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2018 Supreme(HP) 843

IN THE HIGH COURT OF HIMACHAL PRADESH, SHIMLA
Sureshwar Thakur, J.
Bala Ram (since deceased) through his legal heirs – Appellant
Versus
Smt. Dassi Devi – Respondent
RSA No. 405 of 2003
Decided On : 20-11-2018

Advocates Appeared:
For the Appellant :Mr. G.D. Verma, Sr. Advocate with Mr. B.C. Verma, Advocate.
For the Respondent:Mr. R.K. Bawa, Sr. Advocate with Mr. Jeevesh Sharma, Advocate.

The central legal point established in the judgment is the principle of joint ownership and community of possession until a valid dismemberment of the joint estate occurs.

Headnote:

joint ownership - perpetual injunction - Khasra No.864 and 865 - The court discussed the legal provisions related to joint ownership, community of possession, and entitlement to claim a decree of permanent prohibitory injunction. The court emphasized the principle that until a valid dismemberment of the joint estate occurs, all co-owners hold unity of title and community of possession over the undivided joint estate. The possession of any portion of the undivided suit property by any co-owner is construed to be held on behalf of other co-owners, and settled possession does not bestow any legal entitlement to claim a decree of permanent prohibitory injunction unless evidence shows possession with the consent of other co-owners in the joint khata.

Fact of the Case:

The plaintiff filed a suit for perpetual injunction and mandatory injunction for demolition of an illegally raised structure on the land. The defendants contested the suit, claiming ownership and possession of the disputed land.

Finding of the Court:

The trial court dismissed the suit, but the first appellate court partly allowed the appeal, granting a decree for perpetual injunction. The defendants appealed to the High Court, which affirmed the first appellate court's decision.

Issues: The issues included the entitlement of the plaintiff to injunction relief, the ownership and possession of the disputed land, and the validity of the partition and sale of the land by a co-owner.

Ratio Decidendi: The court emphasized the principle of joint ownership and community of possession until a valid dismemberment of the joint estate occurs. It held that settled possession does not entitle a co-owner to claim a decree of permanent prohibitory injunction unless evidence shows possession with the consent of other co-owners.

Final Decision: The High Court affirmed the first appellate court's decision, granting a decree for perpetual injunction in favor of the plaintiff.

JUDGMENT :

Sureshwar Thakur, J.

The instant appeal is directed, against, the impugned verdict recorded, upon, Civil Appeal No.14 of 2003, by the learned First Appellate Court, whereby, it reversed the verdict pronounced by the learned trial Court, upon, Civil Suit No.57-1 of 2000, whereunder, the latter Court, had, dismissed the plaintiff's suit, for rendition of a decree, for, perpetual injunction, and, for mandatory injunction, and, rather the learned First Appellate Court hence partly allowed the plaintiff's appeal, vis-a-vis, rendition of a decree for perpetual injunction, (a) whereas, it declined relief qua rendition of a decree for mandatory injunction, vis-a-vis, the construction raised, upon, the contentious suit khasra numbers, till, the occurrence, of, a valid partition qua the undivided estate, hence inter se the contesting parties.

2. Briefly stated the facts of the case are that the plaintiff filed a suit for perpetual injunction restraining the defendants from raising any construction on the land comprised in Khata/Khtauni No. 116/326 min, Khasra No.864, measuring 0-07-17 hectare, situated in village Tayawal, PO Jeori, Teh. Rampur Bushahr, District Shimla, H.P., and, for mandatory injunction for demolition of the structure illegally raised on the suit land. It has been pleaded that the suit is shown in the ownership of the plaintiff and Chhergu and son and daughter of the plaintiff and the land is in joint ownership and possession of the co-sharers and that the land has been wrongly shown in possession of the chhergu co-sharer in the column of possession. It has been further pleaded that Sh. Chhergu co-sharer during the year 1999 sold half share of Khasra No.865/2/1 measuring 0-01-12 hectare to the defendants and mutation to this effect was attested and as per the averments in the sale deed and the mutation attested thereafter, the defendants were put in possession of this land. It has been further pleaded that as per the share of Chhergu the total land which comes to his share is 0-01-28 hectare out of this Chhergu has already sold land comprised in Khasra No.865/1, measuring 0-00-40 hectare to one Dila Ram and only 0- 00-88 hectare remained in is share and that the defendants were ought to raise construction on more than the share of Sh. Chhergu which he could sell and for that reason suit for perpetual injunction was filed by the plaintiff and her son Sohan Lal against the defendants. It has been further pleaded that during the pendency of the suit, defendant No.1 made false complaint against the plaintiff and her son with the police at Jhakri and the Dy. S.P. Jhakri along with the police visited the spot and directed the parties to get the land verified and when the Patwari visited the spot and measured the land, it was revealed that the defendants have raised the construction on khasra No. 864 instead of Khasra No.865/2/1 and the plaintiff then abandoned that suit. It has been further pleaded that the defendants despite the fact told by the Patwari did not agree to stop the construction on Khasra No.864 on which khasra they have no right and title and that the defendants are cosharer so far Khasra No.865/2 is concerned. It has been further pleaded that the land is in joint ownership of plaintiff and the other co-sharers and is not yet partitioned and the widow of Chhergu has filed a partition application before the A.C.1st Grad, Rampur which is pending. It has been further pleaded that as the land has been purchased jointly by the defendants comprised in Khasra No.865/2/1, therefore, all the three purchasers have been made party in the suit but factually the hero of the whole show is defendant No.1 and that the defendant No.1 illegally encroached upon part of Khasra No.864 and started raising the construction on the suit land knowing fully well that he and his sons, i.e. defendants No.2 and 3 have no right and title in the suit land. It has been further pleaded that the plaintiff and her son and daughter are en


















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