2025 Supreme(Online)(KAR) 260
IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU
MR. JUSTICE H.P. SANDESH, J
Vedavathi W/o Rajanna D/o Eshwarappa Kuntegowdanahalli – Appellant
Versus
Kamakka W/o Honnappa – Respondent
REGULAR SECOND APPEAL NO.1878/2008 (DEC)
For the Appellant :SRI L. RAJANNA, ADVOCATE
For the Respondent:SRI LOKESH K.S., ADVOCATE FOR C/R1; SRI A. SAMPATH & SRI N.K.MALLIKARJUN, ADVOCATES
The validity of a Will requires clear evidence of execution and attestation, and oral claims of relationship must be supported by documentary proof.
Headnote:(A) Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 - Order 26 Rule 9 and 10A - Succession Act, 1925 - Validity of Will - The plaintiff sought declaration of ownership over ancestral properties, claiming to be the daughter of deceased Kamaiah. The Trial Court ruled in her favor, but the First Appellate Court dismissed the appeal, leading to a second appeal. The court found that the Will executed by Kamaiah in favor of the defendant was valid, as it was duly executed and attested, and the plaintiff failed to prove her relationship as his daughter. (Paras 10, 11, 14, 76, 80)
(B) Evidence Act, 1872 - Section 50 - Relationship proof - The court emphasized that oral evidence alone is insufficient to establish parentage without supporting documentary evidence. The plaintiff's claims were undermined by the Will's explicit declaration of no heirs. (Paras 77, 79)
(C) Specific Relief Act, 1963 - Section 6 - The court noted that the plaintiff's claim of dispossession was not substantiated by timely legal action. (Paras 10, 11, 79)
| Table of Content |
|---|
| 1. plaintiff claims ownership (Para 3 , 4 , 5) |
| 2. defendant contests plaintiff's claims (Para 6 , 7) |
| 3. trial court's findings (Para 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 , 31 , 32 , 33 , 34 , 35 , 36 , 37 , 38 , 39 , 40 , 41 , 42 , 43 , 44 , 45 , 46 , 47 , 48 , 49 , 50 , 51 , 52 , 53 , 54 , 55 , 56 , 57 , 58 , 59 , 60 , 61 , 62 , 63 , 64 , 65 , 66 , 67 , 68 , 69 , 70 , 71 , 72 , 73 , 74 , 75 , 76 , 77 , 78 , 79) |
| 4. second appeal allowed (Para 80) |
CAV JUDGMENT
1. Heard learned counsel appearing for the appellants and learned counsel appearing for caveator-respondent No.1 and learned counsel for respondent No.2(a) and (b). This Court earlier heard the matter and answered only substantial question of law No.(ii) and directed to pay Commissioner fee, since an application is filed under Order 26 Rule 9 and 10A CPC was allowed by answering second substantial question of law and an observation was made that other substantial questions of law will be considered after getting report from the Commissioner. Now, the report of the Commissioner is received and placed on record and therefore, the matter is heard afresh.
2. For the sake of convenience, the parties are referred to as per their original ranking before the Trial Court.
3. The factual matrix of the case of the plaintiff before the Trial Court while seeking the relief of declaration to declare that she is the owner of the schedule properties and sought for possession of the suit schedule properties and grant such other relief's, it is contended that she is the only daughter of her parents namely Doddakamaiah and Puttamma of Kunteggowdanahally Village in Sira Taluk and they had no male issues. It is contended that the plaintiff was given in marriage to one Honnappa of the same Village about 35-40 years back. The marriage was performed by her father at Kuntegowdanahlli Village. The plaintiff’s mother died about 20 years back. Since then, the father of the plaintiff used to lead life alone. By that time one Siddamma, wife of Jogappa of the same village and a close contact with him and she used to reside with him by deserting her husband. Later on the defendant who is the daughter of one Siddalingappa, the brother of Doddasiddamma used to come and take shelter with the father of the plaintiff by asserting that her husband by name M.J.Kamaiah of Motaganhalli Village deserted her. With that she began to influence the father of the plaintiff and started to mislead him, taking undue advantage of his smoothness. It is contended that after the death of her mother, the plaintiff used to give frequent visit to her mother’s place Balenahalli as her mother had some landed properties and she also used to look after her father i.e., all necessities, till his death. It is also the contention that she used to assist in his agricultural work and she used to stay most of her day’s in her father’s house.
4. It is contended that the father died on 02.09.1988 and all the death ceremonies were preformed by the plaintiff. After the death of her father Kamaiah, the plaintiff used to look after all the suit properties which are all the ancestral properties of Kamaiah. It is further contended that her father Kamaiah used to look after his daughter plaintiff with most love and affection and he has never parted with his properties in favour of anybody that too ignoring the welfare of the plaintiff and has not given any properties in favour of anybody nor he had allowed anybody to enjoy the same including the defendant. The plaintiff being the legal heir to her father Kamaiah succeeded to the entire suit schedule property as Class I heir and she was in possession and enjoyment of the suit schedule properties. Such being the case, somewhere in the year 1992, the defendant had come and interfered saying that she is entitled for the properties of Kamaiah’s the Khatha and pahani has been made out in her favour by the revenue authorit