Inayat Khan vs Rahmat Bibi

Turner, J.—The respondent''s pleader, in support of his application for a review of judgment, has adduced a precedent of this Bench (unreported), which, it must be admitted, is in his favour. On reconsideration of the point raised, we are of opinion that the application for review should be granted. The former suit between the parties was a suit for rent cognizable by a Court of Small Causes, and the special appeal presented against the decree of the lower Appellate Court in that suit was rejected on the ground that the suit was of that character. In a suit for rent instituted in a Small Cause Court the question of title would only be determined incidentally. It appears to us that it would be inequitable to rule that no special appeal lies in a suit of such a nature when instituted in a Civil Court, and nevertheless to hold that the decision of the issue of title in the trial of such a suit should finally estop the parties from raising the same issue in a suit brought to try the title. For these reasons, and following the precedent quoted, we allow the review of judgment, and inasmuch as no other point arises in the special appeal than the point already argued at the hearing of the application, we proceed to dispose of the appeal.

The only objection taken to the decrees of the Courts below proceeding on the contention that the issue respecting title was finally determined in the former proceedings, and that the parties are concluded by the former finding on that issue, we overrule the objection and dismiss the appeal with costs, including the costs of the application for review.