Full Judgment Text
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PETITIONER:
B.R. VEERABASAVARADHYA
Vs.
RESPONDENT:
THE DEVOTEES OF LINGADGUDI MUTT & ORS.
DATE OF JUDGMENT: 08/05/1996
BENCH:
K. RAMASWAMY, FAIZAN UDDIN, G.B. PATTANAIK
ACT:
HEADNOTE:
JUDGMENT:
O R D E R
Leave granted.
We have heard counsel on both sides.
It is not in dispute that in OS No.22/62 filed against
five persons, there was a compromise by the appellant. The
appellant was impleaded as first defendant. Pursuant to
compromise memo dated June 7, 1972 filed under Order 23,
Rule 3 CPC, the Court passed a decree in terms thereof. The
clauses contained in the memo were that the appellant shall
continue to be in occupation as Manager of the trust for its
administration and the deities installed in the plaint
schedule property. The two shops built by the appellant in
the shrine were declared to be continued to be in his
possession subject to his performing the worship in the same
way as was done by his ancestors. The money deposited by
him in OS No. 463/64 on the file of Second Additional Civil
Judge, Bangalore City was agreed to be refunded to him and
half the institution fee was also to be refunded. In
furtherance thereof, the appeal was remanded to the trial
Court for consideration of the matter afresh as against
defendants 2 to 4. In furtherance thereof, the suit came to
be dismissed. Again, a compromise memo was filed by
defendants 2 to 4 in the High Court and the High Court in
the impugned order dated January 25, 1993 made in RFA
No.176/80 recorded the compromise as against defendants 2 to
4 and disposed of the matter in terms thereof. Thus this
appeal by special leave.
Firstly, there is a difficulty in the way of the
appellant for the reason that respondent 1(iii) and
respondent 2 died and though steps were directed to be
taken, no steps have been taken as against them. It would
appear that counsel for the petitioner made an affidavit
proposing to delete respondent 1(iii) and respondent 2 from
the array of the parties. Even if we accept that stand, the
problem will be whether the decree as compromised against
defendants 2 to 4 could be set aside as against the
appellant. it is seen that in the first instance the
appellant had specifically compromised the matter in terms
of the compromise memo which was recorded against him. The
litigation thereby came to an end. When the matter was
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remitted to the trial Court, it was confined vis-a-vis
defendants 2 to 4. After the disposal of the suit by the
trial Court, pending appeal, they came to compromise with
the respondent and in terms thereof, the compromise decree
came to be recorded in which the appellant cannot have any
grievance in the matter as against him. The compromise
decree referred to in the first instance would operate and
he is bound thereby. The appeal, therefore, does not have
any merit.
The appeal is accordingly dismissed. No costs.