PRINCIPLES RELATING TO COURT FEE IN REGARD TO SUITS FOR PARTITIONS

AND APPEALS THEREFROM

B.S. Malleshappa vs Korataere B. Sh!val!"appa AIR #$$% Ka"t &'() ILR #$$% KAR &*'')
#$$% +(, KarL- (&% +DB,
+!, Pa./e"t o0 Co1rt 0ee 2!ll 3epe"3 o" pla!"t aver/e"t alo"e. Ne!ther the aver/e"ts !" the
2r!tte" state/e"t) "or the ev!3e"4e "or the 0!"al 3e4!s!o" have a 5ear!" o" the 3e4!s!o"
relat!" to Co1rt 0ee.
+!!, The s4ope o0 !"vest!at!o" 1"3er Se4t!o" %% !s 4o"0!"e3 pra4t!4all. to 3eter/!"e t2o
po!"ts6 +!, U"3erval1at!o" o0 the s157e4t8/atter o0 the s1!t9 a"3 +!!, 4ateor. 1"3er 2h!4h the
s1!t 0alls) 0or the p1rpose o0 Co1rt 0ee.
O"4e the 4ateor. o0 s1!t !s 3eter/!"e3 2!th re0ere"4e to pla!"t aver/e"ts) the Co1rt 4a""ot
s15se:1e"tl. 4ha"e the 4ateor. o" the 5as!s o0 the aver/e"ts !" the 2r!tte" state/e"t or o"
the 5as!s o0 ev!3e"4e a"3 ar1/e"ts. I" short) !0 the s1!t !s 0o1"3 to 0all 1"3er Se4t!o" &;+#,
o0 the A4t o" the pla!"t aver/e"ts) the Co1rt has "o po2er to 4o"vert the s1!t as o"e 0all!"
1"3er Se4t!o" &;+%, o0 the A4t) at a". po!"t o0 t!/e) /14h less 2h!le re"3er!" 713/e"t.
The o"l. e<4ept!o" !s 2he" the pla!"t !s a/e"3e3.
+!!!, The pla!"t!00 !" a s1!t 5e!" 3o/!"1s l!t!s has the 4ho!4e o0 0!l!" a s1!t o0 a part!41lar
"at1re or see= a part!41lar rel!e0. Ne!ther the 3e0e"3a"t "or the Co1rt 4a" alter the s1!t as o"e
0or a 3!00ere"t rel!e0er as a s1!t 0all!" !" a 3!00ere"t 4ateor. a"3 re:1!re the pla!"t!00 to pa.
Co1rt 0ee o" s14h altere3 4ateor. o0 s1!t.
+!v, I0 the pla!"t!00 4la!/s that he !s !" 7o!"t possess!o" o0 a propert. a"3 see=s part!t!o" a"3
separate possess!o") he 4ateor!ses the s1!t 1"3er Se4t!o" &;+#, o0 the A4t. He !s there0ore
l!a5le to pa. Co1rt 0ee o"l. 1"3er Se4t!o" &;+#,. I0 o" ev!3e"4e) !t !s 0o1"3 that he 2as "ot !"
7o!"t possess!o") the 4o"se:1e"4e !s that the rel!e0 /a. 5e re01se3 !" rear3 to s14h propert.
or the s1!t /a. 5e 3!s/!sse3. B1t the :1est!o" o0 Co1rt treat!" the s1!t as o"e 0all!" 1"3er
Se4t!o" &;+%, o0 the A4t a"3 3!re4t!" the pla!"t!00 to pa. the Co1rt 0ee 1"3er Se4t!o" &;+%, o0
the A4t 3oes "ot ar!se. Eve" a0ter 2r!tte" state/e"t a"3 ev!3e"4e +2h!4h /a. 3e/o"strate
a5se"4e o0 possess!o" or 7o!"t possess!o",) !0 the pla!"t!00 4hooses "ot to a/e"3 the pla!"t to
5r!" the s1!t 1"3er Se4t!o" &;+%, a"3 pa. Co1rt 0ee appl!4a5le thereto) he ta=es the 4ha"4e o0
s1!t ett!" 3!s/!sse3 or rel!e0 5e!" 3e"!e3.
+v, O" appre4!at!o" o0 ev!3e"4e) !0 the Co1rt 3!s5el!eves the 4la!/ o0 pla!"t!00 rear3!" 7o!"t
possess!o") !t 4a" o"l. hol3 that the 4ase 3oes "ot 0all 1"3er Se4t!o" &;+#, a"3 there0ore
pla!"t!00 !s "ot e"t!tle3 to rel!e0. It 4a""ot) !" the 713/e"t) hol3 that the 4ase o0 pla!"t!00
sho1l3 5e 4ateor!se3 1"3er Se4t!o" &;+%, "or 3!re4t the pla!"t!00 to pa. Co1rt 0ee o" /ar=et
val1e 1"3er Se4t!o" &;+%, o0 the A4t.
+v!, The Co1rt 0ee pa.a5le o" a" appeal !s the sa/e as the Co1rt 0ee pa.a5le o" the s1!t.
There0ore) eve" !0 the Tr!al Co1rt hol3s that pla!"t!00 2as "ot !" 7o!"t possess!o" or that
pla!"t!00 ha3 5ee" e<4l13e3 0ro/ possess!o") there 2!ll he "o 4ha"e !" the Co1rt 0ee pa.a5le
!" a" appeal 5. the pla!"t!00 aa!"st s14h 3e4!s!o". The Co1rt 0ee o" the appeal 2!ll st!ll 5e
the sa/e as the Co1rt 0ee pa!3 o" the pla!"t !" the Co1rt o0 0!rst !"sta"4e.