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1979 DIGILAW 192 (KER)

RADHAMONI v. SUGATHAN

1979-09-10

V.KHALID

body1979
Judgment :- 1. This Miscellaneous First Appeal which remains un-numbered raises a question as to the correct court fee payable in an appeal against an order passed in an application under S.13 of the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955. The Court-fee paid in the court below is Rs. 30/-, under Art.1 (vi) of of Schedule II of the Kerala Court Fees and Suits Valuation Act, 1959. In the appeal, the court-fee paid is Rs. 5/-. The office has objected to this and has pointed out that the court-fee payable in appeal is also Rs. 30/- as is provided under S.52 of the Court Fees Act. 2. The appellant's counsel points out that court-fee is payable in an appeal in such cases is only Rs. 5/-and for this purpose relies upon Art.3 (iii) (A) (1) (b) of Schedule II, which reads: "3. Memorandum of Appeal from an order inclusive of an order determining any question under S.47 or S.144 of the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908, and not otherwise provided for when presented x x x x (iii) to the High Court (A) from an order other than an order under the Kerala Agriculturists' Debt Relief Act, 1959. (1) Where the order was passed by a subordinate Court or other authority x x x x (b) In any other case five rupees." This argument is defective because it overlooks the use of the expression "memorandum of appeal from an order". S.13 of the Hindu Marriage Act deals with an application for divorce and it provides that on a petition presented either by the husband or the wife, any marriage solemnised may be dissolved by a 'decree'. on the grounds specified therein. It is therefore clear that an order passed in an application filed under S.13 of the Hindu Marriage Act is a decree for all purposes. It is not a decree by any local fiction or by a deeming provision. The statute itself lays down that the order to be passed shall be a decree. If this is borne-in-mind, then there is no difficulty in holding that S.52 of the Court Fees Act should apply and the fee payable in appeal shall be the same as the fee that would be payable in the Court of the first instance. 3. The statute itself lays down that the order to be passed shall be a decree. If this is borne-in-mind, then there is no difficulty in holding that S.52 of the Court Fees Act should apply and the fee payable in appeal shall be the same as the fee that would be payable in the Court of the first instance. 3. The appellant's counsel sought support for his contention from a judgment of this court rendered by Krishna Iyer J., reported in Mukundan v. Nalini (1971 KLT. 743). Considering the question of court-fee in an appeal filed against orders under S.10A and 10B of the Madras Marumakkathayam Act, 1933, the learned judge held that the nominal court-fee as provided in Art.11 (g) or Art.3 (iii) (A) (1) (b) of Schedule II of the Act was sufficient. With great respect, I agree. However, the difference between the Madras Marumakkathayam Act and the Hindu Marriage Act has to be borne in mind while appreciating the principle laid down in the above decision. Unlike S.13 which provides that orders under that section shall be decrees, S.10C of the Madras Marumakkathayam Act does not lay down that the orders under S.10A and 10B are decrees. S.10C reads as follows: 10-C. All orders made by the Court in any proceeding under S.10A or S.10B Shall be enforced in like manner as a decree of the Court made in the exercise of the original civil jurisdiction is enforced and may be appealed from under any law for the time being in force." It is thus clear that S.10C only provides that the enforcement of the orders passed under S.10A and 10B shall be in like manner as a decree of the Court. For the purpose of execution alone, the orders under S.10A or 10B are deemed to be decrees; in the same manner as orders of rent control court, which are not by themselves decrees, are exalted to the position of decrees only Tor the purpose of execution. 4. The decision reported in AIR. 1959 Patna 186 which was noted with approval by Krishna Iyer J., in Mukundan v. Nalini (1971 KLT. 743) was relied upon. In that case, a Division Bench of the Patna High Court was considering the court-fee payable on an application under S.13 of the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955. It was held that the court-fee payable in appeal is the fixed lesser amount. 743) was relied upon. In that case, a Division Bench of the Patna High Court was considering the court-fee payable on an application under S.13 of the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955. It was held that the court-fee payable in appeal is the fixed lesser amount. The principle enunciated there cannot be adopted in this case since it was conceded there that the court-fees on an application under S.13 of the Hindu Marriage Act were not otherwise provided for by the Court Fees Act. It was therefore held that an application under S.13 required to be stamped only as a petition. In the instant case, there is specific provision for payment of court-fee in an application under S.13. The above decision cannot therefore help the appellant,. I hold that that the court-fee payable in this case is the same as is payable in the court below. Time for payment of Court-fee till 4-10-1979.