In Brief
MITC Rolling Mills sought recovery of ₹2.52 crores for supply of TMT steel bars. The respondents obtained rejection of the plaint for non-compliance with mandatory pre-institution mediation under the Commercial Courts Act, 2015. The High Court dismissed the appeal as non-maintainable, holding that rejection of a plaint is not appealable under Section 13(1A). The Supreme Court reversed this, holding that rejection of a plaint under Order VII Rule 11 CPC is a decree under Section 2(2) CPC and is therefore appealable under Section 13(1A). The proviso restricting appeals applies only to interlocutory orders, not decrees. The matter was remanded to the High Court for decision on merits.
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