P.Sasikala v. S.Krishnasamy
Case brief
What is this about?
Madras High Court (V. Lakshminarayanan J.) — C.R.P.No.1272 of 2022 with C.M.P.No.6836 of 2022, dismissed 01.08.2025. Revision against dismissal dated 28.10.2021 by the I Additional District Munsif, Coimbatore of I.A.Nos.2 & 3 of 2019 filed under Order IX Rule 7 C.P.C. to set aside the ex-parte stage of O.S.No.504 of 2018 (permanent-injunction suit; plaintiff S.Krishnasamy, no appearance; first defendant R.Sasikala, counsel S.Karthikei Balan). Holding: Order IX Rule 7 application untenable where trial is over and suit posted for judgment; reliance on Arjun Singh v. Mohindra Kumar, AIR 1964 SC 993. Ex-parte decree of 16.10.2024 noted; Order IX Rule 13 C.P.C. route pointed out. Keywords: ex-parte, maintainability, Order IX Rule 7, Order IX Rule 13, Section 115 C.P.C.
What did the court decide?
By the very tenor of Order IX Rule 7 C.P.C., a petition thereunder is not maintainable once the trial is over, the arguments have been heard and the suit is posted for judgment rather than adjourned for further hearing; consequently, no reason exists to take a different view from that taken by the Additional District Munsif Judge at Coimbatore (relying on Arjun Singh v. Mohindra Kumar, AIR 1964 SC 993).