2009 (I) OLR — 812
SANJU PANDA, J.
Sebati Swain...Petitioner
Versus
Baikuntha Jena and others...Opp. Parties
O.J.C. No.10119 of 2000
Decided on 5th November, 2008.
The present suit for partition was filed by the co-sharers. The stranger purchaser has constructed the house, having not at any stage asked for partition or demanded possession of her purchase share, order allowing the co-sharers to exercise right of pre-emption in respect of the said property was improp¬er. (Paras - 5 to 11)
2. PARTITION ACT, 1893 - Sec. 4 - No express provision indicating the stage at which an application can be moved - It must be dwelling house belonging to one undivided family - In the present case held, it cannot be concluded that the suit property is a dwelling house belonging to one undivided family - Sec. 4 of the Act is not applicable.
The Legislature was aware that in a suit of partition to stranger outsider, who has purchased a share, would have to be made a party. The Legislature was aware that in a suit for partition the parties are interchangeable. The Legislature was aware that a partition suit would result in a decree for parti¬tion and in a most cases a division by metes and bounds. The Legislature was aware that on an actual division, like all other co-sharers, the stranger/outsider would also get possession of his share. Yet the legislature did not provide that the right of pre-emption could be exercised “in any suit for partition”. The legislature only provided for such right when the “transferee sues for partition”. The intention of the Legislature is clear. There had to be initiation of proceedings or the making of a claim to partition by the stranger/outsider. This could be by way of initiating a proceeding for partition or even claiming parti¬tion in execution. However, a mere assertion of a claim to a share without demanding separation and possession (by the outsid¬er) is not enough to give to the other co-sharers a right of pre-emption. There is a difference between a mere assertion that he has a share and a claiming for possession of that share. So long as the stranger/purchaser does not seek actual division and possession, either in the suit or in execution proceedings, it cannot be said that he has sued for partition. If any other interpretation is accepted then in all cases, where their has been a sale of a share to an outsider, a co-sharer could simply file a suit for partition and then claim a right to purchase over that share. Thus even though the outsider may have, at no stage, asked for partition and for the delivery of the share to him, he would be forced to sell his share. It would give to a co-sharer a right to pre-empt and purchase whenever he/she so desired by the simple expedient of filing a suit for partition. This was not the intent or purpose of Section 4.
(Paras - 9 & 10)
3. TRANSFER OF PROPERTY ACT, 1882 - Sec. 44 - Transferee of a share of a dwelling house, if he/she is not a member of that family, gets no right to joint possession or common enjoyment of the house. (Para - 10)
JUDGMENT
S. PANDA, J. — In this writ application under Article 227 of the Constitution of India, challenge has been made to the order dated 31st January, 1995 passed by the learned District Judge, Cuttack in C.R. No.120 of 1994 confirming the order dated 16th August, 1994 passed by the learned 1st Addl. Civil Judge (Senior Division), Cuttack in Title Suit No.155 of 1981.
2. The brief facts of the case are as follows :
Present opposite parties 1 and 2 are two sons of one Narana. Opposite parties 3, 4 and 5 are sons and opposite party No.6 is the daughter of Baraju. Opposite party No.7 is the daughter of Kusa. Narana, Baraju and Kusa are sons of Dhadi. The disputed land under the Hal Khata No.401 containing as many as 12 plots is admittedly the ancestral property of Laxman. Plot No.1435 cover¬ing an area of Ac.0.18 decs. stands recorded as ‘Ghara’. The nature of the land under plot No.1434 covering an area of Ac.0.03 decs. stands recorded as ‘Bari’ and in respect of land covering an area of Ac.0.31 decs. under plot No.1463 there is no note about its user in the settlement records. Opposite parties 1 and 2 in the year 1981 filed Title Suit No.155 of 1981 for partition against opposite parties 3 to 6. Kusa the father of opposite party No.7 in respect of 1/3rd share in the land covered under Khata No.401. According to the plaint case, the share of opposite parties 3 to 6 is 1/3rd Kusa the father of opposite party No.7 is 1/3rd and plaintiffs is 1/3rd. During the pendency of the suit for partition, Kusa died leaving his daughter the present oppo¬site party No.7. Plaintiffs in the suit specifically stated that suit plot Nos.1434 and 1435 contain original ancestral residen¬tial house as the same became insufficient to accommodate all the family members. Plot Nos.1434 and 1435 covering an area of Ac.0.21 decs. were amicably partitioned between the three branch¬es of Laxman’s family equally. Present opposite parties 1 and 2 got Ac.0.07 decs. of land, opposite parties 3 to 6 got Ac.0.07 decs. of land and opposite party No.7 got Ac.0.07 decs. of land. Plaintiffs built their new residential house over their portion of land. The other two branches are living separately in their separate house constructed by them over their shares of land allotted to them in the said partition. There was no whisper in the plaint that the land appertaining to plot No.1463 which is the subject matter of the present case is being sued as appurte¬nance to the dwelling house and by the time of institution of the suit there was no undivided dwelling house belonging to the three branches. In the suit, none of the defendants appeared inspite of notice and the suit was preliminarily decreed ex parte on 6.1.1983. In the said preliminary decree, it was specifically mentioned that plot Nos.1434 and 1435 are homestead plots. At the time of final partition, the respective possession of three branches of family as per mutual partition in respect of those two plots should be respected. Subsequent to the aforesaid pre¬liminary decree, there was a Panchayat Faisala on the interven¬tion of the well-wishers of the parties on 18.10.1984. In the said Faisala, final partition of the lands covered under 12 plots under Khata No.431 was effected and the previous mutual partition of two residential plot Nos.1434 and 1435 was reflected. In the Panchayat Faisala, plot No.1463 was partitioned by metes and bounds between the three branches of family in which opposite parties 2,3, and 5 got Ac.0.16 decs. to their share and all the parties accepted the Panchayat Faisala and put their signatures in the documents. After the said Faisala, the petitioner by registered sale deed dated 21st June, 1985 purchased the said area of Ac.0.16 decs. of land from opposite parties 2,3 and 5 which had been allotted to their share in plot No.1463 for con¬sideration of Rs.5000/-. Since the date of the purchase, the petitioner on the strength of her purchase was possessing the said Ac.0.16 decs. of land. Afte
Login now and unlock free premium legal research
Login to SupremeToday AI and access free legal analysis, AI highlights, and smart tools.
Login
now!
India’s Legal research and Law Firm App, Download now!
Copyright © 2023 Vikas Info Solution Pvt Ltd. All Rights Reserved.