BHARMAKKA BISTAPPA Vs. MALLAPPA FAKIRAPPA SHIRI

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The plaintiff, as the widow of the brother of one Chanbasappa who was a member of a Co-operative Society, brought this suit for a declaration that the award passed by the arbitrators, under the Co-operative Societies Act, was void and not binding on her. Chanbasappa died indebted to the Society described in the plaint, and the re-payment had been guaranteed by his two sureties. On a reference by the Registrar, the matter went before the arbitrators under Rules 28 and 29 framed under Section 43 of Act II of 1912. Proceedings were taken against the sons of the deceased debtor and the two sureties, and also the present plaintiff, describing her as one of the legal representatives of the principal debtor.

(2.) It is admitted that the plaintiff contended before the arbitrators that she was not the legal representative of the deceased debtor. In spite of that objection an award was passed against her. Any party, who is aggrieved by an award of an arbitrator, may appeal to the Registrar within one month from the date of the award as provided by Rule 32. Under Rule 33, an award, if no appeal is filed against it within one month to the Registrar under Rule 32, shall not, as between the parties to the dispute, be liable to be called in question in any civil or revenue Court and shall be in all respects final and conclusive.

(3.) The lower Court held, under those rules, that the present suit was not competent, and an appeal against its order dismissing this suit was also dismissed. It has been urged before us that the proceedings against the plaintiff before the arbitrators were ultra vires. Once it is conceded that where a dispute lies between a Co-operative Society and a member who is dead proceedings can be continued or entertained between the Society and the legal representatives of the deceased debtor, the arbitrators would be competent to decide who were the legal representatives of the deceased debtor and would have jurisdiction to decide that question, even though they might come to a wrong conclusion. If a wrong conclusion is arrived at with regard to a particular person, then that person has a remedy under the Act of filing an appeal. It is expressly provided that all proceedings between the Society and the members of the Society arising from disputes between them should be decided under the Act, and that the civil Courts should have no jurisdiction to interfere.