IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH
Manjari Nehru Kaul, J.
Siriya (now Deceased) Through His Lrs - Appellant
Versus
Tulsi Puri (now Deceased) Through His Lrs - Respondent
CR-2484 of 2022
Decided On : 21-07-2022
Joint Ownership - Possession Rights - The court held that a co-owner could seek possession of the entire joint land and that the consent of other co-owners would be assumed unless proven otherwise. The scope of interference in execution proceedings is limited, and the court cannot go behind the decree.
Fact of the Case:
The petition was filed to set aside the order dismissing objections under Order 47 read with Section 151 of the CPC, as the respondents sought possession of land beyond their share in joint ownership.
Finding of the Court:
The court found that the respondents, as co-owners, could seek possession of the entire joint land and that the scope of interference in execution proceedings is limited.
Issues: The issues revolved around the ownership rights of co-owners in joint land and the scope of interference in execution proceedings.
Ratio Decidendi: The court held that a co-owner could seek possession of the entire joint land and that the consent of other co-owners would be assumed unless proven otherwise. The scope of interference in execution proceedings is limited, and the court cannot go behind the decree.
Final Decision: The objections under Order 47 read with Section 151 of the CPC were dismissed by the court.
JUDGMENT
Manjari Nehru Kaul, J. (Oral). - The instant revision petition has been preferred under Article 227 of the Constitution of India for setting aside of the order dated 23.05.2022 passed by learned Civil Judge (Sr. Divn.), Narwana in Execution Petition No.32 of 2019 in case titled as 'Tulsi Puri through his LRs Vs. Siriya through his LRs' whereby objections under Order 47 read with Section 151 of the CPC preferred by the petitioners were dismissed.
2. Learned counsel for the petitioner inter alia contends that the Court below while passing the impugned order dated 23.05.2022 whereby his objections under Order 47 read with Section 151 of the CPC were dismissed, committed manifest error. He further submits that the trial Court failed to appreciate that the respondents were shown to be joint owners of share to the extent of 14/442 (i.e. 0 kanal 6 marla were joint) in the jamabandi 2012-13. However, they had sought possession of land measuring 8 kanal 7 marla in the execution proceedings. He submits that the respondents could not seek possession of land beyond 0 kanal 6 marla as their ownership rights were limited to the extent of their respective shares only. Thus, in the absence of other co-owners they had no right to take possession of land beyond their share. Learned counsel also argued that since there had been non- compliance of order 1 Rule 8 of the CPC by the trial Court the decree could not be executed.
3. I have heard learned counsel and perused the material on record.
4. It would be relevant to point out that the suit land is in the joint ownership of the respondents and other co-owners as per the entries recorded in the ownership column of the jamabandi for the year 2012-13. Not only this, admittedly no partition by metes and bounds has also been effected.
5. In the circumstances this Court is unable to concur with the submissions of the learned counsel that the respondent being a co- owner could not seek possession of land beyond his share. Hon'ble Supreme Court in M/s India Umbrella Manufacturing Co. Vs. Bhagabandei Agarwalla (D) by LRs : 2004(1) RCR (Civil) 686 and Mohinder Prasad Jain Vs. Manohar Lal Jain : 2006(2) RCR (Civil) 36 has held that any one owner out of the co-owners can seek possession of the entire joint land. Such co-owner would do so on his own behalf, in his own right and as an agent of other co-owners. The consent of other co-owners would be assumed to have been taken unless it is shown to the contrary that co-owners were not agreeable and despite their disagreement, a suit had still been instituted.
6. Learned counsel has failed to bring to the notice of this Court any material from which it could be shown that other co-owners were not agreeable to take possession. Moreover, the scope of interference in execution proceedings is very limited as the Court cannot go behind the decree. The execution proceedings cannot be allowed to become another round of litigation.
7. Dismissed.
M/s India Umbrella Manufacturing Co. Vs. Bhagabandei Agarwalla (D) by LRs : 2004(1) RCR(Civ) 686
Mohinder Prasad Jain Vs. Manohar Lal Jain : 2006(2) RCR(Civ) 36
A decree for possession can be executed despite pending partition proceedings, as tenancy does not merge into ownership unless the entire property is purchased.
The main legal point established is that where there is a decree for joint possession, only symbolic possession is to be delivered, and seeking physical possession would require filing a separate sui....
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