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2014 Supreme(P&H) 1159

PUNJAB & HARYANA HIGH COURT
Rakesh Kumar Garg, J.
Roshan Lal & Ors. - Appellant
Versus
Khazanchi Lal & Ors. - Respondent
RSA No. 1554 of 1987
Decided On : 09-01-2014

Advocates:
For the Appellant :Mr. C.B. Goel, Advocate

The main legal point established in the judgment is the application of the principles of succession under the Hindu Succession Act, 1956, particularly focusing on the equal division of property among heirs and the determination of shares of each co-sharer.

Headnote:

Partition - Property Dispute - Succession Laws - [KEYWORD] - [SUBJECT] - [Hindu Succession Act, 1956, Section 8, 15, 16] - The court discussed the principles of succession under the Hindu Succession Act, 1956, particularly focusing on the division of property among heirs and the rights of co-sharers. The court emphasized the equal division of property among heirs and the determination of shares of each co-sharer, highlighting the legal provisions of Sections 8, 15, and 16 of the Hindu Succession Act, 1956, and their interpretation in the context of the case. These provisions influenced the court's decision in decreeing the suit for partition and determining the shares of the parties involved.

Fact of the Case:

The plaintiff-respondents filed a suit for possession by way of partition and permanent injunction, claiming ownership to half share of the property after the death of the original owner. The defendants disputed the joint ownership and raised legal objections.

Finding of the Court:

The trial Court decreed the suit for partition, emphasizing the equal division of property among heirs as per the Hindu Succession Act, 1956. The First Appellate Court affirmed the trial Court's decision, highlighting the principles of succession and equal division of property among co-sharers.

Issues: The issues involved the determination of rightful ownership and the entitlement of the parties to the property, as well as the maintainability of the suit for possession by partition.

Ratio Decidendi: The court relied on the principles of succession under the Hindu Succession Act, 1956, particularly emphasizing the equal division of property among heirs and the determination of shares of each co-sharer. The court's decision was influenced by the interpretation of Sections 8, 15, and 16 of the Hindu Succession Act, 1956.

Final Decision: The court dismissed the appeal, upholding the decrees of the lower courts and emphasizing the correct application of the principles of succession and equal division of property among co-sharers.

Rakesh Kumar Garg, J.

The plaintiff-respondents filed a suit for possession by way of partition and permanent injunction as consequential relief thereof on the averments that after the death of Jagdish Ram, who was the owner of the property as detailed in the plaint, they have become the owners to the extent of half share and plaintiffs No. 2 to 6 and defendant No. 1 have become the owner of the remaining half share. Defendant No. 1 sold some portion of the property as mentioned in the plaint to Kapoor Chand son of Jug Lal (represented by defendants No. 2 to 11) who are threatening to take forcible possession of the whole property in dispute to which they have no right title or interest. According to the plaintiffs, they were in possession of three rooms of the property in dispute which are joint and has not been partitioned. It is the further averment of the plaintiffs that defendants No. 2 to 11 wanted to raise construction over the property in dispute which was more than their share and thus, necessity arose to file the instant suit. In the written statement filed on behalf of the defendants, it was alleged that Kapoor Chand had purchased the property in dispute by way of registered sale deed dated 7.6.1972 for consideration of Rs. 4000/- from Amrit Lal defendant, who was the owner of the said property. The site plan was also attached along with the sale deed showing his area of ownership and sold to Kapoor Chand. Since then, they were in possession of the area shown in the site plan attached with the sale deed and thus, their possession was legal but the defendants denied the fact that the property was joint. According to them, they were exclusive owner of the property sold to Kapoor Chand by defendant No. 1 and was not joint. It was further averred on their behalf that they had already raised construction over the property in dispute even before filing of the suit and they have not raised any construction over the property in dispute after issuance of ad interim injunction. Thus, certain other legal objections were raised and dismissal of the suit was prayed for.

2. While decreeing the suit for partition, the trial Court held that Hukum Chand had left behind plaintiffs No. 2 to 7 and defendant No. 1 and therefore, out of half share which Hukum Chand derived in the house, it was to be divided equally between the seven LRs. left behind by him and therefore, Amrit Lal could have transferred 1/14th share in the house to which the appellants were entitled to, whereas plaintiffs No. 2 to 7 were entitled to 5/14th share and the LRs. of deceased Jagdish Ram were entitled to remaining half share equally inter se and thus, preliminary decree for partition was passed.

3. Feeling aggrieved from the aforesaid judgment and decree of the trial Court, the defendants filed an appeal before the First Appellate Court which was also dismissed. While dismissing the appeal, the First Appellate Court observed as under:

Therefore, it may be stated that there is absolutely no dispute that the deceased owned the aforesaid house and he was survived by his two sons namely Des Raj and Hukam Chand, Obviously the ownership of the house went 1/2 each to each of the sons and further the issues of the sons and daughters of each branch shall equally divide between themselves the half share and not beyond that. This is an accepted principle of succession that after the property is divided per capita to each heir the share falling to each of the sons would be taken as prescribe by his issues. Therefore, the evidence led by the appellants consisting of the statements of Amrit Lal (DW6) and that of Roshan Lal (DW1) that they have been in possession of particular portion of the house would not be of any avail as the property is to be partitioned according to the shares of the each co-sharer. So, the evidence led by the appellant consisting of the statement of Hari Ram DW1 is of a formal mature and relates to the sale deed; statement of Sher Singh (DW2) relates to t


















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