In Brief
The case involves a property dispute in Chennai over approximately 3,600 sq. ft. of land covered by four separate civil suits. The trial court dismissed the suits, but the first appellate court admitted fresh evidence for the first time and allowed the appeals without giving the defendants a chance to rebut it. The Supreme Court held that this breached procedural fairness. The appellate court should have either remitted the entire case for full retrial or for limited trial on specific issues, not decided the appeal on new evidence without the defendants' rebuttal opportunity. The Court set aside both judgments and remanded all four suits to the trial court for a fresh trial on merits with both parties able to present complete evidence.
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