Madras High Court
RAMAPRASADA RAO,RATNAVEL PANDIAN
Kumudavalli - Appellant
Versus
P.N.Purushotham - Respondent
Decided On : 08/16/1977
PUBLIC TRUST - SUIT FOR REMOVAL OF TRUSTEE - MAINTAINABILITY - INTEREST OF PLAINTIFF - S. 92, C.P.C. - A resident of the locality in which a public school is situated and in which the trust is functioning may not have a direct nexus with the management of the institution, but is undoubtedly interested in keeping the school truthful, upright and well-managed.
Fact of the Case:
Plaintiffs filed a suit under S. 92, C.P.C. for removal of the defendant as trustee of a public trust for mismanagement of the school run by the trust. The defendant challenged the maintainability of the suit on the ground that the second plaintiff, who was a resident of the locality and an old student of the school, did not have the requisite interest to file the suit.
Finding of the Court:
The court held that the second plaintiff had a sufficient interest in the trust to maintain the suit. The court reasoned that a resident of the locality in which a public school is situated is interested in keeping the school truthful, upright and well-managed, and that this interest is sufficient to satisfy the requirement of S. 92, C.P.C. that the plaintiff have an interest in the trust.
Issues: 1. Whether the suit is not maintainable for any reason? 2. Whether valid sanction has been obtained from the Advocate General under S. 92 C. P. C. ? 3. Whether the trust is being mismanaged by the defendant ? 4. Whether the grant is suspended on account of mismanagement on the part of the defendant ? 5. Whether any breach of the wish of the founder of the trust was caused by the defendant ? 6. Whether the first plaintiff is entitled to file the suit ? 7. To what relief is the plaintiff is entitled ?
Ratio Decidendi: The court relied on the following principles in reaching its decision: * A resident of the locality in which a public school is situated and in which the trust is functioning may not have a direct nexus with the management of the institution, but is undoubtedly interested in keeping the school truthful, upright and well-managed. * This interest is sufficient to satisfy the requirement of S. 92, C.P.C. that the plaintiff have an interest in the trust. * The second plaintiff, as a resident of the locality and an old student of the school, had a sufficient interest in the trust to maintain the suit.
Final Decision: The court allowed the appeal and held that the suit was maintainable. The court remanded the matter to the trial court for framing a scheme for the administration of the trust and for passing further orders as necessary.
RAMAPRASADA RAO, J. :- The plaintiffs in a suit filed u/s 92, C.P.C., in C. S. No. 73 of 1972, on the file of the Original Side of this court, are the appellants. After obtaining the sanction from the Advocate General, Madras, the plaintiffs have filed the present suit to remove the defendant from trusteeship, for appointing a fit and proper person as trustee for a public trust endowed for the purpose of running and maintaining what is known as Nagammal Hindu Higher Elementary school, which was dedicated by late Nathamuni Chetti under a deed of trust dated 2-4-1941. For the said purpose certain immoveable properties were also ear-marked by the author of the trust. The plaintiffs complained of mismanagement by the respondent, who is now functioning as trustee. They would claim to be interested in the trust, the first plaintiff being the widow of late Nathamuni Chetti and the second plaintiff being a close relation and old boy of the elementary school besides being a resident of the locality. They catalogued several events in the plaint according to which their main complaint is that the defendant failed to maintain the school as per the directions of the trust and the author of the trust and has also caused wanton and continuous breach of the express terms thereof. They would also demand an account from the defendant from 1969 till date and sought for ancillary reliefs. The defendant in the written statement questions the status of the second plaintiff as a plaintiff in a suit under S. 92 C. P. C; as he is not a descendant of the founder and as he cannot be said to have any real or substantial interest in the trust. He would, therefore, allege that the suit is not properly framed and therefore, not maintainable, as the primary requirements under S.92 C. P. C. is that there should be two or more persons interested in the trust, who could seek for any reliefs set out in the section. Besides challenging the sanction given by the Advocate General the defendant would complain that the plaintiffs' objective is to enrich themselves and not to further the objects of the trust. He would deny that he has committed any acts of waste and would plead that if any other trustee is appointed to manage the trust in the place of the defendant it would amount to a violation of the founder' s express desire and considered intention. Paul J. who tried the suit, framed the following issues -
1. Whether the suit is not maintainable for any reason?
2. Whether valid sanction has been obtained from the Advocate General under S. 92 C. P. C. ?
3. Whether the trust is being mismanaged by the defendant ?
4. Whether the grant is suspended on account of mismanagement on the part of the defendant ?
5. Whether any breach of the wish of the founder of the trust was caused by the defendant ?
6. Whether the first plaintiff is entitled to file the suit ?
7. To what relief is the plaintiff is entitled ?
2. On the first issue, the learned Judge found that the suit was not maintainable since in the related circumstances the second plaintiff cannot be said to have the requisite interest to file and prosecute the action. He held that the plaintiffs obtained due sanction and the plaintiffs are entitled to file the suit. On issues 3, 4 and 5, which covered the main points of controversy between the plaintiffs and the defendant, the learned Judge after an elaborate discussion into the oral and documentary evidence held that the main item of trust, namely, the Nagammal Hindu Higher Elementary school is being mismanaged by the defendant and that the grant by the Government was suspended on account of such mismanagement and that the defendant did act against the wishes of the founder. In the end, however, the learned Judge observed as follows -
" In view of my findings on issues Nos. 2 to 5, the plaintiffs would have been entitled to all the reliefs which they have claimed in the plaint, but in view of my finding on issue No. 1, that the suit is not maintainable since the se
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