In the case in hand, it cannot be said that the whole of the subject matter in both the proceedings is identical. While the relief sought in the first suit is for a decree of permanentinjunction, the second suit has a much wider amplitude for the reason that the plaintiff therein, Sh.H.S. Maini has not only sought a decree of declaration of title but also of partition of the suitproperty by metes and bounds. There is force in the contention of the counsel for Sh. H.S. Maini that the issues arising for a decision would be substantially common in both the suits and almost the same set of oral and documentary evidence would be needed to be adduced for the purpose of determining the issues of facts and law arising for a decision in both the suits. No doubt there will be duplication of recording of evidence if separate trials are held and a possibility of two courts giving conflicting judgments cannot be ruled out. Thus, even if Shri P.S. Maini is held entitled to grant of a decree of permanent injunction in the first suit, the second suit instituted by Shri H.S. Maini for declaration, partition and permanent injunction has to be put to trial as the title to and the nature of the suit property is an issue which shall have to be decided in the second suit, cause of action for institution of which arose in the year 2004, on the demise of the father of the parties.

Delhi High Court

Harjeet Singh Maini vs Paramjit Singh Maini on 31 March, 2008

Author: H Kohli

Bench: H Kohli

JUDGMENT Hima Kohli, J.

1. By this common order, the Court proposes to dispose of an application under Section 10 of the CPC, being I.A. No. 5370/2006 filed by the defendant in CS(OS) No. 664/2005, Shri Paramjit Singh Maini praying inter alia for stay of further proceedings in the suit till disposal of suit bearing No. 272/2002 entitled Ram Singh Maini (deceased) through LR v. Harjeet Singh Maini, pending before the Civil Judge, Delhi, and the transfer petition being Tr.P. (C) No. 12/2006 entitled Harjit Singh Maini v. Paramjit Singh Maini filed by the plaintiff in CS(OS) No. 664/2005, Shri Harjit Singh Maini, praying inter alia for transfer of Suit No. 272/2002 from the Court of Civil Judge, Delhi, to this Court.

2. A reference to the factual matrix of the case is necessary before proceeding to deal with the aforesaid application under Section 10 of the CPC and the Transfer Petition. In October, 2002, the father of the parties, Shri Ram Singh Maini filed a civil suit as the owner of the property bearing No.A-266, New Friends Colony, New Delhi, bearing Suit No. 272/2002 (hereinafter referred to as the first suit), praying inter alia for a decree of mandatory injunction against his elder son, Shri Harjit Singh Maini to remove all his belongings from the first floor of the property in question. The stand taken in the aforesaid suit was that Shri H.S.Maini was only a licensee in respect of the first floor of the suit property, which license was terminated by a legal notice dated 25.9.2001 and thus he was liable to remove himself from the suit property. A written statement was filed by Shri H.S. Maini in the aforementioned suit denying the right of his father, to institute the suit, whereunder, one of the pleas taken was that Shri H.S. Maini had become the owner of the first floor of the suit property by virtue of an oral settlement arrived at between the family members in the years 1983-84.

3. The following issues were framed in the first suit on 9.12.2002:

1. Whether the present suit is not maintainable in the present form? OPD

2. Whether the present suit is not properly valued for the purposes of court fees and jurisdiction? OPD

3. Whether the plaintiff is entitled to mandatory injunction, as claimed? OPP

4. Relief.

4. During the pendency of the aforesaid first suit, the father of the parties, Shri Ram Singh Maini, expired on 29.1.2004. His younger son, Shri Paramjit Singh Maini, filed an application under Order XXII Rule 3 of the CPC for impleadment in the said suit as a plaintiff, on the basis of his claim that his father had left behind a duly executed registered Will dated 7.9.2001 in his favor. The aforesaid application was allowed by the Civil Judge, vide order dated 19.3.2005 and Shri Paramjit Singh Maini was permitted to be substituted as a plaintiff in place of his deceased father.

5. Thereafter, Shri H.S. Maini filed an application under Order XIV Rule 2 of the CPC praying inter alia that an issue pertaining to the suit being actually in the nature of a suit for possession be framed and treated as a preliminary issue, along with issue No. 2 framed earlier. The aforesaid application was rejected, vide order dated 23.8.2005. Aggrieved by the said rejection order, Shri H.S. Maini filed CM(M) No. 1651/2006 in this Court, which was dismissed with costs of Rs. 7,500/-, vide order dated 17th October, 2006 with the observation that the petitioner therein had filed said proceedings with the mala fide intention of delaying the proceedings in the suit and not permitting the evidence to be recorded.

6. In the meantime, Shri H.S. Maini, instituted a suit in this Court on 7th May, 2005, against his younger brother, Shri P.S. Maini for declaration, injunction and partition in respect of the suit property No. 266, New Friends Colony, New Delhi, claiming that he was the absolute owner in possession of the first floor of the suit property, comprising of 1/3rd share therein, in terms of the oral partition/family settlement arrived at amongst the family members in the year 1983. The said suit was registered as CS(OS) No. 664/2005 (hereinafter referred to as the second suit). Summons were issued in the aforesaid suit on 13th May, 2005. The defendant, Shri P.S. Maini entered appearance and filed his written statement on 31st August, 2005. Pleadings have since been completed in the suit and admission/denial of documents has taken place. Issues are to be framed.

7. On 1.5.2006, Shri P.S. Maini, the younger brother, filed an application under Section 10 of the CPC in the second suit, being I.A. No. 5370/2006, praying inter alia for stay of further proceedings in the second suit till disposal of the first suit pending before the Civil Judge, Delhi. Notice was issued on the aforesaid application on 10th May, 2006. Vide order dated 26.9.2006, it was made clear that the first suit pending in the trial court shall proceed irrespective of the pendency of any petition in this Court. Thereafter, the suit was proceeded further and it is stated that the plaintiffs evidence has already been recorded and the suit is fixed for the evidence of Shri H.S. Maini.

8. On 19.9.2006, Shri H.S. Maini filed a transfer petition under Section 24 of the CPC, being Tr.P(C)No. 12/2006 praying inter alia for transfer of the first suit from the Court of the Civil Judge, Delhi to this Court and for both the suits to be tried and disposed of together.

9. Learned Senior Advocate appearing for Shri H.S. Maini submitted that the Transfer Petition was necessitated so as to prevent a probability of conflicting judgments being passed at different forums in respect of the same property and interse the same parties. It was submitted that the scope of the second suit was much wider as compared to that of the first suit and hence, it would be appropriate to call for the file of the first suit to this Court and try both the suits together. He further submitted that even if it is assumed that Shri P.S. Maini would ultimately succeed before the Trial Court in the first suit and would be held entitled to a decree against Shri H.S. Maini, then also, the latters claim for declaration and partition in respect of the suit property in the second suit would subsist, since his claim to 1/3rd share in the suit property, is based on his stand that the suit property was an ancestral one and an oral partition had been arrived at between the parties during the life time of their father and that the Will of the father relied on by the younger brother was forged so as to deprive him of his legal right in the first floor of the suit property. It was thus, contended that the transfer of the first suit to this Court and consolidation thereof with the second suit for the purposes of trial would set at rest all the controversies between the parties in respect of the suit property, once and for all.

10. Counsel for Shri H.S. Maini gave an assurance that it shall be his endeavor to expedite disposal of both the suits and to show his bonafides, immediately upon issues being framed in the second suit, Sh.H.S. Maini shall file a consolidated affidavit and shall submit himself to a time-bound schedule for trial of both the cases. He further submitted on behalf of Sh.H.S. Maini that no request shall be made for treating any issue as a preliminary issue so that the parties could address arguments on all the issues at one go.

11. On the other hand, counsel for Shri P.S. Maini strongly opposed the Transfer Petition on the ground that trial had already begun in the first suit and substantial evidence had been recorded, whereas the second suit was still at the stage of framing of issues. He thus submitted that allowing the Transfer Petition filed by the other side will result in unnecessarily delaying the disposal of the first suit. Much emphasis was laid on the dilatory tactics adopted by Shri H.S. Maini in the first suit. In this context, the counsel referred to the order dated 26.9.2006 passed by this Court in CS(OS) No. 664/2005, the second suit, wherein it was directed that the trial court will continue hearing of the first suit irrespective of the pendency of the Transfer Petition. Reference was also made to the order dated 17.10.2006 passed in CM (M) No. 1651/2006 filed by Shri H.S. Maini, assailing the order dated 23.8.2005 passed by the Civil Judge, Delhi on the application under Order XIV Rule 2 of the CPC, to state that the other side had been trying to stall the proceedings on one pretext or the other and that the Transfer Petition is yet another step in that direction. In support of his submissions, counsel for Shri P.S. Maini relied on the following judgments:

1. Rabindra N. Das v. Santosh Kumar Mitra and Ors. ;

2. S.C. Jain v. Bindeswari Devi 1997 (42) DRJ 239; and

3. Bhagwati Prasad Sharma v. Ram Swaroop Sharma 2002 (61) DRJ 603

12. It was further submitted on behalf of Shri P.S. Maini that the first suit pending before the Civil Judge, Delhi was instituted prior to the institution of the second suit and the question of entitlement of Shri H.S. Maini to a right in the first floor of the suit property could be validly and legally decided in the first suit as well. Counsel also referred to the order dated 19.3.2005 passed by the Civil Judge, Delhi on an application filed by Shri P.S. Maini under Order XXII Rule 3 of the CPC for his impleadment as a legal heir of late Shri Ram Singh Maini, wherein the Court in the operative para observed as below:

By applying the aforesaid analogy to the facts of the present case, it become manifestly clear that the deceased plaintiff had left behind only three legal and natural heirs i.e. two sons and one married daughter, out of which the elder son is the defendant in the present suit and the younger son is the applicant in the application under disposal. The notice of application had been duly served upon the married daughter of the deceased plaintiff namely, Smt. Amrit Kaur, however, for the reasons best known to her, she has chosen not to contest the present application, but in view of the service of the notice of application upon her, it can be safely held that she is aware of the contents of the present application which neither of which she has decided to contest nor she had disputed the same.

In view of this fact, now there remain only two legal heirs among whom the fate of the present litigation shall be determined. Since one of them is already the defendant in the present suit, therefore in my opinion the impleadment of the second son as plaintiff to the present suit being LR of the deceased plaintiff is essentially required in the interest of justice and the same would also not cause any prejudice to the defendant as well who is already contesting the case since its institution because in the event the applicant fails to prove his locus and title by way of proving the aforesaid will in accordance with law, in that event the rights and title of the defendant shall automatically be decided. Thereafter, in my opinion, this impleadment is necessary not only in the interest of justice but also for the purpose of proper adjudication of real issue in controversy between the parties on its merits as well.

In view of my aforesaid discussion, the present application of the applicant is allowed and he is directed to be placed as a plaintiff in the array of parties.

13. It was thus stated that though no separate issue was framed in the first suit with regard to the legality and validity of the Will of Shri Ram Singh Maini, in view of the aforesaid order dated 19.3.2005, and in view of the fact that the respondent has since then also examined witness to the Will in his evidence, the question of entitlement of Shri H.S. Maini to a part of the suit property can be validly and legally decided in the first suit. In this regard, reliance was placed on the judgment of the Punjab & Haryana High Court in the case of State v. Chuni Lal Vohra and Anr. .

14. Insofar as the application filed under Section 10 CPC by Shri P.S. Maini in the second suit i.e. CS(OS) No. 664/2005 for stay of the suit proceedings is concerned, his counsel submitted that the matter in issue in the second suit is directly and substantially the same as in the first suit pending between the parties i.e., whether Shri H.S. Maini has any right, title or interest in the suit property. It was, therefore, submitted that simultaneous trial of both the suits might lead to conflicting decisions and, therefore, proceedings in the second suit may be stayed till the disposal of the first suit by the Civil Judge, Delhi.

15. Per contra, counsel for Shri H.S. Maini opposed the aforesaid application and submitted that the scope of the second suit is much wider, as the same is for declaration, injunction and partition of the suit premises by metes and bounds, whereas the first suit is only for eviction on the basis of cancellation of license and thus, it would be in the interest of justice that the first suit be summoned to this Court and be tried along with the second suit to avoid any conflicting decisions. It was further stated that the primary question to be decided in the second suit is the right, title and interest of Shri H.S. Maini to a part of the suit property and the plea of the counsel for Shri P.S. Maini that the legality and validity of the Will of Shri Ram Singh Maini will clinch the issue of the title in the suit property is baseless for the reason that the stand of Sh. H.S. Maini in the second suit is that a family settlement had been arrived at between the parties during the life time of Shri Ram Singh Maini, under which Shri H.S. Maini was given 1/3rd share in the suit property comprising of the first floor thereof. Hence, it was contended that even if evidence is led in first suit with regard to the Will, the other plea taken by Shri H.S. Maini in CS(OS) No. 664/2005 pertaining to the family settlement, would have to be established in the second suit in order to decide his right, title and interest in the suit property. Counsel therefore submitted that not only was the first suit liable to be transferred to this Court, but the same ought to be tried along with the second suit so as to prevent conflicting judgments.

16. In support of his arguments, counsel for Shri H.S. Maini relied on the following judgments:

1. Maxwell Securities Pvt. Ltd. and Ors. v. National Stock Exchange of India Ltd. 2002 I AD (Delhi) 308;

2. Chitivalasa Jute Mills v. Jaypee Rewa Cement ; and

3. Nirmala Devi v. Arun Kumar Gupta and Ors. (2005) 12 SCC 505.

17. I have heard the counsels for the parties and have carefully considered the pleadings and judgments relied on by the parties. There is no doubt in the present case that not only the parties to both the suits are common, but even the subject matter of both the suits is common, namely, the suit property. Section 24 of the CPC empowers the Court to transfer and withdraw any suit, appeal or proceedings to/from any court subordinate to it and competent to try and dispose of the same and the Court can exercise the said power on an application of any of the parties or on its own motion without notice, at any stage at its discretion.

18. In the present case, the cause of action that formed the basis for the first suit arose during the life time of the father of the parties, Shri Ram Singh Maini, when he called upon his elder son Shri H.S. Maini to vacate the suit premises and subsequently issued a legal notice upon him on 25.9.2001. The first suit was filed by Shri Ram Singh Maini against his son claiming to be the owner of the suit property and treating Shri H.S. Maini as a licensee in respect of the first floor of the suit premises, which was stated to have been terminated on the issuance of the legal notice dated 25.9.2001. Thus in the first suit the relief sought was for a decree of declaration and mandatory injunction against Shri H.S. Maini. The question of right and title to the suit property was not at issue at the said stage.

19. Upon the demise of Shri Ram Singh Maini on 29.1.2004, while allowing Shri P.S. Maini to be substituted in his place as a plaintiff in the first suit, on the basis of an assertion that a Will dated 7.9.2001 was executed by the deceased in his favor, the Civil Judge, Delhi, passed an order dated 19.3.2005 observing therein that if Shri P.S. Maini failed to prove his locus standi and title by proving the Will in accordance with law, in that event, the right and title of the defendant in the first suit shall automatically be decided. However, fact remains that even after substitution of Shri P.S. Maini as a legal heir of the deceased father in the first suit, the issues framed much earlier on 9.12.2002 were not amended and thus, no specific issue was framed separately with regard to the legality or validity of the Will of the deceased.

20. Furthermore, even if it is assumed that the issue of the legality and validity of the Will would be considered and decided in the first suit on the strength of the order dated 19.3.2005 passed by the Civil Judge, Delhi, fact remains that in the second suit filed by Shri H.S. Maini, it is his allegation that cause of action arose when his younger brother, Shri P.S. Maini set up the Will of their deceased father and threatened Sh.H.S. Maini of dispossession from the first floor of the suit property, thus compelling him to institute the second suit for declaration, injunction and partition. In the second suit, not only has Shri H.S. Maini challenged the validity of the aforesaid Will, but in addition, has set up a plea of the suit property being ancestral in nature and oral partition thereof taking place in the year 1983-84, during the life time of their father. The said issue is certainly an issue which requires to be taken to trial, so as to fully, finally and effectually decide the disputes between the parties, pertaining to the title and ownership of the suit property. The same can also not be treated as an issue which directly and substantially arises as an issue in the first suit pending before the Civil Judge, Delhi.

21. While discussing the scope of Section 10 of the CPC, the ingredients thereof as elucidated in the case of C.L. Tandon v. Prem Pal Singh reported as must be kept in mind. The same are as below:

(a) The matter/matters in issue should be substantially the same in the two suits;

(b) The previously instituted suit should be pending in the same Court in which the subsequent suit is brought or in another court in India having jurisdiction to grant the relief claimed; and

(c) The two suits should be between the same parties or their representatives and these parties should be litigating in the two suits under the same title.

22. In the case of Shaw Wallace & Co. Ltd. v. Bholanath Madanlal Sherawala and Ors. reported as , a Division Bench of Calcautta High Court while discussing the terms matter in issue in the context of provisions of Section 10 of the CPC observed as below:

13. One of the most essential conditions of Section 10 is that the matter in issue in the latter suit which is sought to be stayed must be directly and substantially in issue in the earlier suit which is pending in the same or in any other court of concurrent jurisdiction. A mere identity of some of the issues in both the suits is not sufficient to attract this section in view of the law laid down by Sir Ashutosh Mookerjee. Unless the decision of the suit operates as res judicata in the other suit, it cannot be said that the matter in issue is directly and substantially the same in both the suits. In other words, the decision in one suit must non-suit the other suit before it can be said that the matter in issue in both the suits is directly and substantially the same.

23. Thus, Section 10 of the CPC mandates that the matter in issue in the earlier instituted suit and the subsequently instituted suit should be directly and substantially in issue in the previously instituted suit. If the cause of action in the subsequently instituted suit is different, in that event, the earlier instituted suit will not be a bar in continuation of the subsequently instituted suit. Therefore, the acid test is that the decision in the earlier suit should operate as res judicata in respect of the subsequently instituted suit.

24. In the case in hand, it cannot be said that the whole of the subject matter in both the proceedings is identical. While the relief sought in the first suit is for a decree of permanent injunction, the second suit has a much wider amplitude for the reason that the plaintiff therein, Sh.H.S. Maini has not only sought a decree of declaration of title but also of partition of the suit property by metes and bounds. There is force in the contention of the counsel for Sh. H.S. Maini that the issues arising for a decision would be substantially common in both the suits and almost the same set of oral and documentary evidence would be needed to be adduced for the purpose of determining the issues of facts and law arising for a decision in both the suits. No doubt there will be duplication of recording of evidence if separate trials are held and a possibility of two courts giving conflicting judgments cannot be ruled out. Thus, even if Shri P.S. Maini is held entitled to grant of a decree of permanent injunction in the first suit, the second suit instituted by Shri H.S. Maini for declaration, partition and permanent injunction has to be put to trial as the title to and the nature of the suit property is an issue which shall have to be decided in the second suit, cause of action for institution of which arose in the year 2004, on the demise of the father of the parties.

25. As this Court has held that the second suit has a much wider scope than the first suit, it cannot be said that the decision in the first suit will operate as res judicata in the second suit for the reason that the ownership and title of Shri H.S. Maini in the suit property cannot be decided comprehensively even if Shri P.S. Maini is able to successfully establish in the first suit that the termination of the license deed of Shri H.S. Maini by the deceased father of the parties was legal and valid and the Will of their deceased father as set up by Sh. P.S. Maini, was legally and validly executed, for the reason that Sh.H.S. Maini has claimed entitlement to 1/3rd share comprising of the first floor in the suit property described as ancestral by him, on the basis of an oral family settlement stated to have been arrived at during the life time of the father of the parties, in the year 1983-84, which claim shall have to be put to trial for the purposes of returning a finding one way or the other. In this view of the matter, the judgment in the case of Chuni Lal Vohra (supra), relied on by the counsel for Shri P.S. Maini, is not applicable to the present case, the same being entirely distinct on facts as also on law, from the case in hand.

26. In light of the aforesaid discussion, while rejecting the application filed by Shri P.S. Maini, in CS (OS) No. 664/2005, namely, I.A. No. 5370/2006, the Transfer Petition (C) No. 12/2006 is allowed. File of suit bearing No. 272/2002 entitled Ram Singh Maini v. Harjeet Singh Maini, pending before the Civil Judge, Delhi, is liable to be transferred to this Court for further proceedings.

27. Insofar as the plea of the petitioner in the Transfer Petition for consolidation of the first suit with CS(OS) No. 664/2005 is concerned, it will be appropriate to take a decision as to whether to consolidate both the suits or put them for trial together only after issues are framed in the second suit.

28. The anxiety expressed on behalf of Shri P.S. Maini that any order of transferring the first suit to this Court shall result in causing delay in its disposal, can be assuaged by binding Shri H.S. Maini to his offer that at the stage of recording his evidence as defendant in the first suit, after framing of issues in the second suit, he may be directed to file a consolidated affidavit for both the suits in a time-bound manner, to which he shall have no objection and further binding him to his undertaking not to press any issue for a decision as a preliminary issue, so as to avoid prolonging the suit proceedings. Shri H.S. Maini shall remain bound by the aforesaid undertakings.

29. The Transfer Petition is allowed and disposed of. IA No. 5370/2006 in CS(OS) No. 664/2005 is rejected. No orders as to costs.

What is the difference between succession and probate certificate.

February 6, 2016

probate law in India, probate of will cases in High Court Delhi., Probate of will in delhi,India, Probate of will in Delhi., probate of will Law and procedure in India, Probate of will of Property in Delhi., probate of will under Indian succession act., Uncategorized

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A person who expires has either made a ‘will’ or died ‘intestate’.

In case a person has made a ‘will’, it should be submitted for Probate after his death.

A probate means a copy of the Will, certified under the seal of a competent Court with a grant of administration of the estate to the executor of the testator. It is the official evidence of an executor’s authority. A probate granted by a competent court is conclusive evidence of the validity of a Will until it is revoked and no evidence can be admitted to impeach it except in a proceeding to revoke the probate.

In case a person dies ‘intestate’, then all the legal heirs have to apply to a competent court for a ‘Succession Certificate’ so that his property can be devolved upon his successors

What is succession Certificate:

A succession certificate is issued by a civil court to the legal heirs of a deceased person. If a person dies without leaving a will, a succession certificate can be granted by the court to realise the debts and securities of the deceased. It establishes the authenticity of the heirs and gives them the authority to have securities and other assets transferred in their names as well as inherit debts. It is issued as per the applicable laws of inheritance on an application made by a beneficiary to a court of competent jurisdiction. A succession certificate is necessary, but not always sufficient, to release the assets of the deceased. For these, a death certificate, letter of administration and no-objection certificates will be needed.

Section 372 in The Indian Succession Act, 1925

372 Application for certificate. —

(1) Application for such a certificate shall be made to the District Judge by a petition signed and verified by or on behalf of the applicant in the manner prescribed by the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 (5 of 1908) for the signing and verification of a plaint by or on behalf of a plaintiff, and setting forth the following particulars, namely:—

(a) the time of the death of the deceased;

(b) the ordinary residence of the deceased at the time of his death and, if such residence was not within the local limits of the jurisdiction of the Judge to whom the application is made, then the property of the deceased within those limits;

(d) the right in which the petitioner claims;

(e) the absence of any impediment under section 370 or under any other provision of this Act or any other enactment, to the grant of the certificate or to the validity thereof if it were granted; and

(f) the debts and securities in respect of which the certificate is applied for.

(2) If the petition contains any averment which the person verifying it knows or believes to be false, or does not believe to be true, that person shall be deemed to have committed an offence under section 198 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 (45 of 1860).

[(3) Application for such a certificate may be made in respect of any debt or debts due to the deceased creditor or in respect of portions thereof.]

What is the meaning of Probate of Will in India.

A Probate is a document that certifies that the copy of the Will (including Codicils, if there are any) that is attached to it, has been proved in the relevant court. A Probate is issued under a seal of the Court. A Probate can be granted by the Court only to the Executor (ie the person who will implement or execute the Will after its maker’s death). The legal effect of the grant of a Probate is that it establishes the legal character of the Executor to implement the Will and to the validity of the Will. For example if a person appointed as the Executor, transfers certain shares of a company to another person as per the Will, then the company whose shares are being transferred can ask for the status of the Executor, since on their record, the owner is another person. In such a case the Probate establishes the Executor’s right to apply for the transfer of the shares since the owner has died and that the Will is valid.

Section 276 in The Indian Succession Act, 1925

276. Petition for probate.—

(1) Application for probate or for letters of administration, with the Will annexed, shall be made by a petition distinctly written in English or in the language in ordinary use in proceedings before the Court in which the application is made, with the Will or, in the cases mentioned in sections 237, 238 and 239, a copy, draft, or statement of the contents thereof, annexed, and stating—

(a) the time of the testator’s death,

(b) that the writing annexed is his last Will and testament,

(d) the amount of assets which are likely to come to the petitioner’s hands, and

(e) when the application is for probate, that the petitioner is the executor named in the Will.

(2) In addition to these particulars, the petition shall further state,—

(a) when the application is to the District Judge, that the deceased at the time of his death had a fixed place of abode, or had some property, situate within the jurisdiction of the Judge; and

(b) when the application is to a District Delegate, that the deceased at the time of his death had a fixed place of abode within the jurisdiction of such Delegate.

(3) Where the application is to the District Judge and any portion of the assets likely to come to the petitioner’s hands is situate in another State, the petition shall further state the amount of such assets in each State and the District Judges within whose jurisdiction such assets are situate.

Difference between probate and letters of administration in india

February 6, 2016

difference between probate and letters of administration in india, will and probate, will and probate cases Lawyers Delhi.

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Q :When Probate can be grant and to whom

Ans : can be granted when deceased had died appointing a executor in the will.

Q:When can a letter of administration can be granted and when:

Ans;1- deceased had died intestate.

2- the deceased has made a will, but has not appointed an executor.

The relevant sections of Indian succession act:

222. Probate only to appointed executor.- (1) Probate shall be granted only to an executor appointed by the will.

(2) The appointment may be expressed or by necessary implication.

Illustrations

(i) A wills that C be his executor if B will not. B is appointed executor by implication.

(ii) A gives a legacy to B and several legacies to other persons, among the rest to his daughter-in-law C, and adds “but should the within-named C be not living I do constitute and appoint B my whole and sole executrix”. C is appointed executrix by implication.

(iii) A appoints several persons executors of his will and codicils and his nephew residuary legatee, and in another codicil are these words,–“I appoint my nephew my residuary legatee to discharge all lawful demands against my will and codicils signed of different dates”. The nephew is appointed an executor by implication.

218. To whom administration may be granted, where deceased is a Hindu, Muhammadan, Buddhist, Sikh, Jaina or exempted person.- (1) If the deceased has died intestate and was a Hindu, Muhammadan, Buddhist, Sikh or Jaina or an exempted person, administration of his estate may be granted to any person who, according to the rules for the distribution of the estate applicable in the case of such deceased, would be entitled to the whole or any part of such deceased’s estate.

(2) When several such persons apply for such administration, it shall be in the discretion of the Court to grant it to any one or more of them.

(3) When no such person applies, it may be granted to a creditor of the deceased.

232. Grant of administration to universal or residuary legatees.- When–

(a) the deceased has made a will, but has not appointed an executor, or

(b) the deceased has appointed an executor who is legally incapable or refuses to act, or who has died before the testator or before he has proved the will, or

(c) the executor dies after having proved the will, but before he has administered all the estate of the deceased, an universal or a residuary legatee may be admitted to prove the will, and letters of administration with the will annexed may be granted to him of the whole estate, or of so much thereof as may be unadministered.

Probate of Will Law & Procedure in India

February 6, 2016

Probate of will in delhi,India, probate of will Law and procedure in India, Uncategorized

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The Indian Succession Act 1925.

To whom administration may be granted, where deceased is a Hindu, Muhammadan, Buddhist, Sikh, Jaina or exempted person.- (1) If the deceased has died intestate and was a Hindu, Muhammadan, Buddhist, Sikh or Jaina or an exempted person, administration of his estate may be granted to any person who, according to the rules for the distribution of the estate applicable in the case of such deceased, would be entitled to the whole or any part of such deceased’s estate.

(2) When several such persons apply for such administration, it shall be in the discretion of the Court to grant it to any one or more of them.

(3) When no such person applies, it may be granted to a creditor of the deceased.

Where deceased is not a Hindu, Muhammadan, Buddhist, Sikh, Jaina or exempted person.- If the deceased has died intestate and was not a person belonging to any of the classes referred to in section 218, those who are connected with him, either by marriage or by consanguinity, are entitled to obtain letters of administration of his estate and effects in the order and according to the rules hereinafter stated, namely:–

(a) If the deceased has left a widow, administration shall be granted to the widow, unless the Court sees cause to exclude her, either on the ground of some personal disqualification, or because she has no interest in the estate of the deceased.

Illustrations

(i) The widow is a lunatic or has committed adultery or has been barred by her marriage settlement of all interest in her husband’s estate. There is cause for excluding her from the administration.

(ii) The widow has married again since the decease of her husband. This is not good cause for her exclusion.

(b) If the Judge thinks proper, he may associate any person or persons with the widow in the administration who would be entitled solely to the administration if there were no widow.

(c) If there is no widow, or if the Court sees cause to exclude the widow, it shall commit the administration to the person or persons who would be beneficially entitled to the estate according to the rules for the distribution of an intestate’s estate:

Provided that, when the mother of the deceased is one of the class of persons so entitled, she shall be solely entitled to administration.

(d) Those who stand in equal degree of kindred to the deceased are equally entitled to administration.

(e) The husband surviving his wife has the same right of administration of her estate as the widow has in respect of the estate of her husband.

(f) When there is no person connected with the deceased by marriage or consanguinity who is entitled to letters of administration and willing to act, they may be granted to a creditor.

(g) Where the deceased has left property in India, letters of administration shall be granted according to the foregoing rules, notwithstanding that he had his domicile in a country in which the law relating to testate and intestate succession differs from the law of India.

Probate only to appointed executor.- (1) Probate shall be granted only to an executor appointed by the will.

(2) The appointment may be expressed or by necessary implication.

Illustrations

(i) A wills that C be his executor if B will not. B is appointed executor by implication.

Persons to whom probate cannot be granted.- Probate cannot be granted to any person who is a minor or is of unsound mind nor to any association of individuals unless it is a company which satisfies the conditions prescribed by rules to be made, by notification in the Official Gazette by the State Government in this behalf.

Administration, with copy annexed, of authenticated copy of will proved abroad.- When a will has been proved and deposited in a Court of competent jurisdiction situated beyond the limits of the State, whether within or beyond the limits of India, and a roperly authenticated copy of the will is produced, letters of dministration may be granted with a copy of such copy annexed.

Conclusiveness of application for probate or administration if properly made and verified.- The application for probate or letters of administration, if made and verified in the manner hereinafter provided, shall be conclusive for the purpose of authorising the grant of probate or administration; and no such grant shall be impeached by reason only that the testator or intestate had no fixed place of abode or no property within the district at the time of his death, unless by a proceeding to revoke the grant if obtained by a fraud upon the Court.

Petition for probate.- (1) Application for probate or for letters of administration, with the will annexed, shall be made by a petition distinctly written in English or in the language in ordinary use in proceedings before the Court in which the application is made, with the will or, in the cases mentioned in sections 237, 238 and 239, a copy, draft, or statement of the contents thereof, annexed, and stating–

(a) the time of the testator’s death.

(b) that the writing annexed is his last will and testament,

(d) the amount of assets which are likely to come to the petitioner’s hands, and

(e) when the application is for probate, that the petitioner is the executor named in the will.

(2) In addition to these particulars, the petition shall further state,–

(a) when the application is to the District Judge, that the deceased at the time of his death had a fixed place of abode, or had some property, situate within the jurisdiction of the Judge; and

(b) when the application is to a District Delegate, that the deceased at the time of his death had a fixed place of abode within the jurisdiction of such Delegate.

Petition for letters of administration.- (1) Application for letters of administration shall be made by petition distinctly written as aforesaid and stating–

(a) the time and place of the destator’s death;

(b) the family or other relatives of the deceased, and their respective residences;

(d) the amount of assets which are likely to come to the petitioner’s hands;

(e) when the application is to the District Judge, that the deceased at the time of his death had a fixed place of abode, or had some property, situate within the jurisdiction of the Judge; and

(f) when the application is to a District Delegate, that the deceased at the time of his death had a fixed place of abode within the jurisdiction of such Delegate.

(2) Where the application is to the District Judge and any portion of the assets likely to come to the petitioner’s hands is situate in another State, the petition shall further state the amount of such assets in each State and the District Judges within whose jurisdiction such assets are situate.

Court cannot grant relief which was not prayed for in suit.

January 16, 2016

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The Hon’ble Court considered the issue as to whether relief not asked for by a party could be granted and that too without having proper pleadings. The Court held as under:

“It is well settled that the decision of a case cannot be based on grounds outside the pleadings of the parties and it is the case pleaded that has to be found. Without an amendment of the plaint, the Court was not entitled to grant the relief not asked for and no prayer was ever made to amend the plaint so as to incorporate in it an alternative case.”

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Supreme Court of India

Trojan & Co. Ltd vs Rm. N. N. Nagappa Chettiar on 20 March, 1953

Equivalent citations: 1953 AIR 235, 1953 SCR 780

Author: M C Mahajan

Bench: Mahajan, Mehr Chand

           PETITIONER:
TROJAN & CO.  LTD.

	Vs.

RESPONDENT:
RM. N. N. NAGAPPA CHETTIAR.

DATE OF JUDGMENT:
20/03/1953

BENCH:
MAHAJAN, MEHR CHAND
BENCH:
MAHAJAN, MEHR CHAND
DAS, SUDHI RANJAN

CITATION:
 1953 AIR  235		  1953 SCR  780
 CITATOR INFO :
 R	    1964 SC 136	 (11)
 R	    1966 SC 735	 (8)
 R	    1977 SC 890	 (8)
 D	    1980 SC 727	 (11)


ACT:
Contract-Damages-Sale  of   shares-Sale	 induced  by  fraud-
Measure of damages-Difference between price paid and  market
price  on  date of sale-Fluctuations of	 market	 and  sudden
closure	 of Stock Exchange, effect of--Interest on  damages-
Practice-Conflict  between  pleadings  and  proof-Decree  on
alternative claim not set up in plaint-Legality.



HEADNOTE:
   Where a person is induced to purchase shares at a certain
price  by fraud the measure of damages which he is  entitled
to  recover  from the seller is the difference	between	 the
price which he paid for the shares and the real price of the
shares	on  the	 date on which the  shares  were  purchased.
Ordinarily  the market rate of the shares on the  date	when
the fraud was practised would represent their real price  in
the  absence  of any other circumstance.  If,  however,	 the
market was vitiated or was in a state of flux or
790
panic in consequence of the very fact that was	fraudulently
concealed,  then  the  real value of the shares	 has  to  be
determined on a Consideration of a variety of circumstances,
disclosed by the violence led by the parties.
  A firm of sharebrokers sold 3,000 shares to the  plaintiff
who  was a constituent of the firm, on the 5th April,  1937,
at  Rs. 77 and Rs. 77-4as, per share without  disclosing  to
the plaintiff the fact that the shares were owned by one  of
the  partners  of the firm and also the fact that  they	 had
received telephonic information on that day from a member of
the  Stock  Exchange  that there was going  to	be  a  sharp
decline	 in the price of the shares.  On the 6th  April	 the
Stock  Exchange Association passed a resolution for  closing
the Exchange on the 8th and 9th April.	The plaintiff had to
sell  2,000 shares through the defendants on the 20th  April
at Rs. 47 to Rs. 42 per share, and 1,000 shares on the	22nd
April  at Rs. 428as.  The High Court awarded the  difference
between	 the  price  paid by the plaintiff  and	 the  prices
fetched on resale as damages.  On appeal,
  Held,	 that the prices received at the resale on the	20th
and  22nd  April could not represent the true value  of	 the
shares	 on   the  5th	April.	 The   real   question	 for
determination  was what the market value would have been  on
the 5th April of these shares if all the buyers and  sellers
know that the Stock Exchange was to be closed on the 8th and
9th April.
  Held also that the plaintiff was entitled to get  interest
on the amount awarded as damages from the 5th April till the
date  of suit on the principle that where money is  obtained
or  retained by fraud a court of equity will order it to  be
returned with interest.
 Johnson v. Rex ([1904] A.C. 817) referred to.
  It  is well settled that the decision of a case cannot  be
'based	on grounds outside the pleadings of the parties	 and
that it is the case pleaded that has to be found.  Where the
plaintiff based his claim for a certain sum of money on	 the
ground that the defendants had sold certain shares belonging
to  him	 without his instructions, but he was  not  able  to
prove  that  the  sale	was not	 authorised  by	 him:  Held,
reversing the decision of the High Court, that the plaintiff
could  not  be	given a decree for the sum  claimed  on	 the
ground of failure of consideration, as he had not set up any
such  alternative  claim in the plaint or even	at  a  later
stage when he sought to amend the plaint.



JUDGMENT:

CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION: Civil Appeal No..139 of 1962. Appeal from the Judgment and Decree dated the 17th March, 1950, of the High Court of Judicature at Madras (Horwill and Balakrishna Ayyar JJ.) in O.S.A. No. 34 of 1947, arising out of the Judgment and Decree dated the 18th April, 1947, of the said High Court (Clark J.) in the exercise of the Ordinary Original Civil Jurisdiction of the High Court in C. S. No. 208 of 1940.

V. Rangachari (K. Mangachary, with him) for the appellant.

K. Krishnaswami Iyengar (K. Parasuram, with him) for the respondent.

1953. March 20. The Judgment of the Court was delivered by MAHAJAN J.-The dispute in this appeal is between a constituent and a firm of stock-brokers. Some time before April, 1936, the plaintiff, then a young man, came into possession of property worth about 2 lakhs of rupees on a partition between him and his brothers. In the hope of getting rich by obtaining quick dividends by speculating on the stock-exchange be, through the defendant firm and certain other stockholders, entered into a series of speculative transactions and it seems he did not fare badly in the beginning. But subsequent events tell a different tale.

In 1937, two iron and steel companies in North India, vie., Indian Iron & Steel Co. Ltd., and the Bengal Iron & Steel Co. Ltd., merged into one concern and a new issue of shares was made. The scheme was that for every five shares which a person held in the Indian Iron Co. Ltd. on 22nd April, 1937, one fully paid up share would be given to him at a price of Rs. 25. The market price at the time this scheme was announced was about Rs. 55 per share. A wave of speculation followed this announcement and there was a boom in the market. Prices of Indian Iron shares were going up to unreal heights. To stabilize the situation thus created by heavy speculation, three members of the Committee of the Calcutta Stock Exchange presented a petition to the Committee on 5th April, 1937, to close the Calcutta Stock Exchange for a while. On the same evening plaintiff’s stockbroker Annamalai Chettiar, who was carrying on business in firm name Trojan & Co., had telephonic conversation with one Ramdev Chokani, a member of the Calcutta Stock Exchange, on this subject and from this conversation he gathered that a sharp fall in the prices of Indian Irons was likely. At that time Annamalai Chettiar had on his bands some 5,000 of these shares. Shortly after this conversation and after business hours the same night, between the hours of 7-30 and 8-30, Annamalai Chettiar rang up the plaintiff and suggested to him that it would be a good thing for him to buy these shares. The youthful plaintiff in his anxiety to got rich quickly accepted the suggestion and purchased these shares, some at Rs. 77 and others at Rs. 77-4-0. Another firm of brokers, Ramlal & Co., had also in their hands another 4,000 of these shares. They too found in the plaintiff a ready buyer. They also contacted him on the phone after Annamalai had done so, and sold him 4,000 shares that they held. Out of the lot which the plaintiff purchased from the defendants he sold 1,300 shares to Ramanathan Chetti at cost price. On the 6th April the Committee of the Calcutta Stock Exchange Association passed a resolution closing the Stock Exchange on the 8th and 9th April.

From the 6th April onwards the market sagged and the prices came down, at first gradually and then literally at a, run. The result of it was that the plaintiff had to sell at a very heavy loss.

The defendants made demands on the plaintiff for the price of those shares. Between 5th April and 20th April, 1937, he made payments to defendants of various amounts totalling Rs. 60,000. A lot of 700 shares was sold by the plaintiff to Pilani & Co. and on 19th April, 1937, he instructed the defendants.for sale of the remaining 3,000 shares at the best price obtainable. The defendants sold 2,000 shares on 20th April, 1937, for prices ranging between Rs. 47-4-0 toRs.44-12-0 per share. The remaining 1,000 shares were sold by him through Messrs. Ramlal & Co. at Rs. 42-8-0 per share on 22nd April, 1937. The result of it was that on 22nd May, 1937, when the accounts between the plaintiff and the defendants were settled it was found that plaintiff was heavily indebted to them in the sum of Rs. 51,712-7-0 and the credit balance of Rs. 64,000 that he had with the defendants at the end of March, 1937, had been wiped off. For the amount found due he passed a promissory note in favour of defendants, Exhibit P-33. After giving credit for payments received on the promissory note the defendants filed a suit against him (O.S. 150 of 1937) on the Original Side of the Madras High Court and obtained an ex-parte interim order for attachment before judgment and attached plaintiff’s movable and immovable properties at Madras, and also at Kottaiyur in Ramnad district. Owing to the attachment proceedings the firm of Ramlal & Co. filed a petition for adjudication of the plaintiff as an insolvent. On 22nd September, 1937, Trojan & Co. also filed a petition for the same relief. An order adjudicating the plaintiff an insolvent was made by the High Court on 5th October, 1937, on the petition of Ramlal & Co.

In the course of the insolvency proceedings defendants tendered proof of their claim on the promissory note, Exhibit P-33. The Official Assignee having acquired knowledge about the telephonic conversation that had passed between Annamalai Chettiar and Ramdev Chokani on the evening of the 5th April, 1937, came to the conclusion that the insolvent had been a victim of a fraud perpetrated by the defendants and dismissed their claim. Defendants-firm was guilty of fraud both in respect of the failure to disclose the fact that the Indian Iron shares or most of them be- longed to one of its partners, Annamalai Chettiar, and also on account of the failure on its part to disclose its knowledge of the likelihood of a slump in the market because of the notice given by its members to close the Stock Exchange.

On an application made to the High Court against the order of the Official Assignee it was set aside by Mockett J. and he directed that the claim of the defendants be disposed of on a court motion, the claim being heard as if it were a suit. In pursuance of this direction Trojan and Co. on 29th September, 1938, filed an application in the High Court, No. 313 of 1938. The Official Assignee representing the estate of the plaintiff denied its liability on the promissory note on the ground of fraud. On 15th March, 1940, Somayya J. dismissed the claim of the defendants. He held the defendants-firm guilty of fraud in both respects. From this there was an appeal which was dismissed on 12th August, 1942. The defendants applied for leave to appeal to His Majesty in Council but leave wag refused. Defendants then applied to the Privy Council for special leave and that application was also dismissed some time in October, 1943.. On the 28th September, 1940, when the appeal from the decision of Somayya J. was still pending, the Official Assignee as representing the estate of the plaintiff filed the suit out of which this appeal arises against Trojan & Co. for an account of the transactions between himself as principal and the defendants as agents and claiming damages for loss sustained by him and for various other reliefs. The suit embraced in particular claims in respect of four transactions. The first related to the 5,000 Indian Iron shares. The second referred to a transaction of Associated Cements. On 22nd March,1937, the plaintiff had sold through the defendants 5O shares in Associated Cements at Rs.180-8-0 per share. On 30th March, 1937, he had similarly sold a further 200 shares in Associated Cements at Rs. 183 per share. The plaintiff did not have on hand even a single share in Associated Cements. It became necessary for him therefore to “cover the sales”. On 21st July, 1937, defendants purchased on plaintiff’s account 100 shares at Rs. 161-12-0 per share. On 1st September, 1937, they purchased a further 150 shares at Rs. 151 a share. The difference between the prices at which these shares had been sold and bought amounted to Rs. 6,762- 8-0 and for this amount the defendants gave the plaintiff credit by adjusting it towards the promissory note account. In respect of this transaction the case of the Official Assignee was that the purchase which had been made by the defendants was not only unauthorized, but contrary to instructions and was not valid and binding on the plaintiff as it had been made after the commencement of the insolvency. No claim was made in the alternative that if this contention failed, the plaintiff was entitled to recover the amount credited towards the promissory note on the ground of failure of consideration. The third transaction related to 300 shares in Tatas, and the fourth one was in respect of shares in Ayer Mani Rubber Co. The last claim was abandoned at the trial and the claim on the third transaction was decreed in favour of the plaintiff and the correctness of the order of the trial judge was not canvassed in the appeal before the High Court. The amount decreed as regards these 300 shares was in the sum of Rs. 1,050.

The defendants denied liability for the entire claim and pleaded that they were not guilty of any fraud and that in any case the plaintiff was not entitled to claim any damage, as he could have easily sold away all his shares soon after his purchase without incurring any loss, and that he retained them in order to make profit.

The suit was first heard by Bell J. who decreed the claim of the plaintiff on 9th March, 1943. The defendants appealed. The appellate court set aside the decision of Bell J. and ‘remanded the suit for fresh disposal on 26th August, 1944. Meantime, that is to say, on 21st February, 1944, the adjudication of the plaintiff was annulled and on his application he was brought on the record in the place of the Official Assignee and he continued the suit. Clark J. who tried the suit after remand gave a decree in favour of the plaintiff for the sum of Rs. 61,787-9-0 with interest at the court rate of six per cent. per annum from 1st September, 1937, until payment or realization with costs. Against this decree the defendants preferred an appeal. The appellate Bench modified the decree of Clark J., and reduced the amount of the decree by a sum of Rs. 9,100. Each party was made to pay proportionate costs throughout. Leave to appeal to this court against the decree was granted and the appeal is now before us under the certificate so granted. As above stated, the claim in respect of Ayer-Mani Rubber shares was abandoned at the trial and the claim on the third transaction relating to 300 shares in Tatas was decreed for the sum of Rs. 1,050 and the correctness of this order was not canvassed in the appeal before the High Court. The two claims discussed in that court were in respect of the trans- action of 5,000 Indian Iron shares and in respect of the transaction made in Associated Cements. The dispute before us so far as the Indian Iron shares are concerned has narrowed down to the question of quantum of damages in respect of 3,000 out of the 5,000 shares that were transferred by the defendants to the plaintiff on the night of the 6th April, 1937, 1,300 out of these shares having been sold at cost price by the plaintiff the day after the purchase, and 700 having been sold to Pilani & Co., and regarding which the plaintiff’s claim was rejected in the High Court and plaintiff preferred no further appeal. The finding of Somayya J., that the defendants firm was guilty of fraud both in respect of the failure to disclose the fact that the Indian Iron shares or most of them belonged to one of its partners, Annamalai Chettiar, and also on account of its failure to disclose its knowledge of the probable slump in the market by reason of the notice given by three members of the Stock Exchange to temporarily close it, was not contested before Clark J., and it was conceded that that finding had become final. The main ques- tion canvassed at this trial was whether the plaintiffhad suffered any damage as a consequence of this fraud and if so, how were the damages to be measured. In the plaint plaintiff claimed that he was entitled to be recompensed for all loss and damage which he had suffered. A sum of Rs. 45,042-9-0 was credited in his account in respect of the sale of 3,000 shares made on 20th and 22nd April, 1937. He claimed the whole of this amount as damages on this count; in other words, according to the plaintiff, the damage suffered by him was to be measured according to the difference between the purchase price of the shares and the price for which they were ultimately sold. The shares were bought on 5th April at Rs. 77 and Rs. 77-4-0 and sold at prices ranging between Rs. 42-8-0 and Rs. 47-4-0 on the 20th and 22nd April, 1937. This method of measuring damages was successfully challenged by the defendants before the trial judge. Clark J., in spite of holding that the measure of damages in a case like this could not be as suggested by the plaintiff, estimated the damage suffered by him at the difference between the rate at which the plaintiff purchased the shares and the rate at which he actually sold them, on the ground that the price at which he sold them was more than the fair value of these shares realizable on the 6th April, 1937, between bona fide purchasers and sellers having knowledge of the real state of affairs.

Before the appeal Bench of the High Court it was contended that the trial judge was in error in his assessment of the real value of these shares on 5th April, 1937, and that in any case they could not be valued at four different rates. It was urged that. damages had been over estimated. This contention was negatived and it was held that in the circum- stances of this case it could not be said that the plaintiff acted unreasonably in holding on to the shares for the time that be did and that the defendants had by their own double dealings placed the plaintiff in a difficult position. The learned-counsel for the appellant reiterated before us the contentious raised by him in the High Court and urged that the true measure of damages in actions like this is the difference between the price paid and the real value of the shares at the time of the transaction, and that any loss caused to the plaintiff by his retaining the shares after that date could not be decreed. It was strenuously contended that had the plaintiff sold the remaining shares like the 1,300 he sold, he would not have suffered any damage whatsoever, as the market price of these shares on the 6th and 7th was not below the cost price. It was said that the loss that the plaintiff suffered was merely due to the circumstance that he retained the shares for a fortnight, and was not as a consequence of the fraud. Lastly, it was contended that even if it could be held that the market on the 6th and 7th was affected by the very fact concealed from the plaintiff, its effect disappeared by the 10th April, when the fact became fully known and damage should have been assessed on the difference between the market price of these shares which ruled at Rs. 62 per share on 10th April, 1937, and their cost price.

Now the rule is well settled that damages due either for breach of contract or for tort are damages which, so far as money can compensate, will give the injured party reparation for the wrongful act and for all the natural and direct consequences of the wrongful act. Difficulty however arises in measuring the amount of this money compensation. A general principle cannot be laid down for measuring it, and every case must to some extent depend upon its own circum- stance. It is, however, clear that in the absence of ,any special circumstances the measure of damages cannot be the amount of the loss ultimately sustained by the representee. It can only be the difference between the price which he paid and the price which he would have received if he had resold them in the market forthwith after the purchase provided of course that there was a fair market then. The question to be decided in such a case is what could the plaintiff have obtained if he had resold forthwith that which he bad been induced to purchase by the fraud of the defendants. In other words, the mode of dealing with damages in such a case is to see what it would have cost him to get out of the situation, i.e., how much worse off was his estate owing to the bargain in which he entered into. The law on this subject has been very appositely stated in McConnel v. Wright(1) by Lord Collins in these terms:- “As to the principle upon which damages are assessed in this case, there is no doubt about it now. It has been laid down by several judges, and particularly by Cotton L. J. in Peek v. Derry(2), but the common sense and principle of the thing is this. It is not an action for breach of contract, and, therefore, no damages in respect of prospective gains which the person contracting was entitled by his contract to expect to come in, but it is an action of tort-it is an action for a wrong done whereby the plaintiff was tricked out of certain money in his pocket ; and therefore, prima facie the highest limit of his damages is the whole extent of his loss, and that loss is measured by the money which was in his pocket and is now in the pocket of the company. That is the ultimate, final, highest standard of his loss. But, in so far as he has got an equivalent for that money, that loss is diminished; and I think, in assessing the damages, prima facie the assets as represented are taken to be an equivalent and no more for the money which was paid. So far as the assets are an equivalent, he is not damaged; so far as they fall short of being an equivalent, in that proportion he is damaged.”

The sole point for determination therefore in the case is whether the shares handed over to the plaintiff were an equivalent for the money paid or whether they fell short of being the equivalent and if so, to what extent. Ordinarily the market rate of the shares on the date when the fraud wag practised would represent their real price in the absence of any other circumstance. If, however, the market was vitiated or was in a state of flux or panic in consequence of the very fact that was fraudulently concealed, (1) [1903] 1 Ch. 546. (2) 37 Ch. D. 541.

then the real value of the shares has to be determined on a consideration of a variety of circumstances disclosed by the evidence led by the parties. Thus though ordinarily the market rate on the earliest date when the real facts became known may be taken as the real value of the shares, never- theless, if there is no market or there is no satisfactory evidence of a market rate for some time which may safely be taken as the real value, then if the representee sold the shares, although not bound to do so, and if the resale has taken place within a reasonable time and on reasonable terms and has not been unnecessarily delayed, then the price fetched at the resale may well be taken into consideration in determining retrospectively the true market value of the shares on the crucial date. If there is no market at all or if the market rate cannot, for reasons referred to above, be taken as the real or fair value of the thing and the representee has not sold the things, then in ascertaining the real or fair value of the thing on the date when deceit was practised subsequent events may be taken into account, provided such subsequent events are not attributable to extraneous circumstances which supervened on account of the retaining of the thing. These, we apprehend, are the well settled rules for ascertaining the loss and damage suffered by a party, in such circumstances.

If damages had been measured on the rules above stated by the courts below, this court would have then respected the concurrent finding on this point as the question of assessment of damages primarily is a question of fact and the concurrent findings of the courts below on such points except in very exceptional circumstances are not reviewed by this court. We however find that in spite of the circumstance that the courts below correctly enunciated the rule of measuring damages in such cases, they estimated them on the difference between the cost price and the price realized at the sale on the 20th and 22nd at four different rates. These four rates could obviously not represent the true value of the shares on the 5th.

Moreover the finding that the true value of these shares was lower than what was actually realized on their resale on the 20th and 22nd is not based on any evidence whatsoever. Such a finding could only be arrived at on the basis of evidence on the record and by reference to that evidence, and this has not been done. The High Court did not make an attempt to find out to what extent the value of the ‘Shares fell short of being an equivalent for the money taken from the plaintiff. Without determining this crucial issue we think it was not right to estimate the damage on the vague finding that the true value of the shares was lower than the value which they fetched at the resale on the 20th and 22nd. In this situation, we have no alternative but to-arrive at our own finding on this question in spite of the concurrent finding and we have to find as to what could be said to have been the true value of these shares on the relevant date. In other words, the question for our determination is what the market value would have been on 5th April of these shares if all buyers and sellers had information that the market was to be closed on 8th and 9th April to enable settlement of outstanding transactions to be effected, and had appreciated the effect of that decision. In the words of Buckley J. in Broome v. Speak(1), it is indeed a difficult question to answer beat that difficulty is no ground for refusing to answer it as has been done by the court below.

in order to determine the real price of these 3,000 shares sold to plaintiff by concealment of certain facts, the first question that needs decision is whether the market for these shares, the rate prevailing wherein would prima facie be a true index of their value, had been affected by the very fact concealed of which the plaintiff complains. In this case from the proved facts it is clear that the market rate of these shares was seriously affected by reason of the impending decision of the Stock Exchange for closing it to stop the wave of speculation that had taken the frenzy of the market by reason of the merger of the two steel (1) [1931] I. Ch. 586.

companies doing business in northern India. The market reports for the week ending March 19, show that the Indian Irons were standing at or around Rs. 55. By Satur day the 3rd April after the announcement of the terms of the merger by reason of the keen speculation the shares were being dealt at around Rs. 73. On Monday the 6th April the price was Rs. 77. On Tuesday the 6th, the day when the decision was taken to close the market for two days, these shares touched Rs. 79 but by the close of business fell back to Rs. 72 a sudden drop of Rs. 7. On Wednesday the 7th April in the Calcutta market they closed at Rs. 58, a drop of Rs. 14 in a day. These sudden rises and falls in the market during the course of these two days are sufficient indication of the fact that the drop was due to the decision of the Stock Exchange to close the Exchange for two days. There is no evidence that any other factor was then disturbing the market rate of these shares. The share market report of the defendants themselves issued on 10th April, 1937, amply bears out this fact. In this report it was stated as follows :-

” The outstanding feature of the Indian markets during the week under review was the sudden landslide in Indian Iron and Steel shares, which proved infectious to the other sections of the market. The week opened with a cheerful bullish sentiment and Indian Iron and Steels touched Rs. 80. At this dizzy height, the markets lost their equilibrium and frenzied selling resulted in a sensational decline of about 25 points. The heavy liquidation was due to a predominance of weak holders-that had come into the market at a late stage. Further, selling was accentuated by the decision of Calcutta Stock Exchange to close the Calcutta market on the 8th and 9th April to enable brokers to make deliveries and effect settlements for transactions in Indian Iron and Steel shares. Heavy volume of business has been outstanding between brokers on account of the delay in getting certificates. Prospect of immediate delivery of share certificates scared off weak holders and prices declined on heavy liquidation.”

It is clear therefore that the decision of the calcutta Stock Exchange to close the Calcutta market on 8th and 9th affected the market prices considerably. The Calcutta market on the 7th dropped from 72 to 58 as already stated. The decision of the Calcutta Stock Exchange was published in the Hindu of Madras on the evening of the 7th. From the statement of account, Exhibit P-41, filed by Trojan & Co. on 7th, about half a dozen transactions in these shares took place through them. Most of the transactions, it appears, were by small holders of 100 scrips or so, who unloaded their shares between 71 to 60 per share. On the 8th three transactions took place at Rs. 62. No transaction took place between 8th and 14th. There were two transactions on the 14th at Rs. 56, and there was a transaction on the 16th at Rs. 57-8-0. On the 20th Trojan and Co. sold 2,000 of the plaintiff’s shares at rates varying between Rs. 44-12-0 and Rs. 47-4-0.

According to the statement of account of another broker, Ramlal & Co., there were about 16 transactions in these shares on the 7th. Most of them were sold in lots of 100 or 200 and the sale price of these shares ranged from Rs. 74 to

64. On the 8th there were a few transactions, the rates varying between Rs. 57 to Rs 66. There was a transaction on the 9th at Rs. 60. There were two or three transactions on the 10th also near about this rate. No transaction after the 10th made by this company has been exhibited on the record. Exhibit P-23 is another weekly share market report of Trojan & Co. issued on 17th April, 1937. It states as follows :-

“In the first place, Indian Irons are very cheap around Rs. 46. The company is doing extremely well and the stage is set for a steady rise to Rs. 70…………… Indian Iron and Steels fluctuated between Rs. 55 to Rs. 60 and closed at Rs. 47. The recent hectic speculation has brought its own nemesis.”

This report proves that there was really no market as it appears from the evidence on the record in Madras between the 8th and 17th which was a Saturday, and on the 17th the prices seemed to be settling down at Rs. 46. On the 19th the plainti gave to the, defendants an order to sell his 3,000 shares and it was said “Please retain this order till-executed”. The defendants were only able to dispose of 2,000 of these shares on the 20th at prices varying between Rs. 44-12-0 to Rs. 47-4-0. The remaining 1,000 shares the plaintiff was able to sell through Ramlal and Co. at Rs. 42-8-0 on 22nd April, 1937. It is quite possible and probable that had the plaintiff placed an order before the 19th, say on the 16th or 17th, with the defendants or with Ramlal & Co., he might have been able to sell these 1,000 shares also at about the same price as he was able to dispose of his 2,000 shares. No member of the defendants-firm gave evidence in the case. Plaintiff went into the witness box and stated that had he known what the defendants knew, he would not have purchased the shares. The information was withheld from him that these shares were likely to godown. He said that he was told by the defendants to sell the shares but no purchasers were available and in spite of his keenness to liquidate them he was not able to do so before the 20th and 22nd, that he approached Trojan & Co., the defendants-firm for selling them, but they were not able to sell more than 2,000 shares.’ Considering the whole of this material, we are satisfied that the market rate prevailing on the 5th, 6th and 7th had been affected by reason of the decision of the Calcutta Stock Exchange to keep the market closed on the 8th and 9th and the market did not settle down till about the 17th or 18th and the prices then ruling can in the circumstances of this case be said to be their true market price. In our judgment, Rs. 46 per share was the real price of these shares when they were put in the plaintiff’s pocket and he got Rs. 46 for each share in lieu of what he paid for either at Rs. 77 or at Rs. 77-4-0. He is entitled to commission also which he would have to pay on the sale of these shares. The difference between these two rates is the damage that he has suffered and he is entitled to it. For the reasons given above we modify the order passed by Clark J., and by the appellate Bench of the High Court to the extent indicated above and we estimate the plaintiff’s damage at Rs. 93,000 on account of the 3,000 shares at the rate of Rs. 31 per share.

The second question canvassed before the High Court and also before us was in respect of the Associated Cement shares. As above stated, the plaintiff’s account was credited in the sum of Rs. 6,762-8-0 on account of the purchase of these shares. Plaintiff had pleaded that the transaction was not authorised by him and that it had been made in contravention of his instructions. He had claimed compensation on the ground of breach of instructions he did not in the alternative claim on the ground of failure of consideration the amount credited by the defendants in the promissory note account and which credit disappeared by reason of the failure of the suit on the promissory note. At the hearing of the case before Bell J. the contention that the purchase was unauthorized was abandoned by counsel and the same position was adopted before Clark J. During cross-examination of the plaintiff it was elicited that he either instructed the defendants to purchase the shares or at any rate ratified the purchase which the defendants had made on his behalf. It was argued before the appellate Bench of the High Court that having pleaded one thing and having led evidence in support of that thing but later on having been forced to admit in the witness box that the true state of things was different the plaintiff had disentitled himself to relief as regards these shares and he could not be granted the relief that he had not asked for. The High Court negatived this contention on the ground that though a claim for damages in respect of a particular transaction may fail, that circumstance was no bar to the making of a direction that the defendants should pay the plaintiff the money actually due in respect of that particular transaction. It also held that the plaintiff’s claim in respect of this item of Rs.6,762-8-O was with in limitation. We are unable to uphold. the view taken by the High Court on this point. It is well settled that the decision of a case cannot be based on grounds outside the pleadings of the parties and it is the case pleaded that has to be found. Without an amendment of the plaint the court was not entitled to grant the relief not asked for and no prayer was ever made to amend the plaint so as to incorporate in it an alternative case. The allegations on which the plaintiff claimed relief in respect of these shares are clear and emphatic. There was no suggestion made in the plaint or even when its amendment was sought at one stage that the plaintiff in the alternative was entitled to this amount on the ground of failure of consideration. That being so, we see no valid grounds for entertaining the plaintiff’s claim as based on failure of consideration on the case pleaded by him. In disagreement with the courts below we hold that the plaintiff was wrongly granted a decree for the sum of Rs. 6,762-8-0 in respect of the Associated Cement shares in this suit. Accounts settled could only be reopened on proper allegations. The next point canvassed in the courts below was in respect of the claim of the plaintiff regarding interest on the amount found due to the plaintiff from 5th April, 1937, to the date of the suit. It was contended that no interest could be allowed on damages because to do so would amount to awarding damages on damages which is opposed to precedent and principle. Clark J., however, awarded interest by placing reliance on certain English decisions which enunciate the rule that an agent who receives or deals with the money of his principal improperly and in breach of his duty or who refused to pay it over on demand is liable to pay interest from the time when he so receives or deals with the same or from the time of the demand. We think it is well settled that interest is allowed by a court of eqity in the case of money obtained or retained by fraud. As stated in article 423 of Volume 1 of Halsbury, the agent must also pay interest in all cases of fraud and on all bribes and secret profits received by him during his agency. Their Lordships of the Privy Council in johnson v. Rex(1) observed as follows: —

“In order to guard against any possible misapprehension of their Lordships’ views they desire to say that in their opinion there can be no doubt whatever’ that money obtained by fraud and retained by fraud can be recovered with interest, whether the proceedings be taken in a court of equity, or a court of law, or in a court, which has jurisdiction both equitable and legal.”

The appeal court affirmed the view of Clark J. on this point. The learned counsel for the appellant contended that the decisions relied upon concerned cases where the agent had retained some money of his principal in his hands but that in the present case the claim was merely for damages. This contention is fallacious. By reason of the transaction brought about by fraudulent concealment plaintiff paid to the defendants a sum of Rs. 60,000 in cash which he would not have parted with otherwise and he also lost the money which stood at his credit with the defendants. It is thus clear that the agents had a large sum of the plaintiff with them which they would not have acquired but by reason of the fraud that they practised on him. In this view of the case we see no force in the contention of the learned counsel and we repel it.

The only other point that was argued before us was in respect of future interest. It was not denied that plaintiff was entitled to future interest as allowed to him at the rate of 6% on the amount found due. it was however argued that the plaintiff should not have been allowed interest for the period of one year and six months during which the decree stood satisfied. The facts are that on 9th March, 1943, a decree for Rs. 51,805-1-0 carrying interest at six per cent. was (1) [1904] A.C. 817.

passed in favour of the plaintiff. On the 11th May, 1943, an amount of Rs. 71,000 due under this decree was paid by the defendants to the Official Assignee. This amount was returned by the Official Assignee to the defendants on 12th September, 1944, after that decree had been set aside. Meanwhile the plaintiff’s adjudication had been annulled and he had been brought on the record on 16th March, 1944. It was contended that during the period when the money remained with the Official Assignee who was the plaintiff no future interest was payable as the decree stood satisfied during that period. The High Court rejected this contention on the ground that when this money was paid into court, it was coupled with a prayer that it should not be paid out to the creditors of the insolvent’s estate pending disposal of the appeal, and therefore as the money was not distributable amongst the insolvent’s creditors, interest for this period had been rightly allowed. In our opinion, this view -cannot be sustained. So far as the defendants judgment-debtors are concerned they had done their part and paid the money to the decree-holder and had thus satisfied the decree. It was open to the Official Assignee, the decree-holder, not to take the money on the condition on which it was given to him and if he had not taken the money from the defendants he could then justly have claimed future interest on this amount, but having taken the money and kept it, it could not be said that during this period anything was due to the plaintiff from the defendants. The defendants certainly had paid the decretal amount and whether the plaintiff or his predecessor in interest was able to use it or not was a circumstance wholly immaterial in considering whether future interest should or should not be allowed. In our judgment, the plaintiff was not entitled to future interest at the rate allowed for one year and six months period, beginning from 9th March, 1943, and ending with 12th September, 1944. The appeal is therefore allowed to the extent indicated above. The decree of the High Court will bemodified and plaintiff will be entitled to damages in the sum of Rs. 93,000 on the 3,000 Indian Iron shares. The decree given to the plaintiff in respect of’ Rs. 6,762-8-0 is set aside over and above the’ decree for Rs. 9,100 in his favour set aside by the High Court. In the calculation of future interest the plaintiff will not be allowed interest from 9th March, 1943, to 12th September, 1944. In the result the decree given to the plaintiff in the sum of Rs. 61,787 is reduced to Rs. 42,175. He will get interest at six per cent. per annum from 5th April, 1937, until payment or realization except for a period of one year and six months. Plaintiff will get proportionate costs throughout.

Appeal allowed in part.

Agent for the appellant: Ganpat Rai.

Agent for the respondent: M. S. K. Sastri.

suit for partition and court fee in Delhi

January 6, 2016

Court fees, Suit for partition, suit for partition and court fees., Uncategorized

2 Comments

In exercise of powers conferred by Section 9 of Suits Valuation Act, Punjab High Court made rules which are applicable to Delhi.

Suits for partition of property–

Court–fee–(a) as determined by the Court–fees Act, 1870 Value–(b) For the purpose of theSuit Valuation Act, 1887, and the Punjab Court Act, 1918 the value of the whole of the property as determined by Sections 3, 8 and 9 of the Suits Valuation Act, 1887.

6. It would thus be seen that in view of the rules framed by Punjab High Court under Section 9 ofSuits Valuation Act, which admittedly are applicable to Delhi, there can be separate valuations for the purpose of Court fee and jurisdiction. The valuation for the purpose of jurisdiction has to be the value of the whole of the properties subject matter of partition, whereas valuation for the purpose of Court fee would be such as is provided by the Court–fees Act.

————————————————————————————————————————–

            THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI

%                     Judgment Reserved on:   25.02.2011
                      Judgment Pronounced on: 04.03.2011

+           CS(OS) No. 2642/2008


SUSHMA TEHLAN DALAL                             .....Plaintiff


                            - versus -


SHIVRAJ SINGH TEHLAN & ORS                      ....Defendant

Advocates who appeared in this case:
For the Plaintiff:      Mr. Y.P. Narula, Sr. Adv. with
                        Ms. Nandita Rao, Adv.

For the Defendant:            Mr. Mohinder Madan, Adv. for
                              D-1. Mr Vivek Singh, Adv. for D-
                              7.

CORAM:-
HON'BLE MR JUSTICE V.K. JAIN

1.

Whether Reporters of local papers may Yes be allowed to see the judgment?

2. To be referred to the Reporter or not? Yes

3. Whether the judgment should be reported Yes in Digest?

V.K. JAIN, J IA No. 10367/2010 (O.7 R.11 CPC by D-1)

1. This is a suit for partition, cancellation of sale deeds, permanent injunction, rendition of accounts and mesne profits. Late Chaudhary Hukum Singh was the owner of the following properties:

(a) 2/28, Roop Nagar, Delhi of 246 square yards on GT Road.

(b) Lands in Village Nunglai Sakrawati, Najafgarh Tehsil Jila, Delhi, Delhi in Khasra Nos. 32/3,4,7/1,12/16,13/20,19,25/21/1,27/5/1,1 3/2,242,49,49/1.

(d) Sansar Service Station, Najafgarh (Near Vikas Puri), Delhi;

(e) Anup Service Station, Alaknanda upon land on 99 year lessee from DDA;

(f) Harjeet Filling Statin with adjoining plot Alipur (on GT Karnal Road), Delhi;

(g) 189 Bighas of land situated in Alwar at Khaderpur, Tehsil, Tejara Distt. Alwar, Rajasthan in Khasra No.2 to 16, 23 to 26, 38, 140, 138, 142M, 34M, 1M, 46, 43, 44, 930, 939, 942/1058, 918, 920, 940, 928, 870, 871, 911, 893, 908, 909, 1029, 905, 890, 891, 894, 892, 868, 869, 872 to 875, 878, 906, 907, 1026, 1027, 1028, 896, 897 and 1023 total area around 189 bighas.

He died intestate on 15th August, 1969, leaving six legal heirs, including his widow Smt. Barfo Devi. Smt. Berfo Devi died on 26 th June, 1981, leaving five legal heirs, namely, her son, late Shri Anup Singh Tehlan, her other son Harjeet Singh Tehlan, defendant No.1 Shivraj Singh Tehlan, defendant No. 6 Kaushalya Chaudhary and the plaintiff Sushma Singh Tehlan. Shri Harjeet Singh Tehlan died intestate in the year 2003, without any issues and his wife, who was estranged from him, is stated to have since re- married. It is alleged that his share in the above-referred properties devolved on the plaintiff and the defendants, they being his Class-II legal heirs. Defendants 2 to 5 are the legal heirs of late Shri Anup Singh Tehlan.

2. The plaintiff claims to be in possession of two rooms, two verandahs, two stores, two toilets and washroom in the western wing of the first floor of house No. 2/28, Roop Nagar, Delhi and joint possession of the kitchen, open terrace of the second floor, the flat on second floor and shops and garage on the ground floor. It is further alleged that defendant No. 1 sold some portion of the parental property by executing a General Power of Attorney dated 26th May, 1987. One sale deed in respect of land in village Nangli is alleged to have been executed by defendant No. 1 on 02nd July, 2008 in favour of defendant No. 7, Bharat Singh and another sale deed of the same date is alleged to have been executed in favour of defendant No. 8 Vijay Sharma. The plaintiff has sought partition of the above- referred properties, besides seeking rendition of accounts and mesne profit with respect to the profits earned from the service stations. She has also sought cancellation of the sale deeds dated 02nd July, 2008, executed by defendant No. 1 in favour of defendant Nos. 7 and 8.

3. Para 2 of the plaint which deals with valuation reads as under:

“The suit is valued over a crore for the purpose of jurisdiction. As regards the reliefs of permanent injunction, the suit is valued at Rs 20,01,000/- and a court fee of Rs 22,000/ has been paid. As regards the relief of partition and mesne profits, the suit is valued at Rs 200/- and a court fee of Rs 20 has been paid. As regards the relief of cancellation for the documents being sale deeds dated 02.07.2008 which are a fraud, nullity the suit is valued at Rs 200. The plaintiff also undertakes to pay any further court fee which may be required to be paid on actual partition of the property.”

4. IA No. 10367/2010 has been filed by defendant No. 1, seeking rejection of the plaint on the ground that the plaintiff has not paid requisite Court fee.

5. Section 8 of the Suits Valuation Act, 1887 provides that where other than those referred to in the Court-fees Act, 1870 Section 7, paragraph v, vi and ix, and paragraph x, clause (d), Court-fees are payable ad valorem under the Court-fees Act, 1870, the value as determinable for the computation of court-fees and the value for purposes of jurisdiction shall be the same. Section 9of the above- referred Act provides that when the subject-matter of suits of any class, other than suits mentioned in the Court-fees Act, 1870, Section 7, paragraph v and vi, and paragraph x, clause (d) is such that in the opinion of the High Court it does not admit of being satisfactorily valued, the High Court may with the previous sanction of the State Government, direct that suits of that class shall, for the purposes of the Court-fees Act, 1870, and of this Act and any other enactment for the time being in force, be treated as if their subject-matter were of such value as the High Court thinks fit to specify in this behalf.

In exercise of powers conferred by Section 9 of Suits Valuation Act, Punjab High Court made rules which are applicable to Delhi.

Suits for partition of property–

Court-fee–(a) as determined by the Court-fees Act, 1870 Value–(b) For the purpose of the Suit Valuation Act, 1887, and the Punjab Court Act, 1918 the value of the whole of the property as determined by Sections 3, 8 and 9 of the Suits Valuation Act, 1887.

6. It would thus be seen that in view of the rules framed by Punjab High Court under Section 9 of Suits Valuation Act, which admittedly are applicable to Delhi, there can be separate valuations for the purpose of Court fee and jurisdiction. The valuation for the purpose of jurisdiction has to be the value of the whole of the properties subject matter of partition, whereas valuation for the purpose of Court fee would be such as is provided by the Court-fees Act.

7. Section 7(iv)(b) of Court Fees Act, provides that in a suit to enforce the right to share in any property on the ground that it is a joint family property, the amount of fee payable under Court-fee Act, shall be computed according to the amount at which the relief sought is valued in the plaint or memorandum of appeal. It further provides that in all such suits the plaintiff shall state the amount at which he values the relief sought by him. Article 17(vi) of Schedule II of Court-fees Act provides for payment of a fixed Court fee in a suit where it is not possible to estimate at a money value the subject matter in dispute, and which is not otherwise provided for by this Act.

8. In S. Rm. Ar. S. Sp. Sathappa Chettiar v. S. Rm. Ar. Rm. Ramanathan Chettiar AIR 1958 SC 245, Supreme Court, inter alia, read as under:

“If the scheme laid down for the computation of fees payable in suits covered by the several sub-sections of S. 7 is considered it would be clear that in respect of suits falling under sub-section

(iv), a departure has been made and liberty has been given to the plaintiff to value his claim for the purposes of court- fees. The theoretical basis of this provision appears to be that in cases in which the plaintiff is given the option to value his claim, it is really difficult to value the claim with any precision or definiteness. Take for instance the claim for partition where the plaintiff seeks to enforce his right to share in any property on the ground that it is joint family property. The basis of the claim is that the property in respect of which a share is claimed is joint family property. In other words, it is property in which the plaintiff has an undivided share. What the plaintiff purports to do by making a claim for partition is to ask the court to give him certain specified properties separately and absolutely on his own account for his share in lieu of his undivided share in the whole property. Now it would be clear that the conversion of the plaintiff’s alleged undivided share in the joint family property into his separate share cannot be easily valued in terms of rupees with any precision or definiteness. That is why legislature has left it to the option of the plaintiff to value his claim for the payment of court-fees. It really means that in suits falling under S. 7(iv)(b) the amount stated by the plaintiff as the value of his claim for partition has ordinarily to be accepted by the court in computing the court-fees payable in respect of the said relief. In the circumstances of this case it is unnecessary to consider whether, under the provisions of this section, the plaintiff has been given an absolute right or option to place any valuation whatever on his relief.”

9. In Neelavathi and Ors. v. N. Natarajan and Others, AIR 1980 SC 691, which arose out of a suit for partition, the plaintiff averred in the plaint that they were in joint possession of the property along with the defendants. The plaintiffs had valued their share of the property and paid fixed court fee of Rs 200/- under Section 37(2) of Tamil Nadu Court-Fee and Suits Valuation Act. It was contended by the defendants in that suit that the plaintiff were not in joint possession and, therefore, were required to pay ad valorem Court fee at the market rate. The suit was dismissed on the ground that ad valorem Court fee had not been paid. Allowing the appeals, filed by the plaintiff, Supreme Court held that the question of Court fee was to be considered in the light of allegations made in the plaint and decision of this issue cannot be influenced either by the plea taken in the written statement or by final decision of the suit on merits. In that case, the plaintiff had stated in the plaint that the defendants had failed to give their share of income and they could not remain in joint possession. It was held that this averment would not mean that the plaintiffs had been excluded from possession of the suit property. During the Course of judgment, Supreme Court, inter alia, observed as under:

“It will be seen that the Court-fee is payable under Section 37(1) if the plaintiff is ‘excluded’ from possession of the property. The plaintiffs who are sisters of the defendants, claimed to be members of the joint family, and prayed for partition alleging that they are in joint possession. Under the proviso to Section 6 of the Hindu Succession Act, 1956 (Act 30 of 1956) the plaintiffs being the daughters of the male Hindu who died after the commencement of the Act having at the time of the death an interest in the mitakshara coparcenary property, acquired an interest by devolution under the Act. It is not in dispute that the plaintiffs are entitled to a share. The property to which the plaintiffs are entitled is undivided joint family property’ though not in the strict sense of the term. The general principle of law is that in the case of co-owners, the possession of one is law possession of all unless ouster or exclusion is proved. To continue to be in joint possession in law, it is not necessary that the plaintiff should be in actual possession of the whole or part of the property. Equally it is not necessary that he should be getting a share or some income from the property. So long as his right to a share and the nature of the property as joint is not disputed the law presumes that he is in joint possession unless he is excluded from such possession. Before the plaintiffs could be called upon to pay Court-fee under Section 37(1) of the Act on the ground that they had been excluded from possession, it is necessary that on a reading of the plaint, there should be a clear and specific averment in the plaint that they had been ‘excluded’ from joint possession to which they are entitled to in law.”

(emphasis supplied)

10. In Jagannath Amin vs. Seetharama (dead) by Lrs. and Ors. 2007 (1) SCC 674, a suit for partition of agricultural land was filed seeking its division into two equal shares. The plaintiff had paid Court fee of Rs 200 under Section 35(2) of Karnataka Court-fees and Suit Valuation Act, 1958. The plaintiffs had also alleged to be in joint possession of the suit property. During the course of the judgment, Supreme Court, referred to the following observation made by it in Commercial Aviation and Travel Co. Vs. Vimla Panna Lal, AIR 1988 SC 1636:

“It is true that the Court did not consider whether the plaintiff had been given an absolute right or option to place any valuation whatever on his relief under the provision of Section 7(iv) of the Court-fees Act, but the difficulty that would be felt by the Court in exercising its power under Order VII, Rule 11(b) of the Code of Civil Procedure is that if it is unable to determine the correct value of the relief, it cannot direct the plaintiff to correct the valuation. Order VII, Rule 11(b) contemplates correct valuation and not approximate correct valuation and such correct valuation of the relief has to be determined by the Court. If the Court cannot determine the correct valuation of the relief claimed, it cannot require the plaintiff to correct the valuation and, consequently. Order VII, Rule 11(b) will not be applicable.”

11. The following legal proposition of law emerges from the above-referred decisions:

(i) In order to ascertain whether the suit has been property valued for the purpose of Court fee or not, only the averments made in the plaint have to be seen, without reference to the plea taken by the defendants;

(ii) If the plaintiff claims to be in joint possession of the suit property, he has to pay a fixed Court fee in terms of Article 17(vi) of Court-fees Act.

(iii) If the averments made in the plaint show that the plaintiff has been completely ousted from possession and is not in possession of any part of the suit property, he is required to claim possession and also pay ad valorem Court fee on the market value of his share in the suit property.

12. In the present case, the plaintiff has specifically alleged that she is in exclusive possession of house No. 2/28, Roop Nagar, Delhi and in joint possession of certain other parts of the aforesaid house. Thus, the plaintiff has undisputedly claimed joint possession with respect to one of the properties in respect of which partition has been sought by her. In my view, in order to constitute joint possession, it is not necessary that the plaintiff should claim to be in joint possession of each of the properties in respect of which partition is sought by him/her. If she claims to be in joint possession of even one of the properties either wholly or partly, that would be sufficient to bring the case within the ambit of Article 7(iv) of Court-fees Act, because what is relevant is joint possession of the estate in respect of which partition is sought. The plaintiff is seeking partition not with respect to any one property, but with respect to all the properties which were owned by her late parents. If partition is sought in respect of more than one property and one of the co-owners possesses one property or a part of it and the other co-owners possess the remaining properties, all of them will be deemed to be in joint possession of the properties subject matter of partition. In this regard, the following observations made by this Court in Sudershan Kumar Seth vs. Pawan Kumar Seth & Ors. 124 (2005) DLT 305:

“It is settled that in order to decide as to what relief has been claimed by the plaintiff, the whole of the plaint has to be read. From the perusal of the plaint if it can be inferred that the plaintiff is in possession of the any of properties to be partitioned, then the court fees shall be payable under Article 17 (6) of Schedule II of the Court fees Act i.e. fixed court fees at the time of institution of the suit but if the conclusion is that the plaintiff is not in possession of any part of the properties then the plaintiff has to pay Court fees under section 7(iv)(b) of the Court fees Act i.e. on the value of plaintiff’s share.”

13. Moreover, in the case before this Court, there is no averment in the plaint that the plaintiff has been ousted from the possession of the other properties which were owned by her parents. It is true that she has not specifically averred that she is in joint possession of the other properties, but, it is also equally true that she does not claim or admit ouster from those properties. She being one of the co-owners of the other properties is by fiction of law, deemed to be in joint possession of those properties along with other co-owners unless she pleads or admits complete ouster from those properties. This view also confirms to the observations made by Supreme Court in the case of Neelavathi (supra) that the general principle of law is that in case of co-owners, it is not necessary that the plaintiff should be in actual possession of the property, the possession of one co-owner is in law the possession of all unless ouster or exclusion is proved and so long as his right to share and the nature of the property as joint is not disputed, the law presumes that he is in joint possession, unless he is excluded from such possession.

14. The logic behind not insisting on payment of ad valorem Court fee in a case of joint possession was explained by Supreme Court in the case of Sathappa Chettiar (supra) when the Court said that in such cases what the plaintiff seeks by claiming partition is to ask the Court to give certain specific properties to him for his absolute and exclusive enjoyment, to the exclusion of other co-owners of that property and, thereby what he is seeking only a conversion of his undivided share into a separate share. Moreover, as observed by Supreme Court in the case of Jagannath Amin (supra), the Court needs to have exact valuation before it, before it can reject the plaint under Order VII Rule 11(d) of Code of Civil Procedure and that determination cannot be made in such a case.

15. Therefore, there is no ground to reject the plaint, as far as Court fee on the relief of partition is concerned. During the course of arguments, the learned counsel for the plaintiff fairly stated that as far as relief of cancellation of sale deeds are concerned, the plaintiff would pay ad valorem Court fee on the sale consideration, shown in the sale deeds, executed in favour of defendants 7 and 8. Therefore, the plea taken by the plaintiff with regard to inadequate Court fee on the relief of cancellation of sale deeds does not survive anymore. The plaintiff is directed to pay deficient Court fee on the relief of cancellation of sale deeds within two weeks.

The application stands disposed of accordingly.

(V.K. JAIN) JUDGE MARCH

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August 14, 2015

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Civil Law is known for civil procedure code, 1908, in India. There are three things in this Act by which this act is going on/functioning:

SECTION
ORDER
RULES
CIVIL PROCEDURE CODE: It is a complete code itself. Once proceedings are initiated there under, rights and remedies have to be looked into.

There are four modes to decide the matters under the civil procedure code by the courts:

CIVIL JUDGE
ADDITIONAL DISTRICT JUDGE
SMALL CLAUSES COURT
HIGH COURTS, IN CERTAIN CASES (WHERE THE JURISDICTION IS MORE THAN 2 Crore after amendment in Delhi High Court Rules 2015.)

We Deals in Certain Matters under This Laws and Act:-

CIVIL MONEY RECOVERY SUIT
CIVIL RIGHTS CASES
SUIT FOR INJUNCTION AND DAMAGES
MONEY RECOVERY SUIT UNDER SECTION XXXVII CIVIL PROCEDURE CODE
RENT SUIT

PROBATE OF WILL SUIT.
SUIT FOR DECLARATION & POSSESSION SUIT
ANTI INJUNCTION SUIT
SUIT FOR PERMANENT & MANDATORY INJUNCTION SUIT
SUIT FOR PARTITION & POSSESSION
SUIT FOR DIVISION,PARTITION AND POSSESSION OF PROPERTY
SUIT UNDER INDIAN SUCCESSION ACT
SUIT FOR PROBATE IN RESPECT OF WILL OF PROPERTY
SUIT FOR POSSESSION OF PROPERTY AND DECLARATION
SUIT FOR STAY IN RESPECT OF PROPERTY
SUIT FOR PARTITION AND DIVISION IN PROPERTY
ALL THE SUITS UNDER THE CIVIL PROCEDURE CODE AND CIVIL LAWS.

—Civil Lawyers in Delhi, India

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