Rukhiya v. Mary John
Civil procedure – Appointment of commissioner – Order 26 Rule 10(3) CPC
Case brief
What is this about?
Kerala High Court, OP(C) 2762 of 2024, decided 01.04.2025, Justice Basant Balaji. Fresh commission application (Ext.P5 / IA 2/2024 in OS 66/2024, Munsiff Court Nilambur) dismissed only because the plaintiffs-petitioners never sought setting aside of the earlier commission report (Ext.P4, dated 16.02.2022); no objection was filed to Ext.P4 but objections were raised in Ext.P5 itself. Court applied Laly Joseph v. Francis, 2023 (2) KLT 516: under Order 26 Rule 10(3) CPC there is no embargo on setting aside a commission report or remitting it for further enquiry / appointing a fresh commission without setting aside the earlier report, both reports being appreciable at trial. Ext.P7 set aside; reconsideration directed with opportunity to respondents to contend the existing report suffices; two earlier commission reports dated 08.12.2016 and 29.05.2017 (Exhibits R1(a), R1(b)) on record; time-bound disposal directions (three months after summer vacation for orders; suit originally OS 630/2014, Munsiff Court Manjeri, to be disposed within three months after pre-trial steps). Keywords: commission report, fresh commissioner, remit back report, Order 26 Rule 10(3) CPC, boundary fixation, mandatory injunction, prohibitory injunction, interlocutory order, reconsideration, Munsiff Court, Kerala.