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AMICUS AI
Citation Codes
Equivalent Citations
citation codes
Case Number
Attorney(S)
Judges
Acts
  • Section 53A(2) of the Assam Land and Revenue Regulation, 1886,
  • Section 154(1) of the Assam Land
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Cites
Cited by
Citation Codes
Equivalent Citations
citation codes
Case Number
Attorney(S)
Judges
Acts
  • Section 53A(2) of the Assam Land and Revenue Regulation, 1886,
  • Section 154(1) of the Assam Land
Smart Summary

Factual and Procedural Background

The suit land originally belonged to late Rama Kanta Das, the maternal grandfather of the plaintiff. Rama Kanta Das had only one child, Khirodabala, the plaintiff’s mother, through his first wife. After the death of his first wife, Rama Kanta Das married the defendant Urmila Bala Das, who had no children. Both the plaintiff and Urmila are heirs of Rama Kanta Das. The plaintiff claimed entitlement to 50% share of the suit land, which was entirely mutated in favor of the defendant on 20.2.81 by Rama Kanta Das during his lifetime through an endorsement and signature in the chitha. The defendant, relying on this mutation, expressed intention to sell the entire land. The plaintiff filed suit for declaration of title over half the land. The defendant contested, denying the plaintiff’s possession and asserting mutation in her favor on 20.2.80. The trial court dismissed the suit. On appeal (TA 7/94), the Assistant District Judge held that both parties were heirs with equal share, and the endorsement in the chitha did not create an absolute right or constitute a valid gift under Hindu Law, since a gift requires a registered deed. The appellate court allowed the appeal and decreed the suit. The present second appeal challenges that decision.

Legal Issues Presented

  1. Whether the suit is barred by Section 154(1) of the Assam Land and Revenue Regulation, 1886?
  2. Whether the suit is maintainable in view of the remedy provided under Section 53A(2) of the Assam Land and Revenue Regulation, 1886?

Arguments of the Parties

The opinion does not contain a detailed account of the parties' legal arguments.

Table of Precedents Cited

No precedents were cited in the provided opinion.

Court's Reasoning and Analysis

The court addressed the first legal issue by observing that a suit for declaration of title and injunction is never barred under Section 154(1) of the Assam Land and Revenue Regulation. Regarding the second issue, the court noted that although the Regulation provides a remedy to cancel illegally obtained mutation, it does not oust the jurisdiction of civil courts to grant declarations regarding title. The appellate court correctly granted the plaintiff’s prayer for declaration of title. Thus, the appeal lacked merit and was dismissed.

Holding and Implications

The appeal is dismissed.

The direct effect of this decision is the affirmation of the appellate court’s decree recognizing the plaintiff’s title to half of the suit land. No new precedent was established, and parties are left to bear their own costs.

    Urmila Bala Das v. Bhubaneswar Das

    J.N. SARMA, J.

    This appeal has no merit and the same shall stand dismissed.

    The brief facts are as follows:

    2. The suit land originally belonged to one late Rama Kanta Das, the maternal grant father of the plaintiff; Late Rama Kanta Das had only one issue named Khirodabala, the mother of the plaintiffs, through his 1st wife. After the death of 1st wife, Ramakanta married the defendant Urmila Bala Das, who had no issue. Plaintiff as well as Urmila are the heirs of late Rama Kanta Das and it is the case of the plaintiff that they were looking and possessing the suit land and they claimed that they are entitled to 50% of the share of the suit land, but the entire suit land was mutated in favour of the defendant on 20.2.81 by Rama Kanta Das during his life time by putting an endorsement and signature in the chitha and the defendant on the basis of the entry and mutation in the chitha expressed her intention to sell the entire suit land. Hence the suit for declaration of title with regard to half of the land. The defendant contested the suit by filing written statement. She claimed that so far as the owner of the suit land, the suit land was mutated in favour of Urmila on 20.2.80 in place of original pattadar Ramakanta. The possession of the plaintiff was also denied. The trial Court dismissed the suit. There was an appeal being TA 7/94 before the learned Asstt. District Judge, Barpeta and the learned Judge on perusal of the materials on record, rightly found that both the plaintiff and defendant-Urmila are the heirs of late Rama Kanta Das and they had equal share of the property and it was further found by the learned Judge that the endorsement made by the deceased Rama Kanta in the chitha cannot create an absolute right in favour of Urmila Bala. This endorsement in the chitha cannot be considered to be a gift under the Hindu Law. It is well settled that the gift of property can be made only by registered deed with due attestation. That not being done, the claim of gift was negative by the appellate Court and the appeal was allowed and the suit was decreed. Hence this second appeal.

    3. I have heard Mr S.K. Medhi, learned counsel for appellant and Mr K. Basar, learned counsel for respondents.

    Following are the substantial questions of law:

    i) Whether the suit is barred by Section 154(1) of the Assam Land and Revenue Regulation, 1886?

    ii) Whether the suit, in view of the remedy provided under Section 53A(2) of the Assam Land and Revenue Regulation, 1886, is maintainable?

    4. Regarding the first question there is no need to discuss it as a suit for declaration of title and injunction is never barred by Section 154(1) of the Assam Land and Revenue Regulation. The second question also requires no discussion inasmuch the land Revenue Regulation has given a right to a person to cancel a mutation obtained illegally but that does not mean that the civil Court shall have no jurisdiction to give a declaration with regard to that. That is what was prayed for by the plaintiff and the appellate Court rightly granted that prayer. In view of that matter, there is no merit in this second appeal and the same shall stand dismissed. I leave the parties to bear their own costs.

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    Comments

    Urmila Bala Das v. Bhubaneswar Das
    (Mar 20, 2001)