Saminatha Pilllai And Another v. Rajagopala Mudaliar And Another

Saminatha Pilllai And Another v. Rajagopala Mudaliar And Another

(High Court Of Judicature At Madras)

Civil Revision Petition No. 81 & 267 Of 1920 | 18-10-1920

This suit was brought by the plaintiff who alleged that he and Rajagopal Mudali were trustees of the property in dispute. The plaintiff died, and the question now before us is whether Rajagopal Mudali was rightly allowed by the District Munsif to conduct the suit as plaintiff, by transferring him from the list of defendants to the position of a plaintiff. O. 22, R. 3 does not in terms apply but there can be no question here that the right to sue was jointly in the plaintiff and the petitioner in the lower Court. On the death of the plaintiff that right vested in the petitioner in the lower Court, and he is entitled to conduct the suit.

As R. 3 of O. 22, does not apply, it cannot be said to have abated within the meaning of that rule. Art. 176 of the Limitation Act would not apply but the article that would be applicable is Art. 18

1. The contingency such as happened in this suit is not expressly and specifically dealt with, by the Code of Civil Procedure. There can be no doubt that the Court has the power of transposing the defendant as the plaintiff, in the circumstances disclosed in this case. O. 1, R. 11, gives general power to the Court to give the conduct of the suit to such persons as it deems proper, and the present would be eminently a fit case for the exercise of that power.

We therefore dismiss both the Revision Petitions with costs.

Advocate List
Bench
  • HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE ABDUR RAHIM
  • HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SADASIVA AIYAR
Eq Citations
  • (1921) 40 MLJ 208
  • 1921 MWN 108
  • 62 IND. CAS. 360
  • AIR 1921 MAD 124
  • LQ/MadHC/1920/292
Head Note

Civil Procedure Code, 1908 — Or. 22 R. 3 — Substitution of plaintiff — Death of plaintiff — Plaintiff and defendant being jointly entitled to sue — On death of plaintiff, defendant entitled to conduct suit as plaintiff — Limitation Act, 1908 — Arts. 176 and 181