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1977 DIGILAW 90 (KAR)

VENKATARAMANA SUBRAYA BHAT v. THIMMAPPA VENKATARAMAN HEGDE

1977-03-23

K.J.SHETTY

body1977
( 1 ) THE order allowing an amendment to the decree in OS. 143157 on the file of the Prl Munsiff, Sirsi, is the subject matter of this revision petitic under Section 115 of the Code of Civil Procedure. ( 2 ) THE matter arises in this way: One Venkataramana Hegde, father of the respondents, filed OS. 143/57 to recover a sum of Rs. 25,000 from the petitioners. The suit was decreed and, during the execution of the decree, there was a compromise to pay the decretal amount by instalments. The parties also agreed that the decree should be amended as per the terms thereof. The judgment-debtors appear to have paid some amount as per the instalments agreed upon. The respondents, before me, are the legal representatives of the decree-holder. To recover the balance, they filed an application for execution of the decree. The Court, then, said that unless the decree is amended as per the terms of the compromise, they cannot maintain the execution petition. So, the respondents filed another application under Ss. 151 and 152 of the CPC to amend the decree. That application has been allowed by the Court. Hence, this revision petition. ( 3 ) COUNSEL for the petitioner urged before me that the Court has no jurisdiction to amend the decree as per the terms of the compromise. ( 4 ) IN order to appreciate the contention, it is necessary to re fer to the relevant provisions relating to the amendment of a decree. When once the decree is made and signed, it shall not be altered or added to, save as provided by Section 152 of the CPC or on review. (See order XX, Rule 3 of the CPC ). Of course, if the decree drafted is not in accordance with the judgment pronounced, the Court can always amend the decree so as to bring it in conformity with the judgment because order XX, Rule 6 cf the CPC provides for such a remedy. Under S. 152 of the CPC, the Court can correct the mistakes like clerical or arithmetical or any errors arsing thereon. But while so correcting, the court has no power to amend the decree contrary to the judgment. Under S. 152 of the CPC, the Court can correct the mistakes like clerical or arithmetical or any errors arsing thereon. But while so correcting, the court has no power to amend the decree contrary to the judgment. Under Order XX, Rule 11 (1) of the CPC, the Court may, for any sufficient reason, incorporate in the decree, after hearing such of the parties who had appeared personally or by pleader at the last hearing, before judgment, an order that payment of the amount decreed shall be postponed or shall be made by instalments with or without interest, notwithstanding anything contained in the contract under which the money is payable. But, after the decree is made, the parties cannot have the payment of the decretal amount by instalments without mutual consent. Order XX, Rule 11 (2) of the Code of Civil Procedure provides" After the passing of any such decree the Court may, on the application of the judgment-debtor and with the consent of the decree-holder, order that payment of the amount decreed shall be postponed or shall be made by instalments on such terms as to the payment of interest, the attachment of the property of the judgment-debtor, or the taking of security from him, or otherwise, as it thinks fit. "it is seen from the above provisions that after the decree is made, if the parties agree that the Amount decreed shall be paid by instalments, it could be accepted by the Court. ( 5 ) NOW, turning to the facts of the present case, it may be seen that the compromise entered into by the parties, in the course of the execution, was valid and there is no complaint that the Court has no jurisdiction to record the compromise. The parties also agreed that the decree should be amended according to the terms of the compromise. The consent of the parties having been thus obtained, the Court could amend the decree in accordance with the terms of the compromise and that is what has been done in the present case. There is, therefore, no error of jurisdiction calling for interference, ( 6 ) IN the result, the petition fails and is dismissed. No costs. --- *** --- .