Kishori Lal and Another v. Darshna Devi
Civil Miscellaneous Petition (CMPMO) – Application for police assistance – Scope of orders permissible
Case brief
What is this about?
High Court of Himachal Pradesh (CMPMO No. 76 of 2025, decided 07.08.2025, Ajay Mohan Goel J.) allowed a petition quashing a Civil Judge's order dated 27.01.2025 which, on an application for police assistance to enforce a status quo order (passed in an application under Order XXXIX, Rule 1 and 2 CPC in Civil Suit No. 235-I of 2024), had directed the SHO to visit the spot and ascertain facts regarding uprooting of a latrine/bathroom. Held: in a police-assistance application the Court may only grant or refuse assistance and cannot direct any officer to conduct spot enquiries, as that amounts to collecting evidence for one party; matter remanded for fresh decision strictly per the prayer. Keywords: police assistance, status quo order, SHO, collection of evidence, quashed, remanded.
What did the court decide?
Petition allowed. Order dated 27.01.2025 passed by the learned Civil Judge, Court No.III, Amb, District Una, in Civil Suit No. 235-I of 2024 quashed and set aside; matter remanded to the learned Court below to decide the police-assistance application afresh, strictly in consonance with the prayers made therein, and not to be influenced by any observation made by this Court; interim order, if any, stands vacated forthwith; pending miscellaneous application(s) disposed of accordingly.