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2012 Supreme(Mad) 582

High Court of Judicature at Madras
THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE T. RAJA
Abdul Kalam Azad & Others
Versus
Ananthalakshmi & Others
Second Appeal No.41 of 2007
Decided On :Decided on : 06-02-2012

Advocates Appeared:
For the Appellants: S. Venkateswaran
for R. Subramanian, Advocates.
For the Respondents - V. Raghavachari, Advocate.

Headnote:

Registration Act - Sale Deed - Section 77 - Summary: The plaintiffs sought direction to register a Sale Deed executed on 21.11.1988. The trial court decreed the suit, but the lower appellate court reversed the decree. The substantial questions of law included the comparison of signatures and the maintainability of the suit. The court held that the trial court had the power to compare signatures under Section 73 of the Indian Evidence Act and that the suit under Section 77 was maintainable without impleading the Sub-Registrar. The court also emphasized the requirements for registering documents under the Registration Act and set aside the lower appellate court's decision.

Fact of the Case:

The plaintiffs sought direction to register a Sale Deed executed on 21.11.1988. The trial court decreed the suit, but the lower appellate court reversed the decree.

Finding of the Court:

The court found that the trial court had the power to compare signatures under Section 73 of the Indian Evidence Act and that the suit under Section 77 was maintainable without impleading the Sub-Registrar.

Issues: The issues included the comparison of signatures and the maintainability of the suit under Section 77 of the Registration Act.

Ratio Decidendi: The court emphasized the requirements for registering documents under the Registration Act and held that the trial court had the power to compare signatures under Section 73 of the Indian Evidence Act.

Final Decision: The Second Appeal was allowed, and the order passed by the Principal District Court in A.S.No.56 of 2005 was set aside. The order passed by the learned Additional Subordinate Judge in O.S.No.17 of 1993, dated 23.03.2005, was restored.

Judgment :-

1. The appellants herein filed a suit as plaintiffs in O.S. No.17 of 1993 on the file of the Additional Sub Court, Vridhachalam, seeking a direction to the Ponnadam Sub Registrar to register the Sale Deed executed on 21.11.1988.

2. The facts giving rise to the present appeal are as follows:-

The immovable property described in the schedule of the plaint originally belonged to the first defendant Thayarammal. On behalf of the minor plaintiffs, their mother Haniffa Bi on the one side and the first defendant on the other side entered into an agreement to sell the property on 31.03.1988, for a sale consideration of Rs.1,25,000/-. As per the said agreement, the first defendant received a sum of Rs.38,200/-from the guardian of minors. In the said agreement, it was agreed that the mortgage in favour of one Duraisamy Padayachi for Rs.10,000/- and Rs.7,000/-, amounting to Rs.26,140/-, shall be discharged by the plaintiffs. The balance of Rs.60,660/-, out of the total consideration, shall be paid on or before 31.12.1988 and the sale deed shall be executed. In pursuant to the sale agreement, the first defendant executed the sale deed dated 21.11.1988 in favour of the plaintiffs. The receitals in the sale deed would show as to how the first defendant received the major portion of the sale consideration in several ways from the plaintiffs and those recitals also would show that the remaining sale consideration of Rs.15,660/-was agreed to be received by the first defendant before the Sub Registrar at the time of registration of the sale deed. After scribing the sale deed dated 21.11.1988, it was duly signed by the first defendant in the presence of the witnesses. Indeed, the first defendants son Thambusamy also signed it as one of the attesting witnesses. Hence, the first defendant was duty bound to help the plaintiffs to get the sale deed registered. However, when the first defendant was asked by the Haniffa Bi to help her to get the sale deed registered, the first defendant deferred it. Hence, Haniffa Bi presented the sale deed for compulsory registration at Pennadam Sub Registrars office. Subsequently, when the Sub Registrar sent a summon to the first defendant, the first defendant did not respond to the notice. Therefore, the Sub-Registrar refused to register the document on 28.12.1988.

3. Being aggrieved by the same, Haniffa Bi approached the Chidambaram District Registrar and filed the necessary objection, which was taken as Case No.1/1999. However, the said appeal was dismissed on 09.12.1992. Aggrieved by the said order, the plaintiffs filed a statutory suit under Section 77 of the Registration Act, 1908, before the Additional Sub Court, Virudhachalam, being O.S.No.17 of 1993, for a direction to the Sub-Registrar, Ponnadam, to register a sale deed executed on 21.11.1988 with costs.

4. During the pendency of the suit, the first defendant died on 11.01.1999. Thereupon, her deceased son Thumbusamys wife, the second defendant and Thumbusamys daughters, the defendants 3 to 6 were impleaded as legal heirs of the first defendant. The sixth defendant is the daughter of the first defendant. The defendants 7 and 8 are the sons of Lakshmi bai, one another daughter of the first defendant.

5. Learned Additional Subordinate Judge, Virudhachalam, after considering the case of both sides by adducing the oral and documentary evidence, decreed the suit vide Judgement dated 23.03.2005. The unsuccessful defendants filed an appeal by preferring A.S.No.56 of 2005, before the learned Principal District Court, Cuddalore. After considering the rival submissions of both sides, the Lower Appellate Court, by its judgment dated 05.04.2006, reversed the decree passed by the Trial Court. Aggrieved by the same, the plaintiffs have filed the present Second Appeal.

6. At the time of admission, the following substantial questions of law were framed for consideration:-

i) Whether in law the lower appellate Court was not wrong in holding that the plaintif







































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