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1912 Supreme(Mad) 433

IN THE HIGH COURT OF MARAS
Sundara Aiyar, J.
D. Srinivasa Iyengar
Versus
Minor Thiruvengadathaiyangar By
Decided On : 30 August, 1912

The main legal point established in the judgment is the application of Mitakshara and Hindu Law principles in determining the entitlement to insurance money, mesne profits, and provision for Upanayanam and marriage expenses.

Headnote:

partition - Hindu minor - Life Insurance Company - mesne profits - Upanayanam and marriage expenses - Mitakshara - Samskaras - marriage expenses - Hindu Law

Fact of the Case:

The case involves a suit for partition by a Hindu minor, with disputes over entitlement to share the amount recovered from a Life Insurance Company, mesne profits, and provision for Upanayanam and marriage expenses.

Finding of the Court:

The court found that the plaintiff was entitled to a share of the insurance money, but disallowed the claim for mesne profits. It upheld the provision for Upanayanam and marriage expenses based on Hindu Law principles.

Issues: The main issues revolved around the entitlement to insurance money, mesne profits, and provision for Upanayanam and marriage expenses.

Ratio Decidendi: The court relied on the Mitakshara and Hindu Law principles to determine the entitlement to insurance money, mesne profits, and provision for Upanayanam and marriage expenses.

Final Decision: The court allowed the appeal in part, dismissing the claim for mesne profits and upholding the provision for Upanayanam and marriage expenses.

JUDGMENT

Sundara Aiyar, J.

1. The suit in this case is one for partition by a Hindu minor. The 1st defendant is the plaintiffs stepbrother. The 5th defendant is the plaintiffs mother and 1st defendants stepmother. The 6th defendant is the plaintiffs elder-sister. The 5th and 6th defendants were made parties on the ground that provision should be made for the maintenance of the former and for the maintenance acid marriage and other expenses of the latter.

2. The first question raised in second appeal is whether the plaintiff is entitled to a share of the amount recovered from a Life Insurance Company on a policy of insurance taken out by Doraisami Aiyangar the father of the plaintiff and the 1st defendant. The policy states that it was taken for the benefit of Dorasamis wife and two sons of whom the wife and one of the sons died, and the 1st defendant alone was left; but both the Courts have found that the premia for the policy were paid out of funds belonging to the whole family. This finding has been attacked in second appeal; but we are unable to interfere with it. It was argued that the finding of the Lower Appellate Court was based in part on the supposition that Doraisami Aiyangar was the managing member of the family and that this was not the fact. But no objection was taken to the finding on this ground in the Memorandum of Second Appeal: nor doss Doraisami Aiyangars management seem to have been denied in the Lower Appellate Court. The plaintiff was therefore rightly held an titled to a share of the insurance money.

3. The next question is whether the decree in plaintiffs favour for mesne profits for 2 years before the suit is right. It was alleged by the plaintiff that he and his mother were turned out of the family house and have to live elsewhere. The Subordinate Judge has found that the plaintiff has failed to prove that they were turned out of the house; but he allowed mesne profits, because he held that a minor plaintiff is entitled to recover mesne profits in a suit for partition. I am of opinion that there is no foundation for this view. The case relied on by the Subordinate Judge Krishna v. Subbanna (1884) I.L.R. 7 M. 564, does not support it. In that case it was observed If an adult member is not excluded, but chooses to live apart from the manager, then as he did not choose to enforce partition, it may be very reasonable that, apart from the consideration of fraud or misappropriation by the manager, the principle above stated should be applied to him." [That is, the principle that the manager is not bound to account for past transactions or past income). " But the principle cannot apply to the case of an infant member, who has been excluded by the manager from the family house and from enjoyment of the property. The infant is, by reason of infancy, incompetent to authorize the act of the manager or, at, all events, cannot be legally bound by any authorization in fact given during his infancy. Moreover, the infant being excluded, cannot be assumed in point of law or fact to have known of any act of the manager," The observations relate primarily to a suit for account including an account of past profits. An infant who has been excluded from commensality was held entitled to an account of past profits during the period of his exclusion. They do not support the view that the mere fact that the infant was living separately when it was not due to any fault on the part of the manager would entitle him to recover a share of the profits. The manager of a Hindu family is entitled to spend the income for the benefit of all the members of the family. It is unnecessary to consider whether a member living separately could make a claim for the expenses of his maintenance; for that is not the question raised for decision before us. The manager after making all proper expenditure is expected to add any surplus that may be left to the family funds. No member is entitled to claim a share of past profits on the ground of his separa




















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