IN THE HIGH COURT OF BOMBAY
(V. A. Naik J.)
SAHEBRAO RITPURE (Defendant) - Petitioner
v.
DATTATRAYA KRISHNAJEE (Plaintiff) - Respondent.
Advocates appeared
For petitioner-M. L. Dudhat for R.W. Adik.
For respondent No. 1-M.G. Choudhary.
For respondent No. 2-P. R. Mukhedkar.
HYDERABAD TENANCY AND AGRICULTURAL LANDS ACT, 1950 - SECTIONS 34, 35, 36, 37, 37A, 38, 38E - CERTIFICATE ISSUED UNDER SECTION 38(6) - ADMISSIBILITY IN EVIDENCE - REGISTRATION - CONCLUSIVE EVIDENCE OF SALE.
Fact of the Case:
Plaintiff filed a suit in ejectment against defendant No.2, alleging forcible dispossession from the land in suit by defendant No.2's husband, Sahebrao, who died in 1950 leaving defendant No.1 as the only heir. Defendant No.2 claimed to be a tenant of defendant No.1 and produced a certificate issued under section 38(6) of the Hyderabad Tenancy and Agricultural Lands Act, 1950, as evidence of his purchase of the land. The trial court held that the certificate required registration under section 17(1) of the Indian Registration Act and was inadmissible under section 49 of the same Act.
Finding of the Court:
The court held that the certificate issued under section 38(6) of the Hyderabad Tenancy and Agricultural Lands Act, 1950, is admissible in evidence and does not require registration. The court found that the certificate is conclusive evidence of the sale as against the landholder and all persons interested therein, and that the Legislature did not contemplate the need for registering the certificate.
Issues: Whether the certificate issued under section 38(6) of the Hyderabad Tenancy and Agricultural Lands Act, 1950, is admissible in evidence.
Ratio Decidendi: The court interpreted section 38(6) of the Hyderabad Tenancy and Agricultural Lands Act, 1950, and held that the certificate issued thereunder is conclusive evidence of the sale as against the landholder and all persons interested therein. The court also found that the Legislature did not contemplate the need for registering the certificate.
Final Decision: The court allowed the revision application, set aside the decision of the trial court, and directed that the certificate be admitted in evidence.
2. Defendant No. I appeared and admitted the plaintiffs claim. Defendant No.2 contended that the land in dispute was gifted to Sahebrao by Krishnaji on the ground that Sahebrao happened to be an illegitimate son of Krishnaji. According to defendant No.2, he started cultivating the land as tenant of defendant No.1 since 1955. Defendant No.2 alleged that defendant No. 1 entered into a deed agreeing to sell the land for a sum of Rs. 2,500. A deed of agreement was executed and Rs. 2,000 were paid under the agreement. The remaining amount was stipulated to be pail) at the time of the execution of the sale-deed. Since defendant No.1 did not fulfil the contract, he filed a suit for specific performance (Suit No. 24 of 1958) and on admission by defendant No. 1, the suit has also been decreed. Defendant No. 1 did not execute the sale deed in pursuance of the decree for specific performance. Therefore defendant No. 1 applied to the Agricultural Lands Tribunal under s. 38 (3). The Tribunal determined the price and defendant No.2 deposited the amount before the Tribunal. It appears that after the written statement, a certificate was issued under s. 38 (6) of the Hyderabad Tenancy Act. Before the framing of the issues defendant No.2 tendered the certificate in evidence. The plaintiff objected to the admissibility of the document. The trial Court held that the document required registration under s. 17 (1) and inasmuch as it bas not been registered it is not admissible under s. 49 of the Indian Registration Act. It is against that decision that defendant No. 2 has come up in revision. The only point for consideration is whether the certificate is admissible in evidence or not. 3. Before considering the question of the admissibility or otherwise, it is necessary to refer to the provisions contained in Chapter 4, relating to protected tenants. Section 34 defines a protected tenant to mean a tenant in respect of land if he-
(a) has held such land as a tenant continuously-
(i) for a period of not less than six years, being a period wholly included in the Fasli years 1342 to 1352 (both years inclusive), or
(ii) for a period of not less than six years immediately preceding the 1st day of January 1948, or
(iii) for a period of not less than six years commencing not earlier than the, 1st day of the Fasli Year 1353 (6th October 1943), and completed before the commencement of this Act, and
(b) has cultivated such land personally during such period.
Section 35 relates to decisions on claims and s. 36 relates to the recovery of possession by a protected tenant. They are not relevant for the present discussion. Section 37 embodies the definition of deemed tenant and provides that
"Every person who at the commencement of this Act holds as tenant any land in respect of which no person is deemed to be a protected tenant under section 34, shall, on the expiration of one year from such commencement or, the final rejection of all claims by any other person to be deemed under section 34 to be a protected tenant in respect of such land ... "
4. Section 37 also relates to another category o
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