Suman Randhawa vs Sh. Maldeep Sekhon & Ors on 28 April, 2026

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    Delhi High Court – Orders

    Suman Randhawa vs Sh. Maldeep Sekhon & Ors on 28 April, 2026

    Author: Subramonium Prasad

    Bench: Subramonium Prasad

                              $~15
                              *         IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI
                              +         CS(OS) 138/2019 & I.A. 20049/2025
                                        SUMAN RANDHAWA                                                                           .....Plaintiff
                                                                      Through:
                                                                      versus
                                        SH. MALDEEP SEKHON & ORS.                                                              .....Defendants
                                                                      Through:            Ms.Seema Seth, Ms. Kashish Jain, Sh
                                                                                          Sourav Kumar, Advs.
                                                                                          Mr Saurabh Sharma Advocate with
                                                                                          Mr Dharmendra Advocate and Mr
                                                                                          Siddhant Singh Advocate for D-2 &
                                                                                          D-3
                                        CORAM:
                                        HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SUBRAMONIUM PRASAD
                                                                      ORDER
    
                              %                                       28.04.2026
                              CS (OS) 138/2019
    

    1. Vide Order dated 17.10.2025, this Court had directed parties to
    approach the Delhi High Court Mediation Centre to explore the possibility
    of arriving at an amicable settlement.

    2. Today, it is stated in unison that despite best efforts, mediation has
    failed. In view of the same, this Court shall take up the interim applications
    pending disposal, so that the matter can proceed ahead.

    SPONSORED

    I.A. 12598/2025

    3. The present Application under Section 151 of the CPC has been filed
    Defendants No. 1(a) and 1(b), seeking modification of the Order dated

    CS(OS) 138/2019 Page 1 of 20
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    26.09.2024 passed by this Court, in reference to the vehicle being Hyundai
    Verna Car Model 2015 bearing Registration No. DL 7 CT 5536 [“vehicle in
    question”].

    4. It is stated by the learned Counsel for the Defendants No. 1(a) and
    1(b) that since the mediation has failed, liberty is sought for filing an
    affidavit stating that the vehicle in question be scrapped..

    5. Liberty, as prayed for, is granted.

    6. Let the affidavit be filed before the next date of hearing.

    7. The Application is accordingly disposed of.

    I.A. 415/2024

    8. The present Application under Order XXXIX Rule 2A read with
    Section 151 of the CPC has been filed by the Defendants No. 1(a) and 1(b),
    alleging willful disobedience on part of the Plaintiff, of the Order dated
    07.03.2019 passed by this Court under Order XXXIX Rule 1 & 2 of the
    CPC
    , which was further modified vide the Orders dated 08.05.2019,
    07.11.2019, 12.12.2019 and 01.11.2023 passed by this Court.

    9. Learned Counsel for the Defendants No. 1(a) and 1(b) states that she
    is not pressing the present Application at this juncture and seeks liberty to
    file a fresh Application with better particulars with proper indication of the
    nature of relief being claimed.

    10. Liberty, as prayed for, is granted.

    11. The present Application is disposed of as not pressed.

    I.A. 16955/2019

    12. The present Application under Order VI Rule 17 of the CPC has been

    CS(OS) 138/2019 Page 2 of 20
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    filed by the Plaintiff seeking amendment of Plaint.

    13. The present Suit is one for partition, permanent injunction and
    rendition of accounts, in respect of the estate/Suit Properties belonging to
    and left behind by Late Sh. Balwant Singh Sekhon, Late Smt. Balwant Kaur
    Sekhon and B.S. Sekhon (HUF).

    14. The facts of the case, as discernible from the Plaint, are that the
    Plaintiff and deceased Defendant No.1 are the children of Late Sh. B.S.
    Sekhon and Late Smt. B.K. Sekhon, Defendant No.2 is the daughter-in-law
    of the Sh. B.S. Sekhon and Late Smt. B.K. Sekhon, Defendant No.3 is the
    widow of the pre-deceased son of Late Sh. Bipan Sekhon and the Defendant
    No.4 is son of the pre-deceased son of Late Shri Bipan Sekhon.

    15. The moveable and immoveable properties owned by Late Sh. Balwant
    Singh Sekhon are as under:-

    i. C-170, Madhuban Colony, Delhi – 110092 admeasuring 387 sq.
    yards, comprising a ground floor, first floor and second floor
    owned by Late Sh. Balwant Singh Sekhon, the father of the
    Plaintiff.

    ii. SF Account no. 2572000100004030 maintained with Punjab
    National Bank, Madhuban Branch, New Delhi.
    iii. FDR No. 257200TR00004802 maintained with Punjab National
    Bank, Madhuban Branch, New Delhi.

    iv. Pension Account no. 55113330239 maintained with SBI Bank,
    Shastri Bhawan, New Delhi.

    16. The moveable and immoveable properties owned by Late Smt. B.K.
    Sekhon are as under:-

    i. C-206, Icon Apartments, Greater Noida, U.P.

    CS(OS) 138/2019 Page 3 of 20
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    ii. SF Account no. 2572000100031810 maintained with Punjab
    National Bank, Madhuvan Branch.

    iii. Account No. 10137332528 maintained with SBI Bank,
    Madhuban, New Delhi.

    17. The abovementioned properties owned by Late Shri B.S. Sekhon and
    Late Smt. B.K. Sekhon shall be collectively referred to as the “Suit
    Properties”.

    18. Lastly, the immovable and movable properties owned by Late Sh.
    Balwant Singh Sekhon (HUF) [“HUF Properties”] are as under:-

    i. Office no. 1, 3rd floor, Tower no. II, C-25, Stellar IT Park,
    Sector 62, Noida, U.P. admeasuring 2618 sq. ft.
    ii. Office no. 2 & 3, 3rd floor, Tower no. II, C-25, Stellar IT Park,
    Sector 62, Noida, U.P. admeasuring 4426 sq. ft.
    iii. Office no. 8, 3rd floor, Tower no. II, C-25, Stellar IT Park,
    Sector 62, Noida, U.P. admeasuring 3704 sq. ft.
    iv. Office no. 414, Metroplex East, Laxmi Nagar, Delhi
    admeasuring 102.657 sq. mts.

    v. Office no. 301, Metroplex East, Laxmi Nagar, Delhi
    admeasuring 102.285 sq. mts.

    vi. Two plots admeasuring 499 sq. yards and 250 sq. yards
    respectively in Village Phullanwal, Ludhiana, Punjab.
    vii. Bank Accounts with the following details:

    a) Savings Account no. 2572000101913380 maintained
    with Punjab National Bank, Madhuvan branch. New
    Delhi.

    b) FDR No. 257200TR00002910 maintained with Punjab

    CS(OS) 138/2019 Page 4 of 20
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    National Bank, Madhuvan branch

    c) FDR No. 257200PU00012024 maintained with Punjab
    National Bank, Madhuvan branch

    d) FDR No. 257200TR00003991 maintained with Punjab
    National Bank, Madhuvan branch

    e) FDR No. 257200TR00004796 maintained with Punjab
    National Bank, Madhuvan branch

    f) FDR No. 257200TR00005120 maintained with Punjab
    National Bank, Madhuvan branch

    g) FDR No. 257200PU00017603 maintained with Punjab
    National Bank, Madhuvan branch

    h) FDR No. 257200PU00017597 maintained with Punjab
    National Bank, Madhuvan branch

    i) FDR No. 257200PU00018204 maintained with Punjab
    National Bank, Madhuvan branch

    j) FDR No. 25720000000223 maintained with Punjab
    National Bank, Madhuvan branch

    19. Material on record indicates that Late Smt. B.K. Sekhon passed away
    intestate on 08.03.2018, while Late Shri B.S. Sekhon passed away on
    10.04.2018, leaving behind all abovementioned Suit Properties and HUF
    Properties. It is stated that neither Late Smt. B.K. Sekhon nor Late Shri B.S.
    Sekhon executed any Will or testament and therefore, all the parties to the
    instant Suit are equally entitled to the shares in the Suit Properties as well as
    the HUF Properties.

    20. Material on record further indicates that the Plaintiff and Defendant
    No.1 have 1/3rd share each in the Suit Properties and HUF Properties and

    CS(OS) 138/2019 Page 5 of 20
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    Defendant No. 2 and 3 jointly have 1/3rd share i.e., 1/6th share each in the
    Suit Properties.

    21. The case set up in the Plaint is that it was agreed by all the parties to
    the present Suit that all the Suit Properties would be divided in equal share
    in the manner mentioned above and though, the formal partition would be
    deferred till after the customary ritual of a prayer meeting 11-12 months post
    the demise of Late Smt. B.S. Sekhon and Late Shri B.K. Sekhon.

    22. It is further stated in the Plaint that before the prayer meeting could be
    conducted, the Plaintiff received a WhatsApp message from the Defendant
    No. 1, whereby the Defendant No. 1 claimed that a Will allegedly executed
    by Late Sh. B.S. Sekhon was discovered by a close friend, one Smt.
    Maldeep Sidhu, under which Late Sh. B.S. Sekhon had bequeathed his
    immoveable properties and his entire shareholding in B.S. Sekhon (HUF) to
    the Defendant No.1. As per the Plaint, after this incident, it became
    abundantly clear to the Plaintiff that the Defendant No. 1 had turned mala
    fide and that he intends to deprive the Plaintiff, Defendants No.2 and 3 from
    their lawful share in the Suit Properties.

    23. It is further averred by the Plaintiff that the alleged Will dated
    12.07.2017 propounded by the Defendant No.1 is patently forged and
    fabricated and that no such Will was ever executed by Late Sh. B.S. Sekhon,
    more so because her father would never have deprived her share in the Suit
    Properties, since the Plaintiff was the one who took care of her parents in
    their old age.

    24. Contending that the alleged Will dated 12.07.2017 is surrounded by
    suspicious circumstances, the Plaintiff states that the wife of the Defendant
    No.1 i.e., Smt. Harinder Kaur Sekhon shared an overtly acrimonious

    CS(OS) 138/2019 Page 6 of 20
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    relationship with Late Sh. B.S. Sekhon and Late Shri B.K. Sekhon and in
    their old age, Smt. Harinder Kaur Sekhon had caused them immense
    physical and mental pain and torture, which was very evident from the
    various letters and notes penned by Late Sh. B.S. Sekhon during the period
    2015 till 2017, which have been filed along with the Plaint.

    25. It is further stated that in 2017, Late Sh. B.S. Sekhon was not in sound
    and disposing mind as he was suffering from Parkinson‟s disease for which
    he was being treated by Dr. Mukesh Kumar, Neurosurgeon, Max Hospital,
    Saket, New Delhi. It is stated that the treatment involved usage of a drug
    known as „Sendopa‟ which is used to induce hallucination. In addition, Late
    Sh. B.S. Sekhon was also suffering from an onset of Alzheimer‟s disease
    and dementia and therefore, could not have been of a sound mind.

    26. It is further stated that the Plaintiff discovered that the Defendant no.1
    in furtherance of his mala fide intentions withdrew a sum of Rs. 40,00,000/-
    approximately from the account of Late Sh. B.S. Sekhon for his personal use
    and benefit. It is also stated that the said sum of amount has not been utilized
    for the benefit of HUF Properties and it is apprehended that Defendant No.1
    will further proceed to withdraw additional sum of amount from the account
    of Late Sh. B.S. Sekhon.

    27. Summons were issued in the Suit on 07.03.2019.

    28. By way of the present Application filed by the Plaintiff under Order
    VI Rule 17 of the CPC
    , the following amendments are being sought:

    “A. Substitute Serial No. 1 under “Immovable and
    Movable Properties Owned by Late Shri B.S. Sekhon”

    and the same may be read as:

    CS(OS) 138/2019 Page 7 of 20

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    B. Add a ‘row’ under “Immovable and Movable
    Properties owned by B.S. Sekhon (HUF)” at Serial 1 as
    mentioned under Para 1 of the Plaint and the same be
    read as:

    CS(OS) 138/2019 Page 8 of 20

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    CS(OS) 138/2019 Page 9 of 20
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    C. Substitute paragraph 13 with the following amended
    paragraph 13 and the same may be read as:

    Para 13

    “That it is pertinent to mention herein that even after the
    demise of Late Shri B.S. Sekhon and Late Smt. B.K. Sekhon,
    all their legal heirs and in particular the Plaintiff remained
    in joint constructive possession of all the aforesaid Suit
    properties and till date continue in joint ownership and
    possession of the same. It is pertinent to note that
    admittedly, 1st and 2nd Floor Madhuban Colony, Delhi –
    110092 admeasuring 387 sq. yards has been built from the
    funds of the HUF and therefore owned by the HUF, which
    is evident from e-mail dated 10.04.2015 written by
    Defendant No. 1 and especially the letter attached therewith
    dated 08.04.2015. However, the properties described at
    Serial No. 2 & 3 of the HUF Properties have remained
    under the actual possession of the tenants inducted by Late
    Shri B.S. Sekhon.”

    D. Substitute paragraph 16 with the following amended
    paragraph 16 and the same may be read as:

    Para 16

    “That the alleged Will dated 12.07.2017 is also forged and
    fabricated and surrounded by suspicious circumstances
    inasmuch as the wife of the Defendant no. 1, Smt. Harinder
    Kaur Sekhon had an overtly acrimonious relationship with

    CS(OS) 138/2019 Page 10 of 20
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    her mother in law and father in law. As a matter of fact, in
    their old age, Smt. Harinder Kaur Sekhon had caused them
    immense physical and mental pain and torture which is
    evident from the complaint lodged with the P.S. Preet Vihar
    recorded vide D.D. No. 15A dated 10.04.2015 for
    harassment caused by the wife of Defendant No. 1 to Late
    Smt. B.K. Sekhon the various letters and notes penned by
    Late Shri B.S. Sekhon during the period 2015 till 2017.
    Such notes and correspondence which Late Shri B.S.
    Sekhon had handed over and entrusted to the Plaintiff are
    duly filed along with the present Suit.”

    E. Substitute paragraph 18 with the following amended
    paragraph 18 and the same may be read as:

    Para 18
    ‘That even otherwise in 2017, Late Shri B.S. Sekhon was not
    in sound and disposing mind. During that period, he was
    suffering from Parkinson’s disease and was being treated
    for the same by Dr. Mukesh Kumar, Neurosurgeon, Max
    Hospital, Saket, New Delhi. He was medicated with
    ‘Sendopa’, a drug known to induce hallucinations. He was
    also suffering from an onset of Alzheimer’s disease and
    dementia and could under no circumstances be considered
    to be in sound and disposing mind. He was aged about 89
    years of age at that point of time. The above-said averments
    are further supported and substantiated by the medical
    records of Late Shri B.S. Sekhon that are being filed along
    with the present amended plaint.”

    F. Substitute paragraph 20 with the following amended
    paragraph 20 and the same may be read as:

    Para 20
    “That the Plaintiff has discovered that Defendant No. 1 in
    furtherance of his mala fide intentions has proceeded to
    withdraw a sum of approximately Rs. 45,00,000/- (Rupees
    Forty-Five Lakhs) from the B.S. Sekhon (HUF) Account for

    CS(OS) 138/2019 Page 11 of 20
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    his personal use and benefit. It is submitted that the said
    sum has not been withdrawn / utilized for the benefit of the
    HUF and it is apprehended that Defendant No. 1 will
    further proceed to withdraw additional sums and/or
    appropriate the B.S. Sekhon (HUF) properties for his
    personal use and benefit, thereby acting prejudicial to the
    interests of the B.S. Sekhon (HUF) and its coparceners.”

    29. Before delving into the merits of the Application, this Court shall
    recall the law relating to amendment of pleadings under Order VI Rule 17 of
    the CPC
    , which has been crystallized by the Apex Court through several
    case laws. It is settled law that courts should have a liberal approach in
    allowing amendment of pleadings, unless the same is barred by limitation.
    The Apex Court in Ganesh Prasad v. Rajeshwar Prasad & Ors, 2023 SCC
    OnLine SC 256, has held as under:

    “33. There cannot be any doubt or dispute that the
    courts should be liberal in allowing applications for
    leave to amend pleadings but it is also well settled that
    the courts must bear in mind the statutory limitations
    brought about by reason of the Code of Civil
    Procedure
    (Amendment) Acts; the proviso appended to
    Order VI Rule 17 being one of them. In North Eastern
    Railway Administration, Gorakhpur v. Bhagwan Das

    reported in (2008) 8 SCC 511, the law has been laid
    down by
    this Court in the following terms : (SCC p.
    517, para 16).

    “16. Insofar as the principles which govern the
    question of granting or disallowing amendments under
    Order 6 Rule 17 CPC (as it stood at the relevant time)
    are concerned, these are also well settled. Order 6
    Rule 17 CPC
    postulates amendment of pleadings at
    any stage of the proceedings. In Pirgonda Hongonda
    Patil v. Kalgonda Shidgonda Patil
    [AIR 1957 SC 363]

    CS(OS) 138/2019 Page 12 of 20
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    which still holds the field, it was held that all
    amendments ought to be allowed which satisfy the two
    conditions : (a) of not working injustice to the other
    side, and (b) of being necessary for the purpose of
    determining the real questions in controversy between
    the parties. Amendments should be refused only where
    the other party cannot be placed in the same position
    as if the pleading had been originally correct, but the
    amendment would cause him an injury which could not
    be compensated in costs. (Also see Gajanan Jaikishan
    Joshi v. Prabhakar Mohanlal Kalwar
    [(1990) 1 SCC
    166].)”

    34. In the case of P.A. Jayalakshmi v. H. Saradha
    reported in (2009) 14 SCC 525, the above observations
    were reiterated by this Court and in the light of the
    same, this Court in para 9 held as under:

    “9. By reason of the Code of Civil Procedure
    (Amendment) Act, 1976, measures have been taken for
    early disposal of the suits. In furtherance of the
    aforementioned parliamentary object, further
    amendments were carried out in the years 1999 and
    2002. With a view to put an end to the practice of filing
    applications for amendments of pleadings belatedly, a
    proviso was added to Order 6 Rule 17 which reads as
    under:

    “17. Amendment of pleadings.–The court may at any
    stage of the proceedings allow either party to alter or
    amend his pleading in such manner and on such terms
    as may be just, and all such amendments shall be made
    as may be necessary for the purpose of determining the
    real questions in controversy between the parties :
    Provided that no application for amendment shall be
    allowed after the trial has commenced, unless the court
    comes to the conclusion that in spite of due diligence,
    the party could not have raised the matter before the

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    commencement of trial.””

    35. In B.K. Narayana Pillai v. Parameswaran Pillai
    reported in (2000) 1 SCC 712, this Court referred to
    the following passage from A.K. Gupta and Sons Ltd.
    v. Damodar Valley Corporation
    reported in AIR 1967
    SC 96 wherein, it was held as follows:–

    “4. This Court in A.K. Gupta & Sons Ltd. v. Damodar
    Valley Corpn.
    [AIR 1967 SC 96 : (1966) 1 SCR 796]
    held:

    “The general rule, no doubt, is that a party is not
    allowed by amendment to set up a new case or a new
    cause of action particularly when a suit on new case or
    cause of action is barred: Weldon v. Neal [[L.R.] 19
    Q.B. 394 : 56 LJ QB 621]. But it is also well
    recognised that where the amendment does not
    constitute the addition of a new cause of action or
    raise a different case, but amounts to no more than a
    different or additional approach to the same facts, the
    amendment will be allowed even after the expiry of the
    statutory period of limitation : See Charan Das v. Amir
    Khan
    [AIR 1921 PC 50 : ILR 48 Cal 110] and L.J.
    Leach and Co. Ltd. v. Jardine Skinner and Co.
    [AIR
    1957 SC 357 : 1957 SCR 438]

    The principal reasons that have led to the rule last
    mentioned are, first, that the object of courts and rules
    of procedure is to decide the rights of the parties and
    not to punish them for their mistakes (Cropper v. Smith
    [[L.R.] 26 Ch. 700 : 53 LJ Ch 891 : 51 LT 729]) and
    secondly, that a party is strictly not entitled to rely on
    the statute of limitation when what is sought to be
    brought in by the amendment can be said in substance
    to be already in the pleading sought to be amended
    (Kisandas Rupchand v. Rachappa Vithoba Shilwant
    [ILR
    (1909) 33 Bom 644 : 11 Bom LR 1042] approved

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    in Pirgonda Hongonda Patil v. Kalgonda Shidgonda
    Patil
    [AIR 1957 SC 363 : 1957 SCR 595]).

    The expression „cause of action‟ in the present context
    does not mean „every fact which it is material to be
    proved to entitle the plaintiff to succeed‟ as was said in
    Cooke v. Gill [[L.R.] 8 C.P. 107 : 42 LJCP 98 : 28 LT
    32] in a different context, for if it were so, no material
    fact could ever be amended or added and, of course, no
    one would want to change or add an immaterial
    allegation by amendment. That expression for the
    present purpose only means, a new claim made on a
    new basis constituted by new facts. Such a view was
    taken in Robinson v. Unicos Property Corpn. Ltd.
    [[1962] 2 All ER 24 (CA)] and it seems to us to be the
    only possible view to take. Any other view would make
    the rule futile. The words „new case‟ have been
    understood to mean „new set of ideas‟ : Dornan v. J.W.
    Ellis and Co. Ltd. [[1962] 1 All ER 303 (CA)] This
    also seems to us to be a reasonable view to take. No
    amendment will be allowed to introduce a new set of
    ideas to the prejudice of any right acquired by any
    party by lapse of time.”

    Again in Ganga Bai v. Vijay Kumar [(1974) 2 SCC
    393] this Court held : (SCC p. 399, para 22)

    “The power to allow an amendment is undoubtedly
    wide and may at any stage be appropriately exercised
    in the interest of justice, the law of limitation
    notwithstanding. But the exercise of such far-reaching
    discretionary powers is governed by judicial
    considerations and wider the discretion, greater ought
    to be the care and circumspection on the part of the
    court.”

    “4. It is clear from the foregoing summary of the main
    rules of pleadings that provisions for the amendment of

    CS(OS) 138/2019 Page 15 of 20
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    pleadings, subject to such terms as to costs and giving
    of all parties concerned necessary opportunities to
    meet exact situations resulting from amendments, are
    intended for promoting the ends of justice and not for
    defeating them. Even if a party or its counsel is
    inefficient in setting out its case initially the
    shortcoming can certainly be removed generally by
    appropriate steps taken by a party which must no
    doubt pay costs for the inconvenience or expense
    caused to the other side from its omissions. The error
    is not incapable of being rectified so long as remedial
    steps do not unjustifiably injure rights accrued.”……”

    *****

    37. Thus, the Plaintiffs and Defendant are entitled to
    amend the plaint, written statement or file an
    additional written statement. It is, however, subject to
    an exception that by the proposed amendment, an
    opposite party should not be subject to injustice and
    that any admission made in favour of the other party is
    not but wrong. All amendments of the pleadings should
    be allowed liberally which are necessary for
    determination of the real controversies in the suit
    provided that the proposed amendment does not alter
    or substitute a new cause of action on the basis of
    which the original lis was raised or defence taken.

    38. Inconsistent and contradictory allegations in
    negation to the admitted position of facts or mutually
    destructive allegations of facts should not be allowed
    to be incorporated by means of amendment to the
    pleadings.”

    30. In addition, the Apex Court in Life Insurance Corporation of India v.
    Sanjeev Builders Private Limited
    , (2022) 16 SCC 1, after analysing several
    case laws, has summarised the law regarding amendment of pleadings as

    CS(OS) 138/2019 Page 16 of 20
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    under:

    “71. Our final conclusions may be summed up thus:

    71.3. The prayer for amendment is to be allowed:

    71.3.1. If the amendment is required for effective and
    proper adjudication of the controversy between the
    parties.

    71.3.2. To avoid multiplicity of proceedings, provided

    (a) the amendment does not result in injustice to the
    other side,

    (b) by the amendment, the parties seeking
    amendment do not seek to withdraw any clear
    admission made by the party which confers a right
    on the other side, and

    (c) the amendment does not raise a time-barred
    claim, resulting in divesting of the other side of a
    valuable accrued right (in certain situations).

    71.4. A prayer for amendment is generally required to
    be allowed unless:

    71.4.1. By the amendment, a time-barred claim is
    sought to be introduced, in which case the fact that the
    claim would be time-barred becomes a relevant factor
    for consideration.

    71.4.2. The amendment changes the nature of the suit.

    71.4.3. The prayer for amendment is mala fide, or

    71.4.4. By the amendment, the other side loses a valid

    CS(OS) 138/2019 Page 17 of 20
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    defence.

    71.5. In dealing with a prayer for amendment of
    pleadings, the court should avoid a hypertechnical
    approach, and is ordinarily required to be liberal
    especially where the opposite party can be
    compensated by costs.

    71.6. Where the amendment would enable the court to
    pin-pointedly consider the dispute and would aid in
    rendering a more satisfactory decision, the prayer for
    amendment should be allowed.

    71.7. Where the amendment merely sought to introduce
    an additional or a new approach without introducing a
    time-barred cause of action, the amendment is liable to
    be allowed even after expiry of limitation.

    71.8. Amendment may be justifiably allowed where it is
    intended to rectify the absence of material particulars
    in the plaint.

    71.9. Delay in applying for amendment alone is not a
    ground to disallow the prayer. Where the aspect of
    delay is arguable, the prayer for amendment could be
    allowed and the issue of limitation framed separately
    for decision.

    71.10. Where the amendment changes the nature of the
    suit or the cause of action, so as to set up an entirely
    new case, foreign to the case set up in the plaint, the
    amendment must be disallowed. Where, however, the
    amendment sought is only with respect to the relief in
    the plaint, and is predicated on facts which are already
    pleaded in the plaint, ordinarily the amendment is
    required to be allowed.

    71.11. Where the amendment is sought before

    CS(OS) 138/2019 Page 18 of 20
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    commencement of trial, the court is required to be
    liberal in its approach. The court is required to bear in
    mind the fact that the opposite party would have a
    chance to meet the case set up in amendment. As such,
    where the amendment does not result in irreparable
    prejudice to the opposite party, or divest the opposite
    party of an advantage which it had secured as a result
    of an admission by the party seeking amendment, the
    amendment is required to be allowed. Equally, where
    the amendment is necessary for the court to effectively
    adjudicate on the main issues in controversy between
    the parties, the amendment should be allowed.
    (See Vijay Gupta v. Gagninder Kr. Gandhi [Vijay
    Gupta
    v. Gagninder Kr. Gandhi, 2022 SCC OnLine
    Del 1897] .)”

    31. In view of the law laid down by the Apex Court, this Court is of the
    view that amendments sought to be introduced by the Plaintiff merely
    provide a fuller picture into the dispute between the parties to the instant
    Suit, without introducing a new or time-barred cause of action.

    32. It is also significant that by way of the proposed amendments, the
    Plaintiff is not seeking to withdraw or resile from any admission made in the
    original plaint so as to confer an unfair advantage upon himself or to divest
    the Defendants of any accrued right.

    33. The suit is admittedly at a pre-trial stage. Issues have not yet been
    framed and no evidence has commenced. Consequently, the proviso to
    Order VI Rule 17 CPC is not applicable to the present case. At this stage, a
    liberal approach is warranted so that the Court is enabled to adjudicate the
    real controversy between the parties on a complete factual foundation rather
    than on truncated or imperfect pleadings.

    34. It is also pertinent to note that no irreparable prejudice will be caused

    CS(OS) 138/2019 Page 19 of 20
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    to the Defendants by permitting the amendment. The Defendants will have
    full liberty to file an additional written statement and to lead evidence in
    rebuttal.

    35. In view of the above, this Court is satisfied that the proposed
    amendments are bona fide and are required for proper adjudication of the
    present Suit.

    36. Let the amended Plaint filed along with the instant Application be
    taken on record.

    37. The Defendants are at liberty to file Written Statement(s) to the
    amended portion of the Plaint within the time prescribed under the Delhi
    High Court (Original Side) Rules, 2018.

    38. Learned Counsel for the Plaintiff has also sought liberty to file an
    appropriate application under Order VII Rule 14 of the CPC, to bring on
    record the three documents on which reliance has been placed.

    39. Liberty, as prayed for, is granted.

    40. Let the said application under Order VII Rule 14 of the CPC be filed
    within a period of two weeks from the date of upload of this Order.

    41. List on 17.07.2026 before the learned Joint Registrar for
    admission/denial of documents.

    SUBRAMONIUM PRASAD, J
    APRIL 28, 2026
    Prateek/AP

    CS(OS) 138/2019 Page 20 of 20
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