A document may constitute a conveyance even if it does not use the words 'transfer' or 'assign', as long as the intention to transfer property or an interest therein is expressed by the words used in the document.

VEERASWAMI, C.J. :- The main question referred to us is whether the document dated 25th May 1958, purporting to be an affidavit by the respondent and other members of the joint family really constitutes a conveyance within the scope of S. 2 (10) of the Stamp Act read with Article 23 of that Act.

2. Rajagopala Chettiar got a document registered on a stamp paper of Rs. 3 declaring that the properties belonging to him had been transferred to the Raja Rice and Oil Mills Ltd.. a private company. The document bore No. 2868 of 1956. He presented another document on 27th May 1958, which also purported to be an affidavit by his sons and other members of the family. The earlier document contained, so far as is material to us the following recital :-

"The said undertaking has since been promoted as Raja Rice and Oil Mills Ltd. Since the registration of the said undertaking, I have also transferred possession of such lands to the said Raja Rice and Oil Mills Ltd. and the patta for such lands has also been issued to the said company. I hereby declare that the said lands and the buildings thereon, more particularly described in the schedule hereto, constitute now the property of the said Raja Rice and Oil Mills Ltd. and neither myself nor any one claiming through me has any right whatsoever in all or any of such properties, schedule lands, and buildings situate in Kasba Kallakurichi. South Arcot Dt. comprised in patta No. 68, measuring 12 acres 80 cents, bearing the following survey numbers ........................."

This document was in the form of an affidavit, as it opened up by saving "I, Rajagopala Chettiar....... ... do hereby solemnly and sincerely affirm and declare as follows............." It was followed by recitals referable about the ownership of these properties to the joint family consisting of himself and his sons. The next document similarly purporting to be an affidavit of solemn and sincere affirmation stated much the same thing as to the ownership of the properties and then contains the following recital :

"The patta for the lands has also been transferred in the name of Limited company and we declare that the lands mentioned below have been transferred to the Limited Company and they now constitute the property of Raja Rice and Oil Mills Private Ltd. and we hereby affirm that we either jointly or severally have absolutely no right, title or interest whatever in the said lands described below

... ... ... ... "

It having been disputed that the documents constitute a conveyance, the matter was adjudicated upon, with the result the executants of the documents were called upon to pay a total sum of Rupees 6192 towards stamp duty under Entry 23 of the I Schedule read with S. 2 (10) of the Stamp Act. The amount demanded was paid by instalments, the last instalment paid being on 4th March 1964. The document was registered on 3rd December 1964. On 15th February 1965. K. Rajagopala Chettiar preferred a petition to the District Revenue Officer, South Arcot, for refund of the amount of the stamp duty and penalty under Section 45 of the Indian Stamp Act, since he had failed in the further stages of his approach to the heirarchy of the Revenue. Two questions the Revenue seem to contemplate. One is that the documents concerned constitute a conveyance attracting duty as assessed, and the other is the bar of limitation. On the view we take on the first question, the second question does not arise for consideration.

3. On a careful consideration of the recitals we have extracted above, we are clearly of opinion that the affidavits constitute a conveyance of the properties and the clear intention of the executants was that in the form and guise of the affidavits, they should convey title to the company and divest themselves of the same. 'Conveyance' under Section 2 (10) of the Stamp Act includes a conveyance of sale and every instrument by which property, whether moveable or immoveable, is transferred inter vivos and which is not other