PLJ 2011 Lahore 169
[
Multan Bench Multan]

Present: Hafiz Abdul Rehman Ansari, J.

GHULAM JANAT etc.--Petitioners

versus

Mst. SIANI MAI etc.--Respondents

W.P. No. 9326 of 2009, decided on 22.12.2009.

Civil Procedure Code, 1908 (V of 1908)--

----S. 12(2)--Constitution of Pakistan, 1973, Art. 199--Application for recalling the order--Statement for withdrawal of suit to extent of respondent--During pendency of instant suit, application for re-calling of the order was filed after three days--After recording of the statement of plaintiff for withdrawal of the suit was dismissed--Word `final' is used for a judgment and decree or order--Validity--Application u/S. 12(2) of CPC can be passed against the final judgment and decree or order, as such, the order was not final order passed by trial Court which could not be assailed u/S. 12(2) of CPC.       [P. 171] A

Constitution of Pakistan, 1973--

----Art. 199--Civil Procedure Code, (V of 1908), S. 12(2)--Constitutional petition--Jurisdictional defect in orders which were assailed in writ petition--Suit was dismissed as withdrawn due to compromise--Application u/S. 12(2) of CPC was filed for recalling of order--Question of--Application for recalling the order could not be filed u/S. 12(2), CPC as the suit was not yet finally decided--Held: Lower Appellate Court dismissed the revision of the petitioner against recalling of order assailed in civil revision--There were concurrent findings of facts which cannot be disturbed in writ jurisdiction unless there was some jurisdictional defect in the orders which were assailed in the writ petition--Petition was dismissed.  [P. 171] B

Mian Anwar Mobeen Ansari, Advocate for Petitioners.

Date of hearing: 22.12.2009.

Order

Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that on 22.7.2008 the Plaintiff No. 1 Mst. Siani Mai respondent in the present writ petition got recorded her statement and also marked her thumb impression on the file. She recorded her statement to her extent. The compromise is effected to her extent. She withdraws her from the prosecution to her extent. She alongwith others had filed a suit for declaration. Later on the miscellaneous application was filed before the learned trial Court to recall order dated 22.7.2008. Learned trial Court vide order dated 23.4.2009 accepted this application and civil revision was filed against this order for recalling the order dated 22.7.2008 before learned District Judge which was dismissed vide order dated 12.8.2009 by learned Additional District Judge, D.G.Khan.

2.  Learned counsel submits that the respondent Mst. Siani Mai should have filed application under Section 12(2) of CPC. The sanctity is attached to the proceedings of the Court. The learned trial Court committed illegality in recalling its order dated 22.7.2008. As fraud was alleged no issue was framed on the application and no evidence was recorded. The learned trial Court committed illegality in recalling its order dated 22.7.2008. The learned counsel has made reliance on "Shaukat Rehman vs. Tamour Ahmad Khan" (2004 CLC 281).

2.  Heard.

3.  The case cited by the learned counsel for the petitioner is distinguishable from the instant case. In the cited case in the light of statement of the plaintiff the suit was dismissed as withdrawn due to compromise on 19.2.1997. On 3.3.1997 an application under Section 12(2) CPC was filed for setting aside the order dated 19.2.1997. In the case in hand suit was not dismissed finally. It was still pending for final adjudication. Statement for withdrawal of suit to the extent of Mst. Siani Mai was recorded on 22.7.2008 and the case was adjourned to 11.9.2008. The case was heard on different dates. During the pendency of this suit application for recalling of the order dated 22.7.2008 was filed just after three days Mst. Siani Mai rightly filed an application of recalling the order dated 22.7.2008 as suit was still pending before the learned trial Court while case cited by the learned counsel for the petitioner after recording of the statement of the plaintiff for withdrawal of the suit was dismissed finally. Section 12(2) of CPC reads as under:--

"Where a person challenges the validity of a judgment, decree or order on the plea of fraud, misrepresentation or want of jurisdiction, he shall seek his remedy by making an application to the Court which passed the final judgment, decree or order and not by a separate suit."

The word `final' is used for a judgment and decree or order. The application under Section 12(2) of CPC can be passed against the final judgment and decree or order, as such, the order dated 22.7.2008 was not final order passed by the earned trial Court which could not be assailed under Section 12(2) of CPC. After 22.7.2008 the suit continued to proceed and on 23.4.2009 the suit was finally decided. Mst. Siani Mai had no option except to file an application for recalling the order dated 22.7.2008. To me she rightly filed the application for recalling the order dated 22.7.2008. She could not file application under Section 12(2) of CPC as the suit was not yet finally decided or order dated 22.7.2008 passed on the statement of Mst. Siani Mai, was not final order in the suit so the contention of the learned counsel for the petitioner that only remedy for setting aside order dated 22.7.2008 was through application under Section 12(2) of CPC, this contention of the learned counsel for the petitioner with utmost humility is not tenable. The instant case presented by the learned counsel does not advance his case.

4.  Both the Courts below did not accept the arguments of the learned counsel for the petitioners. Learned trial Court rightly recalled its order dated 22.7.2008 and the learned lower appellate Court dismissed the revision of the petitioners against the recalling of order dated 22.7.2008 assailed in the civil revision. There are concurrent findings of facts which cannot be disturbed in writ jurisdiction unless there is some jurisdictional defect in the orders which are assailed in the writ petition. The learned Additional District Judge in detail has narrated the situation relating to Mst. Siani Mai who is stated to be an old lady is stated to be hard of hearing not able to record her statement. Learned  Additional  District Judge observed that the learned trial Court rightly recalled its own order dated 22.7.2008, hence this revision petition. There is no error in the orders passed by learned trial Court as well as by the learned lower appellate Court. The civil revision is dismissed in limine.

(R.A.)  Revision dismissed.