Gujarat High Court
B. K. MEHTA
Amarsing Ratansing - Appellant
Versus
Gosai Mohangir Somvargir - Respondent
Second Appeal No.271 of 1965
Decided On : 07/08/1971
Succession Act - Section 126 - Evidence Act – Gift Deed - Executants would at her cost and expense remove said objection or obstruction - It was further directed documents constituting title in respect said property were to be collected after death - On considering above gist document it is very clear that deceased intended to convey and confer title immediately subject to her right of residence lifetime - It was nothing more than reservation of life interest property - Mere fact of reservation of life interest in property would not convert a deed of gift into a testamentary instrument - Other test there is any right of reservation, impliedly or expressly, for revocation of an instrument - Held, At time of hearing of this appeal advocate appearing on behalf appellants has raised two contentions namely on true construction and effect of document it was in nature of a testamentary instrument and that it was not a deed it is found Court that real nature of transaction was that of a gift deed it was not legally and validly attested - Advocate appellants has submitted that document transaction was not to be effective but was to take effect demise as it was clear from three speaking circumstances reservation life interest right of use and enjoyment property by after demise of mutation in city survey registers payment of taxes and handing over of documents constituting title only after demise - Now it is settled position of law that in order to determine real nature of transaction court have to look document itself and attendant circumstances said document if there are any - Appeal dismissed
In this appeal two questions arise, namely, the document, Ex.45, under which the plaintiffs who are respondents Nos.1 to 3 before me claimed possession of the property from the defendants who are appellants Nos.1 and 2 and respondent No.3 before me, was in the nature of a gift deed or a will and. secondly, if it was a gift deed whether it was legally and validly attested. The said questions arise in the following circumstances.
The plaintiffs filed a suit in the Court of Third Joint Civil Judge (J.D.) at Baroda being Regular Civil Suit No.691 of 1961 for recovery of the possession of a residential building bearing census No.Ba/4,409 situated at Siyabaug, Babajipura. Baroda from the defendants. They were claiming the title of the property under the deed of gift, Ex.45, executed by one Bai Andar the widow of Rama Rayji executed on September 2, 1946. By the said gift the said Bai Andar gifted all her properties to the plaintiff No.3 Bai Chanchal who happened to be her niece, being husband's brother's daughter, out of natural love and affection. It was however, admitted in the said gift deed that the said Bai Andar shall have a life interest in the suit building and on her demise the property was to be mutated in record of rights and all the Municipal and other taxes were to be paid by the plaintiff No.3 who was authorised and directed to collect documents constituting title deeds to the property after the demise of the said Bai Andar. On May 2, 1961, the said Bai Andar expired, after her death the plaintiff No.3 sold the suit property to plaintiffs Nos.1 and 2 on May 16, 1961 for a consideration of Rs.1999/- and thus the plaintiffs Nos.1 and 2 became owners of the suit properties. It was the case of the plaintiffs that the defendants Nos.1 and 2 were distant relatives of said Bai Andar and they entered upon the suit premises on the pretext of performing funeral rights and obsequies after the death of Bai Andar. It was further alleged that the defendants Nos.1 and 2 picked up quarrel with plaintiff No.3 and were trying to drive her out of the suit building. As the defendants continued to remain in wrongful possession of the suit property and as the defendant No.3 was the tenant of one of the rooms of the said property, who were not willing to hand over the possession to the plaintiffs, a suit was filed for possession of property from the defendants and for mesne profits for the period of wrongful occupation of the property. The defendants Nos.1 and 2 resisted the suit contending, inter alia, that the said Bai Andar had executed the last will and testament on April 7, 1961, by which she revoked her all previous wills and bequeathed the suit property to defendants Nos.1 and 2. It was specifically contended by the defendants that Ex.45 though ostensibly a gift deed was in effect and substance a will which was, therefore, revoked by the last will and testament dated April 7, 1961 by the said Bai Andar. As the defendants Nos.1 and 2 had become the owners under the said will, the plaintiff No.3 had no right to sell the property to plaintiffs Nos.1 and 2 and, therefore, they were not entitled to the relief for possession. On these pleadings the learned trial Judge raised issues and found that the plaintiff No.2, had become absolute owner of the suit property under the gift deed of September 2, 1946; and that the defendants have failed to prove that the said deceased Bai Andar had executed a last will and testament on April 7, 1961, bequeathing the said property to the defendants Nos.1 and 2, and therefore, the plaintiffs were not entitled to recover the possession of the property. The defendants, therefore, being aggrieved with the said judgment and decree of the learned Civil Judge (J.D.) went in appeal before the learned District Judge, Baroda by their Civil Appeal No.345 of 1963 which was also dismissed by him. The learned District Judge found that document, Ex.45 was a deed of gift and not a testamentary instrument and as r
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