NADIR HUSAIN Vs. MUNICIPAL BOARD

JUDGEMENT

(1.) This is an application for leave to appeal to His Majesty in Council from a decree of the High Court in a mortgage suit. The claim was brought for recovery of Rs. 17,000 against defendant 1 principally, with a prayer that defendants 2 to 4 were liable to pay Rs. 7,625 under a hypothecation bond, and in case of default the mortgaged property was liable to be sold. There was a further relief that in, case the mortgaged property was not found sufficient to satisfy the mortgage decree the plaintiff would be permitted to apply for a money decree against defendant 1. The value of the subject matter in dispute in the trial Court was more than Rupees 10,000 so far as all the defendants were concerned but was less than Rs. 7,525 so far as defendants 2 to 4 were concerned, but their property which had been mortgaged was sought to be sold under the decree. The learned Subordinate-Judge came to the conclusion that defendant 1 was liable for the full amount but that defendants 2 to 4 were liable to the-extent of Rs. 7,265 only qua the arrears, of rent which had accrued prior to the date of the security bond, but that their property was not liable for rents which accrued after the security bond. The plaintiff appealed to the High Court and the question raised before the High Court was whether the mortgaged property was liable for rents which accrued after the date of the security bond also. On an interpretation of the mortgage deed the High Court came to the conclusion that the rents which accrued after the date of the security bond also created a charge on the property and the property was liable to behold in execution of such arrears. But the total liability of defendants 2 to 4 was limited to the sum of Rs. 7,265 only.

(2.) It is contended on behalf of the appellants that the decree of the High Court involved both directly and indirectly a claim or question as to and respecting property of the value of Rs. 10,000 because the value of the mortgaged property sought to be sold exceeds Rs. 10,000. On behalf of the respondents it is contended that the value of the subject matter in dispute is less than Rs. 10,000 and the High Court's decree does not involve any claim or question as to or respecting property of the like amount. Great reliance is placed on the case A.V. Subramaina Ayyer V/s. Sellamal A.I.R. 1916 Mad. 985, in which case the value of the subject-matter in dispute in the first Court was certainly less than Rs. 10,000 but the amount of money due up to the date of the High Court's decree, including mesne profits which had fallen due, came to more than Rs. 10,000. The Madras High Court held that the case did not fulfil the requirements of Section 110, Civil P.C. At p. 845, the learned Chief Justice observed: The amount or value of the subject matter in dispute in appeal to His Majesty in Council exceeds Rs. 10,000 owing to the claim for mesne profits for the period between the institution of the suit and the petition for a certificate, and did not accept the contention that this would entitle the applicant to a certificate. If this contention be accepted, a certificate must be granted in any case in which the amount or value of the subject matter in dispute on appeal to His Majesty in Council is not less than Rupees 10,000 whether or not the amount or value of the subject matter of the suit in the Court of first instance fell below Rs. 10,000, and this provision becomes wholly nugatory.

(3.) We entirely agree with that observation so far as it goes. It is not open to an applicant to add to the value of the subject matter in dispute the amount of mesne profits which have accrued up to the date of the certificate for leave to appeal to His Majesty in Council if the value of the subject matter in the trial Court was less than Rs. 10,000. In that case it appears to have been argued by counsel that mesne profits calculated up to the date of the High Court's decree, if included, would raise the valuation to Rs. 10,000, but this contention does not appear to have been accepted; or it may be that the High Court's decree itself had not directed the payment of mesne profits to that extent. It is therefore not it all clear that the learned Chief Justice meant to lay down that even if the High Court's decree had awarded an amount including mesne profits which was in excess of Rs. 10,000 no appeal would lie. The calculation of mesne profits may be a point in dispute and in some cases no mesne profits may accrue at all. If therefore, the High Court's decree itself does not fix that amount, it may be a question whether the requirements of Section 110, Civil P.C., are fulfilled. Section 110 consists of three paragraphs. Para. 1 refers to the case where two conditions are fulfilled, namely (1) the amount or value of the subject matter of the suit in the Court of first instance must be Rs. 10,000 or upwards rand (2) the amount or value of the subject matter of appeal to His Majesty in Council must be the same sum or upwards. Where only one of these conditions is fulfilled and not both this paragraph cannot be applicable. Para. 2 contains an entirely different condition, namely, (3) or the decree or final order must involve directly or indirectly some claim or question to or respecting property I of like amount or value.