High Court Karnataka High Court

Venkatagiriyappa vs Smt V Kamalamma on 29 November, 2010

Karnataka High Court
Venkatagiriyappa vs Smt V Kamalamma on 29 November, 2010
Author: H N Das
INTHEHKHTCOURTOFKARNATAKAATBANGALO§E.

DATED THIS THE 29"' DAY OF NOVEMBER,_ ;201.{r)u'.'_.'__j  "  %

BEFORE

THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE  é  Y'

RFA No. 459/_2oo1A' 

BETWEEN:
VENKATAGIRIYAPPA

S/O LATE YELLAPALLI _ 

REDDAPPA _  A

AGED ABOUT BQYEAERS A   - :

R/AT BESTERE ROA1;D,_ _   4_  " 
YELA_HANKA-     

BANGALORE NOIRTH TALUI"{7f ._ ¢ 1; ...APPELLANT

(By Sri YOGA BiAATavTA..s:TmHAA:,"sR_.cOUNsEL EOR

Sri S.S".GUTTAL; ~A.DV;)_  

AND:

  i'; " v,1§iAM"A1.,AMMA

  sINGE"BEcEA_sED BY LRS

1(a) Suit sAB}'TiA
W'/0 YSRTNIVAS
 AGED 'ABOUT 63 YEARS
----  A .AR/ATNO. 15694-1,
 . L1G *"'"-'T MAIN ROAD, 2"" CROSS,
 NAGARBA BLOCK, SRIRAMPURA

 BANGALORE -- 560 021.

'K



2/



¥\.)

2. P.V.NIRMALKUMAR
AGED ABOUT 52 YEARS

3. P.V.MANJUNATI-I
AGED ABOUT 47 YEARS
R2 & R3 ARE SONS OF
LATE PSVENUGOPAL SWAMY

Rx AT No.1 18, 4"' MAIN ROAD,   

CHAM ARAJPET,
BANGALORE -- 18.

4. P.V.UMAPATHI NAIDU
AGED ABOUT 45 YEARS 
SINCE DECEASED BY  

4(1)SmtESHWAR_}"._  

W/O LATE ;i>.V;: IMARAI'HfNA1jjt§R A .

AGEOAABSOET 215: YEARS
OCC: I-I__OUS'LiW,}FE  A  

4(2)CHETA,N'A_ ._ . _  A
W/O LATE P.V.UMAPA.,T7HI NAIDU
AGED ABOUT 25' YEARS
._0CC:._HQUSE  «

 * . S BOTZHXARE RESIDING No.1 .17

'  AT?' MAIN, A8"? CROSS,

 . 'A.CHAM'A_RA§'PET, BANGALORE-18.
5. R SRINIVAS RAH;

S/O-. LA.fi'E -NfR.RA}U

 AGED ABOUT 36 YEARS

A Ar:/O BHAGYASHREE DEVELOPERS

A 5S" No." 134/29, SHAKTI SR1" NEW

0"'



BEL ROAD, RMV 2"" STAGE,

BANGALORE A560 094.  R_ESPONI§Ei\'F:T:Svv..

(By Sri.B.V.RA1\/IAMOORTHY, ADv., FOR R1_(A)
R--2~»3 SERVICE HELD SUFFICIENT I  . _  
R--4I & 2 ARE SERVED BY WAY OFFAFER _. ' I
PUBLICATION I '. I

SriT.S.AMAR KUMAR, ADV., FOfi'«M/§§_I;AW'§'§IRS, «. "

INC, ADvS.,FOR R5) 
THISRFA IS FILED W8 96 R/W/6"w<IA:'R.VVI OF" AGAINST
THE ORDER & DECREE D"i';2A3_}03.20O1 PASSED IN
O.S.NO.75l2/92 ON THE FILE OF 'ifH.E"*--}_{Iv.I AD_DL.CITY CIVL
JUDGE, BANGALORE.    .  =

THIS RFA .COMIN:G FOR7IIEAR;ING THIS DAY,
THE COURT DELIVERED_'1"HE. FOLLOWING;

This appeal is di«recteLI the judgment and decree dated

23.03.2C§JI' in  '751':;/I992 passed by 11"' Additional City

V"  .I_Uiige,."'BAangaI.Ore, dismissing the Suit for decree of permanent

injiinci-i'On a'rId\'SvpeCific  performance.

./



2. Appellant is the plaintiff and respondents are the

defendants before the Trial Court. in this judgment, for convenience,

the parties are referred to their status before the trial Courtw .i _._ if

3. 11 is the case of plaintiff thatdefendants'”e§§ecuited7an *

agreement of sale on 23.12.1988 as per to seil:l”~thiei1vi_:

plaint schedule property for a totalii_c’c-risideratiori of

Under Ex.P.1 the defendants havey__.ac’i:nowledged”the reeeipt of
advance amount of Rs.20,000f» “andide1V§–ve.,red’i.possession of schedule
property and also_”so_rne iporiiginaln doeuments in part

performance of the lagree1nen’t.yo17 .sa}e..’Further it is agreed that Within

a period of years th.e”en1i.re”—-s_ale transaction is to be completed.

V Subsequently the “plaintiff paid an additional advance amount of

1ie.11.0.i000{Li.en_l:10.11.1990 as per Ex.P.3. Thereafter on 10.06.1992

the_detfendanits.reeeived additional advance amount of Rs.20,000/–

and a§1’eed=to “e-ittend the period of agreement by another one year

i”Vfrorn+!:hat date. Despite repeated requests, demands and lawyer’s

.;.’ne°1vsee’ ‘en 10.09.1992 as per Ex.P.8(a), the defendants failed to

,…..

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perform their part of obligation and on the other hand triedltato

dispossess the plaintiff from the plaint schedule pr0pertyr;'”Tll

the plaintiff initially filed O.S. No. 7512/1992 againstMgfpwwglefendants ”

on 21.11.1992 for decree of permanent,’inju.nctijon–_ .0

defendants from interfering with 4_posse$s_ioii andyelnjeyrncntll of

plaint schedule property. In this “75_l2/ defendants
were placed ex–parte. Duriiilghhe suit lzlaefore the
Trial Court the plaintiff seeking
amendment of of prayer for
decree of agreement of sale dated
23.12.1980. fo__r– ainendrnent was allowed on

31.051.997.00 Trial an ex-parte decree on

V 17.06.lf)9’7.s..Aggrieve_dl lhy this ex–parte decree of Trial Court the

No. 590/ 1997 and the same came to be

Further this Court in M.F.A. No.

.1027/2000order dated 06.03.2000 set aside the ex-parte

if decree of the Trial Court and remanded the matter for

pfresh disposal in accordance with law.

p–..

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4. After remand from this Court, the defendants filed written

statement inter alia contending that subsequent to the agreement of

sale dated 23.12.1988 there came to be another agreement v1/I

the parties on 10.06.1992 as per Ex.D.l renewingllthe H

agreement and enhancing the sale consid::’ration«fro–rn

to Rs.4,50,000/~«. On the date of second Allagreernent lid

plaintiff has paid additional advancelo«f:Rs.20,l)U0[{ thlevpsarne is
acknowledged by the defendants Thellidevfendants
contend that plaintiff, by agreement –

Ex.D.1_, has fi1.edl’i’the…snit and’-tth_erefore the same is liable to be

dismissed. The defendantssltttrfner’contend that the suit is barred by

limitation and the plainltilff was not ready and willing to perform his

part Qffllthe On these grounds the defendants opposed the

Trial Court on the basis of pleadings framed

the following issites for consideration.

A. ,1: Whether the plaintiff proves that the defendants agreed

to sell the suit property for a consideration of Rs.One

flu

iii.

iv.

vi.

lakh and an agreement of sale dated 23.12.1988 has

been executed?

Whether the plaintiff proves that he

advance sale consideration of the

defendants?

Whether the plaintiff: _proves3_th’at he

possession and enjoymelnttof’ the suit’proiperty?3E
Whether the pil4a’intiff.’?proves«._V_thvatv.he has been ever
ready and willing to perforrn contract?

‘Whe:thei’;:jp.tlie piaintiff pi’oves’xltha–t=’ he is entitled for

specific p.erforn2.ari’ee of the contract?

ll Whethertheltlplaintiif proves that he is entitled to the

l ‘ i_permaaentinjunction sought?

t vii.

:W_h”ether the defendants proves that the suit is barred

:”t’,y_’1irriitation?

vi ii.

“ix;

‘Whether the defendants prove that if the suit is decreed

V they will be put to more hardship?

What decree or order?

»-M.

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5. Before the Trial Court the plaintiff examined himself as

P.W.l and got marked Ex.P.l to Ex.P.27. The first defendant got

examined herseif as D.W.l and got marked Ex.D.1. The Trial_Cour_t_

on appreciation of the pleadings, oral and documentary’.evi.de–nce¥-___ _

held that the plaintiff has proved the execution of agreev-mientllof sale if

dated 23.12.1988 and payment of advance anioluntlllefii

Further the Trial Court held that tthe..,_plaintiffliwas 1liCili’:'[:6E1.dVyH and

willing to perform his part of 0bligatl:(5ii.,:§lI1£l» theiisuitfis barred by
limitation. Consequently thel._inip;I.gined~ judgment the Trial

Court dismj’sse’d. suiltiifiyf plaintiff. He’nce, this appeal.

6. Sri. C’floganarasinallap.-‘teamed Senior Counsel for the

” pl,ainti.fficon.tends, thatllth’e”‘question of limitation is a mixed question

and”factl,lThe’:.Trial Court allowed the amendment of plaint

T if permitting the ‘plaintiff to incorporate additional prayer for decree of

specific performance of agreement of sale and the same relates back

t”ei”the_ date of institution of the suit. As such, the suit filed by the

Vpiainltiff is within the period of limitation. The Trial Court, without

2–..

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l 0

committed an error in not considering this oral evidence and
contents of written agreement — EX.P.l. Reliance is placed the

following decisions.

a. lshwardas Vs. The State of Madliya. pPre_desli1″‘and oVthe:r,s,7.,

AIR 1979 SC 55E
b. ML. Shankaranarayana’Rand/ps. Co1’poratio”n City
of Bangalore, 1973 (II)

7. Per contra, Sri. A_rnart~~.l{u’mar,”‘-«learn-ed counsel for

for respondent :’conten(1,__tl1at.’5 years later to the filing of the

suit the plaintiff fi1ed~..thei.applic:ation for amendment of the plaint. It

V was o41i’3l..05.lV99’Z application for amendment was allowed

comierting’ the for injunction into one for decree of specific

peffo’rrnance”ef__aga*eement of sale. Therefore the suit for the purpose

9 . of decree for specific performance was filed only on 31.05.1997. As

3.1_._05.l’997 the suit for specific performance is barred by

It is further contended that in the notice as per Ex.P.8(a)

J.

dated 10.09.1992 and also in the plaint before the Trial Court and

even after the amendment of the plaint the plaintiff has suppreésed

the second agreement -» Ex.D.l dated 10.06.1992.

Trial Court rightly held that the plaintiff was not rea.{1giv:/lg’ 0

to perform his part of obligation. Learnedjbcounslelfforgthe’de1endant3_T

support the impugned judgment. of_t.he Tidal’*Court.”T-tellialncelig

placed on the following decisions.

a. Tarlok Singh Vs.’X(§jgy I<'jnm;gfitsa_m§a1=wa1, (1996) 8 sec
367 . 9 ., .

b. .V’is’liwar:1hhai§:_3 Lax.mina.rayan (dead)
lfhroi1gh’L.l?ls*llzi11dVanother,._.(2001) 6 scc 163
c.’ Man”‘Kaur V(dr:cea,s:e’d.– LRS) Vs. Hartar Singh Sangha,

” 2.0:I0..i_AiR ‘SCW-6’i 98
81 .Heard.VVVarguments on both the side and perused the entire
anpeal pap¢rsl;’.j .. V V 1

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9. The suit is based on the agreement of sale dated 23.12.1988

Ex.P.l and the advance receipt dated .E0.06.l992 as per

These two documents are not in dispute. In Ex.P.8 (a) M thc~.la\t4§fe1*.7:;_iA’

notice dated 10.09.1992 it is specifically stated that afterbtlze 9

payment of second advance amount as per ‘def’enclants_ f

failed to perform. their part of obligation. Therefore under

plaintiff called upon the defendants. _performip_iA their ‘apart of
obligation. Since the defe11d_a1i.ts failed Vi’to._ perform their part of
obligation the plaintiff filed thesuitVon._i2 the plaint it is
specifically stated wasireatiy_ia’nidwilling to perform his
part of obligation Aar’;r:§_defend’a.r._1ts-were.’ avoiding to perform their part

of obligation. l5.W.l deposes that he was ready

and wi};l.1.ng…to perform his part of obligation and it was the

:”V.Vdefencla11ts “eyaded to perform their part of obligation and

therefor-e.he’ 1ia»s.f11é;a the suit.

+1 .10. Though the suit was filed on 21.11.1992 :1: was only for

._p’r:_.ari’c. injunction and there was no prayer for a decree of specific

-‘-x
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performance of agreement of sale. it was only on 28.0i.l997l”t1ie

plaintiff filed an application for amendment of the A’

incorporate additional prayer for decree of specific of

agreement of sale. it was on 31.05.1997 the .9

application filed by the plaintiff ppe1>;n__ittingl”tQ_i’amendthe _n1_eint9_i’;hy”

incorporating additional prayer for decree:’of_specific._Vpert’orriiance of
agreement of sale. Learned for contends that the
prayer for decree of pspecificA.perforrriance to have been
incorporated in the suit and
therefore the of this contention

reliance placVed.”_oy_n’*.ta’tjudgrnent of this Court in M.L.

Shankaranarayana Rao Vs.’ Corporation of the City of Bangalore,

1973 itwherein it is held that amendment relates

bacl<,t_o' theidatep or institution of the suit. on the other hand learned

co'uns'e.l__dei5efidants relying on a judgment of the Supreme

Court in th_e'cas;e of Tarlok Singh Vs. Vijay Kumar Sabharwal,

9' :'9.v4."'*(fl.9996}__8 SCC 367 contends that the suit for perpetual injunction is

diff::rent"frorn the suit for specific performance. The suit for specific

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performance claimed by way of amendment to the plaint will be

deemed to have been instituted only when the Court order allowing

the amendment and it will not relate back to the date of ” 3

suit. Further the Supreme Court in the case of Vishwa_mbh_ar

others Vs. Laxminarayan (dead) throughliiisilaridv another;

SCC I63 held that the amendment _thoua
relate back to the date of filing and of
limitation. In View of the lawpdeclaredlipbghlthelplbttpremeCourt in the
two decisions referred to the learned
Single Judge of this inilthe opfiillj/ll.i;.”Shankaranarayana Rao
Vs. oi’v.’th.e__fl£Ceity«lol”l~.B_angalore is no more a good law.

Therefore thesuit for.specificperformance filed by the plaintiff is

deemedito ehave filed” on 31.05.1997 when the Trial Court

allowed the pplaijntiff to amend the plaint to incorporate the prayer for

de’cree’___of”‘spevc_ifie:’performance. If the date of suit for specific

_perforii1anc~e iisvtlaken on 31.05.1997, then the same is barred by

” ” 2 l”li4mitati_on.

r-..w

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h. properly bhialde i’can1nio’t V

11. In Ex.P.4 – the receipt executed by the defendants

acknowledging the additional. advance from the piaintiff 2.

have agreed to extend the period of agreement of sale by-«lanotlieiri 0

year from that date. If that is so, the periodmof one ‘i{ear« s:ijec_ifi:ed–:i’n

Ex.P.4 will expire on 09.06.1993.’ The lperiod’ of

09.06.1993 will expire on 08.06.199’6:g:l’The to
amend the plaint incorporate p’t’ajte’r.e..;1Aecreel Viloflspecific
performance was on 31.05 admitted facts the
suit of the plaintiff the finding

recorded by theTri’;ti_E;”ottrt hol.ditig–.t:1iat”the suit of the plaintiff is

barred by ‘limita.t.iorii:3 .snp;)01’ted -by admitted evidence On record and

the same is iri._accordanc’e}wi,.th’*–theJl.aw declared by the Apex Court

in the t;ie<':i3.ions referred to Supra. I find no justifiable ground to

in inlteifere thiefinding of the Trial Court.

""le2i"A'dmiittedly in the legal notice — EX.P.8(a) and in the

pIaint.__the has not pleaded anything with regard to the

ix".-'.._'S'GCOHd agi-cement dated 10.06.1992 as per Ex.D. 1. But P.W.l in his

?\–r

dot.

CI’OSS-CX21I’I1iI’1£1[lOl1 admits his signature on Ex.D.1.. P.W.l pleads

ignorance as to under what circumstances he affixed his signature on

Ex.D.1. Further P.W.l says that out of friendship he has

signature on }3x.D.l. This evidence on record clearly establishyes if

fact that the plaintiff admitted Ex.D.1. A i’eadi’n«g ofi..&Ex_:,D;ipl:’ specifies

that parties have agreed to enhance the”.sal’»?,iconsidera*ti.on

Rs..1,00,000/– to Rs.4,50,000/–. Wheifthe parties haf»;ei”a_gi?¢’¢~;d to
enhance the sale consideration’ to then ‘necessary
for the plaintiff to plead and prove he and willing to

pay the balance consiidenation Neither in

Ex.P.8 the lawyeirfifinotice the plaint nor in the evidence of

P.W.l he hasastatedithat was-ready and willing to pay the balance

sale con’s1deration”‘ofiiRs.4i’i)0,000/–. In the absence of any such

eyhlence the Trial Court rightly concluded that the

plaiiitiff and willing to perform his part of obligation.

V _Againi”this of the Trial Court is supported by evidence on

“record_and the same is in accordance with law.

5’–.£
(ii

13. It is not in dispute between that there came to be an

agreement of sale on 23.12.1988 as per Ex.P.l between the partiescplz

is relevant to extract Clause — 2 of the agreement of

and the same reads as under: _ __ ._
“The VENDORS have th’i’s~–day–l_4 pot V

PURCHASER vacant physical “poss’essilonlic».of~

schedule land and parted withthe avais_lvable title
of the schedule land to the lPrU:RCHASER_ [‘3 plairtfl
performance of Agreernent tc-* s’elll_: _i}.’UR(lIlHASER
acknowledges the

14′, As aglarn’st…the.tcontents of a written document _ Ex.P.1

there is no other rnaterialori .record. to show that the plaintiff was not

put in possession ofthelplaint schedule property in part performance

of agreemenlt sale. Except the oral interested testimony of D.W.1

st’aIin’g__that a”ct_t_1a’1:;’physica1 possession was not handed over to the

V _p1a.intiff thereisll no other evidence on record. On the other hand

RV’! 41 __ in evidence deposed that subsequent to the agreement of

l.l_y1~_salel¥Ei<.P.3 he developed the schedule property by investing 21 sum

r-~.lh"

an

of Rs.90,000/». P.W.l further deposed that he has dug a borewell in

the plaint schedule property by investigating money. Thiszfioral

evidence of P.W.l is not seriously disputed and challen.ged_p’iri’

cross–exarnination. The Trial Court without consideringiithe ‘contents

of Ex.P.1 and the oral evidence of the pa;=jties co’ii2niii_tted ei:ro__r”iri__ f

holding that the plaintiff is not in possess.ionA oi’? the plfluilit Vschedjulevl

property. The reasoning of the Trialitloxurt_thatviiu-adder’v’the:'{3eneral
Power of Attorney — Ex.Pi;2″‘idate«.3li plaintiff was
permitted to look after the plaint_vschedulefyppropeifif subsequently
the same is revoked’ iawyerisiioitice as per Ex.P.l2
and therefore ~..p_ossession of the plaint schedule

property is contrary to. evidence on record. Therefore

the finditgigof the Courton issue No. 3 is liable to be set aside.

reasons stated above, the following;

0 R D E R

A. ,.l,. “‘”l”he appeal is partly allowed.

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11. The impugned judgment and decree of the Trial Court

dismissing the suit of plaintiff for decree ofjspecific

performance of agreement of sale is hereby ;coni’irr.nied._.__ T

III. The judgment and decree of the TrialCojuI’tt.jin:s.ofar

it relates to finding on issue Nosaf: and 6 are’hereby_ f

set aside.

IV. The suit of the plaintilffor permanent
injunction and also
respondent decreed’-restraining them
possession and
schedule property except by

T
jg The jointly or severally or respondent No. 5

.j_a.lone are at liberty to work out their remedy to recover

:il”poss~fess.ion of the plaint schedule property in

accordance with law, if they are so entitled.

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ll ‘T “L.Rsl3o1 120:0. JUQGE