Holding

Order VII Rule 11(d) applies only when the plaint, without any doubt or dispute, shows the suit is barred by law; the present plaint did not, so the application for rejection was untenable.

Summary

The appellant and the respondent entered into a 1983 agreement for the appellant to develop the respondent's property, with the respondent to execute a lease deed after construction, which was never done. The appellant filed a suit in 1990 seeking declaration of title, specific performance, damages and other reliefs. The respondent moved to dismiss the plaint under Order VII Rule 11(d) of the CPC, claiming the suit was barred by limitation. The High Court dismissed the application, but the Division Bench later held the suit was barred and dismissed it. The Supreme Court held that Order VII Rule 11(d) applies only when the plaint, read as a whole, unequivocally shows the suit is barred by law; here the plaint contained multiple claims and the limitation issue was disputed, so the application was not maintainable. Consequently, the appeal was allowed, setting aside the lower court’s dismissal of the plaint.

Issues considered

Whether Order VII Rule 11(d) of the CPC can be invoked to reject a plaint on the ground of limitation when the plaint contains diverse claims and the limitation question is contested.
Whether the averments in the plaint, read as a whole, demonstrate that the suit is barred by any law.
Whether acknowledgment by the defendant can extend the limitation period in the present case.

Legislation cited

Code of Civil Procedure, 1908s. Order VII Rule 11(d)
Limitation Act, 1963

Subjects

limitationOrder VII Rule 11maintainability of suitplaint rejectionCivil Procedurelease deedspecific performancedeclaratory relief

Judgment

A POPAT AND KOTECHA PROPERTY
v.
STATE BANK OF INDIA STAFF ASSOCIATION

AUGUST 29, 2005

B [ARIJIT PASAYAT AND H.K. SEMA, JJ.]

Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 :

Order VII Rule 1l(d)-Rejection of plaint-Bar of limitation-
C Maintainability of-Plaintiff and defendant entered into an agreement in
1983 whereby the plaintiff agreed to build and develop the property owned
by the defendant-Agreement stipulated that after construction of the entire
building defendant would execute a registered lease deed-Building was
completed in the year 1984-But no lease deed was executed-Plaintifffiled
D suit ofdeclaration in 1990-Defendant filed application under n. VII R. 11 (d)
praying for rejection of plaint on the ground that suit was barred by
limitation-High Court allowed the application and dismissed the suit-
Correctness of-Held : Diverse claims were made in the plaint and disputed
questions in relation to the issue of limitation were involved-The statement
in the plaint without addition or subtraction does not show that it was barred
E by any law to attract the application of 0. VII 11 (d)-Hence, High Court not
justified in dismissing the suit.

The appellant and the respondent entered into an agreement in the
year 1983 whereby the appellant agreed to build and develop the property
owned by the respondent-Association. The agreement stipulated that after
F
construction of the entire building the respondent-Association would
execute a registered lease deed in favour of the appellant. The building
was completed in the year 1984. However, no lease deed was executed.

The appellant filed a suit for declaration of title in the year 1990. The
G respondent filed an application under Order VII Rule 1 l(d) of the Code
of Civil Procedure, 1908 praying for rejection of the plaint on the ground
that the suit was barred by limitation. Diverse claims were made in the
suit and disputed questions in relation to the issue of limitation were also
involved. However, the High Court allowed the application and dismissed
H the suit. Hence the appeal.
1030
POPAT AND KOTECHA PROPERTY v. S.B.L STAFF ASSON. 1031

Allowing the appeal, the Court A
HELD: I. Order VII Rule ll (d) of the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908
speaks suit as appears from the statement in the plaint to be barred by
any law. Disputed questions cannot be decided at the time of considering
an application filed under Order VII Rule ll CPC. Order VII Rule 11
(d) applies in those cases only where the statement made by the plaintiff
B
in the plaint, without any doubt or dispute, shows that the suit is barred
• by any law in force. 11037-D)

2. There cannot be any compartmentalization, dissection, segregation
and inversions of the language of various paragraphs in the plaint. If such C
a course is adopted it would run counter to the cardinal canon of
interpretation according to which a pleading has to be read as a whole
to ascertain its true import. It is not permissible to cull out a sentence or
a passage and to read it out of the context in isolation. Although it is the
substance and not merely the form that has to be looked into the pleading
D
has to be construed as it stands without addition or subtraction of the
words or change of its apparent grammatical sense. The intention of the
party concerned is to be gathered ;irimarily from the tenor and terms of
his pleadings taken as a whole. At the same time it should be borne in mind
that no pedantic approach should be adopted to defeat justice on hair-
splitting technicalities. 11039-D, E, Fl .E

Saleem Bhai v. State of Maharashtra, 12003) I SCC 557, ITC Ltd. v;
Debts Recovery Appellate Tribunal, 119981 2 SCC 70, Arivandandam v. T. V.
Satyapal, 11977) 4 SCC 467 and Raptakos Brett & Co. Ltd v. Ganesh
Property, [19881 7 SCC 184, relied on.
F
3. The real object of Order VII Rule 11 of the Code is to keep out
of courts irresponsible law suits. Therefore, Order X of the Code is a tool
in the hands of the courts by resorting to which and by searching
examination of the party in case the court is primafacie of the view that
the suit is an abuse of this process of the court in the sense that it is a bogus G
and irresponsible litigation, the jurisdiction under Order VII Rule 11 of
the Code can be exercised. [1039-G, HJ

4. There is a distinction between 'material facts' and 'particulars'.
The words ·material facts' show that the facts necessary to formulate a H
1032 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2005] SUPP. 2 S.C.R.

A complete cause of action must be stated. Omission of a single material fact
leads to an incomplete cause of action and the statement or plaint becomes
bad. [1040-B, CJ

Bruce v. Odhams Press ltd., (1936) 1 KB 697, referred to.

B 5. Rule 11 of Order VII lays down an independent remedy made
available to the defendant to challenge the maintainability ofthe suit itself,
irrespective of his right to contest the same on merits. The law ostensibly
does not contemplate at any stage when the objections can be raised, and
also does not say in express terms about the filing of a written statement.
C Instead, the word 'shall' is used clearly implying thereby that it casts a
duty on the court to perform its obligations in rejecting the plaint when
the same is hit by any of the infirmities provided in the four clauses of
Rule 11, even without intervention of the defendant. In any event, rejection
of the plaint under Rule 11 does not preclude the plaintiffs from presenting
a fresh plaint in terms of Rule 13. (1040-D, E)
D
Sopan Sukhdeo Sable v. Assistant Charity Commissioner, (2004) 3 SCC
137, relied on.

6. Therefore, the High Court was not rigltt in holding that Order VII
Rule 11 CPC was applicable to the facts of the case. Diverse claims were
E made and the High Court was wrong in proceeding with the assumption
that only the non-execution of the lease deed was the basic issue. Even if
it is accepted that the other claims were relatable to it they have independent
existence. It is not a case where the suit from the statement in the plaint
can be said to be barred by any law. The statement in the plaint without
F addition or subtraction must show that it is barred by any law to attract
the application of Order Vil Rule 11. This is not so in the present case.
(1040-G-H; 1041-A]

7. The period oflimitation is founded on public policy, its aim being to
secure the quiet of the community, to suppress fraud and perjury, to quicken
G diligence and to prevent oppression. Bar oflimitation does not obstruct the
execution. It bars the remedy. The idea is that every legal remedy must be
kept alive for legislatively fixed period of time. (1036-E, G]

France B. Martins v. Mafalda Maria, (1996) 6 SCC 627, V. Subba Rao
H v. Secretary to Govt. Panchayat Raj and Rural Development, Govt. of A.P.,
POPAT ANDKOTECHA PROPERTYv. S.B.I. STAFF ASSON. (PASAYAT, l.] 1033

[1996] 7 sec 626 and N. Balakrishnan v. M Krishna Murthy, [1998] 7 sec A
123, referred to.

CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION: Civil Appeal No. 3460 of2000.

From the Judgment and Order dated 3 l.3.2000 of the Calcutta High B
Court in A.P.O.T. No. 157 of 2000 ..

U.U. Lalit, Rana Mukherjee, Abhijit Sen Gupta, Siddharth Gautam and
Goodwill Indeevar for the Appellant.

S.B. Upadhyay, Vikran Yadav and Praveen Swarup for the Respondent.
c
The Judgment of the Court was delivered by

ARIJIT PASAYAT, J. : Appellant calls in question legality of the
judgment rendered by a Division Bench of the Calcutta High Court holding D
that the plaint filed by the appellant was to be rejected in terms of Order VII
Rule l l (d) of the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 (in short the 'CPC') as the
suit was barred by limitation. The order passed by learned Single Judge
holding that said provision was not applicable to the facts of the case was set
aside. E
Factual position in a nutshell is as follows:

Appellant and respondent entered into an agreement on 19th January,
l 983 whereby the appellant agreed to build and develop the property owned
by the respondent-Association. A detailed agreement was accordingly
F
executed on !9th January, !983 which, inter a/ia, provided for regulating
relationship between the parties. Para !3 of the agreement stipulated that after
construction of the entire building and issuance of final completion certificate
by two Chartered Engineers the appellant shall by a notice to the respondent-
Association call upon it to execute a registered lease deed in its favour or in G
favour of its nominee whereby a lease of the 2nd floor, 3rd floor, 4th floor,
5th floor and the roof (collectively described as the demised premises) was
to be granted. Several stipulations were provided in detail. It is not in dispute
that the building was completed in the year 1984. Appellant claimed to have
written a letter dated 4. l l. l 984 calling upon the respondent to execute the H
1034 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2005] SUPP. 2 S.C.R.

· A lease deed in its favour. Admittedly no lease deed has been executed. The
suit was filed in July, 1990, inter alia, with the following prayers:

"(a) Declaration that the plaintiff alone is entitled to let out the
ground floor, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th floor and the roof of the said premises
B shortly referred to have as the 'Builders Block' and realize all rents,
issues and profits therefrom without any interference by the defendant.

(b) Perpetual injunction restraining the defendant from executing
any lease or other documents in favour of persons in occupation of
any portion of the builders block referred to in prayers (a) or in
c relation to any part or portion of the said block in consideration of
any sum or from realizing any rent issues or profit therefrom
incumbent or otherwise deal with and exercise any control or
dominance over the same;

D (c) Decree for Rs.18,84,500 (Rupees Eighteen lacs eighty four
thousand five hundred) only as pleaded in paragraphs 18 and 25 of
the plaint.

(d) Alternatively, an account of what is due and payable to the
plaintiff by the defendant in respect of all dealings and transactions
E by the defendant with the person or persons in occupation of the
builders block of the said premises and a decree for such sum as may
be found due and payable after taking such account;

(e) All. further proper accounts enquiries and directions;
F
(f) Decree for specific performance of the Development Agreement
dated 19th January, 1983 be granted against the defendant in terms
of Clause 16 of the said Agreement requiring the defendant to
execute Deed of Lease for a period of 51 years on terms and
conditions contained in the said Clause;
G
(g) Mandatory injunction directing the defendant to execute and
register a Deed of Lease, in favour of the plaintiff and/or its nominee
or nominees in terms of Clause 18 of the Development Agreement
dated 19th January, 1983 in respect of the Builders Block, being the
H 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th floor and roof as referred to above;
POPAT AND KOTECHA PROPERTYv. S.B.I. STAFF ASSON. [PASAYAT, J.] 1035

(h) In the event of the defendant failing to execute, register and A
deliver Deed of Lease, the Registrar, Original Side of this Hon 'ble
Court be directed to settle execute and register necessary Deed of
Lease in respect of the Builders Block as referred to above for and
on behalf of the defendant.
B
(i) Decree for Rs.80 lacs as damages as mentioned in paragraph
12 above in addition to a decree for specific performance;

Gl Alternatively, an enquiry, into loss and damage suffered by the
plaintiff and a decree for such sum as may be found due and payable
upon such enquiry; c
(k) In the event decree for specific performance as prayed for
cannot be granted, a decree for damages in terms of specific
performance be granted against the defendant at such rate or rates
and on such basis as this Hon 'ble Court may deem fit and proper; D
(l) Costs;

(m) Further or other reliefs,"

An application was filed by the respondent under Order VII Rule 11 of
CPC praying for rejection of the plaint on the ground that the suit as is E
apparent from the statement contained in the plaint itself was barred by
limitation in the sense that the suit was filed beyond the period prescribed
in the Indian Limitation Act, 1963 (in short 'Limitation Act').

Learned Single Judge dismissed the application holding that the expression F
"barred by any law" as occurring in the provision did not include the operation
of the Limitation Act The Division Bench was of the view that the claims
made in the plaint revolve round the nucleus i.e. focal point of the execution
of lease deed which was to be done sometimes in 1985 and as the suit was
filed in 1999, it was clearly barred by limitation.
G
Learned counsel for the appellant submitted that the approach of the
Division Bench is clearly erroneous. The High Court proceeded on the basis
as if the only claim related to execution of the lease deed. In fact, there were
seveca) other reliefs like claim for damages, unauthorized collection of
amounts in respect of the building which admittedly were to be in possession H
1036 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2005] SUPP. 2 S.C.R.

A of the present appellant with full liberty to let out the premises. Clause 12
of the agreement clearly stipulated that the appellant had the authority to let
out the building without any objection and without requiring consent from
the respondent-Association. The Receiver appointed by the Court on the
interlocutory application filed by the applicant clearly noted that the defendant
B i.e. the respondent-Association had executed lease deeds on 3 .4.1988, 16.7 .1988
and 19.4.1999. Prayer in the plaint was to pass a decree ofRs.18,84,500 which
was the amount collected by the respondent. The suit was by no stretch of
imagination filed beyond the period of limitation. By its conduct the
respondent had acknowledged the claim of the plaintiff-appellant and the
period of limitation in any event would run from the date of acknowledgement.
c
Per contra, learned counsel for the respondent submitted that though
various claims were made, as rightly observed by the High Court, focal point
was non-execution of lease deed. All the other claims had their matrix thereon
and, therefore, the Division Bench of the High Court was right in deciding
D in favour of the present respondent. It was submitted that the collections made
by the respondent were for the period beyond 51 years from the date· of
agreement in 1983 and not for any period prior to that. There was no question
of the period oflimitation getting extended, even ifthere is an acknowledgment
beyond the prescribed period of limitation.

E The period of limitation is founded on public policy, its aim being to
secure the quiet of the community, to suppress fraud and perjury, to quicken
diligence and to prevent oppression. The statute i.e. Limitation Act is founded
on the most salutary principle of general and public policy and incorporates
a principle of great benefit to the community. It has, with great propriety, been
F termed a statute of repose, peace and justice. The statute discourages litigation
by burying in one common receptacle all the accumulations of past times
which are unexplained and have not from lapse of time become inexplicable.
It has been said by John Voet, with singular felicity, that controversies are
limited to a fixed period of time, Jest they should be immortal.while men are
G mortal. (Also See France B. Martins v. Mafalda Maria, [1996] 6 SCC 627.

Bar of limitation does not obstruct the execution. It bars the remedy. (See
V. Subba Rao and Ors. v. Secretary to Govt. Panchayat Raj and Rural
Development, Govt. of A.P. and Ors., [1996] 7 SCC 626.

H Rules of limitation are not meant to destroy the rights of parties. They
POPAT ANDKOTECHA PROPERTYv. S.B.I. STAFF ASSON. [PASAYAT, J.] 1037

are meant to see that parties do not resort to dilatory tactics, but seek their A
remedy promptly. The object of providing a legal remedy is to repair the
damage caused by reason of legal injury. The law of limitation fixes a life-
span for such legal remedy for the redress of the le~al injury so suffered. Time
is precious and wasted time would never revisit. During the efflux of time,

- newer causes would sprout up necessitating newer persons to seek legal
remedy by approaching the courts. So, a life-span must be fixed for each
remedy. Unending period for launching the remedy may lead to unending
B

uncertainty and consequential anarchy. The law of limitation is thus founded
on public policy. It is enshrined in the maxim interest reipublicae ut sit finis
litium (it is for the general welfare that a period be put to litigation). The idea
is that every legal remedy must be kept alive for legislatively fixed period C
of time. (See N. Balakrishanan v. M Krishna Murthy, [1998] 7 SCC 123).

Clause (d) of Order VII Rule 7 speaks of suit, as appears from the
statement in the plaint to be barred by any law. Disputed questions cannot D
be decided at the time of considering an application filed under Order VII
Rule 11 CPC. Clause (d) of Rule 11 of Order VII applies in those cases only
where the statement made by the plaintiff in the plaint, without any doubt or
dispute shows that the suit is barred by any law in force.

Order VII Rule 11 of the Code reads as follows: E

Order VII Rule 11: Rejection ofplaint. The plaint shall be rejected
in the following cases :-

(a) where it does not disclose a cause of action; F
(b) where the relief claimed is undervalued, and the plaintiff, on
being required by the Court to correct the valuation within a time
to be fixed by the court, fails to do so;

(c) where the relief claims is properly valued but the plaint is G
written upon paper insufficiently stamped, and the plaintiff, on being
required by the Court to supply the requisite stamp-paper within a
time to be fixed by the Court, fails to do so;

(d) where the suit appears from the statement in the plaint to be H
1038 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2005] SUPP. 2 S.C.R.

A barred by any law;

(e) where it is not filed in duplicate;

B
(t) where the plaintiff fails to comply with the provisions of
rule 9;

Provided that the time fixed by the Court for the correction of
-
the valuation or supplying of the requisite stamp-paper shall not be
extended unless the Court, for reasons to be recorded, is satisfied that
the plaintiff was prevented by any cause of an exceptional nature for
c correcting the valuation or supplying the requisite stamp-paper, as
the case may be, within the time fixed by the Court and that refusal
to extend such time would cause grave injustice to the plaintiff."

In the present case the respondent has relied upon clause (d) of Rule 11.
D
Before dealing with the factual scenario, the spectrum of Order VII Rule
11 in the legal ambit needs to be noted.

In Saleem Bhai qnd Ors. v. State of Maharashtra and Ors., [2003] 1
SCC 557 it was held with reference to Order VII Rule 11 of the Code that
E the relevant facts which need to be looked into for deciding an application
thereunder are the averments in the plaint. The trial Court can exercise the
power at any stage of the suit - before registering the plaint or after issuing
summons to t'1e defendant at any time before the conclusion of the trial. For
the purposes of deciding an application under clauses (a) and (d) of Order
F VII Rule 11 of the Code, the averments in the plaint are the germane; the pleas
taken by the defendant in the written statement would be wholly irrelevant
at that stage.

In I.TC. Ltd. v. Debts Recovery Appellate Tribunal and Ors., [ 1998] 2
sec 70 it was held that the basic question to be decided while dealing with
G an application filed under Order VII Rule 11 of the Code is whether a real
cause of action has been set out in the plaint or something purely illusory has
been stated with a view to get out of Order VII Rule 11 of the Code.

The trial Court must remember that if on a meaningful and not formal
H reading of the plaint it is manifestly vexatious and meritless in the sense of
POPAT AND KOTECHA PROPERTYv. S.B.L STAFF ASSON. [PASAYAT, J.] 1039

not disclosing a clear right to sue, it should exercise the power under Order A
VII Rule 11 of the Code taking care to see that the ground mentioned therein
is fulfilled. If clever drafting has created the illusion of a cause of action, it
has to be nipped in the bud at the first hearing by examining the party
searchingly under Order X of the Code. (See T. Arivandandam v. T. V.
Satyapal and Anr. (1977] 4 sec 467). B

It is trite law that not any particular plea has to be considered, and the
whole plaint has to be read. As was observed by this Court in Roop Lal Sathi
v, Nachhattar Singh Gill, [1982] 3 SCC 487, only a part of the plaint cannot
be rejected and if no cause of action is disclosed, the plaint as a whole must C
be rejected.

In Raptakos Brett & Co. ltd v. Ganesh Property, [1998] 7 SCC 184
it was observed that the averments in the plaint as a whole have to be seen
to find out whether clause ( d) of Rule 11 of Order VII was applicable.
D
There cannot be any compartmentalization, dissection, segregation and
inversions of the language of various paragraphs in the plaint. If such a course
is adopted it would run counter to the cardinal canon of interpretation
according to which a pleading has to be read as a who.le to ascertain its true
import. It is not permissible to cull out a sentence or a passage and to read E
it out of the context in isolation. Although it is the substance and not merely
the form that has to be looked into, the pleading has to be construed as it stands
without addition or subtraction of words or change of its apparent grammatical
· sense. The intention of the party concerned is to be gathered primarily from
the tenor and terms of his pleadings taken as a whole. At the same time it
should be borne in mind that no pedantic approach should be adopted to defeat
F
justice on hair-splitting technicalities.

Keeping in view the aforesaid principles the reliefs sought for in the suit
as quoted supra have to be considered. The real object of Order VII Rule 1I
of the Code is to keep out of courts irresponsible law suits. Therefore, the G
Order X of the Code is a tool in the hands of the Courts by resorting to which
and by searching examination of the party in case the Court is prima facie
of the view that the suit is an abuse of the process of the court in the sense
that it is a bogus and irresponsible litigation, the jurisdiction under Order VII
Rule 11 of the Code can be exercised. H
1040 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2005] SUPP. 2 S.C.R.

A Order VI Rule 2(1) of the Code states the basic, and cardinal rule of
pleadings and declares that the pleading has to state material facts and not
the evidence. It mandates that every pleading shall contain, and contain only,
•I
a statement in a concise form of the material facts on which the party pleading
relies for his claim or defence, as the case may be, but not the evidence by
B which they are to be proved. '!. __

There is distinction between 'material facts' and 'particulars'. The words
'material facts' show that the facts necessary to fo1mulate a complete cause
of action must be stated. Omission of a single material fact leads to an
incomplete cause of action and the statement or plaint becomes bad. The
c distinction which has been made between 'material facts' and 'particulars'
was brought by Scott, L.J. in Bruce v. Odhams Press Ltd., (1936) I KB 697.

Rule I I of Order VII lays down an independent remedy made available
to the defendant to challenge the maintainability of the suit itself, irrespective
D of his right to contest the same on merits. The law ostensibly does not
contemplate at any stage when the objections can be raised, and also does not
say in express terms about the filing of a written statement. Instead, the word
'shall' is used clearly implying thereby that it casts a duty on the Court to
perform its obligations in rejecting the plaint when the same is hit by any of
the infirmities provided in the four clauses of Rule l I, even without
E intervention of the defendant. In any event, rejection of the plaint under Rule
I I does not preclude the plaintiffs from presenting a fresh plaint in terms o{
Rule I3.

The above position was highlighted in Sopan Sukhdeo Sable and Ors.
F v. Assistant Charity Commissioner and Ors., [2004] 3 sec I37.

When the averments in the plaint are considered in the background of
the principles set out in Sopan Sukhdeo 's case (supra), the inevitable
conclusion is that the Division Bench was not right in holding that Order VII
Rule I I CPC was applicable to the facts of the case. Diverse claims were made
G and the Division Bench was wrong in proceeding with the assumption that
only the non-execution of lease deed was the basic issue. Even if it is accepted
that the other claims were relatable to it they have independent existence.
Whether the collection of amounts by the respondent was for a period beyond
5 I years need evidence to be adduced. It is not a case where the suit from
H statement in the plaint can be said to be barred by law. The statement in the
__,

POPAT AND KOTECHA PROPERTYv. S.B.I. STAFF ASSON. [PASAYAT, J.l 1041

plaint without addition or subtraction must show that is barred by any law A
to attract application of Order VII Rule 11. This is not so in the present case.

We do not intend to go into various claims in detail as disputed questions
in relation to the issue of limitation are involved.
B
The appeal is accordingly allowed with no order as to costs. We make
it clear that we have not expressed any opinion on the merits of the case which
shall be gone into in accordance with law by the Trial Court ..

V.S.S. Appeal allowed.