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Supreme Court Of India

(From : AIR 1999 Karnataka 167)

Hon'ble Judge(s): Satya Brata Sinha, Markandeya Katju , JJ

(A) Civil P.C. (5 of 1908) , O.21 R.84— Auction sale - Deposit of 25% of bid amount 'immediately' - Immediately may in circumstances mean within a reasonable time. AIR 1999 Kant 167, Reversed. The term immediately has two meanings. One, indicating the relation of cause and effect and the other, the absence of time between two events. In the former sense, it means proximately, without intervention of anything, as opposed to 'immediately.' In the latter sense, it means instantaneously. It is a well settled principle of interpretation of a statute that where literal meaning leads to anomaly and absurdity, it should be avoided. It is equally well settled that the Parliament must be held to have intended to lay down a reasonable statute unless a plain meaning of the Act leads to different conclusion. It is trite that a statute must be read reasonably. The principles of "Actus curiae neminem gravabit and lex non cogit ad impossibilia have also to be kept in mind while interpreting a statute. The term "immediately" in O. 21, R. 84 is, thus, required to be construed as meaning with all reasonable speed, considering the circumstances of the case. In a given situation, the term "immediately" may mean "within reasonable time." Where an act is to be done within reasonable time, it must be done immediately. (Para 22 ....