Appeal from final decree where no appeal from preliminary decree
Full Text
Where any party aggrieved by a preliminary decree passed after the commencement of this Code does not appeal from such decree, he shall be precluded from disputing its correctness in any appeal which may be preferred from the final decree.
Plain English Summary
Section 97 codifies statutory preclusion and finality, establishing that if a party aggrieved by a preliminary decree fails to appeal against it within limitation, they are forever barred from challenging its correctness or findings in an appeal against the subsequent final decree.
Key Legal Elements
- Separate Statutory Decree: Operates where a suit involves a bifurcated adjudication resulting in a preliminary decree followed by a final decree.
- Failure to Appeal as Waiver: Aggrieved party failing to file an appeal against the preliminary decree within statutory limitation is estopped by law.
- Preclusion in Final Decree Appeal: Precludes any challenge to the findings, declarations, or shares of the preliminary decree during an appeal from the final decree.
- Prevention of Trial Multiplicity: Enforces finality of substantive adjudication and protects subsequent administrative/ministerial execution proceedings.
Practical Note
Preliminary Decree Finality & Partition/Mortgage Practice: (1) Stage of Adjudication: In partition suits (Order XX Rule 18), partnership dissolutions (Order XX Rule 15), and mortgage foreclosures/sales (Order XXXIV), the preliminary decree conclusively determines rights, status, and shares of the parties. The final decree merely carries out physical division or accounting. (2) Strict Statutory Bar: If an advocate waits until the final decree is drawn up before challenging shares or rights determined in the preliminary decree, the appeal against the shares will be summarily dismissed as barred under Section 97 (*Venkatarao v. Venkayya*, *Mool Chand v. Director of Consolidation, 1995*). (3) Independent Limitation: An appeal against a preliminary decree must be filed immediately within statutory limitation from the date of the preliminary decree, regardless of whether final decree proceedings have commenced.
हिंदी पाठ
जहाँ इस संहिता के प्रारंभ के पश्चात पारित किसी प्रारंभिक डिक्री से व्यथित कोई पक्षकार ऐसी डिक्री की अपील नहीं करता है, वहाँ वह उसकी शुद्धता पर ऐसे किसी आक्षेप को उठाने से विवर्जित (precluded) रहेगा जो अंतिम डिक्री के विरुद्ध की गई किसी अपील में किया जाए।