SUPREME COURT OF INDIA
J.S. Verma, K. Venkataswami, N.P. Singh
NAGAR PALIKA, JIND, APPELLANTS
VERSUS
JAGAT SINGH, ADVOCATE, RESPONDENT.
Civil Appeal No. 290 of 1991 (From the Judgment and Order dated 17-8-1987 of the Punjab and Haryana High Court in R.P. No. 17-C of 1987), decided on March 28, 1995.
Specific Relief Act, 1963 - Section 6 – Investigation – Inquiry - Claim of respondent was resisted on behalf of Municipal Committee saying that respondent was neither owner of land in question nor he was in possession thereof - It was asserted that land being in which Municipal Committee had already constructed park there was no question of respondent acquiring any right title interest in same - According to appellant said respondent had made some unauthorized encroachment over same because of which statutory notice was given to him which was challenged by said respondent in suit in question – Held, On behalf respondent reference was made to case Chute Khan Mal Khan where it was said by this Court that entire in fall within purview of record of rights Section Punjab Land Revenue Act and as such are to be presumed to be true until contrary is proved - Reference was also made to case where it was said that in an suit finding by District Judge on question whether defendant tenants of plaintiff arrived another consideration of all evidence oral and documentary adduced by parties was finding of fact and could not have been set aside in second appeal by High Court - Reliance was also placed on case Hassan in which this Court that finding of lower appellate court on question whether entries in revenue record were genuine or fraudulent was question of fact and could not be set aside in second appeal - It has already been pointed out that court of appeal without considering question whether plaintiff respondent had proved his title to property in dispute proceeded to examine whether said respondent was in possession - In suit for based on title it was incumbent on part court of appeal first to record finding on claim of title to suit land made on behalf respondent - Court of appeal never inquired or investigated that question which was at issue saying that title of plaintiff’s respondent was admitted by appellant – Appeal allowed
JUDGMENT
N. P. SINGH, J. - The Municipal Committee, Jind, has filed this appeal for setting aside the judgment of the Additional District Judge (hereinafter referred to as "the Court of Appeal") decreeing the suit filed on behalf of the respondent, which had been dismissed by the trial court. The second appeal filed on behalf of the appellant, before the High Court was dismissed in limine. Thereafter, Special Leave Petition (Civil) No. 562 of 1987 was filed before this Court, which was permitted to be withdrawn, to enable the appellant to file a review petition before the High Court. That review petition was dismissed by the High Court saying that no ground for review had been made out.
2. The respondent filed the suit in question for injunction restraining the appellant from interfering with the possession of respondent over 5 kanals of land, comprised in Khewat No. 134, Khatoni No. 155, rectangle No. 173, Killa No. 27/1. The respondent claimed to be the owner of the said land and asserted that he was in possession thereof.
3. The claim of the respondent was resisted on behalf of Municipal Committee saying that the said respondent was neither the owner of the land in question nor he was in possession thereof. It was asserted that the land being "gair mumkin johar", in which the Municipal Committee had already constructed a park, there was no question of the respondent acquiring any right, title, interest in the same. According to the appellant, the said respondent had made some unauthorised encroachment over the same because of which a statutory notice was given to him, which was challenged by the said respondent in the suit in question.
4. The learned Subordinate Judge on consideration of the materials on record came to the conclusion that the respondent had failed to prove that he was the owner and was in possession of the suit land. On that finding the suit was dismissed. The court of appeal set aside the finding recorded by the trial court and decreed the suit of the respondent, saying that the title of Prem Singh, who was alleged to be the predecessor-in-interest of the respondent, had been established. It was also held that the appellant was in possession of the suit property. The second appeal filed on behalf of the appellant Municipal Committee as already mentioned above was dismissed. The review petition filed to recall the order of dismissal of the second appeal was also dismissed in the limine.
5. It may be mentioned at the outset that throughout the suit has been treated to be a suit based on title and for confirmation of possession. The learned counsel, appearing for the appellant Municipal Committee, pointed out that the court of appeal while decreeing the suit of the respondent, committed a serious error of law when before examining the question as to whether respondent had able to establish his title over the suit land, it proceeded to consider only the materials on record in support of the claim of the possession made on behalf of the respondent. The trial court had examined the claim of the title made on behalf of the respondent in detail and had recorded a finding that the said respondent had failed to prove his title to the suit. Even the sale deed through which the said respondent claimed to have purchased the land in dispute had not been produced before the court. An objection was taken on behalf of the appellant against that part of the judgment of the court of appeal, where it has been stated that although the respondent had not produced the sale deed through which he had acquired the title to the land in question but that was of no consequence as that fact had been admitted by the Municipal Committee. In this connection, reference was made to the written statement filed on behalf of the Municipal Committee disputing the title and possession of the respondent. Our attention was drawn to the plaint, filed on behalf of the respondent and the written statement filed on behalf of the appellant. The responde
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