Allahbad High Court
DEOKINANDAN
Ram Shanker - Appellant
Versus
Mahatma Gandhi Higher Secondary School, Jonihan - Respondent
Decided On : 01/03/1979
ADVERSE POSSESSION - OWNERSHIP - U.P. CONSOLIDATION OF HOLDINGS ACT, 1953 - S. 49 - U.P. ZAMINDARI ABOLITION AND LAND REFORMS ACT, 1950 - S. 9 - SPECIFIC RELIEF ACT, 1963 - S. 40(2) - Plaintiff's suit for demolition of constructions made by defendants and possession over land appurtenant to his Chakki Khanna - Lower appellate court dismissed suit holding plaintiff failed to establish ownership and right of easement - Held, plaintiff was owner of land in suit and land was appurtenant to Chakki Khanna - Plaintiff entitled to relief of damages instead of demolition of constructions.
Fact of the Case:
Plaintiff filed a suit for demolition of constructions made by defendants and possession over land appurtenant to his Chakki Khanna. Trial court decreed the suit, but lower appellate court dismissed it. Plaintiff appealed.
Finding of the Court:
Plaintiff was owner of land in suit and land was appurtenant to Chakki Khanna. Plaintiff entitled to relief of damages instead of demolition of constructions.
Issues: 1. Whether plaintiff was owner of land in suit? 2. Whether land was appurtenant to Chakki Khanna? 3. Whether plaintiff entitled to relief of damages instead of demolition of constructions?
Ratio Decidendi: 1. Plaintiff's predecessor-in-interest was permitted to build Chakki Khanna on land in suit by zamindars. 2. Plaintiff was in possession of Chakki Khanna when zamindari was abolished on 1-7-1952. 3. Land in suit was appurtenant to Chakki Khanna and deemed to be settled with plaintiff under S. 9 of U.P. Zamindari Abolition and Land Reforms Act, 1950. 4. Plaintiff entitled to relief of damages instead of demolition of constructions as he was not making use of land for last so many years and defendants were educational institution.
Final Decision: Appeal allowed. Judgment and decree of lower appellate court and decree of trial court set aside. Suit remanded to trial court to permit plaintiff to amend plaint for claiming damages and decree suit for recovery of such damages.
2. The defendants pleaded that the Chakki Khanna was constructed one Mast Ram 27 or 28 years ago, that the business failed and the Chikki Khanna property reverted to the zamindar; that the Chikki Khanna property was in the shape of a Khandhar (which) along with the other land was taken by the first defendant from the zamindar in the year 1948; that at any rate the land in question had never been the sehan of the Chikki Khanna and the plaintiff had no right of easement by way of passage as alleged. It was further pleaded that the land in dispute lay in plot no. 501 of which the first defendant was the bhumidhar and as such the suit was barred by S.49 of the U.P. Consolidation of Holdings Act. Plea of ownership by adverse possession was also raised.
3. The plaintiff filed his replication alleging that the land in suit formed part of plot no. 117 and was obtained by his father and uncle from the zamindar by Ijazatnama dated 5th March, 1938.
4. The trial court framed five issues. On the first issue it held that the plaintiff is the owner of the land in suit; on issue no. 2 that the suit is within time; on issue no. 3 that the defendants had failed to prove that they acquired any title by adverse possession; on issue no. 5 that the suit is not barred by Section 49 of the U.P. Consolidation of Holdings Act; and on issue no. 4 that the plaintiff is entitled to the relief claimed.
5. The lower appellate court has not formulated the points arising for its determination but has held that the plaintiff has failed to established his ownership with regard to the land in suit and has also failed to show that it is a sehan and that, therefore, the plaintiff is not entitled to any relief.
6. The learned counsel for the plaintiff-appellate urged that the finding of the lower appellate court is vitiated by treating the Ijazatnama dated 5th March, 1938 to be inadmissible in evidence. He urged that once the Ijazatnama is admitted in evidence it would show beyond any shadow of doubt that the plaintiffs predecessor in-interest had been allowed to build a Chakki Khanna which he did, and having done so became the owner of the Chakki, Khanna and entitled to use and enjoy it with all the land appurtenant thereto; and having continued to possess the Chakki Khanna when the zamindari was abolished on 1st July, 1952 the land underneath and appurtenant to the Chakki Khanna stood settled with him by the State Government under S.9 of the U.P. Zamindari Abolition and Land Reforms Act. The learned counsel for the appellant was also critical of the use made by the lower appellate Court of the S.49 of the U.P. Consolidation of Holdings Act in this matter. He urg
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