BIREN VAISHNAV, NISHA M. THAKORE
Mahendra Radheshyam Goyal – Appellant
Versus
LH of Patel Hasmukhbhai Harmanbhai – Respondent
JUDGMENT :
NISHA M. THAKORE, J.
1. The present appeal is filed by a partnership firm through his administrator partners who were the original plaintiffs in Special Civil Suit preferred by them seeking specific performance of agreement to sell as well as for declaration and permanent injunction in respect of the suit land. The learned Civil Judge while entertaining the application preferred by the present respondents – original defendants at Exh.22, under Order-VII Rule-11(a)(d) of the Code of Civil Procedure, has consequently rejected the suit by order dated 18th January, 2024 passed in Special Civil Suit no.102 of 2021.
2. In nutshell the averments made by the original plaintiff firm, in the plaint are as under :-
Basawaraj Vs. Land Acquisition Officer
Ghewarchand vs. Mahendra Singh
Popat and Kotecha Property v. SBI Staff Assn. (2005) 7 SCC 510
Pundlik Jalam Patil v. Jalgaon Medium Project (2008) 17 SCC 448: (2009) 5 SCC (Civ) 907
Rajender Singh v. Santa Singh (1973) 2 SCC 705: AIR 1973 SC 2537
The court reaffirmed that suits for specific performance must be filed within the limitation period, and failure to do so results in dismissal.
Court emphasized the impact of pandemic-related extensions on limitation periods, affirming that the suit, filed within the extended timeframe, was not barred by limitation.
The court ruled that the rejection of the plaint was erroneous as it did not consider the merits of the case, emphasizing that the issue of limitation is a mixed question of law and fact.
The main legal point established in the judgment is that the suit for Specific Performance of an Agreement to Sell was clearly barred by the law of limitation as per Article 54 of the Limitation Act,....
An agreement to sell is not void ab initio if it is subject to a condition that the seller will obtain the necessary permission from the authorities to convert the land from new tenure to old tenure ....
An agreement to sell agricultural land without prior permission from the Collector is void and unenforceable under tenancy laws.
A suit for specific performance requires a valid written agreement, and claims must be filed within the limitation period; failure to meet these conditions results in dismissal.
The court ruled that a civil suit for specific performance must be filed within three years from the refusal to perform, reinforcing that delay and lack of sufficient pleading detail bar such claims.
Time is not the essence of a contract for sale of immovable property unless expressly stated; mere delay does not bar specific performance if circumstances justify it.
A sale agreement signed solely by the vendor is enforceable, and no fixed date of performance in an agreement allows suit filing within three years of notice of refusal.
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