CASE NO.: Appeal (civil) 1430 of 2008 PETITIONER: M/S. AVN TUBES LTD RESPONDENT: SHISHIR MEHTA DATE OF JUDGMENT: 20/02/2008 BENCH: TARUN CHATTERJEE & HARJIT SINGH BEDI JUDGMENT:
JUDGMENT
O R D E R
CIVIL APPEAL NO.1430 OF 2008
(Arising out of SLP(C)No.18514 of 2005)
Leave granted.
This appeal is directed against an order dt.02.05.2005 passed by the High Court of
Madhya Pradesh, Jabalpur Bench at Gwalior in Civil Revision No.226/2003 by which the High
Court has held that the court at Gohad has no territorial jurisdiction to try the suit. This
objection was raised by the defendant before the trial court which was rejected by it. Being
aggrieved by the order of the trial court, the respondent herein moved the High Court by way of
Civil Revision which was allowed by the High Court. That order is under challenge before us.
Without going into the merit as to whether the court in which the suit has been instituted
has territorial jurisdiction to decide the suit or not, we feel that the ends of justice would be
served if the issue regarding territorial jurisdiction is taken up and decided
by the trial court along with other issues without being influenced by the observations
made either by the trial court or by the High Court in the Revision Petition. Consequently, the
trial court in which the suit has been instituted shall proceed to decide the suit on all issues. In
the event, the trial court comes to the conclusion that the court in which the suit has been
instituted does not have the territorial jurisdiction to decide the same, the suit can be dismissed
on that ground. Otherwise, the trial court shall decide the suit on merits. With this direction, the
appeal is disposed of. There shall be no order as to costs.