Kuchiyan Govinda Swami Vs. Kalliani
Amma Lekshmi Amma & Ors [1966] INSC 95 (31 March 1966)
31/03/1966
ACT:
Kerala Land Reforms Act, 1963 (Ker. 1 of
1964), ss. 2(28), 2(26) -"Kuzhikanam" and "Kudiyiruppu",
meaning.
HEADNOTE:
By a deed styled `otti Kuzhikanam deed', the
predecessor of the respondent sold a building standing on a property to the
predecessor of the appellant and also transferred to him the right to possess
and enjoy the property for 12 years in Kuzhikanam right with liberty to plant
coconut trees thereon. The deed expressly reserved the right for the respondent
to enjoy the fruit bearing trees then standing on the properties. and provided
that after expiry of 12 years the appellant would on demand demolish and take
away the building and surrender possession of the land on receipt of a certain
amount and he agreed compensation for the coconut trees planted by him. The
respondent instituted a suit for redemption of the property, which was decreed.
On appeals, the decree was affirmed by the District Court and High Court. In
appeal to this Court the appellant claimed fixity of tenure and protection from
eviction on the ground that he was (i) a Kuzhikanamdar under s. 2(57)(d) and s.
2(28), or alternatively.(ii) the holder of a kudiyiruppu under s.
2(57) (h) and s. 2(26) of the Kerala Land
Reforms Act.
HELD: (i) The deed did not grant Kuzhikanam
rights to the appellant.
"Kuzhikanam" as defined in s. 2(28)
means a transfer (1) of garden lands or of other lands or of both, (2) with the
fruit bearing trees, if any standing thereon at the time of the' transfer, (3)
for the enjoyment of those trees and (4) for the purpose of planting such fruit
bearing trees thereon. It does not include a usufructuary mortgage as defined
in the Transfer of Property Act, 1882 but it was not the case of the respondent
that the deed created such a usufructuary mortgage. [137 E-F] A transfer of
land without the fruit bearing trees then standing on it and not carrying with
it the right to enjoy those trees was not a kuzhikanam as defined in s. 2(28).
The force of the words "if any" in
the definition of "kuzhikanam" in s. 2(28) is that if there are any
fruit bearing trees on the land at the time of the transfer, the trees also
must be transferred for their enjoyment by the transferee. [137 H-138 B]
(ii)The appellant was not the holder of Kudiyiruppu within the meaning of s.
2(26) of the Act.
There was no material on the record to show
that the building on the land was a residential building. Moreover, it did not
appear that the land was necessary for the convenient enjoyment of the
building. [138 D]
CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION: Civil Appeal
No. 225 of 1964.
Appeal by special leave from the judgment and
decree dated July 25, 1961 of the Kerala High Court in S.A. No. 852 of 1957.
L/S5SCI-11 136 A. G. Pudissery, for the
appellant.
M. R. K. Pillai, for the respondents.
The Judgment of the Court was delivered by
Bachawat, J. In 1921, the plaintiff executed in favour of the defendant an otti
kuzhikanam deed in respect of the suit property. By this deed, the plaintiff
sold to the defendant the building standing on the property for 350 fanams and
also transferred to him for 350 fanams the right to possess and enjoy the
property for 12 years in kuzhikanam right with liberty to plant coconut trees
thereon, expressly reserving for the plaintiff the right to enjoy the fruit
bearing trees then standing on the property' The deed provided that after the
expiry of 12 years the defendant would on demand demolish and take away the
building and surrender possession of the land on receipt of 350 fanams and the
agreed compensation for the coconut trees planted by him. The plaintiff
instituted a suit for redemption of the property.
During the pendency of the litigation, the
plaintiff and the defendant died, and their legal representatives were
substituted in their place. On May 31, 1951, the Principal District Munsif
Quilon decreed the suit. On appeal, the District Court of Quilon affirmed this
decree. The present appellant, who is one of the legal representatives of the
original defendant, filed a second appeal in the High Court of Kerala. During
the pendency of this appeal, the Kerala Agrarian Relations Act, 1960 (Act IV of
1961) came into force. Before the High Court, the appellant claimed fixity of
tenure and protection from eviction on the ground that he was a kuzhikanamdar
or alternatively, the holder of a kudiyiruppu, and, therefore, a tenant within
the meaning of s. 2(50) (i)(e) read with s. 2(22) and s. 2(50)(i)(j) read with
s. 2(21) of Act IV of 1961. The High Court negatived this contention, and
dismissed the appeal. The appellant now appeals to this Court by special leave.
During the pendency of this appeal, Act IV of 1961 was repealed and the Kerala
Land Reforms Act, 1963 (Act 1 of 1964) came into force. The appellant now
claims fixity of tenure and protection from eviction on the ground that he is
a, kuzhikanamdar within the meaning of s. 2(57)(d) read with s.
2(28), or alternatively, the holder of a
kudiyiruppu within the meaning of s. 2(57)(h) read with s. 2(26) of Act 1 of
1964. In the High Court, the appellant also claimed protection from eviction on
the ground that he was a 'kudikidappukaran', but this contention was negatived
by the High Court and is no longer pressed.
Section 13 of Act 1 of 1964 gives to every
tenant fixity of tenure in respect of his holding, and forbids resumption of
the holding except as provided in ss. 14 to 22. Section 2(57) defines 'tenant'.
By sections 2(57)(d) and (h), a tenant includes a kuzhikanamdar and the holder
of a kudiyiruppu. The appellant does not contend that he is a tenant as defined
in the main part of s. 2(57).
137 He, however, contends that he is a tenant
as defined in s. 2(57)(d) and s. 2(57)(h).
The deed of 1921 was styled 'otti kuzhikanam
deed'. In Malabar, the word "otti" in the context of the deed
designates a possessory mortgage. According to Wilson's Glossary of Judicial
and Revenue Terms, "kurikanam" means "compensation allowed for
the value of trees planted, or other improvements made by the tenant or
mortgagee on relinquishing possession; a lease or mortgage on such
conditions." Under a kuzhikanam mortgage or lease in Malabar, the grantee
normally acquires the right to hold the property for 12 years for the purpose
of planting fruitbearing trees thereon and to claim compensation for the value
of the trees planted on relinquishing possession. Had there been no special
definition of the expression "kuzhikanam" in Act 1 of 1964, we would
have been inclined to hold that the grantee under the deed of 1921 was a
kuzhikanamdar. But s. 2(28) of Act 1 of 1964 provides that in this Act unless
the context otherwise requires, "kuzhikanam" means and includes a
transfer of garden lands or of other lands or of both, with the fruit-bearing
trees, if any, standing thereon at the time of the transfer, for the enjoyment
of those trees and for the purpose of planting such fruit-bearing trees thereon
but shall not include a usufructuary mortgage as defined in the Transfer of
Property Act, 1882." This definition of kuzhikanam is both inclusive and
exhaustive. Unless the context requires otherwise, the expression
"kuzhikanam in the Act can have only the meaning given in S. 2(28). There
is nothing in the context of S. 2(57) and s. 13, which requires a different
meaning for this expression. "Kuzhikanam" as defined in s. 2(28)
means a transfer (1) of garden lands or of other lands or of both, (2) with the
fruit-bearing trees, if any, standing thereon at the time of the transfer, (3)
for the enjoyment of those trees and (4) for the purpose of planting such
fruitbearing trees thereon. It does not include a usufructuary mortgage as
defined in the Transfer of Property Act, 1882, but it is not the case of the
plaintiff that the deed of 1921 created such a usufructuary mortgaee. Now the
deed of 1921, while effecting a transfer of land for the purpose of planting
coconut trees thereon, expressly reserved for the grantor the right to enjoy
the fruit-bearing trees then standing on the land and did not transfer those
trees to the ,grantee.
On behalf of the appellant, it was argued
that the words "with the fruit-bearing trees, if any, standing thereon at
the time of the transfer, for the enjoyment of those trees" are not
essential parts of the definition of 'kuzhikanam' in s. 2(28), and that we
should hold that a transfer of land for the purpose of planting fruit-bearing
trees thereon is kuzhikanam, though there is no transfer of the fruit-bearing
trees standing on the land at the time of the transfer and though the transfer
is not for the enjoyment of those trees.
We are unable to accept this contention. We
think that a transfer of land without the fruit-bearing trees then standing on
it and Dot carrying with it the right to enjoy those trees is not a
L/S5SCI-11(a) 138 kuzhikanam as defined in s. 2(28). The force of the words
"if any" in the definition is that if there are any fruitbearing
trees on the land at the time of the transfer, the trees also must be
transferred for their enjoyment by the transferee. The contention that the deed
of 1921 granted kuzhikanam rights as defined in s. 2(28) of Act 1 of 1964 is
rejected.
The appellant next contends that he is the
holder of kudiyiruppu. Section 2(26) of Act 1 of 1964 which defines 'kudiyiruppu'
reads:
" kudiyiruppu" means a holding or
part of a holding consisting of the site of any residential building, the site
or sites of other buildings appurtenant thereto, such other lands as are
necessary for the convenient enjoyment of such residential building and
easements attached thereto, but does not include a kudikidappu." I here is
no material on the record to show that the building on the land is a
residential building. Moreover, it does not appear that the land is necessary
for the convenient enjoyment of the building. The contention that the appellant
is the holder of kudiyiruppu is rejected.
The appeal fails and is dismissed. There will
be no order as to costs.
Appeal dismissed.
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