IN THE HIGH COURT OF JAMMU AND KASHMIR AT SRINAGAR
Mohd. Yaqoob Mir, J.
Mohd. Akram Siah - Appellant
Versus
State & Ors. - Respondent
CIMA No. 89/2008
Decided On : 02 December, 2008
Joint Property - Construction Dispute - The court ordered to maintain status quo on the joint property until a fresh decision is made, considering the joint rights of the co-owners and the potential irreparable loss that could be caused by allowing the construction to proceed.
Fact of the Case:
The appellant started construction on a portion of jointly owned land, leading the respondent to file a suit for partition and injunction to prevent the construction, citing potential irreparable loss and disadvantage.
Finding of the Court:
The court found that maintaining status quo was necessary to prevent irreparable loss and inconvenience to the respondent, and that the construction should not proceed until a fresh decision is made.
Issues: The issues revolved around the joint ownership of the land, the rights of co-owners, and the potential irreparable loss and inconvenience that could be caused by allowing the construction to proceed.
Ratio Decidendi: The court's decision was based on the principle that co-owners of joint property have rights over each parcel, and that allowing construction without proper consideration could lead to irreparable loss and inconvenience.
Final Decision: The court set aside the previous orders and directed the trial court to reconsider the application for injunction, emphasizing the need to protect the interests of both parties.
2. Parties are the two real brothers, who admitted have jointly purchased 5 kanals of land (under Survey No. 3847/1064, one kanal 10 marlas, Survey No. 3847/1064,7 marlas, Survey No. 1062, 2 kanals 13 marlas and Survey No. 1063, 10 marlas). The said land stands mutated in the name of the parties.
3. Appellant (defendant) has started the construction of his residential house on a portion of the land, which reached to the slab level, respondent aggrieved of the raising construction has filed suit for partition, permanent mandatory injunction contending therein, that the land is just in between the parties, until partition, appellant/defendant could not raise any construction, as the appellant cannot occupy particular portion to the disadvantage of respondent/plaintiff. Learned trial court acted on the concern co-ownership and the joint rights of the co-owners, concluded that the respondent (plaintiff) satisfies the cardinal principles, construction shall be irreversible, allowing the construction shall cause irreparable loss, therefore ordered for maintaining the position i.e. Status quo.
4. After a gap of 12 days of the passing of the order appellant (defendant) filed application in terms of Order 39 Rule 4 CPC, contending therein that as per report of the Commissioner he has not occupied any portion of the land of the respondent. Furthermore raising of the construction shall not be in any way to the disadvantage of the respondents. Learned trial court not satisfied with the submission has concluded that no new facts have been brought on record. Order 39 Rule 4 CPC does not empower the court to re-open the matter, when both the parties have been heard while passing the order of Status quo. To alter the order of Status quo shall amount to review of the order, therefore application being misconceived is dismissed.
5. Thoughtfully considered the submissions as advanced and also perused the record meticulously. It is the settled proposition of law that when the property is joint the co-sharers have right on each and every parcel of the joint property and one party cannot occupy at his sweet will a particular portion. The partition is the mode which provides for proper allocation of the shares in the joint property. In my opinion where a co-owner occupies a particular portion and utilizes by doing so, if no disadvantage, loss or de-valuation of the joint property occurers then balance tilts, equitable relief has an object of protecting the parties from any undue loss. In the instant case the stand of the appellant throughout has been that there has been private partition in between the parties. It is on then he has started construction, which has reached to the slab level. The late action of the respondent by instituting the suit has an object of subjecting the appellant to inconvenience and irreparable loss.
6. The important question which has been lost sign of by the learned trial court while passing the orders impugned is that the map of the suit land available on the file as annexed with the plaint indicates the location of the construction. The position of the land, accessibility of the land, simply to say the co-owners cannot raise (sic) until partition is not enough, unless occupying a particular portion or by raising construction on particular portion value of the property is not diminished or that the other party is not subjected to in-convenience irreparable loss, are factors to be taken not of. The construction of the residential house c
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