IN THE HIGH COURT OF BOMBAY
B.P. DHARMADHIKARI, J.
Smt. Shyamabai w/o Shriram Sharma (since deceased) - APPELLANTS
Versus
Ramkisan s/o Prabhatilal Mittal, - RESPONDENT
FIRST APPEAL NO. 325 OF 1992
DECIDED ON: 19-12-2007
Specific Relief Act, 1963 - Sections 10 and 19(b)-Suit for specific performance.-Filed by plaintiff without impleading the legal heirs of defendant No. 1 decreed by Court. Appeal preferred against. It was held that decree of trial Court has already been questioned by defendant No. 1 in appeal and appellant 2 and 3 have been brought on record as defendant Nos. 2 and 3 by plaintiff and trial Court had directed, they with defendant No. 1 should execute deed in favour of plaintiff. Hence, suit is liable to be dismissed. Respondent can’t contend that appeal at their instance is not maintenable appeal/deserves to be allowed.
Specific Relief Act, 1963 - Sections 10 and 19(b)-Time for performance of contract.-Suit for specific performance decreed by the trial Court holding that time is not essence of contract. Plaintiff promised to pay the remaining amount within 3 months but could not do so. Defendants gave several notice but plaintiff did not make payment. It was held that parties showed by their conduct that time is essence of contract. Order of trial Court set aside.
Specific Relief Act, 1963 - Section 16(c)-Burden on proof.-It was held that burden to prove fact that plaintiff was ready and willing to pay was on plaintiff, but he failed to do so. On other hand defendant produced the copies of notice of demand. In such case burden is on plaintiff.
Transfer of Property Act, 1882 - Section 52-Suit for specific performance.-Suit filed without impleading the legal heirs of defendant No. 1. Decreed by Court. Appeal preferred against. It was held that decree of trial Court has already been a questioned by defendant No. 1 in appeal and appellant 2 and 3 by plaintiff himself and trial Court had directed, they with defendant should execute deed in favour of plaintiff. Hence suit is liable to be dismissed.
Transfer of Property Act, 1882 - Section 52-Time for performance.-Suit for specific performance decreed by the trial Court holding that time is not essence of contract. As of fact plaintiff promised to pay the remaining amount within 3 months but could not do so. Defendant gave several notices but plaintiff failed to make payment. It was held that parties showed by their conduct that time is essence of contract.
2. The case of Respondent Plaintiff is that on 5/10/1986 an agreement was reached with present Appellant Defendant by which she agreed to sell a house property at Nagpur for total consideration of Rs. 3,01,000/-only (i.e. Three lakhs One thousand only) and received earnest amount of Rs.5,000/-(Five thousand only). Balance amount of Rs.2,96,000/-(Two lakhs Ninety six thousand only) was to be paid at the time of execution and registration of sale deed which was to be executed within period of three months. Defendant had claimed therein payment of Rs.50,000/-only by 14/10/1986 but that condition was redundant in view of specific understanding about the point of time at which entire balance sell consideration was to be paid. He requested Defendant several times to execute sale deed and he also approached her with amount of Rs.50,000/-on 14/10/86 but she refused to accept because she wanted to back out. He forwarded notice dated 30/12/1986 but Defendant avoided to execute any sale deed and forwarded on 18/6/1987 false telegram that in spite of two registered notices sent by her, Plaintiff failed to pay balance consideration and obtain sale deed. She threatened to sell the house to other purchaser if Plaintiff failed to obtain sale deed within 7 days. He further contended that in this notice Defendant did not claim that agreement stood cancelled for non-payment of amount of Rs.50,000/-on 14/10/86 and thereby she waived said condition. He further stated that on 29/6/1987 he met Defendant-1 and requested her to execute sale deed but she did not and then he received notice dated 19/8/87 from her (Defendant) alleging that he had no sufficient funds to purchase the property and agreement was cancelled. He alleged in his plaint that he was always ready and willing to perform his part of contract. He further alleged that cause of action accrued on 5/1/1987 which was last date for obtaining sale deed. He filed suit on 12/10/1989 and joined original Appellant No. 1 Smt. Shyamabai only as sole Defendant. It appears that during pendency of suit, original Defendant sold the house property to present Appellants Nos. 2 and 3 in July 1991 and hence Plaintiff brought them on record before Trial Court as Defendants Nos. 2 and 3. Details of this event are also required to be considered while appreciating the rival arguments and hence, I, do not find it necessary to mention the same here.
3. Defendant landlady filed her written statement denying agreement dated 5/10/86 and contended that it was only acknowledgment for Rs.5,000/-. Formal agreement for sale was agreed to be drawn if Plaintiff paid further amount of Rs.50,000/-between 12 and 14 October 1986 failing which promise to sale was to stand cancelled and amount of earnest was to be forfeited. She further pleaded that sale deed was to be completed by 5/1/1987 and time was essence of contract. She requested Plaintiff to supply her copy of said receipt on several occasions by registered letters and orally but Plaintiff deliberately did not supply it because of forfeiture clause contained therein. She denied that Plaintiff at any time requested her to execute sale deed and contended that on the contrary she forwarded notice and telegram for that purpose. She denied that amount of Rs.50,000/-was offered to her b
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