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2005 Supreme(Kar) 681

Karnataka High Court
Santosh - Appellant
Versus
Saraswathibai - Respondent
Decided On : 11-15-05
R.S.A. : 276 of 2003

Advocates:
G.S.VISHVESHVARA, Manikappa Patil

Headnote:Hindu Law -Partition -Partition -Availability of property given to Hindu female in lieu of maintenance - Effect after Hindu Succession Act, 1956 came into force. See, Hindu Succession Act, 1956 -Section 14.

       Partition Act, 1893 -Partition of property given to Hindu female in lieu of maintenance after Hindu Succession Act, 1956 came into force, she becomes absolute owner of that property -If there are limitations on right of such female over the property including a reversion clause, have no effect whatsoever -Such property is not amenable to partition inspite of limitation and reversion clause. [V. G.Sabhahit, J]: The First Appellate Court was justified in holding that notwithstanding the reversion clause recited in EX.D1 in view of the contents of Ex.D1 and the fact that she was already in possession of the property even prior to the decree passed under EX.D1 as the same was given to her in lieu of her maintenance which is contained in EX.D1, it is held that finding of the First Appellate Court holding that Sundrabai had become the absolute owner of the schedule property in view of the provisions of Section 14(1) of the Act is justified and provisions of Section 14(2) of the Act is not applicable to the facts of the case and question of moulding the relief for partition would not arise in view of the above said finding that Section 14(1) of the Act was applicable and Sundrabai was absolute owner of the Schedule property. It is also clear from the perusal of the material on record that as per the averments made in the plaint, Sundrabai was divided from the family and she was allotted the Schedule property and a house and wherefore, question of filing suit for partition by Sundrabai does not arise in respect of other properties.

       . Cases Referred: AIR 1998 SC 2401; AIR 1987 SC 353 Followed: (1996) 1 SCC 35.

       Hindu Succession Act, 1956 -Property in lieu of maintenance -Section 14 -Property in lieu of maintenance -Property given to Hindu female after commencement of the Act -She becomes absolute owner of that property -If there are limitations on right of such female over the property including a reversion clause, have no effect whatsoever -Such property is not amenable to partition inspite of limitation and reversion clause. [V. G.Sabhahit, J]: The First Appellate Court was justified in holding that notwithstanding the reversion clause recited in EX.D1 in view of the contents of Ex.D1 and the fact that she was already in possession of the property even prior to the decree passed under EX.D1 as the same was given to her in lieu of her maintenance which is contained in EX.D1, it is held that finding of the First Appellate Court holding that Sundrabai had become the absolute owner of the schedule property in view of the provisions of Section 14(1) of the Act is justified and provisions of Section 14(2) of the Act is not applicable to the facts of the case and question of moulding the relief for partition would not arise in view of the above said finding that Section 14(1) of the Act was applicable and Sundrabai was absolute owner of the Schedule property. It is also clear from the perusal of the material on record that as per the averments made in the plaint, Sundrabai was divided from the family and she was allotted the Schedule property and a house and wherefore, question of filing suit for partition by Sundrabai does not arise in respect of other properties.

       Cases Referred: AIR 1998 SC 2401; AIR 1987 SC 353 Followed: (1996) 1 SCC 35.

( 1 ) THIS appeal by the defendants is directed against the judgment and decree passed by the Court of District. Judge, Bidar, in R. A. No. 32/2000 dated 2-1-2003 allowing the appeal and setting aside the judgment and decree passed by the court of Civil Judge (Sr Dn.), basavakalyana, in O. S. No. 210/1993 dated 11-8-2000 and decreeing the suit of the plaintiff as prayed for, for declaration of title and injunction against the defendants.

( 2 ) THE essential facts of the case leading upto this appeal with reference to the rank of the parties before the trial Court are as follows : the plaintiffs filed the suit for declaration of their title to the schedule property and for permanent injunction against the defendants from interfering with the peaceful possession and enjoyment of the schedule property. The suit schedule property is described as 6 acres 33 guntas of land in sy. No. 73 situated at Khandala village, basavakalyana Taluk.

( 3 ) IT is averred in the plaint that the plaintiffs are the daughters of Sundrabai wife of trimukhrao Patil. Defendant No. 4 is the step mother of the plaintiffs. Defendant No. 3 is the widow of defendant No. 4's son and defendants 1 and 2 are the sons of defendant no. 3. Defendants 1 and 2 were minors and they are under the care and protection of the real mother-defendant No. 3. It is averred in the plaint that Sundrabai was the absolute owner in possession of the schedule property in Sy. No. 73 measuring 6 acres 33 guntas. She was the divided member of the family and she was residing separately from the defendants in House no. 1 -9 situated at Khandala village and the suit land was allotted to her share. The mother of the plaintiffs was cultivating the suit land personally as absolute owner and after her death on 16-10-1992 the plaintiffs being the daughters who are only heirs have succeeded to their property owned by sundrabai. However, since the defendants filed objections before the Village Accountant for entering the name of the plaintiffs and also tried to interfere with the possession and enjoyment of the suit schedule property, the suit was filed for declaration of title and injunction.

( 4 ) THE suit was resisted by the defendants by filing written statement denying the material averments made in the plaint that sundrabai mother of the plaintiffs was the absolute owner of the schedule property. It is contended that the property was allotted to Sundrabai in compromise decree that was passed in O. S. No. 34/1954 in lieu of her maintenance and as per the terms of compromise decree, the property has reverted back to defendants 1 and 2 in the said suit viz. , defendant No. 4 in the present suit and wherefore, after the death of Sundrabai the property has reverted to defendant No. 4 as per the terms of compromise decree in O. S. No. 34/64 and wherefore plaintiffs do not have any property to inherit as property has reverted as per compromise decree in o. S. No. 34/64 and wherefore the suit is liable to be dismissed.

( 5 ) THE trial Court framed issues on the basis of the above pleading. On behalf of the plaintiffs, the first plaintiff was examined as PW. 1 and also examined PW-2 and got marked Exs. P1 to P29. On behalf of the defendants, third defendant was examined as DW. 1, defendant also examined as DWs. 2 and 35 and got marked Ex. D1 - compromise deed and Exs. D2 to D4. The trial Court after considering the contention of the parties and the material on record answered the issues in favour of the plaintiffs by holding that the property was allotted to sundrabai in lieu of maintenance after coming into force of the Hindu Succession Act (for short 'the Act') and in the compromise decree Ex. D1 itself it is stated that schedule property had been in possession of sundrabai even prior to the said compromise decree in O. S. 34/64 as per Ex. D1 and wherefore the trial Court held that Ex. Dl is the compromise decree entered into between the parties which has become final and as per the said compromis













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