HIGH COURT OF MADRAS
Hon`ble Mr Justice R. SUBRAMANIAN
M.M.Kumaresan – Appellant
Versus
M.Shanmugavadivu – Respondent
['A.S.NOS.345 & 350 OF 2017 AND 898 & 899 OF 2018']
Partition - Ancestral Property - Hindu Succession Act, 1956 - Hindu Succession (Amendment) Act, 2005
Fact of the Case:
The suit properties were the absolute properties of M. Mylsamy Gounder acquired through a registered partition deed dated April 30, 1952. After his death, the plaintiff and the first defendant (D1) became the legal heirs entitled to half share each. However, D1 executed a gift settlement deed in favor of his wife (D2) regarding a portion of the suit properties. The plaintiff filed a suit for partition, separate possession, and permanent injunction.
Finding of the Court:
The court found that the suit properties were ancestral and joint family properties, and the plaintiff, being the daughter of the coparcener, became a coparcener by birth as per the Hindu Succession (Amendment) Act, 2005. The court also found that the alleged oral partition and wills relied upon by the defendants were not proved. Accordingly, the plaintiff was held entitled to a half share in the suit properties.
Issues: 1) Whether the suit properties are ancestral properties? 2) Whether the alleged oral partition between D1 and his father is proved? 3) Whether the three wills allegedly executed by the father of the plaintiff and D1 are genuine and valid? 4) Whether the plaintiff is entitled to a half share in the suit properties under Section 8 of the Hindu Succession Act? 5) Whether the plaintiff's claim is barred by limitation under Article 110 of the Limitation Act? 6) Whether the sale deed executed by D4 through D1 in favor of D5 and D6 is valid? 7) Whether the plaintiff is entitled to the relief of permanent injunction?
Ratio Decidendi: 1) The suit properties are ancestral and joint family properties, and the plaintiff, being the daughter of the coparcener, became a coparcener by birth as per the Hindu Succession (Amendment) Act, 2005. 2) The alleged oral partition between D1 and his father is not proved. 3) The three wills relied upon by the defendants are not proved to be genuine and valid. 4) The plaintiff is entitled to a half share in the suit properties under Section 6 of the Hindu Succession Act, as amended by the 2005 Act. 5) The plaintiff's claim is not barred by limitation under Article 110 of the Limitation Act. 6) The sale deed executed by D4 through D1 in favor of D5 and D6 is valid, subject to the final decree. 7) The plaintiff is entitled to a limited injunction restraining the defendants from alienating or encumbering the plaintiff's half share in the suit properties until the final decree is passed.
Final Decision: The appeals filed by D1 and D5/D6 are partly allowed. The suit properties shall be divided into two equal shares, and one share shall be allotted to the plaintiff. The defendants are restrained by way of limited injunction from alienating the suit properties against the interest of the plaintiff until the final decree is passed. The trial court's finding that the sale deed (Ex.A-32) is not valid is set aside.
. A.S.Nos.345 of 2017 & 898 of 2018 are arising from O.S.No.770 of 2008 on the file of ‘V- Additional District Judge, Coimbatore’ (henceforth ‘Trial Court’). A.S.Nos.350 of 2017 & 899 of 2018 are arising from O.S.No.65 of 2017 on the file of the Trial Court. Since, all these appeals are arising out of a common judgment and decree dated April 19, 2017, they are disposed of by this common judgment.
2. For the sake of convenience, the parties will hereinafter be referred to as per their array in the Partition Suit namely, O.S.No.770 of
2008. Case of the Plaintiff :
3. The Suit Properties are the absolute properties of M. Mylsamy Gounder by virtue of a registered Partition Deed dated April 30,
1952. He possessed and enjoyed these properties as his own until his death. He died intestate on May 24, 1996, leaving behind the plaintiff and the first defendant (D1) as his legal heirs, who are each entitled to half share in the Suit Properties. Since their father's death, the plaintiff and D1 have jointly possessed and enjoyed the Suit Properties, sharing the expenses and income from them. Over the past six months, misunderstandings have arisen between the plaintiff and D1, leading to the plaintiff demanding a permanent partition of the Suit Properties. In the last week of June 2008, the plaintiff learned that D1 had executed a Gift Settlement Deed in favour of his wife – second defendant (D2), regarding a portion of the Suit Properties for constructing a new house. On June 25, 2008, a panchayat was convened at the plaintiff's instance to resolve the dispute. In the panchayat, D1 stated he would not give any share in the Suit Properties to the plaintiff and instead offered a monetary amount in lieu of her share. The plaintiff did not accept this offer. Subsequently, it was found that D1, intending to defeat and defraud the plaintiff's rights over the Suit Properties, had executed a Gift Settlement Deed dated June 26, 2007, in favour of D2 concerning 21 Cents in Survey No. 708 included in the Suit Properties. He had no right to do so. Additionally, it was discovered that the names of D1, the third defendant (D3), and the fourth defendant (D4) were surreptitiously included in the Pattas concerning the Suit Properties, which is void and not binding on the plaintiff.
3.1. Through the amended plaint, the plaintiff has additionally stated that, Suit Properties are undivided joint-family properties of plaintiff and D1. During the pendency of the Suit, 5th defendant (D5) and 6th defendant (D6) purportedly purchased a portion of the land in Survey No.708 under a Sale Deed dated December 15, 2010, from D4 through D1 as his power agent. Such a transaction would not be valid and binding on the plaintiff and would also be hit by lis pendens.
Hence, the Suit for partition, separate possession, and permanent injunction.
3.2. Further, the plaintiff filed another Suit before I- Additional District Munsif Court, Coimbatore for permanent injunction restraining D5 and D6 from forcefully taking possession of the specific portion of Suit Property and form a road therein. The said Suit was later transferred to Trial Court for joint trial and renumbered as O.S.No.65 of
2017. Case of D1:
4. D1 filed a Written Statement. He admits the relationship between the parties and that his father - Mylsamy Gounder acquired the Suit Properties under Partition Deed dated April 30, 1952. He denied the alleged joint possession and enjoyment of the Suit Properties as false and other averments in the plaint as false.
4.1. According to D1, he and his father organized the plaintiff’s marriage in a grand manner in 1977, providing numerous gifts including gold ornaments, a car, furniture, and silver items. The plaintiff lived happily in her matrimonial home at Sathyamangalam without getting involved in farm work or shares in the income from the farm. D1 and his father kept supporting the plaintiff’s family during festivals and events, even covering expenses for her sons’ weddings. Ev
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