OP(C) NO. 2430 OF 2024 1 2025:KER:25749 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM PRESENT THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE BASANT BALAJI WEDNESDAY, THE 26TH DAY OF MARCH 2025 / 5TH CHAITHRA, 1947 OP(C) NO. 2430 OF 2024 AGAINST THE ORDER/JUDGMENT DATED IN OS NO.128 OF 2024 OF ADDITIONAL MUNSIFF COURT,CHERTHALA PETITIONER/PETITIONERS/PLAINTIFFS: 1 MAHESH KUMAR R. AGED 56 YEARS /O RAVINDRANATHAN NAIR, POURNAMI, THURAVOOR P.O., KUTHIATHODE VILLAGE, PADINJATTUMKARA VADAKKUMMURI, CHERTHALA TALUK, ALAPPUZHA DISTRICT ., PIN - 688532 2 DILEEP KUMAR C.C AGED 51 YEARS S/O CHANDRASEKHARA PANICKER, DILEEP NILAYAM, THURAVOOR P.O., KUTHIATHODE VILLAGE, PADINJATTUMKARA VADAKKUMMURI, CHERTHALA TALUK, ALAPPUZHA DISTRICT., PIN - 688532 3 MURALEEDHARAN M.C. AGED 56 YEARS S/O CHANDRASEKHARAN NAIR, MATHAPARAMPIL HOUSE, THURAVOOR P.O., KUTHIATHODE VILLAGE, PADINJATTUMKARA VADAKKUMMURI, CHERTHALA TALUK, ALAPPUZHA DISTRICT., PIN - 688532 4 RAMESH KUMA AGED 57 YEARS S/O UNNIKRISHNA MENON, INDEEVARAM, THURAVOOR P.O., KUTHIATHODE VILLAGE, PADINJATTUMKARA VADAKKUMMURI, CHERTHALA TALUK, ALAPPUZHA DISTRICT., PIN - 688532 5 K. RAJASEKHARAN NAIR OP(C) NO. 2430 OF 2024 2 2025:KER:25749 AGED 65 YEARS S/O KUMARA KURUP, KRISHNALAYAM, THURAVOOR P.O., KUTHIATHODE VILLAGE, PADINJATTUMKARA VADAKKUMMURI, CHERTHALA TALUK, ALAPPUZHA DISTRICT., PIN - 688532 6 ANAND R. AGED 37 YEARS S/O RAVINDRAN NAIR, NARAYANA VILASAM, THURAVOOR P.O., KUTHIATHODE VILLAGE, PADINJATTUMKARA VADAKKUMMURI, CHERTHALA TALUK, ALAPPUZHA DISTRICT., PIN - 688532 BY ADVS. V.N.SANKARJEE V.N.MADHUSUDANAN R.UDAYA JYOTHI KEERTHI B. CHANDRAN VIJAYAN PILLAI P.K. SINEESH K.M. SHILPA P.S. UNNIKRISHNAN H. RESPONDENT/S: 1 THURAVOOR PADINJATTUMKARA VADAKKU MURI N.S.S. KARAYOGAM NO.803 THURAVOOR P.O., KUTHIATHODE VILLAGE, PADINJATTUMKARA VADAKKUMMURI, CHERTHALA TALUK, ALAPPUZHA DISTRICT, REPRESENTED BY ITS PRESIDENT., PIN - 688532 2 THE PRESIDENT, THURAVOOR PADINJATTUMKARA VADAKKU MURI N.S.S. KARAYOGAM NO.803 THURAVOOR P.O., KUTHIATHODE VILLAGE, PADINJATTUMKARA VADAKKUMMURI, CHERTHALA TALUK, ALAPPUZHA DISTRICT., PIN - 688532 3 THE SECRETARY, THURAVOOR PADINJATTUMKARA VADAKKU MURI N.S.S. KARAYOGAM NO.803 THURAVOOR P.O., KUTHIATHODE VILLAGE, PADINJATTUMKARA VADAKKUMMURI, CHERTHALA TALUK, ALAPPUZHA DISTRICT., PIN - 688532 OP(C) NO. 2430 OF 2024 3 2025:KER:25749 4 THE TREASURER, THURAVOOR PADINJATTUMKARA VADAKKU MURI N.S.S. KARAYOGAM NO.803 THURAVOOR P.O., KUTHIATHODE VILLAGE, PADINJATTUMKARA VADAKKUMMURI, CHERTHALA TALUK, ALAPPUZHA DISTRICT., PIN - 688532 5 UDAYAKUMAR N. AGED 61 YEARS S/O NARAYANAN NAIR, SREEPADAM, THURAVOOR P.O., KUTHIATHODE VILLAGE, PADINJATTUMKARA VADAKKUMMURI, CHERTHALA TALUK, ALAPPUZHA DISTRICT., PIN - 688532 6 JAYAKRISHNAN K. AGED 47 YEARS S/O KRISHNANKUTTY PANICKER, PUNAKKAPPALLIL, THURAVOOR P.O., KUTHIATHODE VILLAGE, PADINJATTUMKARA VADAKKUMMURI, CHERTHALA TALUK, ALAPPUZHA DISTRICT., PIN - 688532 7 AJITH KUMAR AGED 64 YEARS S/O KRISHNAPPAN NAIR, R.K. NIVAS, THURAVOOR P.O., KUTHIATHODE VILLAGE, PADINJATTUMKARA VADAKKUMMURI, CHERTHALA TALUK, ALAPPUZHA DISTRICT, PIN - 688532 8 VENUGOPAL (COMMITTEE MEMBER) AGED 56 YEARS S/O PURUSHOTHAMAN NAIR, KUMARAKATHU CHIRAYIL, THURAVOOR P.O., KUTHIATHODE VILLAGE, PADINJATTUMKARA VADAKKUMMURI, CHERTHALA TALUK, ALAPPUZHA DISTRICT., PIN - 688532 9 GIRISH KUMAR AGED 54 YEARS KRISHNAGIRI, THURAVOOR P.O., KUTHIATHODE VILLAGE, PADINJATTUMKARA VADAKKUMMURI, CHERTHALA TALUK, ALAPPUZHA DISTRICT., PIN - 688532 0 RAVEENDRANATHAN AGED 61 YEARS ANNAPARAMBIL, THURAVOOR P.O., KUTHIATHODE VILLAGE, PADINJATTUMKARA VADAKKUMMURI, CHERTHALA TALUK, ALAPPUZHA DISTRICT., PIN - 688532 OP(C) NO. 2430 OF 2024 4 2025:KER:25749 11 UNNIKRISHNAN AGED 55 YEARS S/O SANKARA NARAYANAN NAIR, GOURI MANDIRAM- KOTTAKKAL, THURAVOOR P.O., KUTHIATHODE VILLAGE, PADINJATTUMKARA VADAKKUMMURI, CHERTHALA TALUK, ALAPPUZHA DISTRICT., PIN - 688532 12 MOHANDAS AGED 70 YEARS S/O KONTHU PANIKKER, RESIDING AT PALANJI GOKULAM, THURAVOOR P.O., KUTHIATHODE VILLAGE, PADINJATTUMKARA VADAKKUMMURI, CHERTHALA TALUK, ALAPPUZHA DISTRICT, PIN - 688532 13 NARAYANA PANICKER (UNION MEMBER) AGED 68 YEARS THAIKOODATHIL, THURAVOOR P.O., KUTHIATHODE VILLAGE, PADINJATTUMKARA VADAKKUMMURI, CHERTHALA TALUK, ALAPPUZHA DISTRICT., PIN - 688532 14 NAIR SERVICE SOCIETY NAIR SERVICE SOCIETY HEAD OFFICE, CHANGANASSERY, KOTTAYAM DISTRICT, REPRESENTED BY ITS GENERAL SECRETARY., PIN - 686102 15 THE REGISTRAR NAIR SERVICE SOCIETY, NAIR SERVICE SOCIETY HEAD OFFICE, CHANGANASSERY, KOTTAYAM DISTRICT., PIN - 686102 16 NAIR SERVICE SOCIETY TALUK UNION CHERTHALA TALUK, N.S.S. BUILDING, SOUTH OF KARTHYAYINI TEMPLE, CHERTHALA NORTH VILLAGE, CHERTHALA TALUK, REPRESENTED BY ITS SECRETARY., PIN - 688524 17 DINESAN AGED 58 YEARS S/O KESAVAN, PUNNAKKAL HOUSE, THURAVOOR P.O., KUTHIATHODE VILLAGE, PADINJATTUMKARA VADAKKUMMURI, CHERTHALA TALUK, ALAPPUZHA DISTRICT., PIN - 688532 18 DR KARAM CHAND AGED 56 YEARS S/O NARAYANA MALLAN, KOVILAKATH MADAM, OP(C) NO. 2430 OF 2024 5 2025:KER:25749 THURAVOOR P.O., KUTHIATHODE VILLAGE, PADINJATTUMKARA VADAKKUMMURI, CHERTHALA TALUK, ALAPPUZHA DISTRICT., PIN - 688532 19 RAVEENDRAN NAIR AGED 70 YEARS KARUVALLAY, THURAVOOR P.O., KUTHIATHODE VILLAGE, PADINJATTUMKARA VADAKKUMMURI, CHERTHALA TALUK, ALAPPUZHA DISTRICT., PIN - 688532 0 DR. RENJIT MONAI AGED 50 YEARS KARTHIKA, EREZHUTH PARAMB THURAVOOR P.O., KUTHIATHODE VILLAGE, PADINJATTUMKARA VADAKKUMMURI, CHERTHALA TALUK, ALAPPUZHA DISTRICT, PIN - 688532 21 V.S. NAVAS AGED 55 YEARS VELIKKAKATH THURAVOOR P.O., KUTHIATHODE VILLAGE, PADINJATTUMKARA VADAKKUMMURI, CHERTHALA TALUK, ALAPPUZHA DISTRICT, PIN - 688532 BY ADVS. B.PRAMOD ATHUL M.V.(K/1539/2018) THIS OP (CIVIL) HAVING COME UP FOR ADMISSION ON 26.03.2025, THE COURT ON THE SAME DAY DELIVERED THE FOLLOWING: OP(C) NO. 2430 OF 2024 6 2025:KER:25749 JUDGMENT Ext.P9 order in I.A.No.5/2024 in O.S.No.128/2024 on the files of the Additional Munsiff Court, Cherthala is under challenge in this original petition, which is filed under Article 227 of the Constitution of India. Petitioners are the plaintiffs in the suit. The suit was filed for declaration, injunction, settlement of accounts and setting scheme etc. 2. On receipt of summons, the defendant entered appearance and filed Ext.P3 petition to hear the maintainability of the suit as I.A.No.5/2024. The plaintiff filed Ext.P6 objection to the said I.A. The Trial Court considered the application as a preliminary issue and dismissed the same as per Ext.P9. The main contention raised is that in the plaint there are 11 reliefs and those reliefs are not seperately valued. In the valuation portion in the plaint, the court fee of Rs.200/- is payable under Section 28 of the Kerala Court Fees and Suit Valuation Act, 1959 for the purpose of court fee and for the purpose of pecuniary jurisdiction, Rs.1000/- is payable. 3. Contention was also raised that the Munsiff Court has no pecuniary jurisdiction to consider the plaint, as in the plaint itself in Paragraph 13, the plaintiffs themselves have stated that the property has a minimum market value of Rs.5 lakhs per cent at the time of transfer and Rs.17,26,292/- was shown as its OP(C) NO. 2430 OF 2024 7 2025:KER:25749 sale consideration. The Trial Court took note of this and the admission of the plaintiff that the property will fetch minimum Rs.5 lakhs per cent, had appointed a Commissioner to ascertain the market value of Plaint Schedule item Nos.1 to 3, 5 and 6 properties. 4. According to the learned counsel for the petitioner, the Trial Court has held that the suit is not properly valued and the court fee paid is not correct. 5. The learned counsel for the respondent submits that the court has not gone the question of proper court fee to be paid and has only directed the Advocate Commissioner to value the property for the purpose of pecuniary jurisdiction to be decided. Because, even according to the plaint, the valuation willl be much higher than 10,00,000/- under Section 11(2) of the Act, whereas the jurisdiction of the Munsiff court is upto 10 lakhs. 6. The learned counsel for the respondents submits that the question of paying of court fee is to be decided only after filing written statement in a later stage after the court decides the pecuniary jurisiction. Therefore, I am of the considered opinion that,no report has filed in Ext.P9, court fee is not correct and the Commissioner has already been appointed to ascertain the market value, I clarify that by Ext.P9, the court is only to see the pecuniary jurisdiction, after the Commission files a report. If the court fee is above the limit, then plaint has to be returned and the OP(C) NO. 2430 OF 2024 8 2025:KER:25749 question of payment of proper court fee can only be decided in a later stage, after the commission report is filed. With this clarification this original petition is disposed of. sd BASANT BALAJI JUDGE jm/ OP(C) NO. 2430 OF 2024 9 2025:KER:25749 APPENDIX OF OP(C) 2430/2024 PETITIONER EXHIBITS Exhibit P-1 TRUE COPY OF THE PLAINT DATED 14.02.2024 IN O.S. NO. 128/2024 ON THE FILE OF ADDITIONAL MUNSIFF’S COURT, CHERTHALA Exhibit P-2 TRUE COPY OF I.A. NO.1/2024 DATED 14.02.2024 IN O.S. NO. 128/2024 ON THE FILE OF THE ADDITIONAL MUNSIFF’S COURT, CHERTHALA Exhibit P-3 TRUE COPY OF I.A. NO.5/2024 DATED 05.03.2024 IN O.S. NO. 128/2024 ON THE FILE OF ADDITIONAL MUNSIFF’S COURT, CHERTHALA FILED BY RESPONDENTS 14 TO 16 Exhibit P-4 TRUE COPY OF THE OBJECTION DATED 06.03.2024 FILED BY RESPONDENTS 14 TO 16 IN I.A.NO.1/2024 IN O.S. NO. 128/2024 ON THE FILE OF ADDITIONAL MUNSIFF’S COURT, CHERTHALA Exhibit P-5 TRUE COPY OF THE OBJECTION DATED 03.03.2024 FILED BY THE 1ST RESPONDENT IN I.A.NO.1/2024 IN O.S. NO. 128/2024 ON THE FILE OF ADDITIONAL MUNSIFF’S COURT, CHERTHALA Exhibit P-6 TRUE COPY OF THE PETITIONERS’ OBJECTION DATED 07.03.2024 IN I.A.NO.5/2024 IN O.S. NO.128/2024 ON THE FILE OF THE ADDITIONAL MUNSIFF’S COURT, CHERTHALA Exhibit P-7 . TRUE COPY OF THE WRITTEN STATEMENT DATED 19.3.2024 FILED BY RESPONDENTS 1 TO 8, 10, 11 AND 13 IN O.S. NO. 128/2024 ON THE FILE OF ADDITIONAL MUNSIFF COURT, CHERTHALA Exhibit P-8 TRUE COPY OF THE WRITTEN STATEMENT DATED 2.4.2024 FILED BY THE 16TH RESPONDENT IN O.S. NO. 128/2024 ON THE OP(C) NO. 2430 OF 2024 10 2025:KER:25749 FILE OF ADDITIONAL MUNSIFF COURT, CHERTHALA Exhibit P-9 TRUE COPY OF THE ORDER DATED 12.04.2024 IN I.A. NO. 5/2024 IN O.S. NO. 128/2024 ON THE FILE OF ADDITIONAL MUNSIFF COURT, CHERTHALA