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2023 Supreme(P&H) 1893

IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH
ARUN MONGA, J.
Ramesh - Appellant
Versus
Maha Dev & Ors. – Respondents
RSA No.976 of 2019 (O&M)
Decided On : 27-03-2023

Advocates Appeared:
For the Appellant : Mr. Babbar Bhan, for Mr. Naveen S. Bhardwaj.

Headnote:(A) Civil Procedure Code, 1908 - Section 100 - Declaration and permanent injunction - The appeal pertains to ownership rights over land disputed on the basis of prior judgments. The court affirmed the trial court's decree that recognized the plaintiff's ownership of 1/3rd share based on documentary evidence. The court ruled that omitted entries in mutation records do not negate the plaintiff's title established by earlier decrees. (Paras 5, 9, 12, 16)

(B) Ownership - To claim ownership, a party must rely on legal documentation and evidence; incorrect mutations do not affect established titles. (Paras 4, 7, 11)

Facts of the case:
The plaintiff filed for a declaration claiming rights over land based on a decree from 1982, asserting that subsequent mutations excluding his name were illegal. The defendants contended the plaintiff's title was unexecuted and claimed adverse possession.

Findings of Court:
The court did not find merit in the defendants' claims; the plaintiff’s ownership established by earlier judgments remains valid despite irregularities in mutation records.

Issues: Main questions included legitimacy of ownership claims, validity of contested mutations, and the issue of adverse possession.

Ratio Decidendi: The court confirmed that previous decrees establish ownership and that failure to execute them cannot negate such ownership rights, emphasizing that mutation records do not influence established titles.

Result: Appeal dismissed.

Table of Content
1. ownership claims based on previous judgments. (Para 2 , 3)
2. defendants' objections regarding suit viability. (Para 4)
3. correct legal procedure per previous judgments. (Para 9 , 12 , 15 , 16)
4. recognition of existing ownership title. (Para 10 , 14)
5. conclusion and dismissal of the appeal. (Para 17 , 18 , 19)

JUDGMENT

(Arun Monga, J.) :

CM-2229-C-2019

For the reasons stated in application, same is allowed and delay of 260 days in re-filing the appeal is condoned, subject to all just exceptions.

MAIN CASE

For convenience, parties herein are addressed as per the recitals before learned trial Court.

2. Instant appeal is against judgment and decree dated 29.08.2014 passed by learned Additional Civil Judge (Senior Division), Loharu, vide which suit filed by plaintiff/respondent No.1 herein, for declaration and permanent injunction was decreed with costs, as affirmed by learned Additional District Judge, Bhiwani, vide judgment and decree dated 27.10.2017.

3. Briefly stated, facts as noticed by Courts below are that plaintiff (respondent No.1 herein) filed a suit for declaration and permanent injunction claiming himself as owner in possession of 1/3rd share of total land measuring 24 Kanals 11 Marlas on the basis of judgment and decree dated 23.10.1982 passed by then Sub Judge First Class, Bhiwani. Defendants No.1 to 3 were having 1/12th share in equal shares whereas defendants No.4 to 6 were having 1/4th share in equal shares and defendant No.7 was owner in possession of remaining 1/3rd share over the land in dispute.

3.1. Further, on the basis of aforesaid judgment and decree, mutation bearing No.1974 sanctioned on 30.07.1983 along with another mutation No.70 sanctioned on 30.09.2008 qua inheritance of Sukhdev, their predecessor-in-interest, in favour of defendants No.1 to 6 to the exclusion of the plaintiff were wrong and illegal being contrary to the judgment and decree dated 23.10.1982. Several requests were made by plaintiff to get the same corrected but in vain. Hence, the suit.

4. Upon notice, defendants No.4 and 7 appeared and filed their joint written statement taking preliminary objections with regard to maintainability; estoppel; locus standi; jurisdiction; concealment of facts etc.

4.1. On merits, it was submitted that Mohar Singh, father of plaintiff and defendant No.7, who was brother of grandfather of defendants No.1 to 3 and 4 to 6 along with Sukhdev were cultivating the suit property in equal shares as gair marusi tenant. Thereafter, they jointly purchased the said property in equal shares. After the death of Sukhdev, defendants No.1 to 3 became owner to the extent of 1/8th share and defendants No.4 to 6 became owner to the extent of 3/8th share. Sukhdev, grandfather of defendants No.1 to 3 and father of defendants No.4 to 6, in good faith, filed the suit and plaintiff in collusion with one Amar Singh got passed the judgment and decree dated 23.10.1982, which is illegal. Plaintiff intentionally did not insert his name in mutation No.1974 just for concealing the facts.

4.2. Remaining defendants including defendant No.5/appellant did not appear before learned trial Court and they were proceeded ex parte vide order dated 17.07.2012.

5. No replication was filed.

5.1 Based on rival pleadings, following issues were framed:

    "(1). Whether the plaintiff is joint owner in possession of the suit land to the extent of 1/3rd share vide judgment and decree dated 23.10.1982, as alleged in the plaint? OPP

    (2) Whether the alleged mutation No.1974 dated 30.07.1983 sanctioned on the basis of said judgment and decree dated 23.10.1982 and mutation No.70 dated 30.09.2008 regarding inheritance of deceased Sukhdev sanctioned in favour of defendants No.2 to 7, are wrong, null and void, against law and fact and not binding right of the plaintiff, as alleged in the plaint? OPP

    (3) Whether the defendants are liable to be restrained from alienating the suit land on the basis of wrong revenue record, as alleged in the plaint? OPP

    (4) Whether

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