SupremeToday Landscape Ad
Back
Next
Judicial Analysis Court Copy Headnote Facts Arguments Court observation
Listen Article Pause Article
judgment-img

2005 Supreme(All) 1922

IN THE HIGH COURT OF ALLAHABAD
S. U. KHAN
HART SARAN SHANKER SRIVASTAVA - Appellant
Versus
DY. DIRECTOR OF CONSOLIDATION, GHAZIPUR - Respondents
C. M. W. P. 7460 Of 1974
Decided On : 10/04/2005

Advocates Appeared:
K.G.SRIVASTAV, K.S.CHAUHAN

The main legal point established is the interpretation of a will to determine the testator's intention and the bequeathal of property, applying Section 88 of the Succession Act.

Headnote:

Will Interpretation - Agricultural Land - The court interpreted a will to determine the ownership of agricultural land, finding that the testator's intention was to bequeath his entire property, including the disputed land, to the legatee.

Fact of the Case:

The petitioner filed objections under Section 12 of u. P. Consolidation of Holdings Act, claiming ownership of agricultural land based on a will executed by the deceased. The consolidation officer and Settlement Officer Consolidation rejected the objection, leading to a writ petition.

Finding of the Court:

The court found that the will indicated the testator's intention to bequeath his entire property, including the disputed agricultural land, to the legatee, contrary to the lower courts' interpretation.

Issues: Interpretation of the will and determination of ownership of the agricultural land.

Ratio Decidendi: The court applied Section 88 of the Succession Act, which provides that in case of conflict between clauses of a will, the subsequent clause shall prevail. It found that the testator's intention was to bequeath his entire property, including the disputed land, to the legatee.

Final Decision: The writ petition was allowed, and the three impugned judgments were quashed. The petitioner's objection was allowed, and the petitioner's name was directed to be recorded as the owner of the disputed land.

( 1 ) THE only point involved in this writ petition is regarding interpretation of a will executed by Late Laxmi Narain srivastava on 27-2-1970.

( 2 ) DURING consolidation proceedings petitioner filed objections under Section 12 of u. P. Consolidation of Holdings Act before the consolidation Officer, Ghazipur stating therein that the agricultural land situate in ghazipur, which earlier belonged to Laxmi narain Srivastava, should be recorded in favour of petitioner-applicant on the basis of the aforesaid Will.

( 3 ) RESPONDENTS 4 and 5 contested the proceedings and contended that even if the alleged Will was executed by Laxmi Narain srivastava, it was confined to his agricultural land and the other immovable property situate in district Nainital. The Consolidation officer, Ghazipur found that the Will appeared to have been executed. However, it held that the Will related to the immovable property of the testator which were situate in district Nainital and not to the agricultural land of the testator, which was situate in district Ghazipur. The Consolidation officer, therefore, rejected the objection of the petitioner and directed the recording of the name of the contesting respondents in the revenue records after scoring off the name of the deceased tenure holder Laxmi narain Srivastava. The Consolidation Officer passed the order on 27-3-1973. Appeal filed against the same by the petitioner was also dismissed by the Settlement Officer Consolidation, Ghazipur on 8-11 -1973. Thereafter, petitioner filed revision. The revision was numbered as Revision No. 113/11 of 1973. The Deputy Director of Consolidation, ghazipur on 19-7-1974 dismissed the revision. Hence this writ petition.

( 4 ) THE alleged Will is Annexure "1" to the writ petition and in the Will specific mention is made regarding agricultural property and two houses situate in the district nainital. In the Will it is mentioned that testator has no son, his wife had died in the year 1932 and he had only two daughters who had been married long before and in this manner he had fulfilled his liability in respect of his daughters and out of the two daughters one had died and the other daughter was residing in her Sasural comfortably. Thereafter it is mentioned in the will that the petitioner is his nephew and after the death of his father, testator has brought him up like the son and he is very much attached to the petitioner. It is also mentioned that the petitioner will be owner of the property mentioned in the Will i. e. situate in district Nainital as well as other immovable properties of the testator. Thereafter it is mentioned that petitioner will be owner of the property after the death of the testator which is mentioned below and the houses related with the said agricultural property situated in district Nainital and agricultural accessories like tractor, machines, etc. and movables, jewellry and cash including the property which the testator may acquire afterward. Some furniture and utensils belonging to the petitioner, which were lying in the house of petitioner at lucknow were also mentioned in the Will. The last sentence of the Will states that in case after the death of the testator any other person laid claim to the property of the testator, then the said claim would be invalid on the basis of the said Will.

( 5 ) BY reading the Will as a whole, it is quite clear that testator did not make any mention regarding his agricultural property situate in district Ghazipur which is in dispute in the instant writ petition. The Will gives an impression that either the testator has forgotten about the said property or had no concern with the same.


( 6 ) UNDER Section 88 of the Succession Act it is provided that in case there is any conflict between two clauses of the Will, then the subsequent clause shall prevail. It is correct that basically the Will was in respect of testators immovable property situate in district Nainital. However, in the earlier part of the Will the tes





Click Here to Read the rest of this document

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
SupremeToday Portrait Ad
supreme today icon
whatsapp-icon Back to top