High Court Punjab-Haryana High Court

Mal Singh And Others vs Contesting on 27 January, 2009

Punjab-Haryana High Court
Mal Singh And Others vs Contesting on 27 January, 2009
             IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA
                         AT CHANDIGARH.


                                          R.S.A. No. 2870 of 2002
                                          Date of Decision: 27.1.2009

             Mal Singh and others.

                                            ....... Appellants through Shri
                                                    S.D.Sharma, Senior
                                                    Advocate with Shri
                                                    K.S.Grewal, Advocate.

                   Versus

             Mohinder Singh and others.

                                            ....... Contesting Respondents
                                                    through Shri
                                                    S.N.Chopra, Advocate.


      CORAM: HON'BLE MR.JUSTICE MAHESH GROVER

                                ....

             1. Whether Reporters of Local Newspapers may be allowed to
                see the judgment?
             2. To be referred to the Reporters or not?
             3. Whether the judgment should be reported in the Digest?

                                ....

Mahesh Grover,J.

This is an appeal for setting aside judgments and decrees dated

26.8.1998 and 15.2.2002 passed respectively by Civil Judge (Senior

Division), Fatehgarh Sahib (hereinafter described as `the trial Court’) and

Additional District & Sessions Judge, Fatehgarh Sahib (referred to

hereinafter as `the First Appellate Court’) whereby the suit of the plaintiffs-

respondents was decreed and the appeal of the defendants-appellants was

dismissed.

Briefly stated the facts of the case are as under:-

Originally, the suit was filed by Mohinder Singh and Gurnam
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Singh on 19.10.1971 for declaration to the effect that the gift deed No.1709

executed by Gian Singh, their brother, in favour of Pritam Kaur in respect

of the properties mentioned at letters `A’ and `B’ in the head note of the

plaint is null & void and was not binding on their rights being reversioners,

as also on the rights of other reversioners of Gian Singh on his death.

It was pleaded by the plaintiffs that Gian Singh was issueless

and without a wife and that they were his nearest best legal heirs. It was

further pleaded that Pritam Kaur had got no legal relation with Gian Singh

and that the gift deed had been executed and got registered in order to avoid

a pre-emption suit, whereas, in fact, Pritam Kaur had purchased the

properties in question. Gian Singh was stated to be governed by General

Customary Law of Punjab in the matters of alienation, inheritance and

adoption and he could not have executed the gift deed in question. The

recital in the gift deed that Pritam Kaur was the wife of Gian Singh was

stated to be wrong and got incorporated under her influence and in fact, she

was the purchaser. The suit properties were stated to be ancestral.

On 29.11.1971, Pritam Kaur and Gian Singh filed a joint

written statement stating therein that a male proprietor is competent to make

gift in favour of his nearest heir. It was averred that Pritam Kaur was the

wife of Gian Singh and, thus, she was his nearest heir. They denied that the

plaintiffs were the nearest best legal heirs of Gian Singh and pleaded that

even under the Customary Law, there was no bar against execution of such

a gift deed. The status of the suit properties being ancestral was also denied.

It was stated that Pritam Kaur, who was the daughter of late S.Gurbaksh
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Singh, Jagirdar of Village Kotla Shamshaspur, Tehsil Samrala, was married

to Gian Singh some 35 years back and they had been amicably living

together as husband and wife.

The plaintiffs filed replication on 1.12.1971 controverting the

averments of the defendants.

On the pleadings of the parties, the following issues were

framed on 2.12.1971:-

1. Whether the plaintiffs have the locus standi to file the

suit?OPP

2. Whether the property in dispute is ancestral qua the

plaintiffs and Gian Singh defendant?OPP

3. Whether the plaintiffs and Gian Singh are governed by

custom in matters of alienation of ancestral property, if so,

what that custom is?OPP

4. Whether Pritam Kaur defendant is not the wife of Gian

Singh?OPP

5. Whether the suit is properly valued for the purposes of court

fee and jurisdiction?OPP

6. Whether Gian Singh made a valid gift regarding the

property in dispute in favour of Pritam Kaur defendant?OPD

7. Whether the gift of the property in dispute in favour of

Pritam Kaur tantamounts to acceleration of succession, if so,

what is the effect?OPD

8. Relief.

R.S.A.No.2870 of 2002

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….

It is pertinent to mention here that Gian Singh died on

24.1.1972.

On 11.2.1972, the plaintiffs filed an amended plaint claiming a

decree for possession as well qua the suit properties and for declaration of

ownership and in the alternative for possession of the property mentioned at

Letter `C’ in the head note.

Pritam Kaur, on 17.2.1972, filed written statement to the

amended plaint denying the claim of the plaintiffs.

However, no additional issue was claimed.

Thereafter, the plaintiffs led their evidence in affirmative. Even

the defendant had examined two witnesses.

On 10.5.1973, the plaintiffs filed an application for amendment

of the plaint in view of the enforcement of the Punjab Custom (Power to

Contest) Amendment Act,1973 as the right under the custom to contest

alienation of ancestral property was abolished. They wanted to take up an

alternative plea of the applicability of Hindu Law and the property in

dispute being their coparcenary and of theirs being members of coparcenary

with their brother Gian Singh.

Pritam Kaur filed her reply dated 21.5.1973 to the aforesaid

application and pleaded that the plaintiffs are not entitled to take up the plea

as sought by them.

On 12.9.1973, the application for amendment was dismissed by

the trial Court as it was found to be mala fide and a new, different, and

inconsistent case was sought to be introduced.

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The plaintiffs thereafter filed an application on 23.10.1973

again for amendment of the plaint to the effect that the gift deed was the

result of fraud and misrepresentation of facts.

On 27.10.1973, Pritam Kaur filed her reply and sought the

dismissal of the application as well as the suit.

Prior to that, the defendant had moved an application on

22.10.1973 stating therein that the suit of the plaintiffs should be dismissed

as it was no longer maintainable after the commencement of the Punjab

Custom (Power to Contest) Amendment Act,1973, which was contested by

the plaintiffs, who averred that the said Act was not applicable to the

pending suits.

Vide its judgment dated 3.11.1973, the Sub Judge, Bassi held

that the ibid Act applied to the pending suits according to which no decree

could be passed declaring an alienation of ancestral property to be invalid.

Consequently, the suit was dismissed.

The plaintiffs filed an appeal against the judgment of the trial

Court, which was also dismissed by the Additional District Judge, Patiala.

In the Regular Second Appeal, this Court affirmed the

judgments of the Courts below vide order dated 25.9.1975.

The plaintiffs filed a Petition for Special Leave to Appeal

before the Supreme Court challenging the order of this Court,which

was,later on, converted into Civil Appeal No.263 of 1976.

The aforesaid appeal along with other similar appeals came up

for hearing before the Apex Court and their Lordships, vide order dated
R.S.A.No.2870 of 2002

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….

20.11.1990, observed as under:-

“As we find that in these appeals the cases of the appellants

under Hindu Law were not gone into by the High Court &

Lower Courts, we order the cases to be sent back forthwith to

the High Court and direct the High Court to examine the cases

of the willing appellants under Hindu Law after hearing the

parties and,if needed, giving them opportunity to adduce

further necessary evidence. The willing appellants may appear

before the High Court for necessary instructions in this

regard.”

After remand, a learned Single Judge of this Court heard the

learned counsel for the parties, accepted the appeal vide order dated

27.4.1995, set aside the impugned judgments and decrees and remitted the

case to the trial Court for decision afresh and in accordance with law. The

relevant portion of the said order reads as under:-

“It has been conceded by respective counsel for the parties that

there is no pleading to the effect that in the alternative their

case needs to be examined under Hindu Law. Obviously, in the

absence of such a pleading, the matter cannot be examined by

this Court. Thus, keeping in view the direction of the Apex

Court, the matter is remanded to the trial Court to decide the

same afresh in the light of the directions given by the Apex

Court vide order dated 20.11.1990. The trial Court, of

course,would permit the plaintiffs to file amended plaint if an
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application is filed in this regard as well as allow the

defendants to file amended written statement,if need be, and

thereafter allow the parties to adduce evidence in respect of the

contentions so raised and then decide the matter. Accordingly, I

accept the appeal, set aside the judgment and decree of the

Additional District Judge and remand the case to Subordinate

Judge, Fatehgarh Sahib for decision afresh in accordance with

law. The parties through their counsel are directed to appear in

the trial Court on 9.6.1995. Since the suit was filed sometime in

the year 1971, the trial Court is directed to decide the matter

expeditiously, preferably within this year.”

The parties, thereafter, were given opportunity by the trial

Court, to file amended plaint and written statement.

The plaintiffs-respondents filed amended plaint verbatim the

same which was filed earlier in the year 1972. The essential pleadings

were:-

(1)that Gian Singh was governed by the General Customary

Law in the matter of alienation, inheritance and adoption till

the enforcement of Hindu Succession Act and Hindu

Adoption and Maintenance Act and that a male proprietor

could not alienate the ancestral property by way of sale,

mortgage, exchange, gift and will without consideration and

legal necessity in the presence of his collaterals;

(2) that the plaintiffs-respondents were the nearest best legal
R.S.A.No.2870 of 2002

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….

heirs of Gian Singh and his property qua them was

ancestral;

(3) that Gian Singh was issueless and without a wife;

(4) that Gian Singh had no legal relationship with Pritam Kaur

(defendant no.1) and that she has been brought on thescene

by certain persons, who are interested in damaging their

reversionary rights; and

(5) that the recital in the gift deed to the effect that Pritam Kaur

daughter of Gurbax Singh was the wife of Gian Singh was

wrong.

Pritam Kaur (defendant no.1) had died on 18.6.1992 and,

thereafter, present appellant no.1 – Mal Singh, claiming himself to be her

legal heir on the basis of will dated 31.1.1972 executed by defendant no.1,

filed written statement controverting the averments made in the amended

plaint. It was also averred by Mal Singh that deceased-Pritam Kaur had sold

some of the suit properties to different persons including defendant nos. 2 to

14 on the basis of the gift deed dated 1.10.1971 as well as the operation of

the natural succession being the widow of Gian Singh.

In the replication dated 21.11.1995 filed to the amended written

statement filed by Mal Singh, the plaintiffs-respondents, for the first time,

averred that Pritam Kaur daughter of Inder Singh of village Badlam Kalan

was the wife of Gian Singh and that she had died on 2.2.1968 and that they

alone were the legal heirs of said Pritam Kaur.

It is important to point out here that all throughout in the suit
R.S.A.No.2870 of 2002

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filed in the year 1971 and in the amended plaints filed in 1972 as well as

1995, Pritam Kaur daughter of Gurbax Singh was impleaded as defendant

and in the replication dated 21.11.1995, as stated above, Pritam Kaur

daughter of Inder Singh was introduced as wife of Gian Singh by the

plaintiffs-respondents.

On 18.12.1995, the trial Court framed the following issues on

the basis of the fresh pleadings of the parties:-

1. Whether Pritam Kaur D/o Inder Singh was the wife of Gian

Singh and not defendant no.1 as alleged? OPP

2. Whether property in dispute is coparcenary property of

undivided family consisting of plaintiffs and their brother

Gian Singh?OPP

3. Whether defendant No.1 is the widow of Gian Singh?OPD

4. Whether Gian Singh executed gift deed in favour of

defendant No.1? If so, its effect?OPD

5. If issue No.4 is proved, whether the alleged gift deed is the

result of fraud and misrepresentation for the reasons stated in

the replication?OPP

6. Whether defendant no.1 executed registered will dt.

31.1.1972 in favour of Mal Singh S/o Avtar Singh, her

alleged nephew? OPD

7. If issue no.6 is proved, whether the will is forged and

fabricated document in connivance with other

defendants?OPP
R.S.A.No.2870 of 2002

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8. Whether the suit is bad for non-joinder of necessary

parties?OPD

9. Whether suit is not maintainable as alleged?OPD

10. Whether defendants no. 2 to 14 are bona fide purchasers as

alleged in the written statement?OPD

11. Relief.

After giving opportunity to the parties to lead further evidence

and hearing their counsel, the trial Court, vide its judgment 26.8.1998,

passed a decree of declaration and possession with costs to the effect that

the plaintiffs are the owners of the suit property being brother of Gian Singh

having reversionary rights in the suit properties because Gian Singh died

issueless and his wife died before his death and are entitled to possession of

the suit property.

The First Appellate Court, vide its judgment dated 15.2.2002,

affirmed the findings of the trial Court recorded on all the issues and

dismissed the appeal of the appellants, i.e., Mal Singh and subsequent

vendees of the suit properties.

However, while determining controversy, both the Courts

below came to the conclusion that the suit properties were not ancestral, but

discarded the gift deed made by Gian Singh in favour of Pritam Kaur

daughter of Gurbax Singh by holding that Pritam Kaur daughter of Inder

Singh was his wife. The will dated 31.1.1972 executed by Pritam Kaur

daughter of Gurbax singh in favour of appellant no.1-Mal Singh was also

discarded.

R.S.A.No.2870 of 2002

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….

Feeling aggrieved, the defendants have filed this appeal.

I have heard the learned counsel for the parties and have

perused the record.

In my opinion, the following substantial questions of law arise

for determination in this appeal:-

(1)Whether the judgments of both the Courts below can be

termed as judgments per incuriam because the judgment of

the Supreme Court was only for examining the plea under

Hindu Law and whether by misinterpreting & ignoring such

a mandate, the Courts below have committed an

insurmountable illegality on account of patent lack of

jurisdiction?

(2) Whether the respondents are completely estopped by their

act and conduct to raise an altogether a new plea of

relationship of Gian Singh with Pritam Kaur which was not

at all raised upto the Supreme Court till remand and allowing

of such a plea by the Courts below which is diametrically

opposed to the one pleaded earlier, is legally incorrect?

(3) Whether the Courts below had got jurisdiction to travel

beyond the parameters of remand given by the Apex Court?

(4) Whether a party can rake up an issue of fact which was

abandoned at the earlier stage of litigation and whether a

Court can look into the evidence which is not based on the

pleadings?

R.S.A.No.2870 of 2002

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In the circumstances of the case, the question which needs

determination first is as to whether the Courts below were justified in

travelling beyond the domain of the directions given by the Apex Court

while remanding the matter and which were reflected in the order of this

Court while remitting the matter to the trial Court.

At the cost of repetition, the observations of the Apex Court as

well as those of this Court made while remanding the matter, are reproduced

below for proper appreciation:-

” Observations of the Apex Court contained in order
dated 20.11.1990.

“As we find that in these appeals the cases of the appellants

under Hindu Law were not gone into by the High Court &

Lower Courts, we order the cases to be sent back forthwith to

the High Court and direct the High Court to examine the cases

of the willing appellants under Hindu Law after hearing the

parties and,if needed, giving them opportunity to adduce

further necessary evidence. The willing appellants may appear

before the High Court for necessary instructions in this regard.

xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx

Observations of this Court contained in order dated
27.4.1995.

“It has been conceded by respective counsel for the parties that

there is no pleading to the effect that in the alternative their

case needs to be examined under Hindu Law. Obviously, in the

absence of such a pleading, the matter cannot be examined by
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this Court. Thus, keeping in view the direction of the Apex

Court, the matter is remanded to the trial Court to decide the

same afresh in the light of the directions given by the Apex

Court vide order dated 20.11.1990. The trial Court, of

course,would permit the plaintiffs to file amended plaint if an

application is filed in this regard as well as allow the

defendants to file amended written statement,if need be, and

thereafter allow the parties to adduce evidence in respect of the

contentions so raised and then decide the matter. Accordingly, I

accept the appeal, set aside the judgment and decree of the

Additional District Judge and remand the case to Subordinate

Judge, Fatehgarh Sahib for decision afresh in accordance with

law. The parties through their counsel are directed to appear in

the trial Court on 9.6.1995. Since the suit was filed sometime in

the year 1971, the trial Court is directed to decide the matter

expeditiously, preferably within this year.”

It is abundantly clear from the above extracted observations

that the Apex Court had remanded the case only qua a limited aspect of the

matter, i.e., regarding the applicability of Hindu Law and that too was to be

availed by the willing appellants before it. This Court also, while answering

the Regular Second Appeal, had confined itself to the observations of the

Apex Court and opportunity to be given to the parties to set up pleadings

was also necessarily required to be confined to the narrow compass for

which the remand had been made, implying thereby that the plaintiffs-

R.S.A.No.2870 of 2002

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respondents had to incorporate a specific plea in the amended plaint

regarding the suit properties being ancestral, coparcenary and the parties

being governed by the Hindu Law of succession.

Under no circumstance, a new plea could not be raised in the

amended plaint in order to set up a case which was not pleaded earlier.

The learned trial Court was, therefore, clearly in error when it

permitted itself to travel into the domains which were alien to the earlier

pleadings.

In the first plaint which was filed in 1971 and thereafter

amended in 1972, the plaintiffs had pleaded the few essentials which have

been reproduced above and which are being extracted here for the purpose

of reference:-

1. that Gian Singh was governed by the General Customary

Law in the matter of alienation, inheritance and adoption till

the enforcement of Hindu Succession Act and Hindu

Adoption and Maintenance Act and that a male proprietor

could not alienate the ancestral property by way of sale,

mortgage, exchange, gift and will without consideration and

legal necessity in the presence of his collaterals;

(2)that the plaintiffs-respondents were the nearest best legal

heirs of Gian Singh and his property qua them was

ancestral;

(3) that Gian Singh was issueless and without a wife;

(4) that Gian Singh had no legal relationship with Pritam Kaur
R.S.A.No.2870 of 2002

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(defendant no.1) and that she has been brought on thescene

by certain persons, who are interested in damaging their

reversionary rights; and

(5) that the recital in the gift deed to the effect that Pritam Kaur

daughter of Gurbax Singh was the wife of Gian Singh was

wrong.

In the plaint filed by the plaintiffs after the remand also, the

aforemetioned essentials were pleaded. It was nowhere averred therein that

Gian Singh’s wife was Pritam Kaur daughter of Inder Singh and that she had

died in the year 1968. This fact was pleaded for the first time in the

replication as aforesaid and that too at the point of time when Pritam Kaur

daughter of Gurbax Singh (defendant no.1) had expired in the year 1992. It

is also to be noted that in the plaint filed in the year 1971 and amended in

the year 1972, Pritam Kaur daughter of Gurbax Singh was impleaded as

defendant by the plaintiffs themselves. At that time, Gian Singh and Pritam

Kaur both were alive and had filed a joint written statement. The trial

Court, therefore, was totally bereft of the factual aspects of the matter that

could have been brought had Pritam Kaur daughter of Gurbax Singh had

been alive.

In any eventuality, this plea could not have been allowed to be

raised by the trial Court and that too in the replication.

In the Law of Pleadings, the plaintiff is required to state his

case concisely and specifically which is put to the defendant, who, on

notice, is required to admit or deny or put up his version to the case set up
R.S.A.No.2870 of 2002

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by the plaintiff. The replication, even though part of the pleadings, cannot

substantiate the positive case which is required of a plaintiff to be set up,

more-so when the facts of the instant case reveal that such a case was never

pleaded by the plaintiffs and it was a mere denial that Gian Singh died wife

less and issueless and that Pritam Kaur daughter of Gurbax Singh had no

relation with him. The plaintiffs were clearly required to state that Pritam

Kaur daughter of Gurbax Singh was not related to Gian Singh and that

Pritam Kaur daughter of Inder Singh was his wife who died in the year

1968.

This case having not been set up and being contrary to the

terms of remand, was, in my opinion, a completely new case which was

pleaded and which could not have been allowed by the trial Court.

Once the terms of remand are specific and centric to an issue,

then the Courts below cannot travel beyond such a centricity as pin-pointed

by the superior Court.

Had it been a case of a generic order,merely setting aside the

judgments of the Courts below and directing the matter to be tried afresh,

then probably the case could have been different. Even then, the parties are

to broadly abide by the pleadings which have already been stated.

That apart, the plea of fraud qua the gift deed was also taken for

the first time in the year 1995 when the donor and recipient had died. On

the parity of reasoning given above, such plea could not have been

permitted to be raised in the year 1995 and thus, the trial Court as well as

the First Appellate Court were wrong in travellling beyond the terms of
R.S.A.No.2870 of 2002

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order of remand.

In so far as the status of the suit properties being ancestral is

concerned, both the Courts below have held that the same were not ancestral

while recording their findings qua issue no.2. This was the crucial issue

which was required to be determined considering the nature of the terms of

remand. Once this had been determined, then no other issue was required to

be gone into and the evidence that has been led regarding Pritam Kaur

daughter of Inder Singh being the wife of Gian Singh was clearly beyond

the pleaded case of the parties.

It is a settled proposition of law that no amount of evidence can

be looked into if the same has not been specifically pleaded.

The suit was filed during the life time of donor-Gian Singh,

who supported the gift deed in favour of Pritam Kaur daughter of Gurbax

Singh. If, at all, this alleged recipient was not the wife of Gian Singh and

Pritam Kaur daughter of Inder Singh was his real wife, as alleged by the

plaintiffs in their replication, then this fact should have come forthright in

the pleadings in the year 1971/1972 itself, but for absolutely no reasons, this

fact was kept concealed from the Court and as stated above, was released

from the cocoon in the year 1995 when both Gian Singh and Pritam Kaur

daughter of Gurbax Singh had died.

It is not the case of the plaintiffs that such a fact was not known

to them and it could not possibly have been because Gian Singh was their

collateral.

I am, therefore, of the considered opinion that the fact
R.S.A.No.2870 of 2002

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regarding Pritam Kaur daughter of Inder Singh being the wife of Gian Singh

was clearly beyond the domain of the controversy and the pleadings &

consequent evidence to that effect as well as the findings recorded by both

the Courts below were uncalled for.

The plea of the plaintiffs that this fact was not objected to is

without any merit as I have observed earlier that it could not have been

stated at all and the pleadings to this effect could not have been considered.

The contention of the learned counsel for plaintiffs-respondents

that no rejoinder to the replication was filed is being noticed to be rejected.

The record shows that the appellants had made an attempt to file a

rejoinder,but their prayer was declined by the trial Court. The revision

petition preferred against the order of the trial Court was also dismissed.

It will be useful to notice here the provisions of the Code of

Civil Procedure, relating to the power of remand. Rules 23 and 25 of Order

41 deal with this subject. The same read as under:-

“23. Remand of case by Appellate Court.- Where the Court

from whose decree an appeal is preferred has disposed of the

suit upon a preliminary point and the decree is reversed in

appeal, the Appellate Court may, if it thinks fit, by order

remand the case, and may further direct what issue or issues

shall be tried in the case so remanded, and shall send a copy of

its judgment and order to the Court from whose decree the

appeal is preferred, with directions to re-admit the suit under its

original number in the register of civil suits, and proceed to
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determine the suit; and the evidence (if any) recorded during

the original trial shall, subject to all just exceptions, be

evidence during the trial after remand.

25.Where Appellate Court may frame issues and refer them

for trial to Court whose decree appealed from.- Where the

Court from whose decree the appeal is preferred has omitted

to frame or try any issue, or to determine any question of

fact, which appears to the Appellate Court essential to the

right decision of the suit upon the merits, the Appellate

Court may,if necessary, frame issues, and refer the same for

trial to the Court from whose decree the appeal is preferred

and in such case shall direct such Court to take the additional

evidence required;

and such Court shall proceed to try such issues, and shall

return the evidence to the Appellate Court together with its

findings thereon and the reasons therefor within such time as

may be fixed by the Appellate Court or extended by it from

time to time.”

A reading of the above quoted provisions makes it clear that

under Rule 25, the remand is limited while a complete remand is

permissible under Rule 23.

If one were to examine the order of the Apex Court, as also of

this Court, it is clearly evident that there was a partial remand limited to

only one issue and the rest of the findings could not have been disturbed by
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permitting the parties to rake up new pleas or by permitting the plaintiffs to

set up a totally new case.

The questions of law, as framed above, are, therefore, answered

in the terms that both the Courts below were clearly in error in travelling

beyond the domain of the terms of the order of remand and also that for the

first time, the plaintiffs-respondents were precluded from raising the plea of

fraud, also the fact that Pritam Kaur daughter of Gurbax Singh was not the

wife of Gian Singh and instead Pritam Kaur daughter of Inder Singh was his

wife and that no evidence to that effect could have been looked into.

Consequently, the appeal is allowed and the impugned

judgments and decrees are set aside with the observation that since the suit

properties have been held to be not ancestral, the only issue that was

required to be determined stands answered in favour of the appellants and as

a direct consequence thereof, the gift deed executed in favour of Pritam

Kaur daughter of Gurbax Singh which was held to be valid in the earlier

proceedings, is again held to be valid.

January 27,2009                                  ( Mahesh Grover )
"SCM"                                                Judge