Bombay High Court
VISHWANTH BHAUSAHEB MOTE AND ANOTHERversusNAVNATH ALIAS SACHET WAMAN CHAVAN DIED THROUGH LRS LATABAI WAMAN CHAVAN AND OTHERS
- Disposal
- DISPOSED OFF
Holding
Legal representatives of a deceased plaintiff may continue to prosecute the suit, and the order allowing them is justified.
Summary
The petitioners challenged the order of the Joint Civil Judge that allowed the legal representatives of the deceased plaintiff to continue a suit seeking a perpetual injunction against them. They argued that the cause of action died with the plaintiff and that the suit was not maintainable because it lacked adequate prayers for declaration of title and possession. The respondents contended that under CPC Section 2(11) and Order XXII Rule 1, the cause of action survives the plaintiff’s death and the legal representatives may prosecute the suit. The Court examined the plaint, held that the plaintiff’s claim of ownership based on a registered sale deed gave a presumption in his favour and that the obstruction claim did not die with his death. It further held that the maintainability of the suit was not the issue before the writ court, and therefore the trial court’s order was justified. Consequently, the writ petition was dismissed.
Issues considered
- Whether the legal representatives of a deceased plaintiff are competent to prosecute a civil suit for perpetual injunction.
- Whether the suit is maintainable for want of specific prayers for declaration of title and possession.
Legislation cited
- Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 — s. 2(11), Order XXII Rule 1
Subjects
- legal representatives
- death of party
- cause of action
- perpetual injunction
- maintainability
- Civil Procedure Code
- Order XXII
- injunction
- suit property
Judgment
2026:BHC-AUG:39771
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IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY
BENCH AT AURANGABAD
WRIT PETITION NO. 7094 OF 2023
1. Vishwanath Bhausaheb Mote
Age: 60 years, Occ: Agril,
R/o. Pargaon Sudrik, Tq. Shrigonda,
Dist. Ahmednagar.
2. Varsha Vishwanath Mote
Age: 55 years, Occ: Household,
R/o Pargaon Sudrik, Tq. Shrigonda,
Dist. Ahmednagar.
…..PETITIONERS
(Orig. Defendants)
VERSUS
1. Navnath @ Sachet Waman Chavan
(Died through L.Rs.)
1A. Latabai Waman Chavan
Age: 55 years, Occ: Agril,
1B. Pratibha Navnath Chavan
Age: 29 years, Occ: Agril,
1C. Vishwatej Navnath Chavan
Age: 7 years, Occ: Education,
(Minor u/g of his real mother i.e.1B)
R.Nos.1A and 1B are resident of
S.R.P. Group, Daund, Tq. Daund,
Dist. Pune.
…..RESPONDENTS
(Orig. Plaintiffs)
______________________________________________________
Ms. M. V. Narwade, Advocate for the Petitioners
Mr. R. A. Tambe, Advocate for Respondent nos.1(a) and 1(b)
______________________________________________________
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CORAM : AJIT B. KADETHANKAR, J.
DATED : 31ST AUGUST, 2026
JUDGMENT :-
. Rule. Rule made returnable forthwith.
2. SUBJECT MATTER:
2.1. Respondent no.1/Navnath s/o Waman Chavan
instituted Regular Civil Suit No.111 of 2008 against the
present petitioners seeking perpetual injunction restraining
them from obstructing peaceful possession of the plaintiff over
the suit property. The description of the suit property is
described in Exhibit-1 of the suit.
2.2. During the proceeding of the suit, the
defendants/present petitioners appeared and contested the
suit by filing their written statement. During the course of
proceedings, the plaintiff died, whereupon the present
respondents moved an at Exhibit-66 seeking their
impleadment as legal representatives of the deceased plaintiff.
The said application came to be allowed by the impugned
order dated 24.02.2023 passed by learned Joint Civil Judge
Senior Division, Shrigonda in Regular Civil Suit No.111 of
2008.
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2.3. Feeling aggrieved thereby, the petitioners are before
this Court.
2.4. Ms. M. V. Narwade, learned Advocate for the petitioners
would raise more than one issue for consideration in the Writ
Petition. Firstly, she would argue that considering the nature
of the prayer in the suit, the respondents/legal representatives
of deceased plaintiff are incompetent to prosecute the cause of
action further. Secondly, she submits that the suit itself is not
maintainable for want of necessary prayers in the suit, and
hence there was no occasion for allowing the legal
representatives of the deceased plaintiff to participate in the
suit proceedings.
3. SUBMISSIONS:
3.1. Ms. M. V. Narwade, learned Advocate for the petitioners
invites my attention to the prayer clause in Exhibit-1 i.e. the
plaint and would submit that the plaintiff had sought an
injunction against the petitioners making out a cause of action
that he was obstructed to cultivate the land. She would
further submit that from the recitals of the prayer clause itself,
it appears that cause died with the plaintiff and hence, the
first issue of debate is sought to be justified.
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3.2. So long as the second objection is concerned, Ms.
Narwade will rely on the judgment rendered by the Hon’ble
Supreme Court in the case of Anathula Sudhakar Vs. P. Buchi
Reddy (Dead) by LRs. and others , reported in (2008) 4 SCC
595. She would also rely upon two judgments namely, S.
Santhana Lakshmi Vs. D. Rajammal, 2025 INSC 1197 and
Sanjay Paliwal and Anr Vs. Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd.
Through Its Executive Director, 2026 INSC 61 which reiterate
the principles governing the nature and the scope of reliefs to
be sought in a Civil Suit.
3.3. She would further submit that considering the necessity
to draft the suit for necessary and adequate prayers, the suit
itself is not maintainable which is meant only for perpetual
injunction. To elaborate the second issue on which
Ms. Narwade has much thrust, she would submit that
considering the dispute raised by the defendants/present
petitioners, the title of the plaintiff was seriously doubted. She
would submit that the defence not only put dark clouds on the
title of the plaintiffs but also falsify plaintiffs’ case that they
are in the possession of the suit property. Therefore, she
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submits that unless there were prayers seeking declaration as
to the title and also a prayer for possession, the suit is not at
all maintainable in view of the law cited supra. With this,
Ms. Narwade concludes her arguments and prays to allow the
petition.
3.4. In answer, Mr. R. A. Tambe, learned Advocate for the
respondents/legal representatives of the deceased plaintiff
would also rely on the recitals of the plaint. He would submit
that the first point of objection raised by Ms. Narwade cannot
be a fatal to the participation of the legal representatives of
the plaintiff in the suit. He would submit that their father has
claimed ownership in the subject matter/suit property by
virtue of registered sale deed. He would submit that the
contents of the plaint if taken as it is, it would show that their
deceased father has given reference to his ownership and then
has shown his grievance against the interference caused by the
present petitioners.
3.5. He would submit that in view of Section 2 of the Civil
Procedure Code, as also Order XXII, Rule 1 thereof, the cause
of action devolves upon the legal representatives of the
deceased plaintiff, and therefore they were justified in filing
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application below Exhibit-66. He further submits that the Trial
Court was also justified in allowing the legal representatives
to participate in the suit proceedings.
3.6. So long as the another objection raised by Ms. Narwade
is concerned, Mr. Tambe submits that the plaintiff, and now
the legal representatives of the deceased plaintiff would have
to bear the consequences if they fail to make out a case before
the Court in support of the relief sought in the plaint. As such,
he would submit that the plaint does not suffer from any
infirmity nor it is acceptable that the suit could be dismissed
or was not maintainable for the reasons which are narrated by
the petitioners in this case. He would further submit that the
issue of maintainability of the suit is not the subject matter
before this Court and same may not be permitted to be
agitated by the petitioners in the present petition.
4. CONCLUSION
4.1. Heard both the learned Advocates at length. Perused
the papers of the Writ Petition. Section 2(11) of the Civil
Procedure Code and Order XXII, Rule 1 reads thus:
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2(11) “legal representative” means a person who
in law represents the estate of a deceased
person, and includes any person who
intermeddles with the estate of the deceased and
where a party sues or is sued in a representative
character the person on whom the estate
devolves on the death of the party so suing or
sued;
ORDER XXII
Death, Marriage and Insolvency or Parties
1. No abatement by party's death if right to sue
survives.—The death of a plaintiff or defendant
shall not cause the suit to abate if the right to
sue survives.
4.2. Having regard to the averments in the plaint, it appears
that the plaintiff has traced his title referring to a registered
sale deed executed in his favour. Thus at the threshold, the
presumption is in favour of the plaintiff. The cause of action
pleaded for instituting the suit is the obstruction caused by the
defendants in cultivating the suit property. It is an undisputed
fact that the present respondents are legal representatives of
the deceased plaintiff.
4.3. Considering the averments in the written statements, it
cannot be accepted that the cause of action for the suit came
to an end with the demise of the plaintiff as argued by Ms.
Narwade. Objection to defendants was their interference with
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the suit property. The prayer in the suit can not be segregated
from the suit land. I do not comprehend with Ms. Narwade’s
submission that the cause of action died with the deceased
plaintiff. Hence, in view of the provisions referred to
hereinabove, I am convinced with the findings recorded by the
Trial Court to the effect that the legal representatives of
deceased plaintiff can further prosecute the present suit
proceedings. Thus, the first debate issue stands answered.
4.4. So long as the another objection on maintainability of
the suit is concerned, I am convinced with the arguments
advanced by Mr. Tambe that the said is not the subject matter
before this Court. The only order under challenge before this
Court is the order passed by the Trial Court allowing the legal
representatives of the deceased plaintiff to further prosecute
the suit. Considering the nature of objection and the defence
or response that the legal representatives of the deceased
plaintiff may advance at an appropriate stage of the suit
before the Trial Court, it would not be appropriate to
comment on this objection in the present petition.
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4.5. In view of this, I find no infirmity in the view taken by
the learned Judge of the Trial Court. The order impugned in
this Writ Petition is absolutely justified. Hence, Writ Petition
stands dismissed.
5. Rule stands discharged.
( AJIT B. KADETHANKAR, J. )
Rushikesh/2026
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