Stay of execution pending suit between decree-holder and judgment-debtors
Full Text
Where a suit is pending in any Court against the holder of a decree of such Court or of a decree which is being executed by such Court, on the part of the person against whom the decree was passed, the Court may, on such terms as to security or otherwise, as it thinks fit, stay execution of the decree until the pending suit has been decided:
Provided that if the decree is one for payment of money, the Court shall, if it grants stay without requiring security, record its reasons for so doing.
Plain English Summary
Enables the court executing a decree to stay execution on terms of security if a separate substantive suit filed by the judgment-debtor against the decree-holder is pending before the same court, requiring recorded reasons if security is dispensed with in money decrees.
Key Legal Elements
- Pre-requisite of Pending Suit: Substantive suit by judgment-debtor against decree-holder must be pending in the same court.
- Discretionary Power: Stay is not a matter of right; court balances equities and irreparable injury.
- Terms of Security: Court normally insists on solvent security to safeguard the decree-holder.
- Mandatory Proviso for Money Decrees: In money decrees, dispensing with security requires reasoned recorded justification.
Practical Note
Invoking Order XXI Rule 29 Strategically: 1. Landmark Ruling - Shaukat Hussain v. Bhuneshwari Devi (1972) 2 SCC 731: The Supreme Court held that the power to stay under Rule 29 is discretionary and can only be exercised if the pending suit is in the *same court* executing the decree, and there is substantial interlinking between the claims. 2. Money Decrees Proviso: Following the 1976 amendment, staying a money decree without demanding deposit or bank guarantee is an exception requiring recorded reasons. The decree-holder should cite Atma Ram Properties (P) Ltd. v. Federal Motors (P) Ltd. (2005) 1 SCC 705 to insist on full security.
हिंदी पाठ
जहां किसी न्यायालय की डिक्री के धारक के विरुद्ध अथवा ऐसी डिक्री के विरुद्ध जिसका निष्पादन ऐसे न्यायालय द्वारा किया जा रहा है, उस व्यक्ति की ओर से जिसके विरुद्ध डिक्री पारित की गई थी कोई वाद उसी न्यायालय में लंबित है, वहां न्यायालय प्रतिभूति या अन्यथा जैसी वह उचित समझे ऐसी शर्तों पर, डिक्री के निष्पादन को तब तक के लिए रोक सकेगा जब तक कि लंबित वाद का विनिश्चय न हो जाए:
परंतु यदि डिक्री धन के संदाय के लिए है, तो न्यायालय, यदि वह प्रतिभूति की अपेक्षा किए बिना स्थगन मंजूर करता है, तो ऐसा करने के अपने कारणों को अभिलिखित करेगा।