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SPECIFIC RELIEF[1] ACT, 1963
Synopsis
I] Introduction to the Specific Relief Act-
II, Different types of reliefs given under the Act-
III] Evolution of Specific Relief Act-
I] Introduction to the Specific Relief Act-
This Act has replaced the earlier Act of 1877. The Specific Relief Act aims to make such remedies unavailable in other enactments available. Moreover, the remedies or reliefs available under other provisions of law do not constitute adequate relief in the matter. For instance, in a breach of contract, the remedy available under the law of contract is ‘damages’. When there is no standard for determining actual damage in terms of money on the breach of contract or compensation in terms of money does not afford adequate relief. In such cases, the Specific Relief Act enables the plaintiff to seek ‘specific performance’ of the contract. A person gets a quicker remedy under the Specific Relief Act than proceeding under the C.P.C. Specific Relief Act, which also provides the remedy of the recession of voidable contracts.
Thus, the Specific Relief Act grants relief in specie.[2]; i.e. specific or the very relief to which a person is entitled. The purpose of remedy is to enforce rights. This Act, therefore, protects and enforces primary rights.[3] (i.e. restoration of property, the performance of contract, etc.) and not sanctioning rights[4] (i.e., compensation, damages, etc.). This Act is called the ‘Act of Reliefs’ because it grants different types of primary reliefs. Therefore, a number of civil litigations are based on this law of specific relief. Therefore, from a practical point of view, studying the law is very important.
II. Different types of reliefs given under the Act-
Following types of different reliefs given under the Act-
- Recovery of possession of Property, immovable and movable[5];
- Specific performance of contract[6];
- Rectification of documents which have an error in them[7];
- Recession of contracts which are voidable[8];
- Cancellation of instruments which are not valid[9],
- Declaratory decrees[10],
- Injunction by way of preventive relief[11];
III] Evolution of Specific Relief Act-
Specific Relief Act is the outcome of the ‘Law of Equity’. It is the concurrent Jurisdiction of Equity court with Common Law Courts, i.e. if there is an improper remedy in common law, the Court of Equity provides an adequate remedy by way of justice, equity and good conscience. Common Law Court is based on the law, whereas the law of Equity is based on principles of Natural Law (i.e. justice, equity and good conscience)[12]. Thus, Equity comes to supplement Common Law and not supplant it. When there is improper or no remedy under Common Law, the Court of Equity provides remedy based on justice, equity and good conscience.[13].
As per S. 4 of the Specific Relief Act, specific relief is to be granted only for enforcing individual civil rights.[14] and not for enforcing penal laws.
The object of the Specific Relief Act is to protect civil rights and prevent violations.
(Note- The illustrations given in this note of specific relief are not provided by the present Specific Relief Act 1963 but are imported (for better understanding of the subject) from corresponding provisions of the Specific Relief Act of 1873.).
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[1] विशिष्ट दिलासा/ ठरल्या प्रमाणे करार पूर्तता करण्याचा आदेश [विशिष्ट राहत]
[2] विशिष्ट प्रकारचा
[3] प्राथमिक अधिकार
[4] द्वितीयक (दुय्यम) अधिकार
[5] स्थावर आणि जंगम मालमत्तेचा ताबा वसूल करणे [अचल और चल संपत्ति के कब्जे की वसूली]
[6] करार जिसके लिये वही राहत
[7] दस्तावेजों मे सुधार
[8] जो करार शून्यकरणीय हैं वो वापस लेना
[9] करार जो वैध नहीं है उनको रद्द करना
[10] घोषणात्मक फरमान
[11] निवारक राहत के माध्यम से मनाही-हुक्म
[12] विशिष्ट राहत अधिनियम ‘इक्विटी के कानून’ का परिणाम है। यह कॉमन लॉ कोर्ट के साथ इक्विटी कोर्ट का समवर्ती क्षेत्राधिकार है, यानी यदि सामान्य कानून में उपाय नाही है , तो “कोर्ट ऑफ इक्विटी” न्याय, इक्विटी और अच्छे विवेक के माध्यम से पर्याप्त उपाय प्रदान करता है। कॉमन लॉ कोर्ट कानून पर आधारित है जबकि इक्विटी का कानून प्राकृतिक कानून (यानी न्याय, इक्विटी और अच्छा विवेक) के सिद्धांतों पर आधारित है।
[13] “कॉमन लाँ कोर्ट” /कायद्यावर आधारित कोर्ट/ हे अस्तित्वात असल्यास कायद्या प्रमाणे उपाय देणारे न्यायालय असल्यामुळे ज्यावेळी एखाद्या केस मध्ये बाधित व्यक्तीस अर्धवट उपाय अथवा उपायच नाही अशी परस्थिती असल्यास त्या केसमध्ये “कोर्ट ऑफ ईक़िवटी” समानता व सद्सद विवेक बुद्धीच्या आधारे पूर्ण न्यायकि किंवा उपाय देत असे म्हणून “कोर्ट ऑफ ईक़िवटी”/समानतेचे कोर्ट/ हे “कॉमन लाँ कोर्टस” मदतीचे काम करते त्याच्या विरुद्ध चे नव्हे. [जब सामान्य कानून के तहत अनुचित या कोई उपाय नहीं होता है, तो इक्विटी की अदालत न्याय, इक्विटी और अच्छे विवेक के आधार पर उपाय प्रदान करती है]
[14] व्यकतीगत दिवानी स्वरुपाचे अधिकार [व्यक्तिगत नागरिक अधिकारों को लागू करना]