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2016 Supreme(Ker) 211

IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM
ANTONY DOMINIC AND A.HARIPRASAD, JJ.
ALIYAR - Appellant
Vs.
RAJU V.VAYALAT - Respondent
R.F.A.No.11 of 2015
Decided on : 9-02-2016

Advocates Appeared:
For the Appellant : SRI.S.B.PREMACHANDRA PRABHU, SRI.K.B.RAJESH
For the Respondent: SRI.K.A..SHAJI MATHEW (CAVEATOR), SRI.S.VINOD BHAT(CAVEATOR)

Headnote:

Specific Relief Act, 1963 - Section 26 - Rectification - Mistake - When instrument may be rectified - Essentials - Explained - Held, In S.26 of the Act, the expression "common mistake" is not used. Instead, the usage is "mutual mistake of the parties". However, there are reasons for viewing that the usage "mutual mistake of the parties" occurring in S.26 of the Act is synonymous with "common mistake" as commonly understood under the English Law. So, it must be established by pleading and proving that the appellant agreed to sell and the respondent agreed to purchase the land through assignment deed and must also be established that the parties so intended before executing and the intention could not be translated into words in the document - Essentials for claiming rectification of an instrument, as revealed by the precedents, can be summarised. Firstly, the relief will not be granted unless a completed agreement is reached prior to the written agreement, which is sought to be executed. In other words, if the negotiations leading up to the execution of the document were vague and inconclusive or if it is impossible to ascertain what was the intention of the parties and what they really meant, then the challenged instrument can only be said to represent the agreement that has been concluded. If there is no antecedent agreement proved, upon which a rectification can be based, the relief cannot be granted. Secondly, both the parties must have intended that the exact term of the prior agreement should be reduced to writing and this intention should remain unchanged up to the moment of the actual execution of the instrument. That is, if it is proved that the parties subsequently changed their original intention and that the instrument finally represents the true intention of the parties, it becomes fatal to a suit for rectification. Thirdly, the evidence relating to mistake common to both the parties must be clear and the burden of proving this lies on the party praying for rectification. It is also settled that the mistake should be obvious and not a mere probability. Fourthly, a party should seek rectification of literal mistakes, so as to enable the parties to act according to their intentions already revealed clearly and unequivocally, so as to prevent them from nullifying their prior agreement

JUDGMENT :

Hariprasad, J.

This is an appeal by the defeated defendant.

2. Apart from the factual issues, the prime legal question arising for determination in this appeal is whether an assignment deed can be rectified under Section 26 of the Specific Relief Act, 1963 (for brevity, "the Act") without pleading and proving fraud or mutual mistake of the parties? Ancillary question is whether a decree declaring that the property shown in the plaint schedule is the property assigned to the plaintiff through Ext.A1 (the document sought to be rectified) will salvage the situation in favour of the plaintiff? Of course, other reliefs sought in the plaint are dependent on the findings on these issues.

3. Short facts pleaded in the plaint are thus: Respondent is the absolute owner of 22 cents of land in resurvey Nos.63/2 and 196 of Chelamattom Village and a double storied building bearing No.PMC/XXI/339. He purchased the property from the appellant as per Ext.A1 sale deed. The dispute in this case is centered around this property and the building. Respondent contended that he purchased the property from the appellant for a consideration of Rs. 52 lakhs, by availing a loan from the State Bank of Travancore, Thoppumpady Branch. In connection with the loan transaction, the respondent deposited original sale deed with the bank. Respondent further contended that immediately after the purchase, the appellant sought his permission to continue residence in the house situated in the property for three months in order to enable him to purchase a suitable land and building. Respondent acceded to this request and permitted the appellant to reside in the building. Even after three months, the appellant did not vacate. But he sought further time. That was also allowed by the appellant. In spite of various demands made by the respondent, the appellant refused to vacate the building and therefore, the respondent was compelled to initiate this action against the appellant. The suit, at its inception, was one for mandatory and prohibitory injunction reliefs. Thereafter an Advocate Commissioner was appointed by the court to identify the property. The Commissioner inspected the property with the help of Taluk Surveyor and submitted a report and plan. Subsequent to that the plaint underwent multiple amendments. Finally, the suit became one for rectification of Ext.A1 document, declaration of the respondent's title over the plaint property and building and also for prohibitory and mandatory injunction reliefs.

4. Appellant filed written statement and additional written statements to the amended plaint and vehementally contested the suit. According to him, the suit, in its original form as well as in the amended form, is not maintainable. Description of the plaint schedule property is wrong and misleading. No residential building as described in the plaint schedule was included in the property assigned by the appellant to the respondent. Execution of Ext.A1 is admitted by the appellant. But he would contend that an extent of 6.49 ares of land comprised in resurvey Nos.63/2 and 196 and an old shed therein were alone conveyed by the appellant to the respondent for a consideration of Rs. 10 lakhs. Before executing the sale deed, the respondent and the Branch Manager of the State Bank of Travancore approached the appellant and insisted that a consideration of Rs. 52 lakhs should be shown in the document in order to enable the respondent to avail a loan from the bank. Appellant agreed to execute a document as suggested by the respondent. Contention in the plaint that the respondent allowed the appellant to reside in the building as a licensee is totally false. There was only a shed in the property assigned by the appellant to the respondent. After purchasing the property, the respondent demolished the shed. Appellant is residing in a building situated in 8.9 ares of land comprised in old survey No.322/9. That land was purchased by the appellant as per Ext.A7. Document w







































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