Calcutta High Court
Siddhartha Insurance Limited vs The Owners And Parties on 5 September, 2024
Author: Ravi Krishan Kapur
Bench: Ravi Krishan Kapur
IN THE HIGH COURT AT CALCUTTA ADMIRALTY JURISDICTION ORIGINAL SIDE BEFORE: The Hon'ble Justice Ravi Krishan Kapur AS/6/2019 IA NO: GA/4/2023, GA/5/2023 SIDDHARTHA INSURANCE LIMITED VS THE OWNERS AND PARTIES INTERESTED IN THE VESSEL M.V VSL SSL KOLKATA AS/7/2019 IA NO: GA/4/2023, GA/5/2023 IME GENERAL INSURANCE LIMITED VS THE O AND P INTERESTED IN THE VESSEL M V VSL SSL KOLKATA AND ORS AS/8/2019 IA NO: GA/3/2023, GA/4/2023 SIDDHARTHA INSURANCE LTD. VS THE OWNERS AND PARTIES INTERESTED IN THE VESSEL M .V. VSL SSL KOLKATA AND ORS AS/9/2019 IA NO: GA/3/2023, GA/4/2023 NECO INSURANCE LTD VS THE O/P INT IN THE VESSEL M V VSL SSL KOLKATA AND ORS AS/10/2019 IA NO: GA/4/2023, GA/5/2023 LUMBINI GENERAL INSURANCE LIMITED VS THE OWNERS AND PARTIES INTERESTED IN THE VESSEL M V VSL SSL KOL AND ORS AS/11/2019 IA NO: GA/4/2023, GA/5/2023 IME GENERAL INSURANCE LIMITED VS THE OWNER AND PARTIES INTERESTED IN THE VESSEL M V VSL SSL KOLKATA AND ORS 2 For the Plaintiff : Mr. Tilak Kumar Bose, Senior Advocate Mr. Swatarup Banerjee, Advocate Mr. Rohit Mukherji, Advocate Mr. Ramanuj Raoy Chowdhury, Advocate Ms. S. Das, Advocate For the Defendant No.1 : Mr. Ratnanko Banerji, Sr. Adv. Ms. Sristi Barman Roy, Adv. Mr. Souvik Kundu, Adv Judgment on : 05.09.2024 Ravi Krishan Kapur, J: 1.
All these admiralty suits have been filed in the Admiralty Jurisdiction
before the Ordinary Original Division of this Court and raise a common
question whether or not post promulgation of the Commercial Courts Act
2015 (CC Act), the suits should have been filed before the Commercial
Division of this Court?
2. It is contended on behalf of the plaintiffs that each of the claims in the
respective suits is a maritime claim as defined under section 2(f) read
with section 4 of the Admiralty (Jurisdiction and Settlement of Maritime
Claims) Act, 2017 and are maintainable before the Ordinary Original
Division by virtue of clause 31 of the Letters Patent, 1865. It is also
contended that the Calcutta High Court Admiralty (Jurisdiction and
Settlement of Maritime Claims) Rules 2019 were notified only on 22nd
November 2019, after the filing of all the above suits. As such, on a
combined reading of sections 2(a), 3 and 12 of the Admiralty Act 2017
read with the CC Act, the Commercial Court is barred from entertaining
any suit or application even if it relates to a commercial dispute. Section
3 of the Act of 2017 creates a specific and exclusive admiralty
jurisdiction based on the limits of territorial waters of the State. Section
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11 of the CC Act prohibits the Commercial Court from entertaining any
suit, even if it relates to a commercial dispute in respect of which the
jurisdiction of a Civil Court is expressly or impliedly barred. It is also
contended that the Act of 2017 is a complete Code in itself and
maintains the historical exclusivity of the Admiralty Court having special
jurisdiction. The Rules of the High Court also do not refer to the CC Act.
In the above circumstances, there is no question of filing these suits
before the Commercial Division of this Court. In any event, without
prejudice to the above contentions, the plaintiffs have filed separate
applications praying that each of the suits be transferred to the
Commercial Division of this Court in order to ensure procedural
compliance. In support of such contention, the plaintiffs rely on the
decisions in M.V. Elisabeth vs. Harwan Investment and Trading Pvt. Ltd.
1993 Supp (2) SCC 433 and Liverpool & London P&I Ltd. vs. MV Sea
Success (2004) 9 SCC 512.
3. On behalf of the defendants it is contended that, all these suits had been
filed on 31st October 2019 long after commencement of the CC Act which
came into force on 23rd October 2015, and should have been filed only
before the Commercial Division of this Court. In such circumstances, the
suits having been filed before an incorrect forum are not maintainable
and are liable to be rejected and the respective plaints returned. In any
event, the prayer to have the suits transferred before the Commercial
Division of this Court is inconsistent and contradictory to the
submissions of the plaintiffs that these suits as filed are maintainable
before the Ordinary Original Division of this Court.
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4. Admittedly, these suits were all instituted long after the commencement
of the CC Act. The object of the CC Act was to provide for speedy disposal
of high value commercial disputes by setting up of Commercial Courts.
The CC Act came into force on 23 October 2015 (notified on 31 December
2015) and the suits were filed long thereafter on 31 October 2019.
Section 2(1)(c) of the CC Act creates an independent and separate
Division in the High Courts for adjudication and settlement of
commercial disputes. Section 2(1)(b) read with Section 3 of the CC Act
defines Commercial Court. In this connection, relevant sections of the
CC Act are set out below:
2(1)(b) “Commercial Court” means the Commercial Court constituted under sub-
section (1) of section 3;
2(1)(c): “commercial dispute” means a dispute arising out of–
(i) ordinary transactions of merchants, bankers, financiers and traders
such as those relating to mercantile documents, including enforcement and
interpretation of such documents;
(ii) export or import of merchandise or services;
(iii) issues relating to admiralty and maritime law;
(iv) transactions relating to aircraft, aircraft engines, aircraft equipment
and helicopters,
including sales, leasing and financing of the same;
(v) carriage of goods;
(vi) construction and infrastructure contracts, including tenders;
(vii) agreements relating to immovable property used exclusively in trade
or commerce;
(viii) franchising agreements;
(ix) distribution and licensing agreements;
(x) management and consultancy agreements;
(xi) joint venture agreements;
(xii) shareholders agreements;
3. Constitution of Commercial Courts.–(1) The State Government, may after
consultation with the concerned High Court, by notification, constitute such
number of Commercial Courts at District level, as it may deem necessary for the
purpose of exercising the jurisdiction and powers conferred on those
Courts under this Act:
[Provided that with respect to the High Courts having ordinary original civil
jurisdiction, the State Government may, after consultation with the concerned
High Court, by notification, constitute Commercial Courts at the District Judge
level:
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Provided further that with respect to a territory over which the High Courts have
ordinary original civil jurisdiction, the State Government may, by notification,
specify such pecuniary value which shall not be less than three lakh rupees and
not more than the pecuniary jurisdiction exercisable by the District Courts, as it
may consider necessary.]
[(1A) Notwithstanding anything contained in this Act, the State Government may,
after consultation with the concerned High Court, by notification, specify such
pecuniary value which shall not be less than three lakh rupees or such higher
value, for whole or part of the State, as it may consider necessary.]
(2) The State Government shall, after consultation with the concerned High Court
specify, by notification, the local limits of the area to which the jurisdiction of a
Commercial Court shall extend and may, from time to time, increase, reduce or
alter such limits.
(3) The [State Government may], with the concurrence of the Chief Justice of the
High Court appoint one or more persons having experience in dealing with
commercial disputes to be the Judge or Judges, of a [Commercial Court either at
the level of District Judge or a court below the level of a District Judge].
4. Constitution of Commercial Division of High Court.–(1) In all High Courts,
having [ordinary original civil jurisdiction], the Chief Justice of the High Court
may, by order, constitute Commercial Division having one or more Benches
consisting of a single Judge for the purpose of exercising the jurisdiction and
powers conferred on it under this Act.
(2) The Chief Justice of the High Court shall nominate such Judges of the High
Court who have experience in dealing with commercial disputes to be Judges of
the Commercial Division.
6. Jurisdiction of Commercial Court.–The Commercial Court shall have
jurisdiction to try all suits and applications relating to a commercial dispute of a
Specified Value arising out of the entire territory of the State over which it has
been vested territorial jurisdiction.
11. Bar of jurisdiction of Commercial Courts and Commercial Divisions.–
Notwithstanding anything contained in this Act, a Commercial Court or a
Commercial Division shall not entertain or decide any suit, application or
proceedings relating to any commercial dispute in respect of which the
jurisdiction of the civil court is either expressly or impliedly barred under any
other law for the time being in force.
13. Appeals from decrees of Commercial Courts and Commercial Divisions.–(1) 1
[Any person aggrieved by the judgment or order of a Commercial Court below the
level of a District Judge may appeal to the Commercial Appellate Court within a
period of sixty days from the date of judgment or order. (1A) Any person
aggrieved by the judgment or order of a Commercial Court at the level of District
Judge exercising original civil jurisdiction or, as the case may be, Commercial
Division of a High Court may appeal to the Commercial Appellate Division of that
High Court within a period of sixty days from the date of the judgment or order:
Provided that an appeal shall lie from such orders passed by a Commercial
Division or a Commercial Court that are specifically enumerated under Order
XLIII of the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 (5 of 1908) as amended by this Act and
6section 37 of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 (26 of 1996).] (2)
Notwithstanding anything contained in any other law for the time being in force
or Letters Patent of a High Court, no appeal shall lie from any order or decree of a
Commercial Division or Commercial Court otherwise than in accordance with the
provisions of this Act.
15. Transfer of pending cases.–(1) All suits and applications, including
applications under the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 (26 of 1996),
relating to a commercial dispute of a Specified Value pending in a High Court
where a Commercial Division has been constituted, shall be transferred to the
Commercial Division.
(2) All suits and applications, including applications under the Arbitration and
Conciliation Act, 1996 (26 of 1996), relating to a commercial dispute of a
Specified Value pending in any civil court in any district or area in respect of
which a Commercial Court has been constituted, shall be transferred to such
Commercial Court: Provided that no suit or application where the final judgment
has been reserved by the Court prior to the constitution of the Commercial
Division or the Commercial Court shall be transferred either under sub-section (1)
or sub-section (2).
(3) Where any suit or application, including an application under the Arbitration
and Conciliation Act, 1996 (26 of 1996), relating to a commercial dispute of
Specified Value shall stand transferred to the Commercial Division or Commercial
Court under sub-section (1) or sub-section (2), the provisions of this Act shall
apply to those procedures that were not complete at the time of transfer.
(4) The Commercial Division or Commercial Court, as the case may be, may hold
case management hearings in respect of such transferred suit or application in
order to prescribe new timelines or issue such further directions as may be
necessary for a speedy and efficacious disposal of such suit or application in
accordance 3 [with Order XV-A] of the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 (5 of 1908):
Provided that the proviso to sub-rule (1) of Rule 1 of Order V of the Code of Civil
Procedure, 1908 (5 of 1908) shall not apply to such transferred suit or application
and the court may, in its discretion, prescribe a new time period within which the
written statement shall be filed.
(5) In the event that such suit or application is not transferred in the manner
specified in sub-section (1), sub-section (2) or sub-section (3), the Commercial
Appellate Division of the High Court may, on the application of any of the parties
to the suit, withdraw such suit or application from the court before which it is
pending and transfer the same for trial or disposal to the Commercial Division or
Commercial Court, as the case may be, having territorial jurisdiction over such
suit, and such order of transfer shall be final and binding.
16. Amendments to the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 in its application to
commercial disputes.–(1) The provisions of the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 (5
of 1908) shall, in their application to any suit in respect of a commercial dispute
of a Specified Value, stand amended in the manner as specified in the Schedule.
(2) The Commercial Division and Commercial Court shall follow the provisions of
the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 (5 of 1908), as amended by this Act, in the trial
of a suit in respect of a commercial dispute of a Specified Value.
(3) Where any provision of any Rule of the jurisdictional High Court or any
amendment to the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 (5 of 1908), by the State
Government is in conflict with the provisions of the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908
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(5 of 1908), as amended by this Act, the provisions of the Code of Civil Procedure
as amended by this Act shall prevail.
5. Section 2(1)(c)(iii) of the CC Act provides that issues relating to admiralty
and maritime law fall within the scope of a ‘commercial dispute’. Section
7 of the CC Act requires all suits relating to commercial disputes of a
prescribed value filed in the High Court being heard and disposed of by
the Commercial Division of this Court. On a plain reading of each of the
plaints filed in the above suits it is indisputable that the issues in each
of the suits relate to admiralty and maritime law and are of a specified
value. This is also unequivocally admitted in the applications for transfer
filed by the plaintiffs. Section 6 of the CC Act confers jurisdiction only
upon the Commercial Court to try all suits and applications relating to
commercial disputes. In view of the clear language of the provisions of
the CC Act read with the Admiralty Act of 2017, there is no merit in the
contention that the Act of 2017 does not confer any power on the CC Act
to entertain or decide admiralty suits. The Admiralty Act of 2017 while
conferring admiralty jurisdiction did not remove the applicability of the
CC Act. The fact that the Admiralty Rules of this Court were notified on
November 22, 2019 and the suits were filed on October 31, 2019 is of no
relevance at all. (CMOG Fuel DMCC vs. OSS Altus Uber Unreported
decision dated 16 June 2022 in Commercial Admiralty Suit No.51 of 2018
High Court at Bombay).
6. Prior to the Admiralty Act 2017, all admiralty suits were filed before this
Court by virtue of the provisions of Clause 31 of the Letters Patent, 1865.
Section 2(a) of the Act of 2017 defines the jurisdiction exercisable by a
High Court under section 3 of the Act of 2017 in respect of maritime
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claims specified under the Act. In this connection, the relevant sections
of the Admiralty Act of 2017 are set out below:
2(1)(f): “maritime claim” means a claim referred to in section 4;
3. Admiralty jurisdiction.–Subject to the provisions of sections 4 and 5, the
jurisdiction in respect of all maritime claims under this Act shall vest in the
respective High Courts and be exercisable over the waters up to and including
the territorial waters of their respective jurisdictions in accordance with the
provisions contained in this Act: Provided that the Central Government may, by
notification, extend the jurisdiction of the High Court up to the limit as defined in
section 2 of the Territorial Waters, Continental Shelf, Exclusive Economic Zone
and Other Maritime Zones Act, 1976 (80 of 1976).
4. Maritime claim.–(1) The High Court may exercise jurisdiction to hear and
determine any question on a maritime claim, against any vessel, arising out of
any–
(a) dispute regarding the possession or ownership of a vessel or the ownership of
any share therein;
(b) dispute between the co-owners of a vessel as to the employment or earnings of
the vessel;
(c) mortgage or a charge of the same nature on a vessel;
(d) loss or damage caused by the operation of a vessel;
(e) loss of life or personal injury occurring whether on land or on water, in direct
connection with the operation of a vessel;
(f) loss or damage to or in connection with any goods;
(g) agreement relating to the carriage of goods or passengers on board a vessel,
whether contained in a charter party or otherwise;
(h) agreement relating to the use or hire of the vessel, whether contained in a
charter party or otherwise;
(i) salvage services, including, if applicable, special compensation relating to
salvage services in respect of a vessel which by itself or its cargo threatens
damage to the environment;
(j) towage;
(k) pilotage;
(l) goods, materials, perishable or non-perishable provisions, bunker fuel,
equipment (including containers), supplied or services rendered to the vessel for
its operation, management, preservation or maintenance including any fee
payable or leviable;
(m) construction, reconstruction, repair, converting or equipping of the vessel;
(n) dues in connection with any port, harbour, canal, dock or light tolls, other tolls,
waterway or any charges of similar kind chargeable under any law for the time
being in force;
(o) claim by a master or member of the crew of a vessel or their heirs and
dependents for wages or any sum due out of wages or adjudged to be due which
may be recoverable as wages or cost of repatriation or social insurance
contribution payable on their behalf or any amount an employer is under an
obligation to pay to a person as an employee, whether the obligation arose out of
a contract of employment or by operation of a law (including operation of a law of
any country) for the time being in force, and includes any claim arising under a
manning and crew agreement relating to a vessel, notwithstanding anything
contained in the provisions of sections 150 and 151 of the Merchant Shipping Act,
1958 (44 of 1958);
(p) disbursements incurred on behalf of the vessel or its owners;
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(q) particular average or general average;
(r) dispute arising out of a contract for the sale of the vessel;
(s) insurance premium (including mutual insurance calls) in respect of the vessel,
payable by or on behalf of the vessel owners or demise charterers;
(t) commission, brokerage or agency fees payable in respect of the vessel by or on
behalf of the vessel owner or demise charterer;
(u) damage or threat of damage caused by the vessel to the environment,
coastline or related interests; measures taken to prevent, minimise, or remove
such damage; compensation for such damage; costs of reasonable measures for
the restoration of the environment actually undertaken or to be undertaken; loss
incurred or likely to be incurred by third parties in connection with such damage;
or any other damage, costs, or loss of a similar nature to those identified in this
clause;
(v) costs or expenses relating to raising, removal, recovery, destruction or the
rendering harmless of a vessel which is sunk, wrecked, stranded or abandoned,
including anything that is or has been on board such vessel, and costs or
expenses relating to the preservation of an abandoned vessel and maintenance
of its crew; and
(w) maritime lien.
Explanation.–For the purposes of clause (q), the expressions “particular average”
and “general average” shall have the same meanings as assigned to them in sub-
section (1) of section 64 and sub-section (2) of section 66 respectively of the
Marine Insurance Act, 1963 (11 of 1963).
12. Application of Code of Civil Procedure.–The provisions of the Code of Civil
Procedure, 1908 (5 of 1908) shall apply in all the proceedings before the High
Court in so far as they are not inconsistent with or contrary to the provisions of
this Act or the rules made thereunder.
14. Appeal.–Notwithstanding anything contained in any other law for the time
being in force, an appeal shall lie from any judgment, decree or final order or
interim order of a single Judge of the High Court under this Act to a Division
Bench of the High Court.
17. Repeal and savings.–(1) The application in India of the following enactments
are hereby repealed–
(a) the Admiralty Court Act, 1840 (3 and 4 Vict., c. 65);
(b) the Admiralty Court Act, 1861 (24 and 25 Vict., c. 10);
(c) the Colonial Courts of Admiralty Act, 1890 (53 and 54 vict., c. 27);
(d) the Colonial Courts of Admiralty (India) Act, 1891 (16 of 1891); and
(e) the provisions of the Letters Patent, 1865 in so far as they apply to the
admiralty jurisdiction of the Bombay, Calcutta and Madras High Courts.
(2) Notwithstanding the repeal, all admiralty proceedings pending in any High
Court immediately before the commencement of this Act shall continue to be
adjudicated by such court in accordance with the provisions of this Act.
(3) Anything done or any action taken, under the provisions of the repealed
enactments, shall in so far as such thing or action is not inconsistent with the
provisions of this Act, be deemed to have been done or taken under the
corresponding provisions of the Act as if the said provisions were in force when
such thing was done or such action was taken and shall continue to be in force
accordingly until superseded by anything done or any action taken under this Act
or rules made thereunder.
(4) Any rule, regulation, bye-law made or order or notice issued under the
repealed enactments, shall so far as it is not inconsistent with the provisions of
this Act or rules made thereunder be deemed to have been done or taken under
the corresponding provisions of this Act.
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7. There is no quarrel with the proposition laid down in M.V. Elisabeth v.
Harwan Investment & Trading Pvt. Ltd., AIR (1993) SC 1014. Historically,
admiralty jurisdiction has always been treated as having exclusive and
special jurisdiction exercised by the Admiralty Court. [See Paras 12, 14,
17, 35, 64 and 66 M.V. Elisabeth (supra)]. Now, section 17 of the Act of
2017 expressly repeals the various Acts which governed admiralty
proceedings prior to its coming into force including the Letters Patent
1865. The only saving clause is to be found in section 17(2) which saves
only suits pending before the commencement of the Admiralty Act of
2017.
8. On a combined and harmonious reading of sections 2(1)(b), 2(1)(c) read
with sections 3(1) and (4) of the CC Act, it is only the Commercial
Division of this Court which can entertain these suits. That is only the
Division which has now been expressly designated for the purpose of
exercising jurisdiction in such suits. In view of the above, all these
plaints should necessarily be returned for filing before the Commercial
Division of this Court. The filing of any of these suits before any other
Division save and except the Commercial Division is now barred. For the
above reasons, as on the date of filing of these suits, compliance with the
provisions of the CC Act was mandatory and all these suits could only
have been filed before the Commercial Division of this Court.
9. Section 15 of the CC Act which provides for transfer of proceedings only
enables transfer of suits which were pending before the introduction and
commencement of the Act. As stated hereinabove, admittedly all these
suits have been filed post introduction of the CC Act. Accordingly, there
is no question of transferring any of the suits to the Commercial Division
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of this Court since each of the above suits has been improperly instituted
post commencement of the CC Act. In such circumstances, there is a
defect in the filing of these suits before any Division other than the
Commercial Division of this Court. If a suit has been instituted before an
incorrect Division after the introduction of the CC Act, Order VII Rule 10
of the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 mandates that the Court has no
option but to return the plaint filed in such a suit and present the same
before the Appropriate Division. (Laxmi Polyfab Pvt. Ltd. and Ors. vs.
Eden Realty Ventures Pvt. Ltd. and Ors. AIR 2021 Cal 190). A strict
construction of the provisions of the CC Act is imperative in order to
achieve the object and purpose of the Act. (Ambalal Sarabhai Enterprises
Ltd. v. K.S. Infraspace LLP, (2020) 15 SCC 585). The CC Act has also been
given precedence insofar as appeals arising out of admiralty proceedings
are concerned. (Owners and Parties Interested in the Vessel M.V. Polaris
Galaxy Versus Banque Cantonale De Geneve, 2022 SCC OnLine SC 1293).
10. For the above reasons, G.A 4 of 2023 in A.S No. 6 of 2019, G.A 4 of 2023
in A.S No. 7 of 2019, G.A 3 of 2023 in A.S No. 8 of 2019, G.A 3 of 2023
in A.S No. 9 of 2019, G.A 4 of 2023 in A.S No. 10 of 2019 and G.A 4 of
2023 in A.S No. 11 of 2019 filed by the plaintiffs praying for transfer of
the suits to the Commercial Division are rejected.
11. In view of the above, G.A 5 of 2023 in A.S No. 6 of 2019, G.A 5 of 2023 in
A.S No. 7 of 2019, G.A 4 of 2023 in A.S No. 8 of 2019, G.A 4 of 2023 in
A.S No. 9 of 2019, G.A 5 of 2023 in A.S No. 10 of 2019 and G.A 5 of 2023
in A.S No. 11 of 2019 filed by the defendants praying for return of the
respective plaints in each of the suits are allowed. The plaints filed in AS
6 of 2019, AS 7 of 2019, AS 8 of 2019, AS 9 of 2019, AS 10 of 2019 and
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AS 11 of 2019 shall be returned for presentation before the Appropriate
Division of this Court. There shall be an order in terms of prayer (3) of
the respective Master’s Summons in each of the above applications.
Interim orders, if any, stand vacated.
(Ravi Krishan Kapur, J.)
Later:
After pronouncement of the judgment, the plaintiff prays for stay of
operation of the order.
The prayer for stay is considered and rejected.
(Ravi Krishan Kapur, J.)