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2023 Supreme(Mad) 3407

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS
S. SOUNTHAR, J.
Kadambadi Inoothy Vagai Kongu Chettiar Dharma Paribalana Sabai – Appellant
Versus
The District Collector, Tiruppur – Respondent
S.A. No. 310 of 2017
Decided On : 21-12-2023

Advocates:
Advocate Appeared:
For the Appellants : Isaac Mohanlal, P. Godson Swaminathan
For the Respondents: Hema Sampath, R. Meenal, C. Sathish

The court affirmed the total dedication of property to a temple, establishing that such dedication precludes competing claims of ownership based on prior agreements or documentation.

Headnote:(A) Civil Procedure Code - Section 100 - Property law - Second appeal seeking declaration of title and mandatory injunction over property alleged to be dedicated to a temple - Courts below found total dedication of property in favor of the temple. (Paras 1, 20, 21)

(B) Dedication of Property - Total vs Partial dedication of property - Dedication must reflect intention through document language - Courts held no right to release property from the temple without proper evidence. (Paras 15, 19)

Facts of the case:
The appellant claimed ownership of property, arguing it was allocated under a partition deed and subsequently released to them. Respondents asserted the property was dedicated to the temple since 1901.

Findings of Court:
The dedication of the property to the temple was upheld based on document recitals, reaffirming the appellant's lack of title.

Issues: Whether the lower courts rightly interpreted the dedicatory deed, and whether the temple's title claims were supported by evidence.

Ratio Decidendi: The appellate court confirmed that the language of dedication and obligations prescribed in the deed clearly indicated total dedication, invalidating the appellant's claim of ownership.

Result: Second appeal dismissed.

Table of Content
1. ownership claim over suit property. (Para 1 , 2)
2. respondents claim property dedicated to temple. (Para 3 , 4)
3. appellant's arguments against total dedication. (Para 6 , 8 , 9)
4. respondent's argument on complete dedication supported. (Para 10 , 12 , 13)
5. arguments regarding the interpretation of the dedication and property ownership. (Para 11)
6. court validates total dedication to temple. (Para 14 , 15 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 21)
7. court observes vital records and precedents affirming dedication to the temple. (Para 20)
8. dismissal of second appeal confirmed. (Para 22)

JUDGMENT :

S. SOUNTHAR, J.

Prayer: Second Appeal filed under Section 100 of the CIVIL PROCEDURE CODE , praying to set aside the judgment and decree of the Court of the Subordinate Judge, Avinashi, dated 11.01.2017 in A.S.No. 1 of 2015 confirming the judgment and decree of the Court of the District Munsif, Avinashi, dated 27.04.2009 in O.S.No. 311 of 2005.

1. The plaintiff in the suit is the appellant. The suit is for declaration of title and mandatory injunction seeking direction to the respondents to issue patta in the name of the appellant/plaintiff. The suit as well as First Appeal filed by the appellant herein have been dismissed. Hence the appellant is before this Court.

2. According to the appellant/plaintiff, suit property originally belonged to Chinnan Chettiar and family. In the year 1901, there was a registered partition between son of Chinnan Chettiar viz., Karuppan Chettiar and his two sons Viswanathan Chettiar and Venkatachalam Chettiar. In the said partition, the suit property in S.F.No. 93 was allotted to Viswanathan Chettiar under ''B'' schedule to partition deed. As per the recitals in the document an obligation was imposed on Viswanathan Chettiar to perform certain religious duties out of the income from the property. The said Viswanathan Chettiar in the year 1904 executed a release deed in favour of appellant/plaintiff in respect of suit property. The patta for the suit property was in the name of Viswanathan Chettiar and he addressed a letter to Tahsildar, Avinashi on 05.06.1928 requesting him to transfer patta in the name of appellant/plaintiff. Thus the revenue records namely patta had been in the name of appellant from 1928 to 1987. In the year 1987, Tahsildar of Avinashi issued patta for the suit property in the name of appellant Sabai represented by its President Venkatachala Chettiar. Thus the suit property had been in possession and enjoyment of the appellant for more than 100 years. Since the suit property could not fetch desired income, the appellant decided to construct a Kalyana Mandapam to generate income so as to look after the obligations imposed by 1901 document. In the year 1988 clandestinely the patta of the suit property was transferred in favour of 5th respondent temple. The appellant represented to the 4th respondent to make necessary correction in the revenue records namely patta seeking removal of 5th respondent's name and for the inclusion of appellant name. The 4th respondent gave a finding in favour of appellant. Aggrieved by the same, the 5th respondent preferred an appeal before Revenue Divisional Officer, Tiruppur. The order passed by the 4th respondent was confirmed by Revenue Divisional Officer, the third respondent. Aggrieved by the same, the 5th respondent preferred a revision before the second respondent and the second respondent without proper appreciation of records set aside the orders of respondents 3 and 4. Aggrieved by the same, the appellant filed a Writ Petition before this Court and the same was dismissed. Hence, the appellant preferred a Writ Appeal and the same was disposed of by observing that the appellant was entitled to file a suit for declaration of title and consequential relief. Therefore, the appellant has filed the present suit seeking declaration of title and mandatory injunction as prayed for.

3. The second respondent filed a written statement and the same was adopted by other

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