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2019 Supreme(Jhk) 24

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JHARKHAND AT RANCHI
RAJESH KUMAR, J.
Sri. Jawahar Lal Sharma - Appellant
Versus
Smt. Prabhawati Devi & Ors. - Respondents
M.A. No. 447 of 2015
Decided On : 03-01-2019

Advocates Appeared:
For the Appellant :Mr. Indrajit Sinha, Advocate
For the Respondents:Mr. PAS Pati, Advocate

Headnote:Indian Succession Act, 1925 – Section 276 – Probate case – Probate Court is not concerned with title and existence of properties itself and on this ground, probate cannot be refused – Probate Court has to see only genuineness and disposing mind of testator – Once Will has been found genuine, it cannot be refused merely on the ground of expiry of lease period as option of renewal is a property and this can be bequeathed through Will – Option of renewal in a lease is a right of property and this can be subject matter of Will. (Paras 15, 16 and 17)

JUDGMENT :

1. Heard the counsel for the parties.

2. The present appeal had been filed under Section 299 of the Indian Succession Act, 1925, against the judgment and decree dated 28.07.2015 passed in Title Suit No.05 of 2008.

3. The application had been filed by the appellant under Section 276 of the Indian Succession Act, 1925, for grant of probate in respect of will created and executed by Shyamrathi Sharma on 18.07.1992 in favour of present appellant.

3. Shyamrathi Sharma was a holder of the property in the form of lease from the TISCO. The lease property is a piece of land measuring 2287 Sq. Ft. and holding No. 402, situated at Sonari West, New Lay Out, Jamshedpur. As per the terms of lease, the property in question is inheritable as well as renewable. The application filed by the appellant has been contested by the present respondents and accordingly, application has been converted as Title Suit No.05 of 2008 vide order dated 20.11.2008/26.11.2008. The facts are not in dispute.

4. The learned Probate Court has framed issue for determination of the case, which is as follows:

“Whether the will dated 18.7.92 executed by Sri Shyamrathi @ Sri Shyamrathi Sharma in favour of Jawahar Lal Sharma is genuine and lawfully valid to the probated?”

5. The parties had led evidence. Since neither the fact is in dispute nor the parties have disputed any factual finding recorded by the court below and as such the court is not going into evidence.

6. It is an admitted case of the parties that the appellant and respondents are son and daughters of the testator. The Will has been found genuine and valid, as per the finding recorded by the Probate Court.

7. The Probate Court had travelled beyond the issue framed by it while considering the lease deed and returned the finding that the lease has expired on 01.01.1997, during the lifetime of testator, who died on 07.07.2006 and on this factual foundation, finding has been recorded by the Probate Court that there is no existence of property and as such no probate can be granted.

8. From the facts of the present case, following issues emerges for determination by this Court:

(i) Whether option of renewal in a lease agreement is right of property or not?

(ii) Whether existence of property is sinequanon for grant of probate?

9. So far issue No.ii is concerned, learned counsel for the appellant, has relied upon the judgement reported in the case of Kanwarjit Singh Dhillon versus Hardyal Singh Dhillon and others (2007)11 SCC 357 para-12, which reads as follows:

12. In Chiranjilal Shrilal Goenka v. Jasjit Singh and Ors., [1993] 2 SCC 507, this Court while upholding the above views and following the earlier decisions of this Court as well as of other High Courts in India observed in paragraph 15 at page 515 which runs as under :-

"15. In Ishwardeo Narain Singh v. Smt. Kamta Devi this Court held that the court of probate is only concerned with the question as to whether the document put forward as the last will and testament of a deceased person was duly executed and attested in accordance with law and whether at the time of such execution the testator had sound disposing mind. The question whether a particular bequest is good or bad is not within the purview of the probate court. Therefore, the only issue in a probate proceeding relates to the genuineness and due execution of the will and the court itself is under duty to determine it and perverse the original will in its custody. The Succession Act is a self-contained code insofar as the question of making an application for probate, grant or refusal of probate or an appeal carried against the decision of the probate court. This is clearly manifested in the fascicule of the provisions of the Act. The probate proceedings shall be conducted by the probate court in the manner prescribed in the Act and in no other ways. The grant of probate with a copy of the will annexed establishes conclusively as to the appointment of the executor and the valid execution of the will. Thu











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