2024 Supreme(MP) 491

IN THE HIGH COURT OF MADHYA PRADESH
Anand Pathak, J.
Gita Devi (Smt.) & Another v. Pawan Kumar & Others
First Appeal No. 1820 of 2018 (Gwalior): against the judgment and decree dated 18.5.2018 passed by the Second Additional District Judge, Dabra, District Gwalior in Civil Suit No. 2-A/2013; Decided on 30.8.2024.

Headnote:

¼1½ U;k;ky; Qhl vfèkfu;e] 1870 & èkkjk 7¼pkj½¼x½ rFkk vuqlwph 2 vuqPNsn 17 & U;k;ky; Qhl & vo;Ld dh Ñf"k Òwfe laj{kd fu;qä fd, fcuk firkeg }kjk foØ; dh xà & vo;Ld us] eka d¢ ek/;e ls] foØ; vÑr ,oa 'kwU;] voSèk ,oa ml ij vkc)dj ugha g¨us dh Ĩ"k.kk rFkk LFkk;h O;kns’k d¢ fy, okn çLrqr fd;k & vuqlwph 2 vuqPNsn 17 d¢ vuqlkj fu;r U;k;ky; Qhl lank; dh & okn fMØh fd;k x;k & vkifÙk dh xà fd okn ij ewY;kuqlkj U;k;ky; Qhl vkdf"kZr gksrh gS & vuqr¨"k d¢oy Ĩ"k.kk ,oa LFkk;h O;knss’k dk pkgk x;k & LFkk;h O;kns’k dk vuqr¨"k lkjoku~ vuqr¨"k ekuk tk ldrk gS] ikfj.kkfed vuqr¨"k ugha & èkkjk 7¼pkj½¼x½ d¢ micaèk vkdf"kZr ugha g¨rs & fu;r U;k;ky; Qhl lgh yxkà xÃA ,vkbvkj 2010 ,llh 2807 vuqlfjrA 1997 ¼1½ ts,yts 105 rFkk ,vkbvkj 1963 bykŒ 86 voyafcrA ¼iSjk 36 ls 40½

¼2½ flfoy çfØ;k lafgrk] 1908 & vkŒ 1 fuŒ 13 & vko’;d i{kdkj¨a dk vla;¨tu & vo;Ld dh Ñf"k Òwfe laj{kd fu;qä fd, fcuk firkeg }kjk foØ; dh xà & vo;Ld us] eka d¢ ek/;e ls] foØ; vÑr ,oa ’kwU;] voSèk ,oa ml ij vkc)dj ugha g¨us dh Ĩ"k.kk rFkk LFkk;h O;kns’k d¢ fy, okn çLrqr fd;k & Øsrkv¨a d¨ i{kdkj cuk;k & vo;Ld d¢ firk rFkk firk dh cgu¨a d¨ i{kdkj ugha cuk;k & vko’;d i{kdkj¨a d¢ vla;¨tu d¢ fo"k; esa fook|d fojfpr ugha fd;k x;k & fook|d fojpuk d¨ vk{ksfir ugha fd;k x;k & ,sls fook|d dh fojpuk d¢ fy, çkFkZuk ugha dh xà & dqVqac d¢ lnL;¨a d¢ fo#) d¨Ã vuqr¨"k ugha pkgk x;k & okn foÒktu dk ugha ftlls dqVqac d¢ lnL;¨a d¨ okn esa i{kdkj cuk;k tk, & vko’;d i{kdkj¨a d¢ vla;¨tu dk ladFku [kkfjt fd;k x;kA ¼iSjk 41½

¼3½ fganw vçkIro;rk v©j laj{kdrk vfèkfu;e] 1956 & èkkjk 11 rFkk 12 & vçkIro; dh laifÙk & firkeg vFkkZr~ oLrqr% laj{kd }kjk mldk laj{kd fu;qä fd, fcuk foØ; ugha dh tk ldrhA ¼iSjk 42 ls 44½

¼4½ fganw vçkIro;rk v©j laj{kdrk vfèkfu;e] 1956 & èkkjk 6] 8] 11 rFkk 12 & vçkIro; dh laink & oLrqr% laj{kd dh 'kfä & U;k;ky; dh vuqefr d¢ fcuk uSLkfxZd laj{kd dks Hkh fdlh Òh jhfr esa vçkIro; dh laifÙk gLrkarfjr ugha djuk gksrh & mls vçkIro; dh laifÙk dh j{kk djuk g¨rh gS & oLrqr% laj{kd vçkIro; d¢ fgr d¢ çfrdwy tkdj okn laifÙk dk foØ; ugha dj ldrkA ¼2002½ 1 ,llhlh 178 vuqlfjrA 1969 ts,yts 68] 2005 ¼3½ ts,yts 214 rFkk 1982 eŒçŒ ohDyh u¨V~l 68 fufnZ"VA ¼iSjk 42 ls 44½

¼5½ foØ; foys[k & nLrkost d¢ fu"iknu dh oS/krk & foØsrk 'kkjhfjd :i ls LoLFk ugha & çfrQy dk lank; ugha fd;k & lkf{k;¨a ds lk{; esa folaxfr & foØsrk d¢ nqcZy LokLF; dk Qk;nk mBkrs gq, laO;ogkj fd;k x;k & ,slk laO;ogkj feF;k gSA ¼iSjk 50 ,oa 51½

¼6½ lk{; vfèkfu;e] 1872 & èkkjk 101 & lcwr dk Òkj & foØ; foys[k dk fu”iknu & lcwr dk Òkj ml O;fä ij gS t¨ foØ; foys[k d¢ fu"iknu ds rF; dk çk[;ku djrk gSA ¼2011½ 12 ,llhlh 220] ,vkbvkj 1960 ,llh 100] ,vkbvkj 1979 ,llh 861 rFkk ¼2010½ 5 ,llhlh 274 vuqlfjrA ¼iSjk 51½

¼7½ flfoy çfØ;k lafgrk] 1908 & vkŒ 1 fuŒ 10 & vko’;d i{kdkj & foØ; foys[k vÑr ,oa 'kwU; g¨us dh Ĩ"k.kk rFkk LFkk;h O;kns’k d¢ fy, Øsrkx.k d¢ fo#) okn & iwoZrj Øsrk d¨ i{kdkj cuk;k x;k & i’pkr~orÊ Øsrkx.k vko’;d i{kdkj ugha & okn foÒktu ds fy, ugha tgka lHkh lg&Lokfe¨a d¨ i{kdkj cuk;k tkuk pkfg, Fkk & oknh d¢ firk d¢ fo#) d¨Ã vuqr¨"k ugha pkgk x;k & mld¢ firk d¨ i{kdkj cukuk visf{kr ugha & vkns’k 1 fu;e 10 d¢ vèkhu vkosnu [kkfjtA ¼iSjk 56½

¼8½ laifÙk varj.k vfèkfu;e] 1882 & èkkjk 52 & flfoy çfØ;k lafgrk] 1908 & vkŒ 1 fuŒ 10 & i’pkr~orÊ Øsrkv¨a d¨ i{kdkj cuk, tkus d¢ fy, vkns’k 1 fu;e 10 d¢ vèkhu vkosnu & ewy Øsrk igys ls gh i{kdkj & i’pkr~orÊ leLr laO;ogkj vihy esa fd, tkus okys fu.kZ; ;k vkns’k d¢ vèkhu i{kdkj¨a d¢ vfèkdkjksa ds v/;/khu g¨axs & vkosnu [kkfjtA ¼iSjk 56½

¼9½ flfoy çfØ;k lafgrk] 1908 & vkŒ 41 fuŒ 27 & nLrkost vfÒys[k ij ysus d¢ fy, vkosnu & okn o"kZ 2013 esa çLrqr fd;k x;k & 11 o"kZ O;rhr & rduhdh cgkus ij ekeyk çfrçsf"kr djus ls U;k; fgr dh iwfrZ ugha g¨xh & nLrkost bl çd`fr d¢ ugha ftUgsa vfÒys[k ij fy;k tkuk visf{kr g¨ & nLrkost bl çd`fr d¢ Òh ugha t¨ eqdnes dk lkj ;k çÑfr ifjofrZr dj ldrs gSa & vkosnu [kkfjtA ¼iSjk 57½

(1) Court Fees Act, 1870 -- S. 7(iv)(c) and Sch. 2 Art. 17 -- Court fee -- agricultural land of minor sold by grandfather without appointing guardian -- minor, through his mother, filed suit for declaration of sale deed as null and void, illegal and not binding upon him and for permanent injunction -- fixed Court fee paid according to Schedule 2 Article 17 -- suit decreed -- objection that suit attracted ad valorem Court fee -- relief sought was only declaration and permanent injunction -- relief of permanent injunction can be treated as substantial relief and not consequential relief -- provisions of section 7(4)(c) not attracted -- fixed Court fee rightly levied. AIR 2010 SC 2807 followed. 1997 (1) JLJ 105 and AIR 1963 All. 86 relied on. [Paras 36 to 40]

(2) Civil P.C. 1908 -- O. 1 R. 13 -- non-joinder of necessary party -- agricultural land of minor sold by grandfather without appointing guardian -- minor, through mother, filed suit for declaration of sale deed as null and void, illegal and not binding upon him -- purchasers impleaded as party -- minor’s father and sister of father not impleaded -- no issue framed about non-joinder of necessary party -- framing of issue not challenged -- no prayer made for framing such issue -- no relief sought against family members -- suit not for partition so as to implead family members in lis -- contention of non-joinder of necessary party rejected. [Para 41]

(3) Hindu Minority and Guardianship Act, 1956 -- Ss. 11 and 12 -- property of minor -- cannot be transferred by grand father, i.e. de facto guardian, without appointing his guardian. [Paras 42 to 44]

(4) Hindu Minority and Guardianship Act, 1956 -- Ss. 6, 8, 11 and 12 -- estate of minor -- powers of de facto guardian -- natural guardian also not to alienate minor’s property in any manner without permission of Court -- he has to protect minor’s property -- de facto guardian cannot go contrary to interest of minor and dispose of suit property. (2002) 1 SCC 178 followed. 1969 JLJ 68, 2005 (3) JLJ 214 and 1982 MPWN 68 referred to. [Paras 42 & 44]

(5) Sale Deed -- legality of execution of document -- seller not physically fit -- no consideration paid -- variance in evidence of witnesses -- transaction has been carried out taking advantage of poor health of seller -- such transaction is sham. [Paras 50 & 51]

(6) Evidence Act, 1872 -- S. 101 -- burden of proof -- execution of sale deed -- burden of proof lies on person who asserted fact that sale deed has been executed. (2011) 12 SCC 220, AIR 1960 SC 100, AIR 1979 SC 861 and (2010) 5 SCC 274 followed. [Para 51]

(7) Civil P.C. 1908 -- O. 1 R. 10 -- necessary party -- suit against purchasers for declaration of sale deed as null and void and permanent injunction -- earlier purchaser impleaded -- subsequent purchasers not necessary party -- suit is not for partition where all co-owners should have been impleaded -- no relief sought against father of plaintiff -- his father not required to be impleaded as party -- application under order 1 rule 10 rejected. [Para 56]

(8) Transfer of Property Act, 1882 -- S. 52 -- Civil P.C. 1908 -- O. 1 R. 10 -- application under order 1 rule 10 for impleading subsequent purchasers -- original purchasers already impleaded -- all subsequent transactions rendered subservient to right of parties under judgment or order which may be made in appeal -- application rejected. [Para 56]

(9) Civil P.C. 1908 -- O. 41 R. 27 -- applications for taking documents on record -- suit filed in year 2013 -- 11 years passed -- remanding matter on technical pretexts would not serve cause of justice -- documents not of such nature which require to be taken on record -- also not of such nature which can change tenor and texture of litigation -- applications rejected. [Para 57]