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2017 Supreme(All) 1800

ALLAHABAD HIGH COURT
(Lucknow Bench)
BEFORE : MAHENDRA DAYAL, J.
CHHOTEY LAL AND OTHERS ....Appellants
Versus
RAM NARESH SINGH AND OTHERS ....Respondents
(First Appeal From Order Nos. 1097 of 2015 and 86 of 2016, decided on 18th December, 2017)

Advocates:
Counsel :
A.P. Singh Gaur, Ankit Srivastava, Pramod Kumar Khare and Prashant Singh Gaur for the Appellants; Kripa Shankar Rai, Sidharth Dhaon, Smt. Pramila D. Misra, Virendra Misra and Vishwajeet Rai for the Respondents.

Headnote:(Indian) Succession Act, 1925—Sections 278, 59, 63, 68 and 69—Will—Grant of Letters of administation—Proof of execution—Testatrix not in a position to understand as to what she was doing—Will is an unregistered Will—No restriction of execution of a Will by a blind person, provided he is able to know what he is doing—No particular form of attestation is necessary—Legal requirement of Will is that it must be in writing, duly signed and attested by two witnesses—Appellants could not prove that as to how they inherited property in question—Since maker of Will dies after few days if execution, Will cannot be disbelieved on this ground alone—While construing a Will, endeavour of Court should be to give effect to intention of testator—Impugned order of Court below granting Letter of Administration to respondent not erroneous—Execution of Will proved—Interference with declined. [Paras 29 to 39]

       Result; Appeals Dismissed.

       

JUDGMENT

Hon’ble Mahendra Dayal, J.—Both the aforesaid first appeals from order have been filed against the same Judgment and order dated 21.12.2015 passed by the Additional District Judge, Court No. 1, Lucknow in Miscellaneous Case No. 512 of 1995 whereby the Letter of Administration in respect of the Will dated 2.1.1995 executed by Late Smt. Maiki, was issued to the respondent Ram Naresh Singh. The controversy involved in both the appeals is simillar, therefore, both the appeals are being decided together by a common judgment.

2. The brief facts of the case are that Late Smt. Maiki, widow of Chheda was the owner and bhumidhar of the land in dispute. It is an admitted fact between the parties that she was issue less and her husband Chheda had predeceased her. The application for grant of Letter of Administration under Section 278 of the Indian Succession Act was filed by the respondent Ram Naresh Singh with the averments that Smt. Maiki executed a Will of her movable and immovable propterty including the agricultural land in his favour of Ram Naresh Singh. It was also said that Sita Ram and Rama had signed the Will as attesting witnesses. Smt. Maiki died on 5.1.1995. When the application for grant of Letter of Administration was filed by Ram Naresh Singh, the Court examined both the attesting witnesses and after satisfying itself that the Will was a genuine document, decided the case in favour of Ram Naresh Singh by the order dated 6.1.1997 and Letter of Administration was issued in favour of Ram Naresh Singh. After about four months, the appellant Chhotey Lal filed an application for revocation of Letter of Administration as well as for recall of the order dated 6.1.1997. The appellant in F.A.F.O.No. 86 of 2016, namely, Master and Jangali also applied for revocation of the Letter of Administration. According to them, a registered Will was executed by Smt. Maiki in their favour on 1.2.1988. The father of the appellant in F.A.F.O.No. 86 of 2016, namely, Nattha also filed an application for the same relief but subsequently the same was withdrawn.

3. The learned Court below by its order dated 16.11.2013 allowed both the applications for revocation of Letter of Administration and recalled the order dated 6.1.1997. The Miscellaneous Case No. 512 of 1999 was restored for decision afresh. An appeal was preferred before this Court by Ram Naresh Singh against the order dated 16.11.2013, but the same was dismissed with direction to the Court below to conclude the proceedings within six months. Feeling aggrieved by the dismissal of appeal, Ram Naresh Singh preferred special appeal also before the Hon’ble Supreme Court, which was dismissed on 3.12.2014 as not maintainable.

4. After the case was reopened, one set of objection was filed by Chhotey Lal, Master and Jangali who are appellants in F.A.F.O.No. 1097 of 2015. The second set of objection was filed by Molhey Prasad, Raja Ram and Rajesh Prasad who are appellants in F.A.F.O.No. 86 of 2016. Chhotey Lal claimed interest on the basis of a Will, alleged to have been executed by Smt. Maiki, whereas Master and Jangali claimed their right on the strength of a Will dated 1.2.1988 allegedly executed by Smt. Maiki. The second set of objection was filed and the objectors in which their claimed their interest in the property in question, on the basis of succession.

5. The respondent Ram Naresh Singh who had prayed for issuance of Letter of Administration, produced four witnesses including himself. The other witnesses were Mewal Lal Yadav, Shatrughan and Smt. Meera Singh. The appellants of F.A.F.O.No. 86 of 2016 produced as many as eight witnesses. The appellant of F.A.F.O.No. 1097 of 2015 produced Chhotey Lal, Master and O.P.Gupta as their witnesses.

6. The learned Court below after evaluation of documentary as well as oral evidence produced by the parties, came to the conclusion that the respondent Ram Naresh Singh had succeeded to prove due execution of Will dated 2.1.1995 beyond doubt and accor







































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