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2002 Supreme(All) 129

IN THE HIGH COURT OF ALLAHABAD
BINOD KUMAR ROY, S. K. JAIN
TALAT FATIMA HASAN - Appellant
Versus
NAWAB SYED MURTAZA ALI KHAN (DIED PENDENTE LITE) - Respondents
S. A. 976 Of 1997
Decided On : 01/22/2002

Advocates Appeared:
B.D.Mandhyan, B.D.Sharma, Durrez Ahmad, MURLIDHAR, R.D.Gupta, R.P.SINGH, Ran Vijay Singh, S.S.RAY

Judgement Key Points
  • The special appeal challenges the dismissal of a partition suit filed by plaintiff-appellant Talat Fatima Hasan regarding movable and immovable properties left by late Nawab Syed Raza Ali Khan. [25000027460001] (!)
  • The suit was originally filed in 1972 in the Court of Civil Judge Rampur and later assigned to a single Judge due to delays. [25000027460002]
  • Late Nawab Syed Raza Ali Khan, ruler of Rampur State, merged the state with India via agreement dated 15-5-1949 effective 1-7-1949, retaining full ownership of private properties listed in an inventory. [25000027460002][25000027460003][25000027460035]
  • The late Nawab, a Shia Muslim, died intestate on 6-3-1966; plaintiff claims inheritance under Muslim Personal Law (Shariat) Application Act, 1937, with shares devolving as 55,296 Sihams among heirs including widows, sons, and daughters. [25000027460003][25000027460030][25000027460031]
  • Post-deaths of some heirs, amended shares as of 4-2-1994 list plaintiff at 1120 Sihams and various defendants with specified shares totaling 55,296 Sihams. [25000027460004]
  • Defendant No. 1, eldest son Nawab Syed Murtaza Ali Khan (died pendentelite), was recognized by President under Article 366(22) as ruler effective 7-3-1966, claiming succession to all properties under rule of male lineal primogeniture as part of impartible Gaddi. [25000027460005][25000027460007][25000027460036]
  • The 1966 recognition certificate was quashed by Delhi High Court (affirmed by Supreme Court), and later recognition withdrawn post-abolition of privy purses. [25000027460005][25000027460006]
  • Merger agreement (Article IV) entitled Nawab to private properties distinct from state properties; Article VI guaranteed succession to Gaddi and personal rights according to law and custom. [25000027460035]
  • Defendants argue no distinction pre-merger between state and private properties; succession to Gaddi and all properties by primogeniture, not Muslim Personal Law; late Nawab created trusts, jagirs, pensions for junior family members. [25000027460007][25000027460008]
  • Plaintiff pleads post-merger, properties are private and governed by Shariat Act; Gaddi succession distinct from private property inheritance; benefits like trusts are separate. [25000027460012]
  • Single Judge held properties impartible, succession by primogeniture to eldest son excluding others; suit dismissed. [25000027460014]
  • Key issues: applicability of primogeniture/impartibility to Muslim ruler's private properties post-merger; whether Shariat Act overrides custom; if Gaddi includes private properties. [25000027460015]
  • Shariat Act, Section 2 mandates Muslim Personal Law for intestate succession notwithstanding contrary custom, but court holds primogeniture/impartibility as law under Article 372, not mere custom abrogated by Shariat Act. [25000027460020][25000027460032][25000027460050]
  • Section 37 of Bengal, Agra, Assam Civil Courts Act, 1887 does not bar pleading primogeniture/impartibility as they are antecedent to succession or established law, not mere custom. [25000027460020][25000027460021][25000027460022]
  • Admissions under Order 10 Rule 2 CPC confirm custom of eldest son succeeding to Gaddi as heir apparent in Rampur. [25000027460058]
  • Merger did not alter character of properties as part of impartible Gaddi; private properties retained by late Nawab continued as such; succession opened on 6-3-1966 governed by primogeniture. [25000027460035][25000027460044][25000027460050][25000027460051]
  • Rule of primogeniture and impartibility apply to rulers' properties (including private) regardless of religion; devolves from ruler to successor without hiatus. [25000027460050][25000027460051][25000027460057]
  • Trusts, grants like Raza Trust support primogeniture theory but do not bar suit; plaintiff has no inheritable share. [25000027460007][25000027460051][25000027460052][25000027460057]
  • Appeal dismissed; no costs. [25000027460052]
  • Concurring opinion affirms single Judge findings; Gaddi includes private properties; succession by single heir under pre-merger custom/law per merger agreement. (!) [25000027460055][25000027460057][25000027460070]

S. K. JAIN, J.

( 1 ) THE present special appeal has been preferred against the judgment and order dated 31-7-1996 whereby the learned single Judge dismissed the suit for partition filed by the plaintiff appellant Talat Fatima Hasan.

( 2 ) THE suit for partition of moveable and immovable properties left by late Nawab syed Raza Ali Khan, Nawab of Rampur, rendition of accounts of income, profits, usufructs and benefits from the said property, and decree for pendentilite and future mesne profits, was filed by the plaintiff appellant in the Court of Civil Judge Rampur in the year 1972. As the proceedings in the suit could not make progress for over twenty years, on the recommendation of the Honble Inspecting Judge for Rampur Session Division, Honble Chief Justice vide his order dated 2-1-1995 assigned the suit to the bench of learned single Judge.

( 3 ) IN short the pleading of the plaintiff are that late His Highness, Maj. Gen. Sir Syed Raza Ali Khan Sahib Bahadur (hereinafter referred to as the late Nawab") was the ruler of erstwhile Rampur State in U. P. By an agreement dated 15-5-1949, the late Nawab transferred the entire administration of the Rampur State to the Government of India, w. e. f. 1-7-1949 and granted to the latter, full authority, jurisdiction and power in relation to the territories of the said State. The said agreement also provided in Article IV that the Nawab shall be entitled to the full ownership use, occupation and enjoyment of all private properties belonging to him on the date of the agreement. An inventory of all moveable properies and immovable properties, securities and cash balance held by him as private propery was prepared. Nawab Syed Raza Ali Khan died intestate on 6/03/1966. He owned and possessed at the time of his death properties detailed in the scheduled attached to the plaint, besides other properties. The late Nawab Syed Raza Ali Khan was a Muslim of the Shia Sect and the personal law applicable was the Muslim Shia Law. The inheritance of his private properties thus would be governed by the Muslim Personal Law (Shariat) Application Act, 1937. According to the said law the estate of the late Nawab comprising of 55,296 Sihams develoved upon his heirs as follows :-1. HER Highness Rafat Zamani Begum (widow)2304 sihams 1/2. Smt. Qaisar Zamani Begum (widow)2304 " 1/3. Smt. Talat Zamani Begum (widow)2304 " 2. Nawabzada Syed Abid Ali (son)8064 " 3. His Highness Nawab Syed Murtaza Ali Khan Saheb (son)8064 " 4. Nawabzada Syed Zulfiqar Ali Khan (son)8064 " 5. Nawabzadi Syeda Khurshid Laqa (daughter)4032 " 6. Nawabzadi Syeda Birjees Laqa Begum (daughter)4032 " 7. Nawabzadi Syeda Kamar Laqa Begum (daughter)4032 " 8. Nawabzadi Syeda Akhtar Laqa Begum (daughter)4032 " 9. Nawabzadi Syeda Naheeda Laqa Begum (daughter)4032 " 10. Nawabzadi Syeda Mehrunnisa Begum (daughter)4032 "

( 4 ) CONSEQUENT to the death from time to time of various persons amongst the aforesaid heirs of the late Nawab, the share of the parties as on 4-2-1994, when necessary amendment in the plaint was incorporated, is stated to be as follows :-1. PLAINTIFF-TALAT Fatima Hasan 1120 sihams 2. Defendant No. 1/2 Syed Mohd. Ali Khan 4480 " 3. Defendant No. 1/3 Smt. Nighat Ali Khan 2240 " 4. Defendant No. 3/1 Begum Mehtab Ali Khan alias Begum Noor Bano 1244 " 5. Defendant No. 3/2 Mrs. Saman Khan 2177 " 6. Defendant No. 3/3 Mrs. Durrez Ahmed 2177 " 7. Defendant No. 3/4 Mrs. Kazim Ali Khan alias Naved Khan 1354 " 8. Defendant No. 4 Mrs. GiselaMaria Ali Khan 1008 " 9. Defendant No. 5 Master Raza Andrews Ali Khan 2856 " 10. Defendant No. 6 Master Nadeem Ali Khan 2856 " 11. Defendant No. 8 Syed Sirajul Hasan 2240 " 12. Defendant No. 9 Syeda Birjees Laqa Begum 4976 " 13. Defendant No. 10 Syeda Akhtar Laqa Begum 4976 " 14. Defendant No. 11 Syeda Naheeda Laqa Begum 4976 " 15. Defendant No. 12 Syed Kamar Laqa Begum 4976 " 16. Defendant No. 13 Syeda Mehrun Nisa Begum 4032 " 17. Defendant No. 14 Smt. Qaisar Zamani Begum 2304 " 18. Defendant No. 15 Smt. Tala










































































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