1965 Supreme(Pat) 115
PATNA HIGH COURT
U.N.Sinha, J.
Jang Bahadur Mishra
Versus
Nawal Kishore Mishra
Appeal From Appellate Decree No. 882 of 1963 ; 917 of 1963 ;
Decided On : OCTOBER 27, 1965
A deed of gift executed by a purdanishin lady is not binding on her unless the legal implications of the deed have been explained to her and she has deliberately agreed to the transaction.
Headnote:
DEED OF GIFT - VALIDITY - PURDANISHIN LADY - CONSENT - HINDU WOMENS ESTATE - RIGHTS - ALIENATION - RESTRICTIONS - INTERPRETATION.
Fact of the Case:
Plaintiffs filed a suit for a declaration that two sale deeds executed by Ramkali, a purdanishin lady, in favor of the defendants were not binding on them. Ramkali had acquired the properties under a deed of gift executed by her husband, Jhingur, who had died in 1941. The plaintiffs claimed that Ramkali had only a life interest in the properties and no power of alienation, while the defendants contended that she had acquired an absolute estate under the deed of gift.
Finding of the Court:
The court held that the deed of gift was not binding on Ramkali as she was a purdanishin lady and the legal implications of the deed had not been explained to her. The court also held that Ramkali had acquired a Hindu Womans estate under the deed of gift and that the restrictions on alienation were valid.
Issues: 1. Whether the deed of gift executed by Jhingur Mishra was genuine and valid? 2. Whether the terms mentioned in the compromise in P. S. No. 97 of 1952 are actually the terms settled between the parties, i.e., Jhingur Mishra and defendant No. 4 or they are fraudulent? Whether the compromise and deed of gift are binding on defendant No. 4 and Jhingur Mishra and the plaintiffs? 3. Whether defendant No. 4 got absolute estate through the deed of gift and compromise of only life interest?
Ratio Decidendi: 1. A deed of gift executed by a purdanishin lady is not binding on her unless the legal implications of the deed have been explained to her and she has deliberately agreed to the transaction. 2. A Hindu woman who acquires property under a deed of gift acquires a Hindu Womans estate, which is a limited interest with restrictions on alienation. 3. Restrictions on alienation imposed on a Hindu Womans estate are valid.
Final Decision: The court allowed both appeals and reversed the decree of the court of appeal below, restoring the decree of the trial court which had dismissed the plaintiffs' suit.
U.N.Sinha, J.
1. These two appeals have been preferred by two different sets of defendants. Second Appeal No. 882 of 1963 has been filed by defendants Nos. 1, 2 and 3. Second Appeal No. 917 of 1963 has been filed by defendant No. 4. Both these appeals arise out of one single suit instituted by the common plaintiffs respondents. The plaintiffs suit had been dismissed by the trial Court and, on appeal, the suit has been decreed and the two sets of defendants have come up to this court in their own appeals. The appeals have been heard together and this judgment will govern both of them.
2. The plaintiffs case was as follows: One Makham Mishra had three sons named Gudar Mishra, Jhingur Mishra and Kirit Mishra. Gudar had three sons named Anutha, Daroga and Ramjit. Anuthas son is Nawal, who is one of the plaintiffs. Darogas son named Chandreshwar is another plaintiff. The third plaintiff is Asharfi, son of Kirit. Jhingur had a son named Jageshwar, who had died leaving behind him a son named Ramlobhit and a daughter named Ramsikil Devi by one of his wives. Jhingur had married a second time and the second wife is Ramkali Devi, who is defendant No. 4 and the appellant in second Appeal No. 917 of 1963. It was alleged that the three sons of Makham were separate and the properties in dispute were in the branch of Jhingur. Jugeshwar had died during the lifetime of Jhingur, leaving Ramlobhit. (Sic) had also died during the lifetime of Jhingur. The plaintiffs had alleged that on the facts stated above, Jhingur had half interest in the properties of the joint family consisting of himself and his descendants, and Ramlobhit and Ramkali had one-fourth interest eack. It was said that after Ramlobhits death, his interest had devolved on Jhingur and thus Jhingur had three fourths interest.
On the 5th August, 1951, Jhingur executed a will by which he conferred life-interest in 2 bighas and 3.1/2 kathas of land on Ramkali and gave the other properties to the plaintiffs. When Ramkali knew of this matter, she filed a partition suit numbered as 97 of 1951, claiming half share in the properties. The suit was compromised by the intervention of well-wishers and Jhingur executed a deed of gift in favour of Ramkali, giving all the properties to her for her life. She was given no power of alienation, and by that deed of gift, all the properties were to devolve on the plaintiffs after Ramkalis death. It was alleged that Ramkali had agreed to the terms of this gift and had accepted the same. It was further alleged that in accordance with this deed of gift, a petition of compromise was filed in the partition suit and the suit was dismissed on the terms of the compromise. But, according to the plaintiffs, although Ramkali had not been given any power of alienation over the properties by the deed of gift, certain terms were incorporated in the compromise petition which had never been agreed upon and which were against the terms of the deed of gift. According to the plaintiffs, further, certain terms which had been agreed upon for the compromise were omitted from the petition of compromise on account of the fraud committed by one Rampadarath Missir, Bahnoi of Ramkali. According to the plaintiffs, neither by the petition of compromise filed in the partition suit nor by the deed of gift, Ramkali had any absolute right in Jhingurs properties and, therefore, she had no power of alienation. The plaintiffs case was that two sale deeds executed by Ramkali in favour of the defendants first party, who are the appellants in Second Appeal No. 882 of 1963, were not binding on the plaintiffs and the plaintiffs were entitled to a declaration to that effect.
3. The suit was contested by defendants Nos. 1 to 3 and 4, who had filed separate written statements. The defence was really the same and the substance of it was as follows.
It was contended that Ramlobhit had died before his father, Jugeshwar, during the life-time of Jhingur, and, therefore, Ramkali had half share in