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2007 Supreme(Kar) 299

Karnataka High Court
Judges : H.V.G RAMESH
SANNAMMA - Appellant
Versus
SHIVANNA - Respondent
Regular Second Appeal 866 Of 1999
Decided On : 05/29/2007

Headnote:Minor - Share of - Alivenation of natural guardian - Permissibility.

       Cases Referred: 2005 (7) SC 610; CMP No. 83/2005.

       Hindu Minority and Guardianship Act, 1956 - Section 11 - Bar under - Disposal of minor s share by natural guardian along with her share - If the bar applies. [H.V.G. Ramesh, J.]: In so far as the right of the mother who is a natural guardian to dispose of the property, the possessionof the mother of the plaintiffs in the instant case is nto only as a guardian but it also appears to be the case of an elderly member of the joint family and whether she could have sold the joint fmaily proeprty. Of course there is a rider under Section 11 to seek permission of the Court before such alienation but, however, the Apex Court in the judgment in Narayan Bal s case cited supra is of the view that no such permission was necessary when the entire joint family proeprty is sold includig the share of the minors. Under such circumstance, th ejoint family property if it is sold by the mother of the plaintiffs including her share nad that of the minors, then the proeprty has to be treated as a legal entity capable of being acted through its kartha and other adult members of the joint family in the management of the joint family proerty. Further, in the above cited decision, it is also observed that even Sectoin 8 will nto come in the way of disposing of the undivided interest of the minors in the joint faamily proeprty. However, whether there was lega necessity or not is disputed question of fact.

       Cases Referred: 2005 (7) SC 610; CMP No. 83/2005.

       Guardian - Alienation of minor s share by - Permissibility.

       Cases Referred: 2005 (7) SC 610; CMP No. 83/2005.

RAMESH, J.

( 1 ) THIS second appeal is against the order of the Civil Judge (Sr. Dvn ). , Nanjangud in RA 17/1998 by order dated 26. 8. 1999 wherein the lower appellate court has passed an order on remand by this Court in RSA 506/1994 wherein this Court had directed the lower appellate court to consider whether the sale is valid without the court permission; whether the mother can be a defacto guardian entitled to act under S. 11 and whether such a sale is valid; whether there is any legal necessity in the eye of law; even if it be held, whether the sale is binding so far as the mother's share is concerned. While answering the above points raised by this Court, the lower appellate court dismissed the appeal filed

( 2 ) BY the defendants. Hence, this appeal. As it transpires, the original suit property bearing Sy. No. 4/1 measuring 3. 30 acres situate at Madalli Village of Nanjangud taluk was mortgaged by one Nanjundappa in favour of the deceased Mallappa on 10. 9. 1956 for a sum of Rs. 2,500/- It appears subsequently the mortgagor Nanjundappa is shown to have disappeared and on the presumption of natural civil death, his wife has sold the property in the year 1963 in favour of mallappa the mortgagee stating family necessities and as well as for discharging the mortgage debt. Thereafter, the plaintiffs filed a suit challenging the sale deed by their mother. The said suit was contested by the defendants alleging that for family and legal necessities the property was sold by the mother of the plaintiffs and that in continuation of the usufrctuary mortgage there was such a sale by the mother of the plaintiffs in favour of the defendants and the question of survival of the mortgage right does not arise. The trial court having raised as many as seven issues, decreed the suit for redemption against which defendants preferred an appeal before the Civil Judge (Sr. Dvn ). The appeal came to be dismissed while confirming the order of the trial court. Against the said order, second appeal was preferred by the defendants before this Court and in the earlier round of the second appeal, there was an order of remand to the appellate court on the points raised as noted above. On such remand also, on suffering an order of dismissal, the defendants are before this Court assailing the order of both the courts below on various grounds.

( 3 ) HEARD the counsel for the appellants and the respondents. It is the submission of the appellants that though the suit filed by the plaintiffs was for redemption and possession and for mesne profits in respect of the suit property, since there was a sale deed in respect of the defendants, the mortgage right merged with the sale deed and, as to the contention of the defendants that, it is a subsequent sale by the mother of the plaintiffs in favour of the defendants, there was no denial by way of pleading except the oral evidence. The plaintiffs not even examined their mother who executed the sale deed in favour of the defendants and in the absence of any such denial, there was no question of considering the case of the plaintiffs for allowing the suit for redemption as the mortgage right has merged with the sale. It is further submitted that even on the question of right to sell the minors' property is concerned, as per the decision of the Apex Court in the case of narayan BAL vs SRIDHAR SUTAR referring to S. 8, the Apex Court has held that any member of the family or the kartha in the management of the joint family property can alienate the property in the family which involves an undivided interest of the minor in the said joint family and accordingly submitted that the bar under S. 11 of the Hindu Minority and Guardianship Act, 1956 will not come in the way of disposal of the property by the mother of the minors in the joint family in the undivided interest. Accordingly, it is submitted that the finding of the trial court as well as the appellate court are perverse. To a similar effect, learned counsel also










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