Property attached in execution of decrees of several Courts
Full Text
(1) Where property not in the custody of any Court is under attachment in execution of decrees of more Courts than one, the Court which shall receive or realize such property and shall determine any claim thereto and any objection to the attachment thereof shall be the Court of highest grade, or, where there is no difference in grade between such Courts, the Court under whose decree the property was first attached.
(2) Nothing in this section shall be deemed to invalidate any proceeding taken by a Court executing one of such decrees.
Explanation.—For the purposes of sub-section (2), “proceeding taken by a Court” does not include an order allowing, to a decree-holder who has purchased property at a sale held in execution of a decree, set off to the extent of the purchase price payable by him.
Plain English Summary
Section 63 establishes the jurisdictional hierarchy and conflict-resolution rules when the same property is concurrently attached by multiple civil courts. Custody, realization, and adjudication of claims are assigned to the Court of highest pecuniary grade, or among courts of equal grade, to the Court that attached the property first in time, while protecting bona fide execution proceedings.
Key Legal Elements
- Multiple Attachments Conflict: Operates when property not in court custody is simultaneously attached under decrees of different courts.
- Forum of Highest Grade: Jurisdiction to realize property and decide objections rests exclusively with the court of superior pecuniary jurisdiction.
- First-in-Time Tie-Breaker: Between courts of equal rank, jurisdiction vests in the court that attached the property first in point of time.
- Validity of Interim Acts & Set-off Bar (Sec 63(2) & Expl.): Sales conducted by a lower court remain valid, but set-off granted to a purchasing decree-holder is excluded to safeguard rateable distribution under Section 73.
Practical Note
Coordination Between Executing Courts, Priority Rule & Rateable Distribution: (1) Inter-Court Conflict Resolution: Section 63 prevents chaotic competing auctions. If a Subordinate Judge and a District Court both attach the same debtor property, the District Court must realize the property and adjudicate third-party claims (Order XXI Rule 58). (2) Savings Provision & Bona Fide Purchasers: Under sub-section (2), if a subordinate court mistakenly sells the attached property unaware of the senior court's attachment, the sale is not void, protecting bona fide auction purchasers. (3) Explanation & Rateable Distribution: The Explanation prevents a decree-holder from obtaining an unfair advantage through purchase-price set-off in a lower court; realized proceeds must be pooled and rateably distributed under Section 73 among all attaching decree-holders.
हिंदी पाठ
(1) जहां ऐसी संपत्ति, जो किसी न्यायालय की अभिरक्षा में नहीं है, एक से अधिक न्यायालयों की डिक्रियों के निष्पादन में कुर्की के अधीन है, वहां वह न्यायालय जो ऐसी संपत्ति को प्राप्त या वसूल करेगा और उसके प्रति किसी दावे का तथा उसकी कुर्की के प्रति किसी आक्षेप का अवधारण (निस्तारण) करेगा, उच्चतम श्रेणी (पद) का न्यायालय होगा, अथवा जहां ऐसे न्यायालयों के बीच श्रेणी में कोई अंतर नहीं है, वहां वह न्यायालय होगा जिसकी डिक्री के अधीन संपत्ति सबसे पहले कुर्क की गई थी।
(2) इस धारा की किसी भी बात से ऐसी डिक्रियों में से किसी एक का निष्पादन करने वाले किसी न्यायालय द्वारा की गई किसी कार्यवाही को अविधिमान्य करने वाली नहीं समझी जाएगी।
स्पष्टीकरण—उपधारा (2) के प्रयोजनों के लिए, "न्यायालय द्वारा की गई कार्यवाही" के अंतर्गत ऐसा कोई आदेश नहीं आता है जो किसी डिक्री के निष्पादन में हुए विक्रय में संपत्ति खरीदने वाले किसी डिक्रीदार को उसके द्वारा संदेय क्रय-मूल्य के विस्तार तक मुजराई (सेट-ऑफ) अनुज्ञात करता हो।