Extracted from the PDF above. The PDF is authoritative.
APHC010063382023
IN THE HIGH COURT OF ANDHRA PRADESH THURSDAY, T TWO THOUSAND AND TWENTY SIX THE HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE RAVI CHEEMALAPATI CIVIL REVISION PETITION Between:
1. BOLLINKALA APPANNA, S/O LATE RAJANNA, AGED 50 YEARS, OCC. CULTIVATION, R/O YERUSUPETA VILLAGE, HAMLET OF GUDIVADA PANCHAYAT, BHOGAPURAM
MANDAL, VIZIANAGARAM DISTRICT. 1. YERSUSU KRISHNA DASU, S/O LATE YEARS, OCC. COOLIE, R/O YERUSUPETA VILLAGE, HAMLET OF GUDIVADA PANCHAYAT, BHOGAPURAM
MANDAL, VIZIANAGARAM DISTRICT. 2. YERUSU CHITTAMMA, W/O KRISHNA DASU, AGED ABOUT 48 YEARS, OCC. COOLIE, YERUSUPETA VILLAGE, HAMLET OF GUDIVADA PANCHAYAT, BHOGAPURAM MANDAL, VIZIANAGARAM DISTRICT. Petition under Article 227 of the Constitution of India,praying that in the circumstances stated in the grounds filed herein,the High Court may be
1
IN THE HIGH COURT OF ANDHRA PRADESH AT AMARAVATI (Special Original Jurisdiction) THE TWENTY SIXTH DAY OF FEBRUARY TWO THOUSAND AND TWENTY SIX PRESENT THE HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE RAVI CHEEMALAPATI CIVIL REVISION PETITION NO: 317/2023 BOLLINKALA APPANNA, S/O LATE RAJANNA, AGED 50 YEARS, OCC. CULTIVATION, R/O YERUSUPETA VILLAGE, HAMLET OF GUDIVADA PANCHAYAT, BHOGAPURAM
MANDAL, VIZIANAGARAM DISTRICT. ...PETITIONER AND YERSUSU KRISHNA DASU, S/O LATE THOTAYYA, AGED ABOUT 53 YEARS, OCC. COOLIE, R/O YERUSUPETA VILLAGE, HAMLET OF GUDIVADA PANCHAYAT, BHOGAPURAM
MANDAL, VIZIANAGARAM DISTRICT. YERUSU CHITTAMMA, W/O KRISHNA DASU, AGED ABOUT 48 YEARS, OCC. COOLIE, YERUSUPETA VILLAGE, HAMLET OF PANCHAYAT, BHOGAPURAM MANDAL, VIZIANAGARAM ...RESPONDENT(S): Petition under Article 227 of the Constitution of India,praying that in the circumstances stated in the grounds filed herein,the High Court may be
RC,J CRP No.317 of 2023
IN THE HIGH COURT OF ANDHRA PRADESH [3332] OF FEBRUARY THE HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE RAVI CHEEMALAPATI BOLLINKALA APPANNA, S/O LATE RAJANNA, AGED 50 YEARS, OCC. CULTIVATION, R/O YERUSUPETA VILLAGE, HAMLET OF GUDIVADA PANCHAYAT, BHOGAPURAM
MANDAL, ...PETITIONER THOTAYYA, AGED ABOUT 53 YEARS, OCC. COOLIE, R/O YERUSUPETA VILLAGE, HAMLET OF GUDIVADA PANCHAYAT, BHOGAPURAM
MANDAL, YERUSU CHITTAMMA, W/O KRISHNA DASU, AGED ABOUT 48 YEARS, OCC. COOLIE, YERUSUPETA VILLAGE, HAMLET OF PANCHAYAT, BHOGAPURAM MANDAL, VIZIANAGARAM ...RESPONDENT(S): Petition under Article 227 of the Constitution of India,praying that in the circumstances stated in the grounds filed herein,the High Court may be
RC,J CRP No.317 of 2023
2
pleased to set aside the Order dt.
27.09.2022 in I.A.No. 835/2019 in O.S.No.451/2017 on the file of the Principal junior Civil Judge-cum-Judicial Magistrate of First Class, Vizianagaramand pass IA NO: 1 OF 2023 Petition under Section 151 CPC praying that in the circumstances stated in the affidavit filed in support of the petition, the High Court may be pleased to dispense with the filing of the certified copies of the Order in I.A.No. 835/2019 in O.S.No.451/2017 on the file of the Hon'ble Principal Junior Civil Judge, Vizianagaram, and to pass IA NO: 2 OF 2023 Petition under Section 151 CPC praying that in the circumstances stated in the affidavit filed in support of the petition, the High Court may be pleased to grant stay of all further proceedings in O.S.No.451 of 2017 on the file of the Principal junior Civil Judge-cum¬Judicial Magistrate of First Class, Vizianagaramand pass IA NO: 1 OF 2025 Petition under Section 151 CPC praying that in the circumstances stated in the affidavit filed in support of the petition, the High Court may be pleased may be pleased to extend the Interim orders granted in I.A.No.2/2023 vide orders dated 13.02.2023 pending disposal of the CRP.N0.317 of 2023 and pass Counsel for the Petitioner:
1. G SAI NARAYANA RAO Counsel for the Respondent(S):
1. BONU RAMA SHANKAR RAO RESERVED ON 10.02.2026 PRONOUNCED ON 26.02.2026
UPLOADED ON 02.03.2026
RC,J CRP No.317 of 2023
3
ORDER
This Civil Revision Petition is filed challenging the legality and correctness of the order dated 27.09.2022 passed in I.A.No.835 of 2019 in O.S.No.451 of 2017 by the learned Principal Junior Civil Judge-cum-Judicial Magistrate of First Class, Vizianagaram.
2. The Revision Petitioner is the petitioner/plaintiff, while respondents are respondents/defendants in I.A.No.835 of 2019 in O.S.No.451 of 2017 on the file of the Court of the learned Principal Junior Civil Judge-cum-Judicial Magistrate of First Class, Vizianagaram.
3. The facts that led to filing of this Civil Revision Petition, in brief, are that: (i) The petitioner filed the suit vide O.S.No.451 of 2017 for permanent injunction restraining the defendants from ever interfering with his peaceful possession and enjoyment of the plaint schedule property. After three years from the date of filing of the suit and after the interim order of injunction was made absolute, the petitioner filed I.A.No.835 of 2019 for amendment of three out of four boundaries of the plaint schedule property stating that due to illiteracy and innocence he could not furnish correct boundaries at the time
RC,J CRP No.317 of 2023
4
of drafting plaint and a few days prior to filing of the petition, his Advocate came to the plaint schedule property and found that boundaries of plaint schedule properties were wrongly mentioned and hence it is very much essential to substitute the wrong boundaries with correct ones, else, much and irreparable loss and hardship would be caused.
(ii) The respondents resisted the claim made by the petitioner by filing counter, inter alia contending that as the petitioner, though an illiterate, had never been in possession of the property, he did not know the correct boundary particulars and further filing petition after lapse of two years since the date of filing of the suit without any satisfactory explanation is impermissible. That the petition lacks merit and the same deserves dismissal.
(iii) Upon considering the pleadings and contentions advanced by the
learned counsel for the parties, the learned trial Judge dismissed the petition holding that the petition was belated and that too after making the interim injunction orders absolute, amendment of the plaint schedule is impermissible. (iv) The said dismissal order has been assailed in this Civil Revision Petition. RC,J CRP No.317 of 2023
5
4. Heard Sri G.Sai Narayana Rao, learned counsel for the petitioner and Sri B.Rama Shankara Rao, learned counsel for respondents. 5. Sri G.Sai Narayana Rao, learned counsel, while reiterating the contents of the affidavit filed in support of the petition before the trial Court and grounds of revision would contend that the proposed amendment would not defeat the valuable rights of the defence accrued on the defendants by lapse of time and even in such eventuality also to meet the ends of justice such an amendment can be permitted. He would further contend that the proposed amendment would neither alter the character of the suit nor introduce a new cause of action and moreover no fresh relief is sought, however, the learned trial Judge upon misconception of law and in utter ignorance of the facts and circumstances of the case dismissed the petition. He would further contend that the respondents/defendants did not dispute the boundaries to be incorrect and to advance substantial justice and for adjudication of the lis in proper perspective, amendment of boundaries is very much essential and therefore, the impugned order is liable to be set aside. Accordingly, prayed to allow the Civil Revision Petition. RC,J CRP No.317 of 2023
6
6. On the other hand, Sri B.Rama Shankara Rao, learned counsel for the respondents, while reiterating the contents of the counter filed before the trial court, would contend that the petition was belated and the petition filed for amendment lacks tenable and valid reasons. He would further contend that the petitioner had never been in possession of the plaint schedule property and hence he could not give correct descriptive particulars of the property and the court below upon scanning the facts and circumstances of the case rightly dismissed the petition and the same does not warrant any interference of this Court. Accordingly, prayed to dismiss the Civil Revision Petition. 7. Perused the material available on record and considered the submission made by learned counsel for the parties. 8.
By way of the proposed amendment the petitioner sought to change three out of four boundaries of the plaint schedule property. The suit is filed for permanent injunction. As could be seen from the impugned order, the interim injunction orders granted were made absolute. The petition seeking amendment was filed after lapse of nearly three (03) years from the date of filing of the plaint and after the interim injunction orders were made absolute. RC,J CRP No.317 of 2023
7
The petition filed for amendment was dismissed mainly on the ground of belated filing and that too the amendment was not for correcting single boundary but three boundaries out of four. 9. As could be perceived from the written statement, the identity of the plaint schedule is not in dispute. According to the petitioner, the proposed amendment is to substitute the earlier incorrectly mentioned boundaries with correct ones. In the counter the respondents did not at all dispute that the boundaries now sought to be substituted are incorrect. 10. In Jangili Venkateswarlu & Ors. Vs. Bandaru Omkaraiah & Another1, Division Bench of this Court held thus:
“18. The scope of Order 6 Rule 17 of Code of Civil Procedure, which deals with amendment of pleading, is well settled. While considering an application for amendment of pleadings, the court has to take into
consideration whether such amendment is necessary for the purpose of determining the real questions in controversy between the parties. Though it is true that the Court while exercising the discretion under Order 6 Rule 17 is entitled to permit amendment of pleadings which it thinks just at any stage of the proceedings, it is always essential for the court to bear in mind that such an amendment shall not cause prejudice to the other side, which cannot be compensated in costs. It is also well-settled that an amendment which would defeat the valuable right of defence accrued to the opposite party by lapse of time shall not be normally allowed. However, the Court in exercise of its discretion can permit even such amendment taking into
consideration the special circumstances of the case and to meet the ends of justice. Particularly, where the proposed amendment does not alter the
1. 2002 SCC OnLine AP 986
RC,J CRP No.317 of 2023
8
character of the suit nor introduce a new cause of action and the fresh relief sought is nothing but an alternative relief based on the allegations which are already pleaded in the plaint, it open for the Court to permit even a claim barred by limitation to meet the ends of justice. In other words, a relief barred by limitation can be allowed to be sought by way of amendment of pleadings only in special circumstances and where no injustice is caused to the opposite party.”
11. In the instant case, the proposed amendment does not alter the character of the suit nor introduce a new cause of action and moreover no fresh relief is sought for and that too the question of the claim being barred by limitation does not arise and adding to the above, the proposed amendment of boundaries represent true picture of the plaint schedule property. Further, it would avoid multifarious litigation. 12. Admittedly, there is delay in seeking amendment, since the petition was moved nearly three years after filing of the suit. However, that cannot be a good cause or reason to negate the amendment that would be essential to advance substantial justice. 13. In Surender Kumar Sharma vs. Makhan Singh2, the Hon’ble Apex Court held thus:
“5. As noted hereinearlier, the prayer for amendment was refused by the High Court on two grounds. So far as the first ground is concerned i.e. the
2. (2009)10 Supreme Court Cases 626
RC,J CRP No.317 of 2023
9
prayer for amendment was a belated one, we are of the view that even if it was belated, then also, the question that needs to be decided is to see whether by allowing the amendment, the real controversy between the parties may be resolved. It is well settled that under Order 6 Rule 17 of the Code of Civil Procedure, wide powers and unfettered discretion have been conferred on the court to allow amendment of the pleadings to a party in such a manner and on such terms as it appears to the court just and proper.
Even if, such an application for amendment of the plaint was filed belatedly, such belated amendment cannot be refused if it is found that for deciding the real controversy between the parties, it can be allowed on payment of costs. Therefore, in our view, mere delay and laches in making the application for amendment cannot be a ground to refuse the amendment. 6. It is also well settled that even if the amendment prayed for is belated, while considering such belated amendment, the court must bear in favour of doing full and complete justice in the case where the party against whom the amendment is to be allowed, can be compensated by costs or otherwise. (See B.K. Narayana Pillai v. Parameswaran Pillai [(2000) 1 SCC 712 : AIR 2000 SC 614] .) Accordingly, we do not find any reason to hold that only because there was some delay in filing the application for amendment of the plaint, such prayer for amendment cannot be allowed.”
14. Since the amendment of boundaries is essential since the same represent the true picture of the property and as the respondents did not deny the earlier boundaries or the proposed amended boundaries, the mere delay in filing the amendment petition cannot be made basis for dismissal. Further, since there is no dispute regarding identity of the property, making absolute the interim injunction orders is of no avail. However, the delay caused in seeking amendment can be compensated by way of imposing costs on the petitioner. RC,J CRP No.317 of 2023
10
15. In view of the above, the Civil Revision Petition is allowed, setting aside the order dated 27.09.2022 passed in I.A.No.835 of 2019 in O.S.No.451 of 2017 by the learned Principal Junior Civil Judge-cum-Judicial Magistrate of First Class, Vizianagaram. Consequently, I.A.No.835 of 2019 in O.S.No.451 of 2017 is allowed subject to payment of costs of Rs.3,000/- (Rupees three thousand only) by the petitioner to the respondents. There shall be no order as to costs. Pending miscellaneous petitions, if any, shall stand closed. ___________________________ JUSTICE RAVI CHEEMALAPATI 26TH February, 2026. RR