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2025 Supreme(Online)(Cal) 4110

CALCUTTA HIGH COURT
Chaitali Chatterjee (Das), J
RAJASHREE RAY BANDYOPADHYAY – Appellant
Versus
PARTHA SARATHI ROY – Respondent
CO/776/2021



Advocates:
For the Appellants/Petitioners: Mr. Surajit Nath Mitra, Sr. Adv., Mr. Sarbajit Mukherjee, Adv., Mr. Sayantan Bose, Adv., Ms. Priyanka Gope, Adv.
For the Respondent: Mr. Sourabh Guhathakurata, Adv., Mr. Abhratanu Sarkar, Adv., Mr. Partho Proteam Das, Adv.

The executor of a will assumes rights immediately upon the testator's death, regardless of probate status, and substitution claims in court require clear acceptance of that executor role.

Headnote:(A) Indian Succession Act, 1925 - Section 211 - Challenging substitution of parties - Dispute regarding the ownership of property following the death of the plaintiff, with claims of executorship put forth by both parties - The court affirmed that property vests in the executor immediately upon the death of the testator based on Section 211 - The mere silence or incorrect expression in a petition doesn’t negate the substantive right of the executor. (Paras 11, 12, 14)

(B) Civil Procedure Code - Order 22 Rule 3 - Application for substitution and transposition - Validity and requirements for being adjudged as executor discussed, emphasizing that acceptance of the executor’s office is essential for a valid claim. (Paras 6, 13)

Facts of the case:
The petitioner challenges the substitution order allowing the defendant, asserting executorship based on a contested will. The property dispute arises post the plaintiff's death, with claims for joint ownership.

Findings of Court:
The petitioner's argument about property rights and executorship was deemed insufficient to overturn the lower court's decision affirming the substitution order, as per the Succession Act provisions.

Issues: Predominantly regarding the rightful executor of wills executed by deceased parents and the conditions under which substitution is granted.

Ratio Decidendi: The court held that the executor’s office is accepted automatically upon the testator’s death without needing a grant of probate immediately, and errors in petition wording do not invalidate substantive claims.

Result: The revisional application stands dismissed.

Table of Content
1. application challenging substitution of parties. (Para 1 , 2 , 3)
2. dispute over property ownership post plaintiffs death. (Para 4 , 5 , 7)
3. arguments regarding executor's rights under the will. (Para 6 , 9 , 10)
4. legal basis for executorship and property vesting. (Para 11 , 12 , 13)
5. affirmation of the lower court's decision. (Para 14 , 15 , 16)

1. This application under Article 227 of the Constitution of India has been filed challenging the order dated 6th March, 2020 passed by the learned Civil Judge, Senior Division, 2nd Court, Barasat in Title Suit No.669 of 2017 allowing the application filed by the Defendant No.2 for substitution.

2. The case of the petitioner is that a suit for declaration of title and permanent injunction and accounts was filed by the mother of the present petitioner and respondent in respect of the three storeyed building in Plot No.1, Block-DB, Sector-I, Salt Lake City, District 24-Parganas (North).

3. The prayers of the said suit were for declaration of joint ownership to the extent of ‰ + 1/3 in respect of the suit property along with the permanent injunction from creating any disturbance in peaceful joint and ejmal possession of the suit property and also to render accounts of the rentals/licence fee collected by the petitioner herein from the 1st floor tenant.

4. The present petitioner entered appearance and filed the written statement after receiving summons of the said suit and after denying all the material allegations in the plaint filed a counter Claim with the prayer for decree of declaration of undivided 1/2 share in respect of the suit property after getting the grant of probate from the 3rd Additional District Judge, Barasat.

5. During the pendency of the suit, the plaintiff, that is mother of the parties died on 6th October, 2018. After that, the respondent/proforma defendant filed an application for substitution stating that the sole plaintiff, that is Dr. Urmila Ray bequeathed all her movable and immovable property in favour of the opposite party/proforma defendant by virtue of a Will dated 22nd May, 2017, whereby the present petitioner has been appointed as an executor thereof. He accordingly, prayed to be transposed in place of deceased plaintiff by way of substitution. The petitioner filed the written objection to the extent that according to the Hindu Succession Act, after demise of the deceased plaintiff the right, title and interest would devolve upon her legal heirs and both the defendants are equally entitled to the subject-matter of the suit.

6. The petitioner also filed an application on 7th December, 2018, under Order 22 Rule 3 of the Code of Civil Procedure for transposition of plaintiff from defendant and prayed for substitution as well as transposition as plaintiff from defendant side. That application was also contested by the opposite party/proforma defendant by filing written objection before the learned court and after hearing the parties the learned court rejected the application filed by the present petitioner on 7th December, 2018 and allowed the application dated 10th October, 2018, filed by the respondent/proforma defendant herein.

7. Mr. Mitra, the learned senior counsel appearing on behalf of the petitioner submits that the order of challenge in this revisional application is the application for substitution as filed by defendant No.2 which has been allowed on contest. It is submitted that the application specifically reflects about substitution in place of the plaintiff mother when both the parties are the legal heirs of the said deceased mother and are entitled to be transposed in the category of the plaintiff. It is further argued that the learned court erred in arriving at the opinion that in terms of Section 211 (1) of Indian Succession Act Defendant No.2 being the executor of the deceased plaintiff for all purposes and thereby allowed the prayer of the defendant No.2 when the application was absolutely silent in this regard. Further argu

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