Power to refer to High Court questions as to jurisdiction in small causes
Full Text
(1) Where at any time before judgment a Court in which a suit has been instituted doubts whether the suit is cognizable by a Court of Small Causes or is not so cognizable, it may submit the record to the High Court with a statement of its reasons for the doubt as to the nature of the suit.
(2) On receiving the record and statement, the High Court may order the Court either to proceed with the suit or to return the plaint for presentation to such other Court as it may in its order declare to be competent to take cognizance of the suit.
Plain English Summary
Enables a civil court uncertain before judgment whether a suit is cognizable by a Court of Small Causes to submit the record with reasons to the High Court; High Court directs the court to proceed or return the plaint for presentation to the competent court.
Key Legal Elements
- Pre-Judgment Stage: Operates at any time prior to delivery of judgment.
- Small Causes Cognizability Doubt: Resolves jurisdictional conflicts between regular civil courts and Small Cause Courts.
- Statement of Reasons: Judge submits factual statement and reasons for jurisdictional doubt.
- High Court Directions: Directs either trial to proceed in the current court or plaint returned under Order VII Rule 10.
Practical Note
Preventing Null and Void Judgments in Small Cause Disputes: 1. Inherent Lack of Jurisdiction: Because a regular civil court trying a matter exclusively reserved for Small Cause Courts (or vice versa) lacks subject-matter jurisdiction, delivering judgment without resolving the conflict risks a total nullity. Rule 6 provides a safe statutory procedure to obtain an authoritative ruling from the High Court before judgment is pronounced. 2. Consequence: The High Court's order conclusively determines the competent forum, binding all subordinate courts.
हिंदी पाठ
(1) जहां निर्णय से पूर्व किसी भी समय उस न्यायालय को, जिसमें कोई वाद संस्थित किया गया है, यह संदेह होता है कि वाद लघुवाद न्यायालय (Court of Small Causes) द्वारा संज्ञेय है अथवा इस प्रकार संज्ञेय नहीं है, वहां वह वाद की प्रकृति के संबंध में अपने संदेह के कारणों के विवरण सहित अभिलेख उच्च न्यायालय को प्रस्तुत कर सकेगा।
(2) अभिलेख और विवरण प्राप्त होने पर, उच्च न्यायालय उस न्यायालय को या तो वाद में आगे बढ़ने का अथवा ऐसे अन्य न्यायालय में प्रस्तुत किए जाने हेतु वादपत्र को लौटाने का आदेश दे सकेगा जिसे वह अपने आदेश में वाद का संज्ञान करने के लिए सक्षम घोषित करे।