Research › Browse › Judgment

Kerala High Court · body

1998 DIGILAW 617 (KER)

Immanuel v. Mathew

1998-12-23

A.R.LAKSHMANAN, K.NARAYANA KURUP

body1998
Judgment :- AR. Lakshmanan, J. Heard Mr. P.V. Baby appearing for the appellant. This appeal is directed against the judgment of C.S. Rajan, J. in O.P. No. 20715 of 1998 dated 27th November, 1998. The appellant filed the said Original Petition for quashing Ext. P9 order passed by the Revenue Divisional Officer, Palai, which is a conditional order passed under S.133(1) of the Code of Criminal Procedure. The appellant moved an application for injunction before the Munsiff s Court, Pala as O.S.258/98. The learned Munsiff, after hearing both parties, passed an order dated 21 st August, 1998, that is after the conditional order passed by the Revenue Divisional Officer, directing to maintain status quo as seen by the Commissioner's report dated 8.6.98 until the disposal of the suit. The suit itself was filed for a permanent prohibitory injunction restraining the defendants and their man or agents to enter into the plaint schedule property nor demolishing the boundary wall, destroying the valuable improvements or to construct any road. I. A. No. 1302 of 1998 was filed for temporary injunction. A caveat was filed by the defendants/respondents herein. Upon hearing both parties and upon perusal of the records the learned Munsiff came to the conclusion that the appellant herein is the owner in possession of only a small plot of land he has put up a residential building there and has also constructed walls. The learned Munsiff, therefore, ordered to maintain status quo. The appellant filed the present Original Petition to quash Ext. P9 order of the Revenue Divisional Officer and also for a writ of prohibition restraining the Revenue Divisional Officer from proceeding in any manner on Ext. P7 petition submitted by respondents 1 to 17 in the Original Petition. 2. A counter affidavit was filed by the respondents. The learned single judge, by the judgment impugned in this appeal, dismissed the Original Petition on the ground that the appellant has filed the suit after the passing of Ext. P9 order and obtained an order of status quo. Under the circumstances, the learned single judge held that the challenge against Ext. P9 cannot at all be countenanced. Aggrieved by the said judgment, the petitioner in the Original Petition has filed this appeal. 3. P9 order and obtained an order of status quo. Under the circumstances, the learned single judge held that the challenge against Ext. P9 cannot at all be countenanced. Aggrieved by the said judgment, the petitioner in the Original Petition has filed this appeal. 3. The respondents 1 to 17 herein filed a petition before the 18th respondent Revenue Divisional Officer under S.133 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, copy of which is produced in the Original Petition as Ext. P7. The Revenue Divisional Officer passed Ext. P9 conditional order under S.133(1) of the Code directing the opposite parties viz. the appellant herein and 17 others to remove the obstruction made by him and allowed the petitioners in M.C. 41 of 1998 before the Revenue Divisional Officer to enter tractors and tillers into the paddy field within seven days of receipt of Ext. P9, which is dated 15th June, 1998. 4. The Order Ext. P9 now passed is only a conditional order. On receipt of a conditional order under S.133, the party against whom the order is issued has a right to appear before the Revenue Divisional Officer and deny the existence of a public right in respect of the place in question and adduce evidence in support of such denial, and if he does so, the Magistrate, before proceeding under S.138, has to inquire into the matter. If in such inquiry the Magistrate finds that there is any reliable evidence in support of such denial, he shall stay the proceedings until the matter of the existence of such right has been decided by the competent Court. If he finds that there is no such evidence, he can proceed under S.138. The appellant, without resorting to such remedy under S.137 of the Code, has rushed to this Court straight away and filed a writ petition to quash Ext. P9. It is also open to the appellant to produce before the Revenue Divisional Officer the order passed by the Civil Court ordering status quo. The Revenue Divisional Officer is bound to enquire into the matter and pass appropriate orders in accordance with law. P9. It is also open to the appellant to produce before the Revenue Divisional Officer the order passed by the Civil Court ordering status quo. The Revenue Divisional Officer is bound to enquire into the matter and pass appropriate orders in accordance with law. If the Revenue Divisional Officer finds in the enquiry under S.137 that there is reliable evidence in support of the denial of the existence of any public right in respect of the place in question, he is bound to stay the proceedings until the matter of the existence of such public right has been decided by a competent Court. The civil court has now ordered to maintain status quo by both the parties. In view of the denial by the appellant herein of the existence of any public right, the 18th respondent Revenue Divisional Officer has to proceed with the enquiry under S.137 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. Then only he can pass any order under S.138 of the Code. In such enquiry the appellant can produce evidence in support of his denial and establish his case. There is no merit in this writ appeal and the same is accordingly dismissed. C.M.P.No. 7415 of 1998 also stands dismissed.