Pecuniary jurisdiction is a procedural forum change, and the civil court amendment was upheld against constitutional challenge.

The amendment reducing and regulating the pecuniary jurisdiction of civil courts was upheld as a valid exercise of State legislative competence over administration of justice and civil procedure. A change in pecuniary jurisdiction was treated as a procedural change of forum, not an interference with any substantive right, and a litigant has no vested right to insist on a particular forum. The Court held that hardship to some litigants does not by itself render a statute unconstitutional, and no violation of Articles 14 or 21 was shown. Article 39A and the Legal Services Authorities Act did not invalidate the legislative choice, and Article 130 was treated as enabling rather than mandatory.

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Issues: Whether the amendment reducing and regulating the pecuniary jurisdiction of civil courts was unconstitutional as violating Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution of India.

Analysis: The impugned legislation fell within the State's legislative competence under the constitutional scheme governing administration of justice and civil procedure. A statute is not liable to be struck down merely because it causes hardship to some litigants; judicial review is attracted only when the law is shown to violate Part III or another constitutional provision. The Court held that a litigant has a right to seek a remedy, but not a vested right to insist on a particular forum. A change in pecuniary jurisdiction is a change of forum and therefore procedural in nature, and such a change does not affect any substantive right or the guarantee of life and liberty. Article 39A and the Legal Services Authorities Act do not invalidate a legislative choice regulating court jurisdiction, and Article 130 was treated as an enabling provision, not a mandatory command.

Conclusion: The challenge to the amendment failed; the provision limiting pecuniary jurisdiction was upheld and the applications were dismissed.

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