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2014 Supreme(Raj) 593

RAJASTHAN HIGH COURT
P. K. LOHRA, J.
Rajkanwar – Appellant
vs
Sita Devi – Respondents
S. B. Civil Writ Petition No. 404 of 2014
Decided On : 04/07/2014

Headnote:

Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act 2007 - Sections 4, 5 & 23, 6 - Indian Succession Act 1925 - Section 2 (h) - Dwelling house - Testamentary instrument - Possession - Eviction - In petition it was inter alia averred by respondent that she is owner of a dwelling house situated at Colony - Respondent performed marriage of petitioner as per Hindu rites and rituals and offered her requisite dowry - After marriage on some occasions when petitioner visited respondent respondent informed her that she is unable to maintain herself as there is no source of income for incurring medical expenses and other requirements - As per version of respondent petitioner assured her that she will provide maintenance and look-after her if dwelling house is transferred in her name by executing a testamentary instrument - Petitioner has stated that out of five children she is youngest and she is faithfully observing her obligation to maintain respondent - As per version of petitioner eldest son of respondent is well-off being contractor and elder daughter is also affluent as her husband is having sufficient means but respondent has unnecessarily made this complaint on false and fabricated facts just to harass her - Learned counsel for petitioner has argued that order impugned to extent it has declared Will executed by respondent in favour of petitioner as null and void is wholly without jurisdiction and same is not sustainable – Mr has submitted that Will as such is not transfer of property when testator is alive and therefore is not at all attracted in instant case – Held, Act is intended to succor vows of parents or the grand-parents by providing appropriate mechanism for need based maintenance to senior citizens besides better medical facilities - Act is also promulgated with solemn object for institutionalization of a suitable mechanism for protection of life and liberty of elderly persons and set up of Old-age Homes in every district - As per scheme of Act of 2007 a wide jurisdiction is conferred on Tribunal by virtue - Under Section 23 of Act of 2007 Tribunal is also clothed with jurisdiction to declare transfer of property to be void in certain circumstances – In Court considered opinion learned Tribunal has committed a grave and serious jurisdictional error in declaring Will as void by resorting to Section Act - Learned Tribunal has in fact misconstrued provisions of Section of Act of while passing impugned order to extent Will dated of is annulled - As learned Tribunal has passed order of eviction against petitioner as a necessary consequence and corollary of declaring Will null and void said order too cannot be sustained in eye of law – Petition Allowed.

ORDER :

” This is a very unfortunate legal battle in which daughter and mother are pitted against each other.

2. The brief facts giving rise to this petition are that while living together in a dwelling house owned by the respondent, a sense of discord persisted between the parties. Feeling disgruntled due to total apathy of the petitioner towards her moral and social obligation, the respondent laid a claim petition under Sections 4, 5 & 23 of the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act 2007 (for short, ' Act of 2007”) before the Sub-Divisional Officer and Assistant District Collector, Jodhpur (for short, ' learned Tribunal” ).

3. In the petition, it was inter alia averred by the respondent that she is owner of a dwelling house situated at Bajrang Colony, Golnadi, Ummed Chowk, Jodhpur. The respondent performed marriage of the petitioner as per Hindu rites and rituals and offered her requisite dowry. After marriage, on some occasions, when petitioner visited respondent, the respondent informed her that she is unable to maintain herself as there is no source of income for incurring medical expenses and other requirements. As per version of the respondent, petitioner assured her that she will provide maintenance and look-after her if the dwelling house is transferred in her name by executing a testamentary instrument. The respondent has also stated in the petition that petitioner assured her that she will not occupy the dwelling house during her lifetime. On that assurance, the Will was executed on 30th of November, 2011, which was registered in the office of Sub- Registrar II, Jodhpur. The respondent has made a specific averment in the complaint that after execution of the Will, petitioner never visited her and no endeavour was made by her to pay maintenance. It is also stated in the petition that petitioner has occupied the dwelling house without there being any authority and being old and infirm respondent was unable to resist her from taking possession of the dwelling house. With these averments, prayer was made for eviction of petitioner from the dwelling house and to grant her any other relief.

4. The petition laid on behalf of respondent was contested by petitioner and all the allegations were denied. In her return, the petitioner has stated that out of five children she is youngest and she is faithfully observing her obligation to maintain the respondent. As per version of the petitioner, eldest son of the respondent is well-off being contractor and elder daughter is also affluent as her husband is having sufficient means, but the respondent has unnecessarily made this complaint on false and fabricated facts just to harass her.

5. After submission of the reply, the learned Tribunal heard arguments and vide impugned order allowed the petition laid by the respondent. By the said order, the learned Tribunal has cancelled Will dated 30th of November, 2011, which was executed by respondent in favour of the petitioner, and has also ordered eviction of the petitioner from the house within fifteen days.

6. The writ petition is contested by respondent and reply is filed defending the impugned order. It is submitted in the reply that petitioner has forcibly entered into the house in question and her intention is to grab the property during lifetime of the respondent. It is also submitted in the return that the impugned order has been passed by the learned Tribunal in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Act of 2007, which calls for no interference.

7. Learned counsel for the petitioner, Mr. Mukesh Mehra, has argued that the order impugned to the extent it has declared the Will executed by respondent in favour of petitioner as null and void, is wholly without jurisdiction and the same is not sustainable. Mr. Mehra has submitted that the Will as such is not transfer of property when testator is alive, and therefore, Section 23 of the Act of 2007 is not at all attracted in the instant case. Learned counsel Mr. Me











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