Gauhati High Court
Nishitendu Chaudhury, J.
Binode Das and Ors. -Appellant
Versus
Sarumai Patangia and Ors. -Resopndent
RSA No.19 of 2001
Decided On : 18-06-2013
Penal Code, 1860 – Sections 427, 448, 352, 506 – Limitation Act, 1963 – Section 27 – Acquisition of title – Possession – Whether the plaintiffs who have been dispossessed from the suit land during pendency of the Title Suit filed by the defendants are entitled to recovery of khas possession if it is established on evidence in record that they have acquired title by adverse possession. – Whether title acquired by adverse possession stood extinguished because of dis-possession of the plaintiffs from the suit land during pendency of T.S. – Whether learned counsel below fell in error in deciding adversely the question of acquisition of title by adverse possession by non-consideration of relevant evidence, either oral or documentary – Whether a suit for declaration of title on the basis of the claim of adverse possession is maintainable in view of the provision of section 27 of the Limitation Act, 1963 – Held, It becomes difficult to accept as to whether a suit for a declaration of title at all can be based on the claim of the adverse possession and this takes us to the additional substantial question of law framed in this second appeal – It appears such a question came up for consideration in the case ofBhim Singh v. Zile Singh, AIR 2006 P&H 195 and it has been held that such suit shall not be maintainable. – Same was the view expressed by the honble Delhi Court in the case Premnath Wadhwan v. Inder Rai Wadhwan. The case of Bhim Singh v. Zile Singh has received consideration of the honble Supreme Court in the case of State of Haryana v. Mukesh Kumar, (2011) 10 SCO 404. – However, the honble Supreme Court has not expressed any opinion as to the correctness of the judgment. – Be that as it may in view of what has been sated above conclusion, therefore, has to drawn that a suit for declaration on the basis of adverse possession is not maintainable. – The last substantial question of law is, thus, decided in the negative and against the plaintiffs/appellants. – Concept of forfeiture of private property if the real owner abandons it, has received constitutional recognition in article 296. – Article 296 of the Constitution mandates that if the owner abandons the property the same accrues to His Majesty or as the case may be to the ruler of the Indian states state by escheat or as Bona vacantia to the Union or the State as the case may be depending on the fact as to where the property is situate. – So, corresponding to extinguishment of title of the real owner there may be vesting of the property to the state or Union by bona Vacantia there cannot be a corresponding or deemed vesting of title to third party. – Second Appeal Dismissed
(i) Whether the plaintiffs who have been dispossessed from the suit land during pendency of the Title Suit No. 30/1982 filed by the defendants are entitled to recovery of khas possession if it is established on evidence in record that they have acquired title by adverse possession.
(ii) Whether title acquired by adverse possession stood extinguished because of dis-possession of the plaintiffs from the suit land on 3.4.1989, during pendency of T.S. No. 30 of 1982.
(iii) Whether learned counsel below fell in error in deciding adversely the question of acquisition of title by adverse possession by non-consideration of relevant evidence, either oral or documentary; and
(iv) Any other substantial question of law that may arise during the course of hearing.
2. Subsequently, on 23.5.2013 in course of hearing of this appeal, another additional substantial question of law was framed and the same is quoted below :
Whether a suit for declaration of title on the basis of the claim of adverse possession is maintainable in view of the provision of section 27 of the Limitation Act, 1963?
3. Heard Ms. B. Choudhury, learned counsel, assisted by Mr. S. Sahu, learned counsel for plaintiffs. Also heard Mr. T.C. Khatri, learned senior counsel, assisted by Mr. P. Mahanta, learned counsel for respondents.
4. Before going to decide the substantial questions of law framed in this case, it is necessary to record the minimum factual summary of the case.
5. Three sons, namely, Binode Das, Gopal Das and Ganesh Das and their sister. Smt. Maheswari Devi being the legal heirs of Late Pandu Badyafcar, filed Title Suit No.66/1989 in the court of learned Munsiff in Tezpur, against the respondents as plaintiffs, praying for declaration of their right, title and interest by way of adverse possession, and for recovery of possession and also for injunction restraining the defendants and others, who may attempt to enter into the suit land after such recovery of possession. The case of the plaintiffs was that their predecessor, namely, Pandu Badyakar possessed the suit land in the year 1916-17 to the knowledge of the original owner and was residing there by constructing house. Pandu Badyakar and his wife Bina Das enjoyed possession over the land for a period of 66 years without any obstruction from anybody and in the process they claimed that their predecessor (Pandu Badyakar) had acquired title by way of adverse possession and correspondingly the same of the original owner got extinguished. But on 7.2.1982 when Pandu Badyakar died, Arun Patangia (the predecessor of the defendant's No. 1 to 5) forcefully occupied the land ousting the legal heirs of Pandu Badyakar from the suit land and demolishing their houses. The legal heirs of Panda Badyakar lodged a complaint before the court of Judicial Magistrate at Tezpur on 8.2.1982 and CR case No. 105 of 1982 was registered under sections 427/448/352/506, IPC and the accused, Arun Patangia, (predecessor of the defendant Nos. 1 to 5) was arrested. At that time the plaintiff No. 1 and his mother Bina Das claimed to have reconstructed the house, but the same was again demolished by the predecessor of the defendant Nos. 1 to 5. She could not re-enter the suit land any more as police restrained both the sides in view of a proceeding before the Executive Magistrate at the instance of the predecessor of the defendants. However, the defendants did not have any right, title and interest thereto although Arun Patangia sent a notice to the mother of the present plaintiffs on 26.2.1982 asking her to vacate the suit land on the ground that she had failed to pay rent. By giving reply notice, the claim of the notice given was refuted but Arun Patangia, the predecessor of the defendants, as plaintiff, instituted Title Suit No. 30
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