Swarn
K. Jain Vs. Ravi Mahajan &
Ors [2008] INSC 564 (2 April 2008)
Dr. ARIJIT PASAYAT & LOKESHWAR SINGH PANTA
REPORTABLE CIVIL APPEAL NO. 5471 OF 2000 Dr. ARIJIT PASAYAT, J.
1. Challenge in this appeal is to the judgment of a Division Bench of the J
& K High Court reversing the judgment of learned Single Judge of the High
Court.
2. Background facts in a nutshell are as follows:
3. Stand of the defendants who were the appellants before the High Court was
that the plaintiff by his own act and conduct is estopped from filing the suit
in question seeking possession from the defendants as he had pocketed the
entire sale consideration and was not entitled to claim relief. It was also
submitted that the cause of action when arose was not purposefully mentioned by
the plaintiff and this omission is not inadvertent but is willful. Reference
was also made to Section 138 of the J & K Transfer of Property Act, 1977
(1920 AD). Plaintiff's advocate contended that the doctrine of part performance
as embodied in the Transfer of Property Act, 1882 (Central Act), does not find
mention in the Act and, therefore, defendants being tress-passers claim of the
plaintiff cannot be defeated.
4. The High Court referred to three documents i.e. receipts dated 30.1.1974,
19.11.1973 and 23.3.1974. While appearing as PW-1, the plaintiff did not say a
word as to how and under what circumstances the documents were executed. He
also admitted the execution of the documents and construction of boundary wall
having been done by the defendants. However, he feigned ignorance as to when
the construction was raised.
The height of the wall and the defendants having access to the passage were
admitted. In the last line of the statement he admitted that within one or two
years after receipt of the money he saw the defendants had constructed the
boundary wall. The Division Bench found that the omission to give details when
the cause of action arose to the plaintiff for maintaining the suit against the
defendants was purposeful and intentional. Had these facts been specifically
pleaded, defendants would have controverted them. Despite this omission,
defendants pleaded their case and disputed the claim of the plaintiff. No
replication was filed. High Court referred to Section 138 of the J & K Act
which reads as follows:
'"138. Transfer of immovable property
after due registration -
-
No transfer of immovable property
except in a case governed by any special law to the contrary, shall be valid
unless and until it is in writing registered and (the registration thereof has
been completed in accordance with Sub-section (3) of Section 61 of the
Registration act, 1977).
-
No Court shall entertain a suit for
pre-emption in respect of transfer of any such immovable property unless the
transfer complies with the provision of sub- section (l).
-
No person shall take possession of or
commence to build or build on any land in Province of Kashmir which has been
transferred or has been contracted to be transferred to him unless and until
such transfer becomes valid under the provision of sub-section (1).
-
No person who has obtained a transfer
of immovable property referred to in sub-section (1) shall apply for and obtain
from any Revenue or Settlement Officer or Court any alteration in any existing
entry in any settlement record of paper, unless such person produces before such
officer or court a duly executed registered instrument (the registration whereof
has been completed in the manner specified in sub-section (1).
And no such officer or court shall alter or cause to be altered any such
entry except upon tide production of an instrument registered in the aforesaid
manner:
Provided that nothing in his section applied to a lease of agricultural land
for one year or to a lease of any other land for a period not exceeding seven
years.
Provided also that nothing in sub-sections (3) and (4) shall be deemed to
apply to transfers by will or by any rule of interstate succession or by the
operation of the law of survivorship."
5. After referring to sub-section (1) of Section 138 the High Court found
that the transfer has to be in writing and registration has to be completed in
accordance with sub- section (3) of Section 61 of the Registration Act (1977
BK).
Sub-section (3) of Section 138 has no application to the province of Jammu
and it only applies to province of Kashmir.
It was noted that Section 138 (3) bars taking possession, building etc. only
in the province of Kashmir. This omission relating to Jammu province has not at
all been adverted to by the learned Single Judge. Plaintiff continued to
receive the payments from the defendants till 23rd March, 1974 as is evident
from Ex.PW-3.
6. Stand of the learned counsel for the appellant was that the suit was
filed on 16.9.1982 i.e. 8 years after the alleged date of execution of
agreement. Full consideration was not paid and till 1976 Rs.5,000/- was not
received. The Division Bench has not dealt with the full payment aspect as was
done in detail by the learned Single Judge. It was submitted that the omission
to give details of cause of action was not intentional as held by the Division
Bench.
7. In response, learned counsel for the respondents submitted that the
learned Single Judge did not refer to Section 138 of the J & K Act; but the
Division Bench has analysed the legal position in detail and, therefore, no
interference is called for.
8. It was required of the plaintiff to lead as to how the writing came into
existence as regards receipt of money. No detail about cause of action was
mentioned and no date was also indicated when the construction was made.
9. The only averment of any substance in the plaint read as follows:
"That defendants No.1 also purchased the adjoining plot of land from
the State of Jammu & Kashmir. After purchasing his plot, defendant No.1 has
constructed his house for himself in his plot. When the house of defendant No.1
was ready for habitation he started living in the same. In the process,
however, he encroached upon the plot of land of the plaintiff and in due course
of time bounded the same by a boundary wall. He has since been using it as a
courtyard. Defendant no.2 to 4 are very close relation of defendant No.1 and
are living with him. They are also using the plot of the plaintiff without his
permission. Though defendants No. 2 to 4 wife and sons of defendant No.1, yet
they are being arrayed as defendants so as to avoid any plea by defendant No.1
about their non-joinder.
That the plaintiff objected to the illegal occupation of the land aforesaid
by the defendants. He requested the defendants a number of times to vacate the
suit land and hand it over to the plaintiff. The defendants, however, requested
the plaintiff to sell the suit land to the defendant No.2. The negotiations for
the sale of the suit land, however, did not materialize. The illegal occupation
by the defendants over the suit land of the plaintiff, however is
continuing."
10. The High Court's finding, as noted above, does not suffer from any
infirmity.
11. The Division Bench has elaborately discussed as to why it came to the
conclusion that the omission regarding cause of action was deliberate and was
not inadvertent omission. This was a case where no interference is called for
with the well- reasoned order of the Division Bench.
12. The appeal is dismissed without any order as to costs.
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