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2008 Supreme(SC) 663

JT 2008 (4) SC 652
A.K. MATHUR & ALTAMAS KABIR, JJ.
Kamlesh Babu & Ors. — Appellant
v.
Lajpat Rai Sharma & Ors. — Respondent
Civil Appeal No. 2815 of 2008
[Arising out of SLP (C) NO.1 0058 of 2006] [From the final Judgment and Order dated 06.02.2006 of the High Court of Judicature at Allahabad in Second Appeal No. 2281 of 1983]
Decided on : 16.04.2008

Advocates appeared:
Mr. S.B. Sanyal, Senior Advocate, Mr. Naresh Kaushik, Mr. Satish Dayanandan, Mr. Manish Kaushik and Mrs. Lalita Kaushik, Advocates with him for the Appellants.
Ms. Rachana Srivastava, Advocate for the Respondents.

Headnote:

Limitation Act, 1963 - Section 3(1) – Constitution of India,1950 - Article 136 - Barred by limitation - Order for mutation of properties - Whether plaintiff is entitled to get possession on disputed property of his share - Dispute involves a registered Will August executed in favor of appellants by one who had four sons - Except for his youngest son all the other sons were allegedly separated from him and were staying separately was staying with and excluding descendants of his other children executed said Will August in favor of his grand-children through died on and on basis of the Will executed by him appellants moved an application for mutation of bequeathed properties in their names - Respondent No.1 who is one of the grand-sons of testator through another son also filed an application for mutation - Held, Reasoning behind said proposition is that certain questions relating to the jurisdiction of a Court including limitation goes to very root of Courts jurisdiction to entertain and decide a matter as otherwise decision rendered without jurisdiction will be a nullity – However court are not required to elaborate on said proposition inasmuch as in instant case such a plea had been raised and decided by Trial Court but was not reversed by First Appellate Court or High Court while reversing the decision of Trial Court on the issues framed is suit - Court therefore have no hesitation in setting aside the judgment and decree of High Court and to remand suit to First Appellate - Court to decide the limited question as to whether suit was barred by limitation as found by Trial Court - Appeal Allowed

Judgement Key Points

Key Points

  • The dispute concerns a registered Will dated 5th August, 1972, executed by Brijlal in favor of his grandchildren through his youngest son Onkar Prasad, excluding descendants of other sons; Brijlal died on 5th November, 1976; appellants sought mutation based on the Will, which was allowed on 29th April, 1977, while respondent No.1's mutation application was rejected.[1000436000001]
  • Respondent No.1 filed a suit on 2nd January, 1978, seeking declaration that the Will was procured by fraud.[1000436000002]
  • Trial Court framed issues including whether the Will was forged, plaintiff's entitlement to possession, valuation/court fee, Brijlal's right to execute the Will, his exclusive ownership, and relief.[1000436000002] (!) (!) (!) (!) (!)
  • Trial Court decided all issues against plaintiff and held suit barred under Article 59 of Limitation Act, 1963, as plaintiff failed to prove lack of knowledge of Will within three years before suit filing.[1000436000003]
  • First Appellate Court (Civil Judge, Aligarh) allowed plaintiff's appeal, reversed Trial Court without deciding limitation issue.[1000436000004]
  • High Court dismissed defendants' second appeal on 6th February, 2006, affirming First Appellate Court, without addressing limitation.[1000436000005]
  • Appellants argued that appellate courts erred by not addressing Trial Court's limitation finding under Article 59.[1000436000006][1000436000007]
  • Respondents argued limitation plea not raised in appellate courts, is mixed question of law/fact, and no specific issue framed at trial (mere observation).[1000436000008][1000436000009]
  • Section 3(1) of Limitation Act, 1963, mandates dismissal of time-barred suit even if limitation not pleaded as defense; duty on courts to address

ALTAMAS KABIR, J.

1. Leave granted.

2. This appeal involves a dispute between the parties who are related to each other, having a common ancestor. The dispute involves a registered Will dated 5th August, 1972, executed in favour of the appellants by one Brijlal (deceased), who had four sons. Except for his youngest son, Onkar Prasad, all the other sons were allegedly separated from him and were staying separately. Brijlal was staying with Onkar Prasad and excluding the descendants of his other children executed the said Will dated 5th August, 1972, in favour of his grand-children through Onkar Prasad. Brijlal died on 5th November, 1976, and on the basis of the Will executed by him, the appellants moved an application for mutation of the bequeathed properties in their names. The respondent No.1, who is one of the grand-sons of the testator through another son, Shanti Swarup, also filed an application for mutation, which was rejected. An appeal preferred therefrom was also dismissed. On 29th April, 1977, the Tehsildar passed an order for mutation of the properties in the name of the appellants on the basis of the aforesaid Will dated 5th August, 1972.

3. On 2nd January, 1978, the respondent NO.1 herein filed a suit for declaration that the registered Will dated 5th August, 1972, had been procured by practising fraud. The suit was duly contested by the appellants herein by filing written statement. .On the basis of the pleadings, in order to arrive at a decision in the suit, the following issues were framed: -

(i) Whether the Will dated 5th August, •1972 executed by Brijlal, in favour of defendants 2 to 6 is forged and not binding upon the plaintiff?

(ii) Whether the plaintiff is entitled to get possession on the disputed property of his share?

(iii) Whether the suit was undervalued and the court fee paid is insufficient?

(iv) Whether Brijlal had got a right to execute the Will of his property?

(v) Whether Brijlal was the exclusive owner of the disputed property?

(vi) To what relief, if any, is the plaintiff entitled?

4. All the aforesaid issues were decided against the plaintiff and the suit was dismissed by the Trial Court. While deciding issue No. 6, The Trial Court also held that the suit was barred under Article 59 of the Limitation Act, 1963, because the plaintiff had failed to prove that the Will was not within the knowledge of the plaintiff within three years of the filing of the suit.

5. Aggrieved by the decision in the suit, the plaintiff-respondent NO.1 herein, preferred an appeal before the Civil Judge, Aligarh, which was allowed and the judgment of the Trial Court was reversed without deciding the question of limitation which had been decided against the plaintiff-respondent NO.1 and in favour of the defendants-appellants herein.

6. The defendants-appellants herein filed a second appeal before the Allahabad High Court on 3rd October, 1983, and the same was also dismissed on 6th February, 2006, affirming the judgment and order of the Appellate Court.

7. In this appeal, the mail") point which was urged on behalf of the appellant is that although all the issues in the suit were decided against the plaintiff-respondent NO.1 by the Trial Court, in addition, the Trial Court had also held that the suit was barred by limitation. It was submitted that while reversing the judgment of the Trial Court, the First Appellate Court had neither gone into the question of limitation nor reversed the finding that the suit was barred by limitation under Article 59 of the Limitation Act. While affirming the judgment of the First Appellate Court, even the High Court appears to have lost sight of the said finding.

8. Appearing in support of the appeal, Mr. S.B.Sanyal, learned senior advocate, submitted that both the First Appellate Court and the High Court erred in reversing the judgment of the Trial Court without deciding the question relating to limitation and that the judgment both of the High Court as-well as of the First Appellate Court were liable
















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