SupremeToday Landscape Ad
Back
Next
Judicial Analysis Court Copy Headnote Facts Arguments Court observation
Listen Audio Icon Pause Audio Icon
judgment-img

1990 Supreme(Mad) 873

High Court of Judicature at Madras
THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE SOMASUNDARAM
S. Ramamurthy
Versus
Jayalakshmi Ammal
Second Appeal Nos. 1287 & 1288 of 1983
Decided On :Decided on : 11-10-1990

Advocates Appeared:
For the Appellant:R. Shanmugham, Advocate.
For the Respondent:E. Ravichandrababu for M. Kandasamy, Advocates.

The admission of execution of a document for the purpose of section 35 of the Registration Act requires the executant to admit not just the signature or thumb impression, but also the terms of the document.

Headnote:

REGISTRATION ACT - SECTION 35 - ADMISSION OF EXECUTION - MEANING AND SCOPE - CIVIL COURT'S ENQUIRY IN SUIT UNDER SECTION 77 - EXTENT AND LIMITATIONS.

Fact of the Case:

Appellant filed a suit for directing the sale deed to be ordered to be registered by the Sub-Registrar. The respondent denied the execution of the sale deed and claimed that the interpolations were made after she affixed her thumb impression. The trial court dismissed the appellant's suit and decreed the respondent's suit for declaration of title and injunction.

Finding of the Court:

The court held that the appellant failed to prove the due execution of the sale deed by the respondent. The court found that the respondent admitted affixing her thumb impression in the sale deed, but denied the execution of the document as the recitals regarding the oil engine and coconut trees were interpolated after she affixed her thumb impression.

Issues: 1. Whether the appellant proved the due execution of the sale deed dated 2-11-1977? 2. Whether the civil court in a suit filed under section 77 of the Registration Act can go into the question of validity of the document?

Ratio Decidendi: 1. The court held that the execution of a document is not mere signing or putting the thumb-impression, but signing the document or putting the thumb impression in the document by a party by way of an assent to the terms of the sale deed. 2. The court held that in a suit filed under section 77 of the Registration Act, the civil court's enquiry is limited to whether the document had been executed and whether the requirements of law as to the presentation for registration were complied with.

Final Decision: The court dismissed the appellant's second appeals, holding that the concurrent findings of the courts below that the respondent had denied the execution of the sale deed and that the orders of the District Registrar and the Sub Registrar refusing to register the document were just and legal.

Judgment :-

The appellant in these two appeals is the plaintiff in O.S. No. 295242 of 1978 and the first defendant in O.S. No. 3 of 1980 on the file of the Sub-Court, Tiruppattur, North Arcot District. The respondent in these two appeals is the defendant in O.S. No. 295 of 1978 and the plaintiff in O.S. No. 3 of 1980.

2. The appellant herein filed the suit O.S. No. 295 of 1978 on the file of the Sub-Court, Tiruppattur for directing the sale deed dated 2-11-1977 to be ordered to be registered by the Sub-Registrar, Vaniyambadi. The case of the appellant in the said suit is as follows:

“The respondent herein executed the sale deed dated 2-11-1977 after receiving the entire sale consideration of Rs. 20,000/-. All the formalities required for the registration of the document have been strictly complied with and the sale deed dated 2-11-1977 was presented for the purpose of registration before the Sub-Registrar, Vaniyambadi. The appellant called upon the respondent to register the document by means of a lawyers notice dated 29-9-1977. The respondent refused to register the document. The reupon the appellant applied for compulsory registration of the sale deed dated 2-11-1977 and the respondent after receiving the notice of compulsory registration, did not register the document and the Sub-Registrar, Vaniyambadi, after enquiry, passed orders on 20-1-1978 refusing to register the document. The appellant then filed an appeal before the District Registrar of Vellore and the Distriet Registrar, Vellore, after due enquiry, passed final orders under section 76 read with section 20 (1) of the Registration Act, confirming the order of refusal passed by the Sub-Registrar, Vaniyambadi. The order of the District Registrar, Vellore dated 21-8-1978 is illegal and liable to be set aside.

3. The respondent herein as defendant in O.S. No. 295242 of 1978 resisted the suit contending as following:

The sale deed dated 2-11-1977 is void in law and not anforceable. The entire sale consideration was not received as alleged in the plaint. In as much as the respondent herein deniea the execution of the sale deed dated 2-11-1977 the Sub-Registrar and the District Registrar rightly refused to register the document. The interpolations in the sale deed were not made at the time when the respondent affixed her thumb-im-presssion in the sale deed. The interpolations in the sale deed were made only after the respondent affixed heer thumb-impression on the sale deed. The recitals in the sale deed dated 2-11-1977 regarding the 5. H.P. oil engine and 16 cocount trees were inserted only after the respondent affixed in her thumb impression on the said deed. The respondent is an illiterate woman and she does not know to read and write. Though the 5. H.P. Kirloskar oil engine and 16 coconut trees very not agreed to be sold, the appellant, with the help of the scribe and attestors, had materially altered the document after the thumb impression of the respondent was taken and before it was given for compulsory registration. In those circumtances the respondent had denied the execution of the said document, which is materially altered.

4. The respondent herein in her turn filed the suit O.S. No. 3242 of 1980 for declaration of her title to the suit property and for permanent injunction and in the alternative for recovery of possession of the suit property. The case of the respondent in O.S. No. 3242 of 1980 is that the suit property originally belonged to her father Bossiyappan and out of love and affection he had executed a settle ment deed in favour of the respondent on 12-12- 1971 and delivered possession of the suit property to the respondent. The further case of the respon dent is that the appellant herein, who has no manner of right, title or interest in the suit proper ty taking advantage of the position as adjacent land owner is attempting to trespass into the suit land and caused disturbance to her peaceful pos session.

5. The appellant herein as the first defendant resi






















Click Here to Read the rest of this document

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
Judicial Analysis

AI

SupremeToday Portrait Ad
supreme today icon
logo-black

An indispensable Tool for Legal Professionals, Endorsed by Various High Court and Judicial Officers

Please visit our Training & Support
Center or Contact Us for assistance

qr

Scan Me!

India’s Legal research and Law Firm App, Download now!

For Daily Legal Updates, Join us on :

whatsapp-icon Back to top