Commissions to make local investigations
Full Text
In any suit in which the Court deems a local investigation to be requisite or proper for the purpose of elucidating any matter in dispute, or of ascertaining the market-value of any property, or the amount of any mesne profits or damages or annual net profits, the Court may issue a commission to such person as it thinks fit directing him to make such investigation and to report thereon to the Court:
Provided that, where the State Government has made rules as to the persons to whom such commission shall be issued, the Court shall be bound by such rules.
Plain English Summary
Foundational rule for spot inspections and local investigations, enabling the court to appoint a local commissioner to elucidate disputed physical facts, boundaries, encroachments, market value, or mesne profits, while strictly barring the creation or collection of evidence for indolent litigants.
Key Legal Elements
- Core Objective: 'Elucidating any matter in dispute' (clarifying physical ambiguity, not creating fresh evidence).
- Subject Matters: Boundary disputes, physical encroachment, identification of suit property, valuation, mesne profits, annual net profits.
- Prohibition on Evidence Gathering: Commission cannot be used by a party to fill up lacunae or collect evidence of possession.
- State Government Rules: Appointment must strictly adhere to High Court / State rules where framed (e.g. revenue officials for land demarcation).
Practical Note
Litigation Playbook for Local Commissions: 1. Elucidation vs. Collection of Evidence: The Supreme Court in Haryana Waqf Board v. Shanti Sarup (2008) 8 SCC 671 held that where the dispute relates to identity, demarcation, or encroachment of immovable property, appointing a local commissioner under Rule 9 is the only proper course and rejecting it is a jurisdictional error. 2. Possession Cannot Be Determined by Commissioner: An Advocate Commissioner cannot be appointed to report 'who is in physical possession' of the suit property, as possession is a pure question of fact to be proved by oral and documentary evidence in court. Applications praying for determining possession will be dismissed as an attempt to collect evidence. 3. Exact Terms of Reference (Memo of Instructions): Draft precise terms of reference detailing survey numbers, boundaries, measurements, and existing structures, insisting that notice be served on all contiguous owners before inspection.
हिंदी पाठ
किसी भी ऐसे वाद में, जिसमें न्यायालय विवादग्रस्त किसी विषय को स्पष्ट (Elucidate) करने के प्रयोजन के लिए, अथवा किसी संपत्ति का बाजार-मूल्य अथवा किसी अंतःकालीन लाभ (Mesne profits) या नुकसानी या वार्षिक शुद्ध लाभ की रकम अभिनिश्चित करने के प्रयोजन के लिए स्थानीय अन्वेषण (Local investigation) करना आवश्यक या उचित समझता है, न्यायालय ऐसे किसी व्यक्ति को, जिसे वह ठीक समझे, यह निदेश देते हुए कमीशन निकाल सकेगा कि वह ऐसा अन्वेषण करे और उस पर न्यायालय को अपनी रिपोर्ट दे:
परंतु जहां राज्य सरकार ने उन व्यक्तियों के संबंध में नियम बनाए हैं जिन्हें ऐसा कमीशन निकाला जाएगा, वहां न्यायालय ऐसे नियमों से आबद्ध होगा।