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Supreme Court of India

N.C. DASversusM.A. MOHSIN AND ANR.

Citation
1997 INSC 645
Decided
9 September 1997
Disposal
Dismissed

Holding

The High Court's order was not perverse; therefore the Supreme Court dismissed the Special Leave Petition.

Summary

The petitioner filed a Special Leave Petition before the Supreme Court seeking to compel the Patna High Court to initiate contempt proceedings against the respondents for alleged non‑compliance with a prior order. The High Court held that the order had been complied with, declined to entertain the contempt application and observed that no further action was required. The petitioner challenged this decision, arguing that the High Court erred in refusing to proceed with contempt proceedings. The Supreme Court examined the standard of review for appellate interference in contempt matters, reiterating that an appellate court may intervene only where the lower court’s order is "totally perverse." Finding no perversity in the High Court’s reasoning, the Court dismissed the Special Leave Petition. The judgment underscores the limited scope of appellate review in contempt jurisdiction and the principle that contempt powers should not be used for personal vendetta.

Issues considered

  • Whether the Supreme Court can set aside a High Court order declining to entertain contempt proceedings
  • Whether the High Court's order is perverse within the meaning of appellate review standards

Legislation cited

Subjects

Contempt of CourtSpecial Leave PetitionAppellate ReviewPerverse OrderHigh Court OrderSupreme CourtJurisdictionNon‑compliance

Judgment

                                  N.C. DAS                                         A
                                       V.

                        M.A. MOHSIN AND ANR.

                            SEPTEMBER 9, 1997

         [S.P. BHARUCHA AND M. JAGANNADHA RAO, JJ.]                                B


      Contempt of Court-Petition before High Court for initiating contempt
proceedings against opposite parties for alleged non-compliance of Court's
order~High Court holding that order had been complied and no further               C
action required-Appeal~Held in contempt proceedings, such as these, an
appellate court will not interfere unless the order is totally pei;verse-;-There
is no perversity in the order passed by the High Court-Constitution of India,
1950-Article 136.

    CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION: Special Leave Petition (C) No.                   D
15812of1997.

     From the Judgment and Order dated. 2.5.97 of tjie J;'atna High Court in
M.J.C. No. 699of1996.

       Deba Prasad Mukherjee, B. Kar Gupta ·and Sanjay Ghosh for the               E
Petitioner.

      The following Order of the Court was delivered :

      This is a Special Leave Petition against an order of the High Court at
Patna declining to take proceedings in contempt against the respondents.           F
This is what the High Court said :

             I have heard Mr. P. K. Sinha and Mr. Jai Narayan, Sr:Counsei
        appearing on behalf of the parties, and also perused the show cause
        filed by the O.Ps. Although the conduct of the O.Ps. does not appear
        to be very fair but in. the facts and circumstances of the case, I do      G
        not think it fit and proper to pass any further orders. Since the
        judgment and order has been complied with by the. O.Ps., no further
        action· in this regard is needed. Mr. P.K. Sinha, learned counsel,
        submitted that although the petitioner has been given promotion but
        all the consequential benefits have not been paid to him. It goes          H
                                      25                 .
    26                       SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1997] SUPP. 4 S.C.R.

A           without saying that if the petitioner submits all the necessary
            documents and papers there should not be any reason for the opposite
            parties not to pass necessary orders for payment of all consequential
            benefits. This contempt application is disposed of accordingly.

B         At the commencement of the hearing, we told learned counsel that in
    contempt proceedings such as these, an Appellate Court will not interfere
    unless the order is totally perverse. The Special Leave Petition has, nonetheless,
    been argued at length. We are in no doubt at all that there is no perversity
    in the order that is challenged.
c        The contempt jurisdiction is not to be invoked or allowed to be invoked
    to enable that appellant to wreck personal vengeance against the alleged
    contemners.

          The Special Leave Petition is dismissed.
D
    RP.                                                          Petition dismissed.


                                                                                         ...


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