction in the Agency. In Section 3 of the Succession Certificate Act "District Court" is denned as a Court presided over by a District Judge. Consequently, under Section 19, Succession Certificate Act, an appeal lies from the Agents order as from an order of a District Court. 4. In Chakrapani v. Varahalamma I.L.R. (1894) M. p. 227 this provision of the General Clauses Act appears to have been overlooked, and we are unable to follow it. The objection must be overruled. 5. As to the merits in order to ascertain the title of the petitioner it would have been necessary for the Agent to go into the pedigree filed by the petitioner as supplemental to his petition in accordance with the Agents direction. 6. This would have involved a lengthy and complicated inquiry, and we think, under these circumstances, the Agent was justified in not going into the pedigree and dismissing the petition. 7. The appeal is dismissed with costs.