Bar on suit to set aside decree on objection as to place of suing
Full Text
No suit shall lie challenging the validity of a decree passed in a former suit between the same parties, or between the parties under whom they or any of them claim, litigating under the same title, on any ground based on an objection as to the place of suing.
Explanation.—The expression "former suit" means a suit which has been decided prior to the decision in the suit in which the validity of the decree is questioned, whether or not the previously decided suit was instituted prior to the suit in which the validity of such decree is questioned.
Plain English Summary
Section 21A prohibits any substantive suit from being instituted to challenge or set aside a decree passed in a former suit between the same parties on the ground of lack of territorial jurisdiction (place of suing). The Explanation defines 'former suit' as any suit decided prior in time.
Key Legal Elements
- Absolute Bar on Fresh Suit: Precludes institution of any suit seeking to invalidate a decree on grounds of improper place of suing (territorial jurisdiction).
- Complements Section 21: Extends the waiver principle of Section 21 by closing the remedy of filing collateral independent suits.
- Parties & Privies Bound: Applies to contests between identical parties or those claiming title through them.
- Definition of Former Suit: Denotes any suit decided prior in date to the decision in the suit challenging the decree, irrespective of dates of institution.
Practical Note
Bar on collateral attacks against decrees: Section 21A was introduced by the 1976 Amendment to prevent losing parties from circumventing Section 21 by instituting fresh suits to set aside decrees on grounds of improper venue. The sole permissible avenue to challenge territorial jurisdiction is by way of an appeal or revision in the original proceedings under Section 21(1). If an independent suit is filed questioning an earlier decree for want of territorial jurisdiction, file an application under Order 7 Rule 11(d) read with Section 21A for immediate rejection of the plaint as barred by law.
हिंदी पाठ
वाद लाने के स्थान के बारे में किसी आक्षेप पर आधारित किसी आधार पर, उन्हीं पक्षकारों के बीच या ऐसे पक्षकारों के बीच, जिनके अधीन वे या उनमें से कोई उसी हक के अधीन मुकदमेबाजी करने का दावा करते हैं, पूर्वतन वाद में पारित डिक्री की विधिमान्यता को चुनौती देने वाला कोई भी वाद नहीं लाया जाएगा।
स्पष्टीकरण.—"पूर्वतन वाद" पद से ऐसा वाद अभिप्रेत है जो उस वाद में, जिसमें डिक्री की विधिमान्यता पर प्रश्न उठाया गया है, विनिश्चय से पहले विनिश्चित हो चुका है, भले ही वह पूर्वतन विनिश्चित वाद उस वाद से पहले संस्थित किया गया था या नहीं जिसमें ऐसी डिक्री की विधिमान्यता पर प्रश्न उठाया गया है।