Restriction on bidding or purchase by officers
Full Text
No officer or other person having any duty to perform in connection with any sale shall, either directly or indirectly, bid for, acquire or attempt to acquire any interest in the property sold.
Plain English Summary
Enforces strict judicial ethics and conflict-of-interest prohibitions: completely bars any court officer, judge, auctioneer, or bailiff connected with an execution sale from bidding for or acquiring any interest in the auctioned property.
Key Legal Elements
- Absolute Prohibition: Covers direct purchases, benami bids, and indirect acquisition of any interest.
- Persons Covered: Presiding Judges, Nazirs, Amines, Process Servers, Court Commissioners, and auction clerks.
- Public Policy Safeguard: Prevents corruption and insider manipulation of court auctions.
- Void Ab Initio: Any purchase made in violation of Rule 73 is an absolute nullity.
Practical Note
Absolute Nullity of Officer Purchases: In Manilal Mohanlal Shah v. Sardar Sayed Ahmed Sayed Mohamed (1955) 1 SCR 108, the Supreme Court emphasized that provisions regulating court auctions must be strictly enforced. A sale in favor of a court official or their immediate proxy violates public policy and is void ab initio without needing proof of fraud.
हिंदी पाठ
किसी भी विक्रय के संबंध में कोई कर्तव्य करने वाले किसी अधिकारी या अन्य व्यक्ति (नाज़िर, अमीन, कोर्ट कमिश्नर, न्यायाधीश आदि) द्वारा बेची गई संपत्ति में प्रत्यक्ष या अप्रत्यक्ष रूप से न तो बोली लगाई जाएगी, न उसे अर्जित किया जाएगा और न ही उसमें कोई हित अर्जित करने का प्रयत्न किया जाएगा।