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1969 Supreme(J&K) 64

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JAMMU AND KASHMIR AT JAMMU
S. Murtaza Fazl Ali,Mian Jalal-ud-Din, JJ.
Harnam Singh & Anr. - Appellant
Versus
Mohan Lal - Respondent
Ist Appeal No. 4 And 140/1969
Decided On : 22 December, 1969

Advocates Appeared:
Advocate For Appellant: D.D. Thakur
Advocate For Respondent: Ishwar Singh

A bequest by a male to a female would have to be construed in the same spirit as a bequest by a male to another male.

Headnote:

SPECIFIC PERFORMANCE - SALE OF PROPERTY - ANCESTRAL PROPERTY - LEGAL NECESSITY - BURDEN OF PROOF - HINDU LAW - WILL - BEQUEST TO FEMALE - ABSOLUTE ESTATE - PRESUMPTION - SECTION 8, TRANSFER OF PROPERTY ACT.

Fact of the Case:

Harnam Singh agreed to sell two shops and a house to Mohan Lal for Rs. 6,000 and Rs. 9,000 respectively. Harnam Singh's son, Balwant Singh, filed a suit for injunction to restrain Mohan Lal from getting the sale deed executed, alleging that the agreement was obtained by fraud and was not justified by legal necessity. Mohan Lal filed a suit for specific performance of the sale.

Finding of the Court:

The court found that there was no evidence to prove that the agreements executed by Harnam Singh in favor of Mohan Lal were obtained by fraud. The court also found that the property in question was not a joint family property, either in the hands of Harnam Singh or Balwant Singh. The court held that Harnam Singh had an absolute estate in the property and was fully competent to dispose of it as he liked.

Issues: 1. Whether the agreements executed by Harnam Singh in favor of Mohan Lal were obtained by fraud? 2. Whether the property in question was a joint family property? 3. Whether Harnam Singh had the legal necessity to sell the property?

Ratio Decidendi: 1. The court held that there was no presumption that a bequest made to any person carries a limited interest unless the intention of the testator is made clear by express words showing the nature of the interest bequeathed. 2. The court held that a bequest by a male to a female would have to be construed in the same spirit as a bequest by a male to another male. 3. The court held that a Mitakshara father had complete powers of disposition of his self-acquired property and if he made any deed of gift in favor of his son or some other relation there would be no presumption that the bequest was to confer the nature of a joint family property so that the property bequeathed became ancestral in the hands of the legatee unless there were express words to indicate the same.

Final Decision: The court dismissed both appeals, holding that Mohan Lal was entitled to specific performance of the sale contract and that Balwant Singh's suit for injunction was dismissed.

S. MURTAZA FAZL ALI, C. J.:- These are two defendants appeals in a suit filed by the plaintiffs for specific performance of a contract of sale of two shops and a house situate in Shalimar Road, Jammu. As the facts and the points arising in the two Appeals are identical, we propose to decide both the appeals by one judgment.

2. In first appeal No. 4 of-69- Harnam Singh V. Mohan Lal - the suit of the plaintiff which was based on the basis of an agreement to sell executed by Harnam Singh in favour of Mohan Lal dated 11-7-61 and 18-7-61 purporting to sell two shops and a house for Rs. 6,000 and Rs. 9,000 respectively, the plaintiff averred that the agreement was a valid one and the executant Harnam Singh agreed to execute a sale deed within one year of the date of the agreement but did not perform his part of the contract in spite of persistent demands by the plaintiff.

3. The suit was resisted by Harnam Singh defendant mainly on the ground that the agreement was void as it had been obtained by the plaintiff through fraud and undue influence. The defendant further pleaded, that the property being ancestral, there was no legal necessity to justify the sale in favour of Mohan Lal plaintiff.

4. Balwant Singh son of Harnam Singh filed another suit for injunction against the plaintiff restraining the plaintiff from getting the sale deed executed on the ground that the agreement executed by Harnam Singh in favour of his father was obtained by fraud and was not justified by legal necessity. First Appeal No. 140 of 69 arose out of the suit filed by Balwant Singh s/o Harnam Singh whereas first appeal 40 of 69 arose out of a suit filed by Mohan Lal for specific performance of the sale.

5. On the pleadings of the parties, the following issues were struck: -

1. Whether the suit is not maintainable because of the misjoinder of causes of action? OPD

2. Whether the suit is not maintainable as the description of the suit property given by the plaintiff is insufficient? OPD

3. Whether the defendant and his son S. Balwant Singh formed a Hindu joint family. Whether the suit property with regard to which agreements were executed by the defendant in favour of the plaintiff on 11th July and 18th July 1961 was ancestral and joint qua his son? OPD

4. Whether the agreements dated 11th July and 18th July 1961, were got executed, by practising fraud ? OPD

5. Whether the facts given in the agreements are incorrect, if so, with what effect? OPD

6. In case issue 3 is proved, whether the agreed sale was made for legal necessity? OPD

7. Whether the market value of the suit property is more than what has been agreed upon by the parties and as such the suit for specific performance cannot be decreed? OPD

8. Relief. OPP

Additional issue

Whether the findings recorded in the civil suit S. Balwant Singh v. Mohan Lal and others amounts to res judicata in the present case? OPD

6. The learned Judge after a careful consideration of the entire evidence and circumstances before him decided issues Nos. 1 to 4 against the defendant in the suit brought by Mohan Lal and against the plaintiff in the suit brought by Balwant Singh.

7. We have gone through the judgment of the court below and we do not see any reason to differ from the findings arrived at by the learned Judge. In fact the learned counsel for the appellant has not at all challenged the findings of the court below on the question of fraud, and has accepted the position that there is no evidence worth the name to prove that the agreements executed by Harnam Singh in favour of Mohan Lal were obtained by fraud. In these circumstances this issue was rightly decided against Harnam Singh and Balwant Singh and in favour of Mohan Lal.

8. The only point canvassed before us was regarding the question of legal necessity. The learned counsel for the appellant submitted that the learned District Judge had found very clearly that there was no legal necessity at all justifying the sale and on this ground alone the suit of Mohan Lal for spec

















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