Application for restitution
Full Text
(1) Where and in so far as a decree or an order is varied or reversed in any appeal, revision or other proceeding or is set aside or modified in any suit instituted for the purpose, the Court which passed the decree or order shall, on the application of any party entitled to any benefit by way of restitution or otherwise, cause such restitution to be made as will, so far as may be, place the parties in the position which they would have occupied but for such decree or order or such part thereof as has been varied, reversed, set aside or modified; and for this purpose, the Court may make any orders, including orders for the refund of costs and for the payment of interest, damages, compensation and mesne profits, which are properly consequential on such variation, reversal, setting aside or modification of the decree or order.
Explanation.—For the purposes of sub-section (1), the expression “Court which passed the decree or order” shall be deemed to include,—
(a) where the decree or order has been varied or reversed in exercise of appellate or revisional jurisdiction, the Court of first instance;
(b) where the decree or order has been set aside by a separate suit, the court of first instance which passed such decree or order;
(c) where the Court of first instance has ceased to exist or has ceased to have jurisdiction to execute it, the Court which, if the suit wherein the decree or order was passed were instituted at the time of making the application for restitution under this section, would have jurisdiction to try such suit.
(2) No suit shall be instituted for the purpose of obtaining any restitution or other relief which could be obtained by application under sub-section (1).
Plain English Summary
Section 144 codifies the equitable doctrine of restitution (actus curiae neminem gravabit), mandating that when a decree or order is reversed, varied, or set aside, the court of first instance must restore the successful party to the exact position they would have occupied but for the erroneous decree, awarding possession, refund of costs, interest, damages, and mesne profits, while barring separate suits for restitution under sub-section (2).
Key Legal Elements
- Reversal or Modification Benchmark: Triggered when a decree or order is reversed, modified, or varied in appeal, revision, or separate proceeding.
- Status Quo Ante Restoration: Mandates restoring the aggrieved party to the exact factual/legal position occupied prior to the erroneous decree.
- Consequential Reliefs: Empowers court to award restoration of possession, refund of costs, interest, damages, and mesne profits.
- Forum for Restitution (Explanation): Application lies before the court of first instance that passed the original decree.
- Absolute Bar on Separate Suit (Sub-section 2): Restitution relief can only be claimed by application under Section 144; independent civil suits are strictly barred.
- Appealable as Decree: Section 2(2) expressly includes the determination of any question under Section 144 within the definition of a 'decree'.
Practical Note
The Equitable Doctrine of Restitution (Actus Curiae Neminem Gravabit): 1. Maxim & Legal Basis: Section 144 is founded on the maxim actus curiae neminem gravabit (an act of the court shall prejudice no one). As held in Kavita Trehan v. Balsara Hygiene Products Ltd. (AIR 1995 SC 441) and South Eastern Coalfields Ltd. v. State of M.P. (2003) 8 SCC 648, the court has an inherent, statutory obligation to undo the wrong done to a litigant by an erroneous decree or interim order. 2. Inherent Restitution under Section 151: While Section 144 strictly applies when a decree/order is varied or reversed in appellate/revisional proceedings, the principle of restitution is not confined to Section 144. In situations not strictly covered by Section 144 (e.g. dismissal of an interim injunction or ex-parte order set aside under Order IX Rule 13), courts exercise inherent powers under Section 151 to order restitution. 3. Deemed Decree & Appealability: Under Section 2(2) of the CPC, any order determining a question under Section 144 is deemed to be a 'decree'. Consequently, an order granting or refusing restitution is directly appealable as a regular First Appeal under Section 96, and not as a mere miscellaneous appeal under Order XLIII. 4. Total Bar on Independent Suits (Section 144(2)): Litigants cannot file a fresh suit to recover property, rent, mesne profits, or damages lost under a reversed decree; an application under Section 144 before the trial court is the sole and exclusive remedy.
हिंदी पाठ
(1) जहां तक और जिस सीमा तक किसी डिक्री या आदेश को किसी अपील, पुनरीक्षण या अन्य कार्यवाही में परिवर्तित या उलट दिया गया है अथवा उस प्रयोजन के लिए संस्थित किसी वाद में अपास्त या उपांतरित कर दिया गया है, वहां वह न्यायालय जिसने डिक्री या आदेश पारित किया था, किसी ऐसे पक्षकार के आवेदन पर जो प्रत्यास्थापन द्वारा या अन्यथा किसी फायदे का हकदार है, ऐसा प्रत्यास्थापन कराएगा जिससे, जहां तक हो सके, पक्षकारों को उसी स्थिति में रख दिया जाए जिसमें वे उस डिक्री या आदेश के अथवा उसके ऐसे भाग के, जिसे परिवर्तित, उलटा, अपास्त या उपांतरित किया गया है, न होने की दशा में होते; और इस प्रयोजन के लिए न्यायालय कोई भी ऐसे आदेश कर सकेगा, जिनमें खर्चे की वापसी के लिए और ब्याज, नुकसानी, प्रतिकर और अंतःकालीन लाभों (Mesne profits) के संदाय के आदेश शामिल हैं, जो डिक्री या आदेश के ऐसे परिवर्तन, उलटने, अपास्त किए जाने या उपांतरण के उचित पारिणामिक आदेश हों।
स्पष्टीकरण.—उपधारा (1) के प्रयोजनों के लिए "डिक्री या आदेश पारित करने वाला न्यायालय" पद के अंतर्गत निम्नलिखित को समझा जाएगा,—
(क) जहां डिक्री या आदेश को अपीलीय या पुनरीक्षण अधिकारिता के प्रयोग में परिवर्तित या उलटा गया है, वहां प्रथम बार का न्यायालय (Court of first instance);
(ख) जहां डिक्री या आदेश को किसी पृथक वाद द्वारा अपास्त किया गया है, वहां प्रथम बार का वह न्यायालय जिसने ऐसी डिक्री या आदेश पारित किया था;
(ग) जहां प्रथम बार का न्यायालय समाप्त हो गया है या उसे निष्पादन करने की अधिकारिता नहीं रह गई है, वहां वह न्यायालय जिसे, यदि वह वाद जिसमें डिक्री या आदेश पारित किया गया था इस धारा के अधीन प्रत्यास्थापन के लिए आवेदन करने के समय संस्थित किया जाता तो, ऐसे वाद का विचारण करने की अधिकारिता होती।
(2) कोई भी वाद ऐसा कोई प्रत्यास्थापन या अन्य अनुतोष प्राप्त करने के प्रयोजन के लिए संस्थित नहीं किया जाएगा जो उपधारा (1) के अधीन आवेदन द्वारा प्राप्त किया जा सकता था।