Not only mortgage suits but any suit to enforce a charge over immovable property may be filed within 12 years - suit is for the enforcement of monetary obligations secured by a mortgage over land is not suit for land.

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS

Judgment reserved on

01.09.2022

Judgment pronounced on

 27.09.2022

CORAM 

 The Hon-ble Mr. Justice SENTHILKUMAR RAMAMOORTHY

Civil Suit No.210 of 2006

National Horticulture Board

(Ministry of Agriculture)

Represented by its Deputy Director

B.Radhakrishnamurthy

Module No.32, 

2nd Floor SIDCO Readymade Garments Complex,

Industrial Estate, Guindy, Chennai~600 032.                     ... Plaintiff

          vs. 

1. M/s.Sachin Floritech Ltd.

    *Plot No.216~B, MLA & MP Colony,

    Road No.10C, Jubilee Hills,

    Hyderabad – 500 033.*

2.T.Renga Rao

   *Plot No.216~b, MLA & MP Colony

   Road No.10C, Jubilee Colony,

   Hyderabad~500 033*

3.V.Renga Prasad,

   52~1/16~3A NTR Nagar,

   Vijayawada~520 008.

4.P.Jaya Prakash

   S/o.B.Batchaiah,

   B~302, Satya Apartments,

   Masab Tank,

   Hyderabad.

5.Industrial Development Bank of India,

   480, Anna Salai,

   Nandanam, Chennai~600 035.                       ... Defendants

   (Amended as per order in Application No.691 of

     2018 dated 29.01.2018)*

Therefore, Article 62 of the Limitation Act 1963 (the Limitation Act) applies. In fact, Article 62 uses the following language: “to enforce payment of money secured by a mortgage or otherwise charged upon immovable property.” Thus, it takes within its fold not only mortgage suits but any suit to enforce a charge over immovable property. In such cases, the suit may be filed within 12 years from the date when the money sued for becomes  due. Hence, the defence of limitation is rejected.