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2003 Supreme(Bom) 1378

Bombay High Court

Ushabai w/o Sharadchandra Bannore
vs
Wasudeo s/o Baliramji Mehare and Ors.
Appellants : Ushabai w/o Sharadchandra Bannore Respondents: Wasudeo s/o Baliramji Mehare and Ors. Judgment Date: 11, December, 2003 Citations: 2004-MhLJ-2-594 Judges:S.T. Kharche, J.

Headnote:Evidence Act, 1872 - Section 83 - for maps or plans to be admissible, these are required to be proved by the person who has prepared them. 1953 NLJ Note 230; AIR 1966 SC 644 - Referred to.

JUDGMENT

S.T. Kharche, J.

.1. Heard finally and disposed of at the admission stage itself.

.This appeal is directed against the judgment and decree dated 27-4-2000 passed by the Joint District Judge, Akola, in Reg. Civil Appeal No, 14 of 1998 arising out of the judgment and decree dated 15-12-1997 passed by the Civil Judge, Jr. Dn., Murtizapur in Regular Civil Suit No. 73 of 1996.

.2. The learned counsel for the appellant contended that the agricultural land bearing Survey No. 46, admeasuring 2 hectares 41 Ares, is owned by the appellant/plaintiff. The respondent No. 1 is the father of respondents/defendants 2 to 4 and they are the owners of agricultural land bearing Survey No. 26/3. Defendant No. 1 is the Manager of the Joint Hindu Family and they are cultivating their land. He contended that the plaintiff had filed suit for removal of the encroachment and recovery of possession. He contended that the trial Court on consideration of the evidence adduced by the parties dismissed the suit and appeal was carried to the District

.Court. The appellate Court dismissed the appeal and hence the plaintiff has filed this second appeal challenging the findings of both the Courts below.

2. 3. The learned counsel for the appellant contended that admittedly there was no joint measurements of the fields owned by the parties through the cadastral surveyor and, therefore, the matter deserves to be remanded to the trial Court for fresh decision in accordance with law after making appointment for Commissioner.

3. 4. It is not in dispute that the plaintiff is the owner of agricultural land bearing Survey No. 46 and the defendants are the owners of agricultural land bearing Survey No. 46/3 which is on the South-East side from the plaintiffs land. The learned counsel for the plaintiff contended that the plaintiff is ready to bear the expenses of the measurements. Therefore, this Court is of the considered opinion that this is a fit case which deserves to be remanded to the trial Court for fresh decision according to law.

4. 5. Section 83 of the Indian Evidence Act, 1872 lays down that the Court shall presume that the maps or plans purporting to be made by the authority of the Central Govt. or any State Govt. were so made and are accurate; but maps or plans made for the purpose of any cause must be proved to be accurate. (emphasis supplied).

.6. Bare reading of the aforesaid provision would reveal that the maps or plans made for the purpose of any cause must be proved to be accurate. The onus of proving that such a map is accurate lies on the party who produced it. The maps must be proved by the person who has prepared them. They are post litem motesa and lack necessary trustworthiness. Where the maps are made for the purpose of a suit there is, even apart from fraud which may exist, a tendency to colour, exaggerate

.and favour which can only be countenanced by swearing the maker to the trust of his plan. Hence, there is no presumption of accuracy in respect of the map or plan which is made for a particular cause and it goes without saying that a map prepared for the purpose of a particular suit must, therefore, be duly proved and it is not admissible in evidence in absence of proof of its accuracy. In any case, in which there is a dispute about an encroachment or dimension of a site, the first essential is to get an agreed map and if the parties cannot agree on one, a Commissioner must be appointed to prepare the same and/or subsequent reference in the pleadings or judgment to place the mark on a map should be referred to this map which must be attached to the decree and signed by the Judge. In the absence of such a map, the decree is probably meaningless and execution means virtually starting the case over all again. The map should be drawn with the North at the top and letters marking points should not be put in side ways or upside down.

5. 7. I may usefully refer the decision of our High Court in the case of Krishnarao v. Mahadeorao 1953 NLJ Not






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