IN THE HIGH COURT FOR THE STATES OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH
Harinder Singh Sidhu, J.
Sukhbir And Others - Appellant
Versus
Karambir And Another - Respondent
Regular Second Appeal No. 6290 of 2017
Decided On : 04-07-2018
Encroachment - Property Dispute - [Local Commissioner cannot be appointed to determine the question of possession] - [M.Govindarajulu vs. Smt.Bhushanamma, (2000) 3 RCR(Civil) 89, Vinod Kumar vs. Gram Panchayat of Village Kheri Naru and Others, (2008) 1 RCR(Civil) 697, Ashutosh Dubey and another vs. Tilak Grih Nirmal Sahkari Samiti and another, (2004) 4 RCR(Civil) 79] - The court relied on the demarcation report of the Local Commissioner to determine the encroachment and property boundaries. The judgments cited by the appellants were deemed irrelevant as the Local Commissioner was appointed only to demarcate the property and give a report regarding the actual and factual position at the spot. The courts affirmed the findings of the Local Commissioner's report and concluded that no error was committed in relying upon it.
Fact of the Case:
The plaintiffs filed a suit for mandatory injunction to remove encroachment in a street and sought permanent injunction for restraining further construction and encroachment. The defendants disputed the boundaries of the property and the existence of the street, leading to a property dispute.
Finding of the Court:
The courts concluded that the defendants had encroached upon the street and directed them to remove the encroachment. The lower Appellate Court affirmed the findings of the trial court.
Issues: Dispute over property boundaries and encroachment in a street.
Ratio Decidendi: The court relied on the demarcation report of the Local Commissioner to determine the encroachment and property boundaries. The judgments cited by the appellants were deemed irrelevant as the Local Commissioner was appointed only to demarcate the property and give a report regarding the actual and factual position at the spot.
Final Decision: The appeal was dismissed as no question of law arose for determination and concurrent findings of fact were recorded by the courts below.
JUDGMENT
Harinder Singh Sidhu, J. - The defendants are in appeal against the judgment of the Courts below, whereby, the suit of the plaintiffs-respondents has been partly decreed.
2. The plaintiffs filed a suit for mandatory injunction for directing the defendants-appellants to remove the encroachment alleged to be made by them in the street depicted in red colour in the plaint. Plaintiffs also sought consequential relief of permanent injunction for restraining the defendants from raising any further construction and encroachment over the remaining portion of the street.
3. The case of the plaintiffs was that plaintiff No.1 had a share to the extent of 0 kanal 4 marla approximately, plaintiff No.2 had a share to the extent of 0 kanal 7 marla in Gair Mumkin Bara/Ghair measuring 1 kanal 10 marlas comprised in khewat No.16 khatoni No.43 khasra No.320(1-10) total measuring 283 kanals 0 marla situated in village Agondh, District Karnal. It was pleaded that the plaintiffs had constructed two rooms and two stores in the said bara and were using the same for tethering their cattle. There was an eight feet wide cemented street in front of the bara and this street was the only way for the plaintiffs to approach the bara in question. Defendant No.1 had a plot on the eastern side of the said street. It was alleged that the defendants had encroached upon the street by raising a wall of 9 inches upto the height of 2' 7". The said encroachment caused hindrance in the outgress and ingress of the plaintiffs to their bara.
4. The defendants in their written statement admitted the share of the plaintiffs in the Gair Mumkin Bara. They, however, disputed the boundaries of the bara as given in the plaint. It was denied that there was an 8 ft. wide cemented street in front of the bara. They stated that a Gair Mumkin Bara measuring 1K 10 M was jointly owned by the fathers of plaintiff No.1 and defendant No.2. The said bara was equally divided between the father of plaintiff No.1 and father of defendants No.1 and 2. The plaintiffs were owners of about 11-1/2 Marlas in the said 15 marlas. Defendant No.1 and 2 were owners in equal share in the other 15 Marlas of the land of the Gair Mumkin Bara. A common wall had been constructed several years ago when the parties had good relations. Now, the plaintiffs were wrongly objecting to the construction of 9 inches wall by the defendants. The defendants stated that they were always ready to get the suit property demarcated to have report regarding the actual and factual position existing at the spot.
5. The parties led evidence in accordance with their claim.
6. The learned Trial Court concluded that from the evidence of the parties, it was clear that a street existed between the land of the plaintiffs and defendants. However, no definite opinion could be expressed regarding its exact width. To determine the correct position, a Local Commissioner was appointed. The report of the Local Commissioner revealed that the disputed street had been constructed on the share of the plaintiffs but 1.5 inch of the street was over the portion of the defendants. The defendants on the other hand, had constructed their wall by encroaching 3 inch of the share of the plaintiff in the street. Both the parties admitted the report of the Local Commissioner which was prepared in their presence. No objection thereto was filed. Both the parties admitted that the width of their plots was same and the street was left by the plaintiff's only from their share.
7. Based upon the report of the Local Commissioner, learned Trial Court concluded that the width of the total plot at the point of iron gate of the plaintiffs was 67.5 ft. and at the point of the main street also it was 67.5ft. Therefore, the central point of the width was 33.85 ft. From the Local Commissioner's report, it was clear that at the point of iron gate of the plaintiffs' bara, the width of the plaintiffs' plot including the street was just 33.5'. This indicated that the def
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