Presidency Small Cause Courts Act, 1882 · Chapter IV: Jurisdiction in Respect of Suits
Section 19: Suits in which Court has no jurisdiction
The Small Cause Court shall have no jurisdiction in
(a) suits concerning the assessment or collection of the revenue;
[(b) suits concerning any act done by or by order of the Central Government, *** or the State Government;]
(c) suits concerning any act ordered or done by any Judge or judicial officer in the execution of his office, or by any person in pursuance of any judgment or order of any Court or any such Judge or judicial officer;
(d) suits for the recovery of immovable property;
. (e) suits for the partition of immovable property;
(f) suits for the foreclosure or redemption of a mortgage of immovable property;
(g) suits for the determination of any other right to or interest in immovable property;
(h) suits for the specific performance or rescission of contracts;
(i) suits to obtain an injunction;
(j) suits for the cancellation or rectification of instruments;
(k) suits to enforce a trust;
(l) suits for a general average loss and suits on policies of insurance on sea going vessels;
(m) suits for compensation in respect of collisions on the high seas;
(n) suits for compensation for the infringement of a patent, copyright or trade-mark;
(o) suits for a dissolution of partnership or for an account of partnership-transactions;
(p) suits for an account of property and its due administration under the decree of the Court;
(q) suits for compensation for libel, slander, malicious prosecution, adultery or breach of promise of marriage;
(r) suits for the restitution of conjugal rights 3 *** or for a divorce;
(s) suits for declaratory decrees;
(t) suits for possession of a hereditary office;
(u) suits against Sovereign Princes or Ruling Chiefs, or against Ambassadors or Envoys of Foreign States;
(v) suits on any judgment of a High Court;
(w) suits the cognizance whereof by the Small Cause Court is barred by any law for the time being in force.
Source: India Code (indiacode.gov.in), the consolidated text published by the Legislative Department, Government of India. Text as updated on India Code on 15 October 2026. Words in square brackets [ ] were inserted or substituted by later amending Acts, and *** marks words omitted by an amendment. The amendment footnotes are not reproduced here. Official text on India Code.
Supreme Court judgments citing the section 19
- Shiv Developers Through Its Partner Sunilbhai Somabhai Ajmeri v. Aksharay Developers & Ors.
- Om Prakash Agarwal Since Deceased Thr. Lrs. & Ors. v. Vishan Dayal Rajpoot & Anr.
- M/S Umesh Goel v. Himachal Pradesh Cooperative Group Housing Society Ltd.
- Ratan Lal Adukia & Anr. v. Union of India
- Jagdish Chander Gupta v. Kajaria Traders (India) Ltd.