ONE-PAGE CIVIL JURISDICTION REVISION SHEET (CPC)
🔹 1. Source of Jurisdiction
Section 9 CPC → Civil courts have jurisdiction over all suits of civil nature
Jurisdiction barred only if expressly or impliedly excluded
📌 Presumption in favour of jurisdiction
🔹 2. Types of Jurisdiction
(A) Territorial Jurisdiction
Sections 15–20 CPC
Provision Principle
S.15 Lowest grade competent court
S.16 Immovable property → where property situated (MANDATORY)
S.17 Property in multiple jurisdictions
S.18 Jurisdiction uncertainty
S.19 Torts → where wrong committed / defendant resides
S.20 Defendant residence or cause of action
📌 Plaintiff residence irrelevant
(B) Pecuniary Jurisdiction
Based on suit valuation
Objection governed by Section 21 CPC
Curable defect unless failure of justice
(C) Subject-Matter Jurisdiction
Inherent power of court
Defect = decree void
Cannot be cured by consent or waiver
🔹 3. Cause of Action
Bundle of essential facts
Even small fraction gives jurisdiction
Must be material, not illusory
📌 Forum shopping discouraged
🔹 4. Exclusion of Civil Court Jurisdiction
Express bar → clear statutory language
Implied bar → apply Dhulabhai Test
Dhulabhai Principles (1969)
✔ Complete machinery
✔ Adequate remedy
✔ Finality clause
✔ No violation of fundamental rights
🔹 5. Jurisdiction Clause in Contract
✔ Valid if:
Two or more competent courts
Clear exclusion language
❌ Invalid if:
Creates jurisdiction
Ousts all courts
🔹 6. Objection to Jurisdiction
Type Section Effect
Territorial S.21 Curable
Pecuniary S.21 Curable
Subject-matter — Void decree
🔹 7. Landmark Supreme Court Cases
Dhulabhai v. State of MP (1969) – exclusion
Harshad Chiman Lal Modi (2005) – S.16 mandatory
Kiran Singh v. Chaman Paswan (1954) – nullity
ABC Laminart (1989) – jurisdiction clause
ONGC v. Utpal Basu (1994) – forum shopping