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1998 Supreme(AP) 850

Andhra Pradesh High Court
Judges : C.V.N.SASTRY
UMA DEVI - Appellant
Versus
SHAIK HUSSAIN (PLAINTIFF) - Respondent
Decided On : 11-20-98

Headnote:INDIAN REGISTRATION ACT - -Secs.17 & 18 - Suit for declaration of title and recovery of possession of suit property during course of trial - Defendant sought to tender document styled as "-Dä-ÌÖ àŸVÕ-öÞÓ-qµ¼ZµÁ-öÓ DCIàŸV-bŸVRR" (relinquishment deed) - Plaintiff raising objection for its admissibility - Lower Court held that document is relinquishment deed and not admissible evidence as not registered - Whether document is admissible in evidence or not primarily depends upon nature and contents of document and also facts and circumstances of each case - Nomenclature given to document is not decisive - Primary question to be considered is whether document by itself creates or extinguishes rights in immovable property worth more than Rs.100 - Document in question merely records terms of settlement arrived at between parties through intervention of mediators and it acknowledges receipt of certain amount by Plaintiff - Document cannot be construed as relinquishment deed whereunder rights in immovable property are extinguished or created first time - Document falls u/S.18(b) of Registration Act and as such registration is not compulsory, but it is only optional - Impugned order set aside.

C. V. N. SASTRY, J.

( 1 ) HEARD the learned Counsel on both sides.

( 2 ) THE question raised in this Civil Revision Petition relates to theadmissibilitv of a document dated 6-6-1984 which is styled as " andandand> and s^dj^tfea S5le$o3bo " (relinquishment deed) in evidence. The facts leading to the revision may be briefly stated.

( 3 ) THE petitioners herein are the defendants in O. S. No. 66 of 1992 on the file of the Court of the District Munsif, Medchal, Rangareddy District. The said suit is filed by the first respondent herein for declaration of title and for recovery of possession of the suit schedule property consisting of about 473 Sq. yards of site. The said property originally belonged to Asha ramanujam, the husband of the first petitioner and the father of the second petitioner. He sold the property to the first respondent herein under two sale deeds dated 30-7-1979 and 4-11-1981. However, some disputes arose between the parties in regard to the same. Thereupon the first respondent filed O. S. 47 of 1983 against Ramanujam for declaration of title and injunction. During the pendency of that suit, there was a compromise or settlement of the dispute on 6-6-1984. As per the said compromise, Ramanujam is stated to have paid a sum of Rs. 36,300/- to the first respondent in consideration of which the first respondent relinquished all his rights in the property and agreed to withdraw the suit. As per the said settlement the suit O. S. No. 47 of 1983 was not pursued and the same was dismissed for default on 15-4-1985. The alleged settlement is stated to have been recorded in a document dated 6-6-1984 allegedly executed by the first respondent on a stamp paper. During the course of the trial of the present suit, the petitioners sought to tender the document dated 6-6-1984 in evidence. On an objection raised by the first respondent with regard to its admissibility, the lower Court, by the impugned order dated 3-12-1997, held that the said document is a relinquishment deed in respect of immoveable property worth more than Rs. 100/- which is compulsorily registrable and the document is not admissible in evidence as it is not registered. Hence this revision. 3. The learned Counsel for the petitioners has contended that the document cannot be treated as a relinquishment deed. It is only an agreement or acknowledgment evidencing the compromise arrived at between the parties, that the document by itself does not create or extinguish rights in the property and as such it is not compulsorily registrable. It is also pointed out that there is a specific recital in the document to the effect that in case Ramanujam desires to have a registered document, the first respondent shall execute and register proper conveyance as and when demanded by Ramanujam. The learned counsel for the petitioners has also made an alternative submission that the document in question does not attract Section 17 of the Indian Registration act but it falls under Section 18 and as such registration is only optional but not compulsory.

( 4 ) ON the other hand, the learned Counsel appearing for the first respondent has contended that there are clear recitals in the document to the effect that a sum of Rs. 36,300/- was paid as consideration, that possession of the property was also delivered and that the executant has given up all his rights in the property and as such the document is a deed of relinquishment whereby the executant of the document purported to give up all his rights in the property and create rights in favour of Ramanujam. The learned Counsel for the first respondent, placing reliance on the judgment of this Court in b. Ramathulasamtm vs. Yedem Masthan Reddy contended that merely because the document contains a provision for execution of a registered deed in future, it cannot alter or change the nature of the document and it cannot be treated as an agreement.

( 5 ) IT is well settled that the question whether a document is admissible in evidence or not p




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