2003 Supreme(P&H) 574
PUNJAB & HARYANA HIGH COURT
V.M.Jain, J.
Sunder Lal
Versus
Sita Bali
Civil Regular Second Appeal No. 2042 of 1989,
Decided On : APRIL 23, 2003
Headnote:
Licence - Property Dispute - Sec. 60 of the Easements Act, 1882 - Summary: The court discussed the nature of the licence, its heritability, and the rights of the heirs in a property dispute. It highlighted the provisions of Sec. 60 of the Easements Act, 1882 and emphasized that a licence is personal and not heritable, thus the heirs would not inherit the same. The court allowed the appeal and dismissed the suit of the plaintiffs.
Fact of the Case:
The plaintiffs filed a suit for declaration and possession, claiming to be the owners of a building and the land underneath, alleging that it was permanently leased out to Dr. Ram Lal Bali by the Municipality. The trial Court dismissed the suit, but the appeal was accepted, decreeing the suit in favor of the plaintiffs. The defendant appealed against this decision.
Finding of the Court:
The court found that the licence was not heritable, and the plaintiffs were not entitled to inherit the disputed property on the death of Dr. Bali. It held that the plaintiffs had no rights in the suit property and allowed the appeal, dismissing the suit of the plaintiffs.
Issues: The main issue was the nature of the licence, its heritability, and the rights of the heirs in the disputed property.
Ratio Decidendi: The court's decision was based on the interpretation of Sec. 60 of the Easements Act, 1882, which states that a licence may be revoked by the grantor unless it is coupled with a transfer of property and such transfer is in force, or the licensee, acting upon the license, has executed a work of a permanent character and incurred expenses in the execution. The court emphasized that a licence is personal and not heritable, and the heirs would not inherit the same.
Final Decision: The court allowed the appeal, set aside the judgment and decree passed by the lower court, and dismissed the suit of the plaintiffs with no order as to costs.
1. This Regular Second Appeal has been filed by Sunder Lal, defendant, against the judgment and decree dated 10-8-1989, passed by the learned Additional District Judge, whereby the appeal, filed by the plaintiffs, was accepted, the judgment and decree, passed by the trial Court, were set aside and the suit of the plaintiffs was decreed.
2. The facts, in brief, are that the plaintiffs filed a suit for declaration and for possession against the defendants, alleging therein that they were the tenants over the suit land and were entitled to take possession thereof from the defendants. It was alleged that Dr. Ram Lal Bali had taken a plot, which was permanently leased out in his favour by the Municipality in the year 1955 and this land was leased out for the construction of a Clinic and that after taking the land on lease, Dr. Ram Lal Bali had constructed a pucca structure on the said land and had started his medical practice. It was alleged that defendant No. 2, Sunder Lal, used to work as compounder with Dr. Ram Lal Bali, who died in the year 1978 and thereafter the plaintiffs inherited the disputed property. It was alleged that after the death of Dr. Bali, the plaintiffs controlled the said clinic and defendant No. 2, Sunder Dass worked under the plaintiffs and that the lease money was regularly being paid by the plaintiffs as lessees to defendant No. 1, Municipality till 30-9-1983. It was alleged that defendant No. 1, Municipality did not give any notice of termination of lease to Dr. Ram Lal Bali or to the plaintiffs nor the said lease could be terminated. It was alleged that plaintiff No. 1 shifted from Meham because of old age but defendant No. 2, Sunder Lal continued to work as compounder under the plaintiffs in the said shop in the absence of the plaintiffs. It was alleged that defendant No. 1, Municipality, in collusion with defendant No. 2, Sunder Lal, created some false documents of lease relating to the disputed building in favour of defendant No. 2 and received Rs. 3,000.00 from defendant No. 2 as advance rent @ Rs. 100.00 per month. It was alleged that the same was illegal and void and not binding on the rights of the plaintiffs. Accordingly, the plaintiffs filed a suit for declaration and for possession.
3. The suit was contested by the defendants. In the written statement, filed by the Municipality, it was alleged that Dr. Ram Lal Bali was only a licensee over the suit property, on payment on tehbazari. It was denied that the plot was permanently leased out in his favour. It was alleged that defendant No. 2, Sunder Lal, had paid all the dues to defendant No. 1, and thereupon the said property had been leased out in his favour. In his separate written statement, it was alleged by defendant No. 2, Sunder Lal, that Dr. Ram Lal Bali had taken the plot on tehbazari from the Municipal Committee in the year 1958 and thereafter, he had raised the construction and had started his clinic. It was alleged that after the death of Dr. Bali, defendant No. 2 was in possession of the disputed property in his own right and had been paying the tehbazari fees to the Municipality. It was alleged that subsequently, the Municipality gave the said premises on rent to him @ Rs. 100.00 per month w.e.f. October 1983 and charged Rs. 3,000.00 from him as transfer fee.
4. After hearing both the sides and perusing the record, the learned trial Court dismissed the suit of the plaintiffs. However, the appeal, filed by the plaintiffs, was accepted by the learned Additional District Judge, the judgment and decree, passed by the trial Court, were set aside and the suit of the plaintiffs was decreed, declaring the plaintiffs to be the owners of the building and that the land underneath was with them under irrevocable licence. A decree for possession of the suit property was also passed in favour of the plaintiffs and against the defendants. Aggrieved against the same, defendant No. 2, Sunder Lal, filed the present Regular Second Appeal in this