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2025 Supreme(Mad) 4015

BEFORE THE MADURAI BENCH OF MADRAS HIGH COURT
G.K. ILANTHIRAIYAN
Ayisha Banu - Appellant
Versus
The Sub Registrar, Sengottai - Respondent
W.P. (MD) No. 671 of 2025, W.M.P. (MD) No. 461 of 2025
Decided On : 09-01-2025


Advocates:
Advocate Appeared:
For the Appellant : S. Srikanth
For the Respondent: M. Sarangan

The absence of an original document cannot prevent the registration of a sale deed, affirming the buyer's right to transact property effectively.

Headnote:(A) Transfer of Property Act, 1882 - Sections 6, 7, 41, 42, 43, 48, 53, 54, 56, 57; Tamil Nadu Registration Rules, 2000 - First proviso to Rule 55A - The refusal to register a sale deed due to the lack of the original parent document was quashed; the court confirmed the buyer's right to register even without the original, as statutory provisions do not support such refusal (Paras 4, 9, 10).

(B) The right to hold property includes the right to deal with it, which cannot be unduly restricted by subordinate legislation (Para 9).

(C) The principle of caveat emptor emphasizes the buyer's duty to exercise caution in property transactions, but does not authorize refusals based on non-production of original documents (Para 9).

Facts of the case:
The appellant filed a writ petition against the respondent's refusal to register a sale deed due to a failure to produce the original parent document. The respondent cited Rule 55A of the Tamil Nadu Registration Rules regarding document registration.

Findings of Court:
The court upheld that the registration cannot be denied solely based on the absence of the original document; the registrar must register it based on available certified copies and can verify originals in possession.

Issues: The court addressed whether Rule 55A permits the registrar to refuse registration based on the non-production of original documents.

Ratio Decidendi: The court ruled that Registrar's insistence on original documents without reasonable grounds infringes upon the buyer's constitutional right to deal with property and contradicts statutory provisions regarding property transfer.

Result: Writ petition allowed and refusal check slip quashed.

Table of Content
1. challenge to registration refusal (Para 1 , 2 , 3)
2. compliance with registration rules (Para 4 , 5)
3. transferee protections under t.p. act (Para 6 , 8 , 9)
4. rights under the transfer of property act enable registration despite absent original documents if the registrant properly identifies past transactions. (Para 7)
5. judicial analysis of registration compliance (Para 10)

ORDER :

1. This writ petition has been filed challenging the impugned refusal check slip dated 02.01.2025 passed by the respondent, thereby refused to register the sale deed on the ground that the petitioner failed to produce the original parent document in respect of the property in S.No.305/1, measuring to an extent of 3 1/2 cents situated at first street, Iraviyadharmapuram, Pudur Village, Sengottai Taluk, Tenkasi District.

2. By consent of both parties, this writ petition is taken up for final disposal at the stage of admission itself. Heard the learned counsel on either side and perused the materials placed before this Court.

3. The petitioner intended to purchase the subject property and presented the sale deed for registration before the respondent. However, the respondent refused to register the same on the ground that the petitioner failed to produce the parent deed in respect of the subject property.

4. The learned Additional Government Pleader appearing for the respondents submitted that the Hon'ble Division Bench of this Court in W.A.No.271 of 2024 dated 25.03.2024 held that the first proviso to Rule 55 A of the TAMIL NADU REGISTRATION RULES , 2000 is not at all declared as ultravires by this Court. The provisos to Rule 55 A are intact in Rule Books and therefore, it is to be complied scrupulously, whenever documents are presented for registration. Further, the second and third provisos to Rule 55A of the Registration Rules enumerates procedures to be followed in the event of non-availability of revenue records to be produced for registration. The presentant of a document is bound to comply with the conditions stipulated in Rule 55A for registering a document under the Registration Act.

5. In the case of Federal Bank v. Sub-Registrar , 2023 (2) CTC 289, it is held that it is not open to the Inspector General of Registration to take a contra view and notify a subordinate legislation the effect of which is to completely render nugatory to the interpretation made by this Court. Ex-facie, the first proviso to Rule 55-A (i) is clearly illegal and is vitiated by a clear abuse of power.

6. In the case of N. Ramayee vs. The Sub Registrar , W.P. No. 674 of 2020 dated 05.11.2020, the Hon'ble Division Bench of this Court held as follows:-

“29. In the light of the above when we deal with the various provisions of the Transfer of Property Act the question arises as to whether the transfer is restricted to one time in respect of the immovable property, unless the previous transfer or any agreement is set aside in the court of law, and other transfer is permissible? The answer is absolutely “No” for the following reasons:

The property of any kind may be transferred, except as otherwise provided by the transfer of property Act or by any other law for the time being, as provided in Section 6 of the Transfer of property Act.

30. Every person competent to contract and entitled to transferable property, or authorised to dispose of transferable property not his own, is competent to transfer such property either wholly or in part, and either absolutely or conditionally, in the circumstances, to the extent and in the manner allowed and prescribed by any law for the time being in force, as per Section 7 of the Transfer of Property Act. The reading of the above section makes it very clear that even a person not entitled transferable property is competent to transfer such property when he was authorised to dispose of such property.

31. Section 41 of the Transfer of Property Act deals with the power of the ostensible owner to effect the transfer of the proper

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