{"id":18979,"date":"2010-07-06T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2010-07-05T18:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.legalindia.com\/judgments\/k-k-ramachandran-master-vs-m-v-sreyamskumar-ors-on-6-july-2010"},"modified":"2017-06-05T10:57:22","modified_gmt":"2017-06-05T05:27:22","slug":"k-k-ramachandran-master-vs-m-v-sreyamskumar-ors-on-6-july-2010","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.legalindia.com\/judgments\/k-k-ramachandran-master-vs-m-v-sreyamskumar-ors-on-6-july-2010","title":{"rendered":"K.K. Ramachandran Master vs M.V. Sreyamskumar &amp; Ors on 6 July, 2010"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"docsource_main\">Supreme Court of India<\/div>\n<div class=\"doc_title\">K.K. Ramachandran Master vs M.V. Sreyamskumar &amp; Ors on 6 July, 2010<\/div>\n<div class=\"doc_author\">Author: T Thakur<\/div>\n<div class=\"doc_bench\">Bench: D.K. Jain, T.S. Thakur<\/div>\n<pre>                                                         REPORTABLE\n\n\n\n              IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA\n\n              CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICITION\n\n               CIVIL APPEAL NO. 638 OF 2007\n\n\n\nK.K. Ramachandran Master                    ...Appellant\n\n\n     Versus\n\n\nM.V. Sreyamakumar &amp; Ors.                    ...Respondents\n\n\n\n\n                       JUDGMENT\n<\/pre>\n<p>T.S. THAKUR, J.\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<p>1.   Election to the Kerala State Legislative Assembly was<\/p>\n<p>held in April, 2006.   Among other constituencies that went<\/p>\n<p>to poll on 29.4.2006 was 029 Kalpetta LA Constituency with<br \/>\n<span class=\"hidden_text\">                                   2<\/span><\/p>\n<p>as many as 11 candidates in the fray. The candidates<\/p>\n<p>included the appellant as a nominee of Indian National<\/p>\n<p>Congress (I) a constituent of the United Democratic Front<\/p>\n<p>(`UDF&#8217; for short). Janta Dal (S) a constituent of the Left<\/p>\n<p>Democratic Front had set up respondent No.1 as its<\/p>\n<p>candidate, while respondent No.2 was sponsored by Bhartiya<\/p>\n<p>Janata Party. Respondents No.3 and 4 were similarly<\/p>\n<p>contesting on the mandate of the Bahujan Samaj Party and<\/p>\n<p>All India Anna Dravid Munnetta Kazhakam respectively. The<\/p>\n<p>remaining candidates were all independent.    The   result   of<\/p>\n<p>the election came on 11th of May, 2006, which declared the<\/p>\n<p>first respondent elected with a margin of 1841 votes over<\/p>\n<p>the appellant his nearest rival. Most of the other candidates<\/p>\n<p>in the fray lost their deposits.\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<p>2.   Aggrieved by the election of respondent No.1 the<\/p>\n<p>appellant filed election petition No.8 of 2006 before the High<\/p>\n<p>Court of Kerala at Cochin alleging that the returned<\/p>\n<p>candidate had committed several corrupt practices that<\/p>\n<p>rendered his election liable to be set aside. The petition was<br \/>\n<span class=\"hidden_text\">                               3<\/span><\/p>\n<p>contested by the elected candidate inter alia on the ground<\/p>\n<p>that the same suffered from fatal defects that rendered it<\/p>\n<p>liable to be dismissed without a trial. The election petition<\/p>\n<p>did not, according to the respondent, state either the<\/p>\n<p>material facts or give the necessary particulars so as to<\/p>\n<p>disclose a complete cause of action justifying a trial. It was<\/p>\n<p>also alleged that the petition was not properly verified and<\/p>\n<p>was, therefore, liable to be dismissed on that additional<\/p>\n<p>ground as well. All these contentions urged on behalf of the<\/p>\n<p>respondent found favour with the High Court resulting in the<\/p>\n<p>dismissal of the petition by the order impugned in the<\/p>\n<p>present appeal. The High Court observed that the averments<\/p>\n<p>made in the petition were insufficient to disclose a complete<\/p>\n<p>cause of action or give rise to a triable issue. It found fault<\/p>\n<p>with the verification of the petition in as much as the same<\/p>\n<p>did not disclose the source of information on the basis of<\/p>\n<p>which the election petitioner had made allegations of corrupt<\/p>\n<p>practices against the respondent. The verification did not,<\/p>\n<p>according to the High Court, make any distinction between<br \/>\n<span class=\"hidden_text\">                                4<\/span><\/p>\n<p>what was true to the knowledge of the petitioner and what<\/p>\n<p>he believed to be true on the basis of information received.<\/p>\n<p>3.   Section   86   of   the   Representation   of   People   Act<\/p>\n<p>mandates that the High Court shall dismiss an election<\/p>\n<p>petition if the same does not comply with the provisions of<\/p>\n<p>Sections 81, 82 or 117 of the said Act. Sections 81, 82 and<\/p>\n<p>117 of the Act deal with presentation of the petition, parties<\/p>\n<p>to the petition and security for costs. It is common ground<\/p>\n<p>that the election petition filed by the appellant in the instant<\/p>\n<p>case did not suffer from any defect relatable to any one of<\/p>\n<p>the said three provisions. Dismissal of the election petition<\/p>\n<p>by the order impugned in this appeal is, not therefore,<\/p>\n<p>referable to Section 86 of the Act, which implies that the<\/p>\n<p>High Court has dismissed the election petition on the<\/p>\n<p>premise that the averments made in the election petition<\/p>\n<p>alleging commission of corrupt practices do not disclose<\/p>\n<p>material facts as required under Section 83 of the Act.<\/p>\n<p>Section 83 reads as under:-\n<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"hidden_text\">                               5<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>          &#8220;83. Contents of petition.&#8211;(1) An election<br \/>\n          petition&#8211;\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote><p>          (a) shall contain a concise statement of the<br \/>\n          material facts on which the petitioner relies;\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote><p>          (b) shall set forth full particulars of any<br \/>\n          corrupt practice that the petitioner alleges,<br \/>\n          including as full a statement as possible of<br \/>\n          the names of the parties alleged to have<br \/>\n          committed such corrupt practice and the date<br \/>\n          and place of the commission of each such<br \/>\n          practice; and<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<blockquote><p>          (c) shall be signed by the petitioner and<br \/>\n          verified in the manner laid down in the Code<br \/>\n          of Civil Procedure, 1908 (5 of 1908) for the<br \/>\n          verification of pleadings:\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote><p>          [Provided that where the petitioner alleges<br \/>\n          any corrupt practice, the petition shall also<br \/>\n          be accompanied by an affidavit in the<br \/>\n          prescribed form in support of the allegation<br \/>\n          of such corrupt practice and the particulars<br \/>\n          thereof.]<\/p>\n<p>          (2) Any schedule or annexure to the petition<br \/>\n          shall also be signed by the petitioner and<br \/>\n          verified in the same manner as the petition.]&#8221;\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>4.   There is in the light of the above no gainsaying that an<\/p>\n<p>election petition must contain a concise statement of the<\/p>\n<p>material facts on which the petitioner relies and set forth full<br \/>\n<span class=\"hidden_text\">                               6<\/span><\/p>\n<p>particulars of any corrupt practice that the petitioner alleges,<\/p>\n<p>including as full a statement as possible of the names of the<\/p>\n<p>parties alleged to have committed such corrupt practices<\/p>\n<p>and the date and place of the commission of each such<\/p>\n<p>practice. It also requires that the petition be signed by the<\/p>\n<p>petitioner and verified in the manner laid down in the Code<\/p>\n<p>of Civil Procedure for the verification of the pleadings.<\/p>\n<p>5.   The provisions of Section 83 (supra) have fallen for<\/p>\n<p>interpretation in several cases leading to a long line of<\/p>\n<p>decisions that have understood the said provisions to mean<\/p>\n<p>that while an election petition must necessarily contain a<\/p>\n<p>statement of material facts, deficiency if any, in providing<\/p>\n<p>the particulars of a corrupt practice could be made up by the<\/p>\n<p>petitioner at any later stage. The provision has been<\/p>\n<p>interpreted to mean that while a petition that does not<\/p>\n<p>disclose material facts can be dismissed as one that does not<\/p>\n<p>disclose a cause of action, dismissal on the ground of<\/p>\n<p>deficiency or non-disclosure of particulars of corrupt practice<\/p>\n<p>may be justified only if the election petitioner does not<br \/>\n<span class=\"hidden_text\">                               7<\/span><\/p>\n<p>despite an opportunity given by the Court provide the<\/p>\n<p>particulars and thereby cure the defect. We do not consider<\/p>\n<p>it necessary to refer to all the decisions delivered on the<\/p>\n<p>subject as reference to some only of such decisions should in<\/p>\n<p>our opinion suffice.\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<p>6.   <a href=\"\/doc\/1504198\/\">In Samant N. Balkrishna v. George Fernandez,<\/a><\/p>\n<p>(1969) 3 SCC 238 this Court held that Section 83 was<\/p>\n<p>mandatory and requires the election petition to contain a<\/p>\n<p>concise statement of material facts and the fullest possible<\/p>\n<p>particulars of the corrupt practices if any alleged. The use of<\/p>\n<p>word &#8220;material facts&#8221; observed by the Court shows that facts<\/p>\n<p>necessary to formulate a complete cause of action must be<\/p>\n<p>stated. Omission of a single material fact could consequently<\/p>\n<p>lead to an incomplete cause of action. The function of<\/p>\n<p>particulars is however only to present a full picture of the<\/p>\n<p>cause of action with such further information in detail as is<\/p>\n<p>sufficient to make the opposite party understand the case he<\/p>\n<p>is called upon to meet. There may be some overlapping<\/p>\n<p>between material facts and particulars but the two are quite<br \/>\n<span class=\"hidden_text\">                                8<\/span><\/p>\n<p>distinct, observed the court.       Material facts will show the<\/p>\n<p>ground of corrupt practice and the complete cause of action<\/p>\n<p>while particulars will give necessary information to present a<\/p>\n<p>full picture of the same.\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<p>7.   In Raj Narian v. Indira Nehru Gandhi, (1972) 3<\/p>\n<p>SCC 850, this Court had another opportunity to interpret<\/p>\n<p>the provisions of Section 83 and to cull out the principles<\/p>\n<p>that would determine whether an election petition complied<\/p>\n<p>with the requirement of the said provision. This Court<\/p>\n<p>cautioned that just because a corrupt practice has to be<\/p>\n<p>strictly proved did not mean that a pleading in an election<\/p>\n<p>proceedings should receive a strict construction. Even a<\/p>\n<p>defective charge, observed the Court, did not vitiate a<\/p>\n<p>criminal trial unless it was proved that the same had<\/p>\n<p>prejudiced the accused.      If a pleading on a reasonable<\/p>\n<p>construction could sustain the action, the court should<\/p>\n<p>accept that construction and be slow in dismissing an<\/p>\n<p>election petition lest it frustrates an action only on technical<\/p>\n<p>grounds. The court also observed that a charge of corrupt<br \/>\n<span class=\"hidden_text\">                              9<\/span><\/p>\n<p>practice is no doubt a very serious charge but the court has<\/p>\n<p>to consider whether the petitioner should be refused an<\/p>\n<p>opportunity to prove the allegations made by him merely<\/p>\n<p>because the petition was drafted clumsily. The following<\/p>\n<p>passages from the decision in Raj Narain&#8217;s case (supra) are<\/p>\n<p>apposite in this regard:\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>          &#8220;While a corrupt practice has got to be<br \/>\n          strictly proved but from that it does not<br \/>\n          follow that a pleading in an election<br \/>\n          proceeding      should    receive    a    strict<br \/>\n          construction. This Court has held that even a<br \/>\n          defective charge does not vitiate a criminal<br \/>\n          trial unless it is proved that the same has<br \/>\n          prejudiced the accused. If a pleading on a<br \/>\n          reasonable construction could sustain the<br \/>\n          action, the court should accept that<br \/>\n          construction. The courts are reluctant to<br \/>\n          frustrate an action on technical grounds.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>          xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx<br \/>\n          xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx<br \/>\n          xxxxxxxx<\/p>\n<p>          The charge of corrupt practice in an election<br \/>\n          is a very serious charge. Purity of election is<br \/>\n          the very essence of real democracy. The<br \/>\n          charge in question has been denied by the<br \/>\n          respondent. It has yet to be proved. It may<br \/>\n          or may not be proved. The allegations made<br \/>\n<span class=\"hidden_text\">                    10<\/span><\/p>\n<p>by the appellant may ultimately be proved to<br \/>\nbe wholly devoid of truth. But the question is<br \/>\nwhether the appellant should be refused an<br \/>\nopportunity to prove his allegations? Should<br \/>\nthe court refuse to enquire into those<br \/>\nallegations merely because the appellant or<br \/>\nsomeone who prepared his brief did not know<br \/>\nthe language of the law. We have no<br \/>\nhesitation in answering those questions in<br \/>\nthe negative.\n<\/p>\n<p>xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx<br \/>\nxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx<br \/>\nxxxxxxxx<\/p>\n<p>   If the allegations made regarding a corrupt<br \/>\npractice do not disclose the constituent parts<br \/>\nof the corrupt practice alleged, the same will<br \/>\nnot be allowed to be proved and further<br \/>\nthose allegations cannot be amended after<br \/>\nthe period of limitation for filing an election<br \/>\npetition; but the court may allow particulars<br \/>\nof any corrupt practice alleged in the petition<br \/>\nto be amended or amplified.\n<\/p>\n<p>xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx<br \/>\nxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx<br \/>\nxxxxxxxx<\/p>\n<p>Rules of pleadings are intended as aids for a<br \/>\nfair trial and for reaching a just decision. An<br \/>\naction at law should not be equated to a<br \/>\ngame of chess. Provisions of law are not<br \/>\nmere formulae to be observed a rituals.\n<\/p>\n<p>Beneath the words of a provision of law,<br \/>\ngenerally speaking, there lies a juristic<br \/>\n<span class=\"hidden_text\">                                  11<\/span><\/p>\n<p>             principle. It is the duty of the court to<br \/>\n             ascertain that principle and implement it.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>8.   The above principles have been reiterated by this Court<\/p>\n<p>in <a href=\"\/doc\/1055762\/\">H.D. Revanna v. G. Puttaswamy Gowda,<\/a> (1999) 2<\/p>\n<p>SCC 217; <a href=\"\/doc\/330864\/\">V.S. Achuthanandan v. P.J. Francis,<\/a> (1999) 3<\/p>\n<p>SCC 737; <a href=\"\/doc\/549838\/\">Mahendra Pal v. Ram Dass Malanger,<\/a> (2000)<\/p>\n<p>1 SCC 261 and <a href=\"\/doc\/453277\/\">Sardar Harcharan Singh Brar v. Sukh<\/p>\n<p>Darshan Singh,<\/a> (2004) 11 SCC 196.\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<p>9.   Reference may also be made to <a href=\"\/doc\/1431900\/\">Harkirat Singh v.<\/p>\n<p>Amrinder Singh,<\/a> (2005) 13 SCC 511, where this Court<\/p>\n<p>reiterated    the   distinction   between   material   facts   and<\/p>\n<p>particulars and held that while material facts are primary<\/p>\n<p>and basic facts which must be pleaded by the plaintiff,<\/p>\n<p>particulars are details in support of such material facts. They<\/p>\n<p>simply amplify, refine and embellish the material facts by<\/p>\n<p>giving distinctive touch to the basic contours of a picture<\/p>\n<p>already drawn so as to make it more clear and informative.<\/p>\n<p>Particulars thus ensure conduct of a fair trial so that the<br \/>\n<span class=\"hidden_text\">                              12<\/span><\/p>\n<p>opposite party is not taken by surprise. To the same effect<\/p>\n<p>is the decision of this Court in <a href=\"\/doc\/877458\/\">Umesh Challiyil v. K.P.<\/p>\n<p>Rajendra,<\/a> (2008) 11 SCC 740, where the Court held that<\/p>\n<p>even if the respondents raised an objection in his counter<\/p>\n<p>affidavit and the appellant had despite the opportunity to<\/p>\n<p>cure the defect pointed out by the respondent did not do so<\/p>\n<p>yet an election petition cannot be dismissed on the ground<\/p>\n<p>that the petitioner had not cured any such defects. The<\/p>\n<p>petitioner was entitled to bona fide believe that the petition<\/p>\n<p>is in all respects complete and if the High Court found it<\/p>\n<p>otherwise it would give an opportunity to him to amend or<\/p>\n<p>cure the defect. This court also held that while dealing with<\/p>\n<p>election petitions the Court should not adopt a technical<\/p>\n<p>approach only to dismiss the election petitions on the<\/p>\n<p>threshold.\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<p>10. <a href=\"\/doc\/1062043\/\">In Virender Nath Gautam v. Satpal Singh,<\/a> (2007)<\/p>\n<p>3 SCC 617, this Court made a distinction between the need<\/p>\n<p>for supporting material facts and the means by which such<\/p>\n<p>facts are proved by the party alleging the same:<br \/>\n<span class=\"hidden_text\">                              13<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>          &#8220;There is distinction between facta probanda<br \/>\n          (the facts required to be proved i.e. material<br \/>\n          facts) and facts probantia (the facts by<br \/>\n          means of which they are proved i.e.<br \/>\n          particulars or evidence). It is settled law that<br \/>\n          pleadings must contain only facta probanda<br \/>\n          and not facta probantia. The material facts<br \/>\n          on which the party relies for his claim are<br \/>\n          called facts probanda and they must be<br \/>\n          stated in the pleadings. But the facts or facts<br \/>\n          by means of which facta probanda (material<br \/>\n          facts) are proved and which are in the nature<br \/>\n          of facta probantia (particulars or evidence)<br \/>\n          need not be set out in the pleadings. They<br \/>\n          are not facts in issue, but only relevant facts<br \/>\n          required to be proved at the trial in order to<br \/>\n          establish the fact in issue.&#8221;\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>11. The question whether a defect in the verification of the<\/p>\n<p>pleading is fatal is also no longer res integra in the light of<\/p>\n<p>the decision in <a href=\"\/doc\/1656643\/\">F.A. Sapa v. Singora,<\/a> (1991) 3 SCC 375<\/p>\n<p>and Sardar Harcharan Singh Brar&#8217;s case (supra) where<\/p>\n<p>this Court held that defective verification or affidavit is<\/p>\n<p>curable. What consequences, if any, may flow from an<\/p>\n<p>allegedly defective affidavit, is required to be judged at the<\/p>\n<p>trial of an election petition but such election petition cannot<br \/>\n<span class=\"hidden_text\">                             14<\/span><\/p>\n<p>be dismissed under Section   86(1) of the Act for any such<\/p>\n<p>defect.\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<p>12. Coming then to the facts of the case at hand the<\/p>\n<p>appellant had challenged the election of respondent No. 1 on<\/p>\n<p>the ground that the latter had committed corrupt practices<\/p>\n<p>within the meaning of Section 123(1)(A), 123(4), 123 (5)<\/p>\n<p>and 123(6) apart from violating the provisions of Section<\/p>\n<p>127A and 133 of the Representation of People Act and Rules<\/p>\n<p>86 and 90 of the Conduct of Election Rules, 1961. In the<\/p>\n<p>course of the hearing before us, however, the appellant<\/p>\n<p>confined his challenge to the election on the grounds<\/p>\n<p>referable to Section 123(4), 123(5) and 123(6) of the Act<\/p>\n<p>only.\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<p>13. Section 123(4) of the Act makes publication of any<\/p>\n<p>statement of fact which is false, and which relates to the<\/p>\n<p>personal character or conduct of any candidate a corrupt<\/p>\n<p>practice if any such statement is reasonably calculated to<\/p>\n<p>prejudice the prospects of that candidate&#8217;s election and if<br \/>\n<span class=\"hidden_text\">                              15<\/span><\/p>\n<p>such publication has been made by a candidate or his<\/p>\n<p>election agent or by any other person with the consent of<\/p>\n<p>the candidate or his election agent.\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<p>14. The appellant&#8217;s case as set out in the election petition<\/p>\n<p>is that a notice in the form of a newspaper under the title<\/p>\n<p>`Janasabdam&#8217; was printed, published and circulated by the<\/p>\n<p>first respondent and his election agent containing totally<\/p>\n<p>false,   defamatory,   incorrect   and   baseless   allegations,<\/p>\n<p>deliberately intended to lower the dignity, status, reputation<\/p>\n<p>and personality of the petitioner amongst the voters of his<\/p>\n<p>constituency. According to the averments made by the<\/p>\n<p>appellant in paragraph 6 of the election petition, the said<\/p>\n<p>notice\/newspaper was published at the Mathrubhumi Press,<\/p>\n<p>Kozhikode in the name of one Rasheed whose age and<\/p>\n<p>address is not known to the appellant but who according to<\/p>\n<p>the publication was said to be the Joint Secretary, Media<\/p>\n<p>Trust,   Sulthan   Bathey.   The   averments   made    by   the<\/p>\n<p>appellant in the election petition further state that one Mr.<\/p>\n<p>M.P. Veerendrakumar, the father of the respondent No.1 is<br \/>\n<span class=\"hidden_text\">                                 16<\/span><\/p>\n<p>the Managing Director of &#8220;Mathurbhumi&#8221; Daily in whose<\/p>\n<p>press     the     aforementioned        notice\/newspaper       titled<\/p>\n<p>`Janasabdam&#8217; was published.            It is also the case of the<\/p>\n<p>appellant that although only 35 thousand copies of the<\/p>\n<p>notice are said to have been printed but actually as many as<\/p>\n<p>1,20,000 copies were printed, published and distributed<\/p>\n<p>from door to door in all the nooks and corners of the<\/p>\n<p>constituency by the first respondent, his election agent and<\/p>\n<p>other agents and active workers. The election petition finds<\/p>\n<p>fault with the publication of the said notice\/newspaper on<\/p>\n<p>several     counts.   Firstly,    it     is   alleged   that     the<\/p>\n<p>notice\/newspaper carried a news item under the title &#8220;The<\/p>\n<p>Health Minister directly do priest hood for bribe&#8221; in which the<\/p>\n<p>appellant was accused of bribery in connection with the<\/p>\n<p>appointment of part time sweepers in Health Service<\/p>\n<p>Department in Wynad District. The news item read that the<\/p>\n<p>appellant   had    demanded      Rs.25,000     to   Rs.50,000    for<\/p>\n<p>providing appointments and another amount of Rs.25,000 to<\/p>\n<p>Rs.50,000 for regularizing such appointments. The news<br \/>\n<span class=\"hidden_text\">                              17<\/span><\/p>\n<p>item alleged that the appellant had entrusted his Additional<\/p>\n<p>Private Secretary with the duty of collecting the bribe<\/p>\n<p>amount from the candidates. The statements made in the<\/p>\n<p>newspaper were, according to the appellant, totally baseless<\/p>\n<p>and deliberately cooked up with a view to lowering the<\/p>\n<p>dignity and status of the appellant in the estimation of the<\/p>\n<p>electorate by tarnishing the image of the appellant and<\/p>\n<p>thereby with a view to gaining undue advantage for<\/p>\n<p>respondent No.1 in the election process.\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<p>15. Secondly,    it   finds   fault   with   the   publication<\/p>\n<p>aforementioned in as much as the same carried a news item<\/p>\n<p>under the heading `The representative of people who<\/p>\n<p>brought shame to Wynad&#8217; under which caption it was alleged<\/p>\n<p>that the Kerala Lok Ayukta had prima facie found a case<\/p>\n<p>against the appellant and issued a notice to him. According<\/p>\n<p>to the appellant, the Lok Ayukta had found a prima facie<\/p>\n<p>case against the appellant but the same was in utter<\/p>\n<p>violation of the principles of natural justice and without<\/p>\n<p>affording any opportunity of being heard to the petitioner.<br \/>\n<span class=\"hidden_text\">                              18<\/span><\/p>\n<p>The Division Bench of the High Court of Kerala had,<\/p>\n<p>therefore, stayed the finding of the Lok Ayukta which stay<\/p>\n<p>order was in force even on the date of the filing of the<\/p>\n<p>petition. The appellant alleged that the publication of the<\/p>\n<p>news item in `Janasabdam&#8217; referred to above created a<\/p>\n<p>strong impression in the mind of an average person that the<\/p>\n<p>appellant was a very corrupt, wicked and crooked person,<\/p>\n<p>not committed to the welfare of the people.<\/p>\n<p>16. Thirdly, the appellant found fault with the publication of<\/p>\n<p>a news item in the very same newspaper\/notice under the<\/p>\n<p>title `The phone call that trapped the Minister&#8217;. The appellant<\/p>\n<p>alleged that he never sought any assistance or issued any<\/p>\n<p>direction to the DMO at any juncture and that he had never<\/p>\n<p>threatened or coerced the officer over the mobile phone as<\/p>\n<p>was alleged in the said news item. So also the news item<\/p>\n<p>under the caption `Be aware! Bigger than bitten is in the<\/p>\n<p>hole&#8217; and `The game has to be played is not the game<\/p>\n<p>already played&#8217; were highly defamatory and deliberately<\/p>\n<p>made to tarnish the dignity and status of the appellant in the<br \/>\n<span class=\"hidden_text\">                                    19<\/span><\/p>\n<p>minds of the voters and to prejudicially affect the prospects<\/p>\n<p>of his election schedule to be held on 29th April, 2006.<\/p>\n<p>17. A reading of the averments made in paragraphs 13 to<\/p>\n<p>23 of the election petition would show that the same gave<\/p>\n<p>particulars of how the published material was transported<\/p>\n<p>from   Kozikode    to    the   residential        house      of   the   first<\/p>\n<p>respondent at Puliyarmala in Kalpetta by 11.30 p.m. on 26th<\/p>\n<p>April, 2006 and how the same were split into small bundles<\/p>\n<p>consisting of 80 to 100 copies per bundle and how 8 to 12<\/p>\n<p>bundles each were distributed among 143 booths of the<\/p>\n<p>constituency on 28th April, 2006 between 8.00 a.m. to 5.15<\/p>\n<p>p.m. by the first respondent, his election agent, polling<\/p>\n<p>agents, other agents, workers and campaigners with the<\/p>\n<p>consent   and   connivance         of    the   first    respondent.     The<\/p>\n<p>averments in these paragraphs not only give the registration<\/p>\n<p>numbers    of   the     vehicles    in    which        the   material   was<\/p>\n<p>transported but also the names of the persons who actually<\/p>\n<p>distributed the said material amongst the voters of the<\/p>\n<p>constituency.     The names of the persons who informed the<br \/>\n<span class=\"hidden_text\">                               20<\/span><\/p>\n<p>appellant about the distribution of the printed material have<\/p>\n<p>also been indicated by the appellant in sufficient details. For<\/p>\n<p>instance, according to the averments made in paragraph 14<\/p>\n<p>of the petition at booth no.120 of the constituency, the<\/p>\n<p>printed material referred to earlier was distributed to various<\/p>\n<p>houses by one Mr. Ealias son of Ouseph, Kunnathukudy<\/p>\n<p>House, Trikkaipatta, Meppady, Wynad District and by others<\/p>\n<p>named in the said paragraph.        This distribution work was,<\/p>\n<p>according to the appellant, with the consent and connivance<\/p>\n<p>of respondent No.1. So also details of the printed material at<\/p>\n<p>other booths in the constituency and other members relating<\/p>\n<p>to the distribution of the said material have been set out in<\/p>\n<p>sufficient detail in paragraphs 15 to 23.         The election<\/p>\n<p>petition specifically alleges that the printing, publication and<\/p>\n<p>distribution of the material by the first respondent, his<\/p>\n<p>election agent and other agents, workers and campaigners<\/p>\n<p>was with his consent and connivance which materially<\/p>\n<p>affected the result of the election in so far as the same<\/p>\n<p>concerned the appellant and the returned candidate.<br \/>\n<span class=\"hidden_text\">                                       21<\/span><\/p>\n<p>18. Apart    from      the     publication        of    the    notice       titled<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Janasabdam&#8221; the election petition also refers to publication<\/p>\n<p>of   an   incorrect,        baseless        and   false   news        item     in<\/p>\n<p>`Mathrubhumi Daily&#8217; dated 28th April, 2006 at the instance of<\/p>\n<p>the respondent by Shri M.P. Veerendrakumar, the father of<\/p>\n<p>the said respondent under the caption `MLA cancels the<\/p>\n<p>consented works&#8217;.           Paragraph 29 of the election petition<\/p>\n<p>specifically alleged that the said publication was at the<\/p>\n<p>instance of the first respondent in which it was falsely<\/p>\n<p>alleged that the appellant had cancelled the sanction<\/p>\n<p>granted for effecting improvements to four roads, under the<\/p>\n<p>Special Development Fund. The petition alleged that the four<\/p>\n<p>roads mentioned passed through more than 10 booths of the<\/p>\n<p>constituency of Kalpetta Legislative Constituency of which<\/p>\n<p>14000     people       of     the      constituency           were      regular<\/p>\n<p>beneficiaries\/users.         The    appellant          alleged       that     the<\/p>\n<p>publication of the baseless and false news item on the eve of<\/p>\n<p>the election scheduled to be held on 29th April, 2006 without<\/p>\n<p>affording an opportunity to explain the real facts to the<br \/>\n<span class=\"hidden_text\">                              22<\/span><\/p>\n<p>public as well as to the affected voters was totally mala fide<\/p>\n<p>and was calculated to prejudicially affect his election<\/p>\n<p>prospects. Another publication made in Mathrubhumi Daily<\/p>\n<p>issue dated 29th April, 2006 under the caption `Allegations by<\/p>\n<p>Priest against former Minister Ramachandran&#8217; were also,<\/p>\n<p>according to the appellant, false and made at the instance of<\/p>\n<p>the first respondent. In the said news item the appellant had<\/p>\n<p>been accused of demanding rupees one lakh from a UD<\/p>\n<p>Clerk in the Primary Health Centre also working as Priest of<\/p>\n<p>Moolamattom St. George Orthodox Church. The petition<\/p>\n<p>alleged that the allegation that the appellant had demanded<\/p>\n<p>bribe from the said person who was suspended from service<\/p>\n<p>by the Health Services Authorities upon inspection, was<\/p>\n<p>totally false, baseless and cooked up at the instance of the<\/p>\n<p>first respondent and published in the Mathrubhumi at his<\/p>\n<p>instance. The appellant alleged that the publication of such<\/p>\n<p>a damaging news item which was totally false, baseless and<\/p>\n<p>motivated on the eve of the election was intended to cause<\/p>\n<p>irreparable loss to the appellant by creating confusion and<br \/>\n<span class=\"hidden_text\">                               23<\/span><\/p>\n<p>doubts about his character, personality and dignity in the<\/p>\n<p>minds of the electorate city those belonging to Christian<\/p>\n<p>faith. The petition also refers to the publication of a<\/p>\n<p>photograph of Fr. George Vakkanampadam in the cassock to<\/p>\n<p>create emotional distress for the Christian electorate by<\/p>\n<p>giving an impression as though the appellant had not only<\/p>\n<p>illegally suspended but also demanded bribe from the said<\/p>\n<p>Mr.   Vakkanampadam      and    delayed   completion   of   the<\/p>\n<p>disciplinary proceedings against him. The appellant alleged<\/p>\n<p>that publication of the news item was mala fide and intended<\/p>\n<p>to prejudice his electoral prospects.\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<p>19. The election petition further alleged that another news<\/p>\n<p>item published in the `Deshabhimani Daily dated 6th April,<\/p>\n<p>2006 with the title `What is happening at the Kalpetta is the<\/p>\n<p>people&#8217;s trial against corruption &#8211; Sreyamskumar&#8217; in which<\/p>\n<p>the first respondent is alleged to have accused the appellant<\/p>\n<p>of indulging in corrupt practices throughout.    The election<\/p>\n<p>petition alleged that the publication of the said news item<\/p>\n<p>was mala fide and with intention to cause prejudice and<br \/>\n<span class=\"hidden_text\">                                   24<\/span><\/p>\n<p>harassment to the petitioner and to secure undue advantage<\/p>\n<p>to the first respondent.\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<p>20. Apart       from    the   publication   mentioned    above   the<\/p>\n<p>appellant also accused the first respondent of making a false<\/p>\n<p>statement in a public speech delivered by him on 27th April,<\/p>\n<p>2006 in which the first respondent delivered a talk at<\/p>\n<p>Kalpetta near the bus stand attended by 500 persons at<\/p>\n<p>4.30 p.m. alleging that the Lok Ayukta had issued a<\/p>\n<p>direction to arrest and produce the appellant on 6th June,<\/p>\n<p>2006 and his arrest was delayed due only to the ensuing<\/p>\n<p>election. The election petition also alleged that a similar talk<\/p>\n<p>was delivered by Mr. U.A. Khader, Councillor, Kalpetta<\/p>\n<p>Municipality,     who     was    actively   supporting    the    first<\/p>\n<p>respondent and by Shri V.P. Varkey son of Paily, Vattathody<\/p>\n<p>House, Vazhavatta P.O., Wynad who was functioning as the<\/p>\n<p>District President of Kisan Janata of Wynad for and on behalf<\/p>\n<p>of the first respondent, as duly authorized by the first<\/p>\n<p>respondent. The election petition also referred to a talk<\/p>\n<p>delivered by Shri K.K. Hamsa, who is the State General<br \/>\n<span class=\"hidden_text\">                                  25<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Secretary of Janata Dal (S) at Meppady town on 27th April,<\/p>\n<p>2006 alleging that Lok Ayukta had issued an arrest warrant<\/p>\n<p>against the appellant. The persons who informed the<\/p>\n<p>appellant   about    the   said        talks   allegedly   containing<\/p>\n<p>accusations against the appellant have also been set out in<\/p>\n<p>the election petition.\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<p>21. We do not consider it necessary to refer in further<\/p>\n<p>details to the specific averments made by the appellant in<\/p>\n<p>support of the charge that respondent No.1 had committed<\/p>\n<p>corrupt practices within the meaning of Section 123(4) of<\/p>\n<p>the Representation of People Act. All that we need to say is<\/p>\n<p>that the averments made in the election petition sufficiently<\/p>\n<p>disclose a cause of action. The averments set out the<\/p>\n<p>material facts &amp; give sufficient particulars that would justify<\/p>\n<p>the grant of an opportunity to the appellant to prove his<\/p>\n<p>allegations. In as much as the High Court found otherwise, it<\/p>\n<p>in our opinion, committed a mistake.            At any rate if there<\/p>\n<p>was any deficiency in the particulars required to be furnished<\/p>\n<p>in terms of Section 83(b) of the Act the High Court could<br \/>\n<span class=\"hidden_text\">                              26<\/span><\/p>\n<p>and indeed ought to have directed the petitioner to disclose<\/p>\n<p>and provide the same with a view to preventing any<\/p>\n<p>miscarriage of justice on account of non-disclosure of the<\/p>\n<p>same. So long the material facts had been stated, which<\/p>\n<p>were stated in the present case, the absence of particulars,<\/p>\n<p>if any, could not justify dismissal of the petition by the High<\/p>\n<p>Court.\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<p>22. What is stated above is true even in regard to the<\/p>\n<p>averments made by the appellant in paragraphs 25 and 26<\/p>\n<p>of the election petition wherein the appellant had accused<\/p>\n<p>the first respondent of committing a corrupt practice within<\/p>\n<p>the meaning of Section 123(5) of the Act.      Section 123(5)<\/p>\n<p>makes hiring and securing of vehicles whether on payment<\/p>\n<p>or otherwise for the free conveyance of any elector to and<\/p>\n<p>from any polling station with the consent of a candidate or<\/p>\n<p>his election agent, a corrupt practice. Paragraph 25 and 26<\/p>\n<p>of the election petition specifically allege that the first<\/p>\n<p>respondent, his election agent and other agents and workers<\/p>\n<p>had secured vehicles for transport of the voters to and fro<br \/>\n<span class=\"hidden_text\">                                     27<\/span><\/p>\n<p>polling stations contrary to Section 123(5) of the Act. The<\/p>\n<p>averments made in the said paragraphs not only give the<\/p>\n<p>registration     numbers       but        also   the   names     of   the<\/p>\n<p>owners\/drivers of the vehicles used for providing free<\/p>\n<p>transport of the voters of different booths indicated in the<\/p>\n<p>said paragraphs. The averments made in the paragraphs 25<\/p>\n<p>and 26 of the election petition constitute a statement of<\/p>\n<p>material facts required in terms of Section 83A of the Act.<\/p>\n<p>Although the particulars given in the said paragraphs, in our<\/p>\n<p>opinion, give rise to justify a trial yet if there were any<\/p>\n<p>deficiency in the disclosure of the particulars the High Court<\/p>\n<p>could direct the petitioner to furnish the said particulars.<\/p>\n<p>Dismissal of the petition on the ground that the averments<\/p>\n<p>did not constitute material facts and did not give rise to a<\/p>\n<p>complete cause of action was not a correct appreciation of<\/p>\n<p>the said averments.\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<p>23. The same is true even in regard to the averments made<\/p>\n<p>in paragraph 35 of the election petition in which the<\/p>\n<p>petitioner     had   alleged   that       the    respondent    No.1   had<br \/>\n<span class=\"hidden_text\">                              28<\/span><\/p>\n<p>committed a corrupt practice within the meaning of Section<\/p>\n<p>123(6) of the Act by incurring or authorizing expenditure in<\/p>\n<p>contravention of Section 77. In paragraph 35 of the election<\/p>\n<p>petition the appellant had clearly alleged that the first<\/p>\n<p>respondent had spent an amount of Rs.78 lakhs for his<\/p>\n<p>election as against the outer limit of Rs.10 lakhs stipulated<\/p>\n<p>under Section 77 of the Act read with Rule 90 of the Election<\/p>\n<p>Rules, 1961.   The averments disclosed in sufficient details<\/p>\n<p>the basis on which the said allegation was made.<\/p>\n<p>24. In the result, we allow this appeal, set aside the<\/p>\n<p>impugned order of the High Court and remand the matter<\/p>\n<p>back to the High Court for disposal of the election petition in<\/p>\n<p>accordance with the law keeping in view the observations<\/p>\n<p>made hereinabove. We make it clear that anything said by<\/p>\n<p>us in the foregoing paras of this judgment shall not be<\/p>\n<p>understood as expression of any final opinion on the merits<\/p>\n<p>of the case set up by the appellant or the defense set up by<\/p>\n<p>the respondent No.1. The observations made hereinabove<\/p>\n<p>are limited to the determination of the question whether the<br \/>\n<span class=\"hidden_text\">                               29<\/span><\/p>\n<p>High Court was justified in dismissing the election petition at<\/p>\n<p>the threshold as it did. The parties are directed to appear<\/p>\n<p>before   the   High   Court   for   further    directions       on    6th<\/p>\n<p>September, 2010. No costs.\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<p>                                      &#8230;&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;J.\n<\/p>\n<p>                                      (D.K. JAIN)<\/p>\n<p>                                      &#8230;&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;J.\n<\/p>\n<p>                                      (T.S. THAKUR)<br \/>\nNew Delhi<br \/>\nJuly 6, 2010<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Supreme Court of India K.K. Ramachandran Master vs M.V. Sreyamskumar &amp; Ors on 6 July, 2010 Author: T Thakur Bench: D.K. Jain, T.S. Thakur REPORTABLE IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICITION CIVIL APPEAL NO. 638 OF 2007 K.K. Ramachandran Master &#8230;Appellant Versus M.V. Sreyamakumar &amp; Ors. &#8230;Respondents JUDGMENT T.S. THAKUR, J. 1. [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[30],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-18979","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-supreme-court-of-india"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>K.K. Ramachandran Master vs M.V. 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