Transfer of Property Act, 1882
67. Right to foreclosure or sale
In the absence of a contract to the contrary, the mortgagee has,
at any time after the mortgage- money has become due to him, and before a
decree has been made for the redemption of the mortgaged property, or the
mortgage-money has been paid or deposited as hereinafter provided, a right to
obtain from the court a decree that the mortgagor shall be absolutely debarred
of his right to redeem the property, or a decree that the property be sold.
A suit to obtain a decree that a mortgagor shall be absolutely
debarred of his right to redeem the mortgaged property is called a suit for
foreclosure.
Nothing in this section shall be deemed-
(a) to authorize any mortgagee other than a
mortgagee by conditional sale or a mortgagee under an anomalous mortgage by the
terms of which he is entitled to foreclose, to institute a suit for
foreclosure, or a usufructuary mortgagee as such or a mortgagee by conditional
sale as such to institute a suit for sale; or
(b) to authorize a mortgagor who holds the
mortgagee's rights as his trustee or legal representative, and who may sue for
a sale of the property, to institute a suit for foreclosure; or
(c) to authorize the mortgagee of a railway,
canal, or other work in the maintenance of which the public are interested, to
institute a suit for foreclosure or sale; or
(d) to authorize a person interested in part
only of the mortgage-money to institute a suit relating only to a corresponding
part of the mortgaged property, unless the mortgagees have, with the consent of
the mortgagor, severed their interests under the mortgage.