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Supreme Court of India

THE GENERAL MANAGER, PENCH AREA, PARASIA, M.P.versusBARKAN@ KANHAIYA

Citation
2007 INSC 1291
Decided
13 December 2007
Disposal
Appeal(s) allowed

Holding

The suit for specific performance is not maintainable as the employment was already provided, and the lower courts' orders are set aside.

Summary

The respondent filed a suit for specific performance of a contract of employment, alleging that the employer had failed to appoint his son despite a clause promising employment for four persons. The trial court, first appellate court, and High Court held the suit maintainable and ordered specific performance. On appeal, the Supreme Court examined documents filed by the employer showing that the son, named Guntoo, had indeed been appointed at the request of the respondent. Relying on this evidence, the Court held that the employment had already been provided, rendering the suit for specific performance non‑maintainable under Section 14 of the Specific Relief Act, 1963. Consequently, the Supreme Court set aside the orders of the lower courts and dismissed the suit, allowing the appeal.

Issues considered

  • Whether a suit for specific performance of a contract of employment is maintainable when the alleged employment has already been given, in view of Section 14 of the Specific Relief Act, 1963.

Legislation cited

Subjects

specific performancecontract of employmentSpecific Relief ActSection 14maintainabilityemployment appointmentdocumentary evidence

Judgment

A      THE GENERAL MANAGER, PENCH AREA, PARASIA, M.P.
                         &ANR.
                            v.
                   BARKAN@ KANHAIYA

B                           DECEMBER 13, 2007

          [DR. ARIJIT PASAYAT AND P. SATHASIVAM, JJ.]


         Specific pe1formance:
c
        Suit for specific performance ofcontract ofemployment, alleging
  that inspite ofa specific provision therein, Appellants did not employ
  son ofRespondent-Maintainability of-Held: Not maintainable, since
  documentary evidence placed on record by Appellants showed that son
D ofRespondent had been employed-Specific ReliefAct, 1963-s. l 4.

       Respondent filed suit for specific performance of a contract of
  employment alleging that inspite ofa specific provision in the contract,
  Appellants did not employ his son. Trial Court decreed the suit. The
E order was upheld by First Appellate Court and the High Court. Hence
  the present appeal.

         Allowing the appeal, the Court
         HELD: By an earlier order, this Court had permitted the appellants
F to flle documents to show that the son ofrespondent no.1 had been given
    appointment on his nomination. The same has been filed. Though this
    document was not part of the records of the Courts below, but other
    evidence was available to show that, in fact, son of respondent no.I
    named "Guntoo" was appointed at the request of respondent no.I. The
G document place~ on record by the appellant pursuant to the order of
    this Court also clearly establishes this fact. In that view of the matter
    the suit filed by respondent no.1 deserves to be dismissed and the orders
    of the Trial Court, First Appellate Court and the High Court in the
    Second Appeal deserve to be set aside. [Paras 5 and 6] [586-B-D)
I-I                                    584
           THE GENERAL MANAGER, PENCH AREA, PARASIA,                          585
              M.P. v. BARKAN@KANHAIYA [PASAYAT, J.)
~   -t       CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION: Civil Appeal No. 2711 of A
         2001.

              From the final Judgment and Order dated 21.12.1999 of the High
         Court of Madhya Pradesh at Jabalpur in Second Appeal No. 856 of 1996.
               Anip Sachthey and Mohit Paul for the Appellants.                     B

              B.K. Satija for the Respondent.
              The Judgment of the Court was delivered by
              DR. ARIJIT PASAYAT, J. I. Challenge in this appeal is to the c
         order passed by a learned Single Judge of the Madhya Pradesh High
         Court at Jabalpur Bench dismissing the appeal filed by the appellants.
              2. Background facts in a nutshell are as follows:
              Respondent filed a suit for specific performance of the contract of D
         employment. According to the appellants, his lands were acquired for the
         purpose of construction of quarters for the employees.
               2. Sale-deed was executed in respect of the land and there was
         specific provision in a preceding agreement that four persons were to be
         given employment. Allegation was that only three had been provided E
         employment and in spite of assurance the defendants did not give the job
         to the plaintiffs.
               3. Stand of the defendants was that the suit was not maintainable.
         In fact, four persons have been given employment. The Trial Court and F
         the First Appellate Court accepted the position that three persons had
         been given jobs but held that no job was provided to the appellant. The
         Trial Court noticed that even though it was contended by the present
         appellants that one son of the plaintiff had been given a job, no document
         in that regard had been filed. The First Appellate Court and the High Court G
         were of the same view.
              4. The High Court held that the stand of the appellant that in view
         of Section 14 of the Specific Relief Act, 1963, suit for specific
         performance is not maintainable and is subject to certain exceptions. It H
    586 SUPREME COURT REPORTS                     [2007] 13 (Addi.) S.C.R.


A was held that since there was a solemn promise to employ four persons
  the appellants should not be permitted to wriggle out the promise by taking
  the plea that Section 14 of the Act bars a suit of the nature filed.
        5. By order dated March 31, 2000, this Court had permitted the
B appellants to file documents to show that the son of the respondent no. l
  had been given appointment on his nomination. The same has been filed.
  Though this document was not part of the records of the Courts below,
  but other evidence was available to show that, in fact, son of respondent
  no.I named "Guntoo" was appointed at the request ofrespondent no. I.
C The document placed on record by the appellant pursuant to the order
  of this Court also clearly establishes this fact.
       6. In that view of the matter the suit filed by respondent no. I deserves
  to be dismissed and the orders of the Trial Court, First Appellate Court
  and the High Court in the Second Appeal deserve to be set aside which
D we direct.
          7. The appeal is allowed to the aforesaid extent. No costs.
    B.B.B.                                                   Appeal allowed.


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