High Court Kerala High Court

Kunhamma vs Shredharan on 16 August, 2010

Kerala High Court
Kunhamma vs Shredharan on 16 August, 2010
       

  

  

 
 
  IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM

SA.No. 281 of 1997()



1. KUNHAMMA
                      ...  Petitioner

                        Vs

1. SHREDHARAN
                       ...       Respondent

                For Petitioner  :SRI.K.G.GOURI SANKAR RAI

                For Respondent  :SRI.M.C.SEN (SR.)

The Hon'ble MR. Justice HARUN-UL-RASHID

 Dated :16/08/2010

 O R D E R
                       HARUN-UL-RASHID, J.
                        ------------------------
                        S.A.No.281 Of 1997
                         ----------------------
             Dated this the 16th day of August, 2010.

                           J U D G M E N T

The plaintiff in O.S.No.489 of 1993 on the file of the Munsiff

Court, Kasaragode, is the appellant. The appeal is directed

against the judgment and decree in A.S.No.104 of 1995 on the

file of the Sub Court, Kasaragode. Suit was filed for permanent

prohibitory injunction. The trial court held that the plaintiff being

miserably failed to establish possession over the plaint schedule

property is dis-entitled to any reliefs claimed in the suit. The suit

was dismissed. The lower appellate court confirmed the decree

and judgment. Parties hereinafter are referred to as the plaintiff

and defendant as arrayed in the suit.

2. Suit property is 4 acres of land in R.S.No.1/1A1 in

Karivedakam village of Kasaragode Taluk. Plaintiff claimed

absolute title, ownership and possession in respect of 4 acres of

land. Claim is based on Ext.A1 partition deed executed in the

year 1966 between the members of the plaintiff’s family. The

defendant claimed absolute title and ownership over 2 acres of

S.A.No.281 Of 1997

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land in the same survey number. According to him the eastern

portion of the plaint schedule property having an extent of 2

acres is in his possession and enjoyment. The case of the

defendant is that his father Chomanna Naika got 2 acres of land

in R.S.No.1/1A1 under lease arrangement and eversince the date

of lease deed his father was in possession of the eastern portion

of the suit property and that subsequent to the death of his

father the defendant and other family members are in possession

of the same. He denied the right, title and interest of the plaintiff

over the said extent. In support of the case of the defendant he

produced Ext.B1 registered kuzhikanam marupattam document

No.1966/1957 executed by two members of the plaintiff’s family

in the name of the defendant’s father Chomanna Naika. He also

produced the attested copy of the kuzhikanam deed executed in

favour of his father dated 9.9.1987. Ext.B2 is the document.

Ext.B3 series are the basic tax receipts evidencing payment of

revenue by the defendant in respect of the land in R.S.No.1/1A1.

3. The trial court appreciated the evidence adduced by

the parties. The parties adduced oral and documentary evidence.

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The trial court appreciated the documents namely, Ext.A1

partition deed, Ext.A2 series of tax receipts, Ext.B1 registered

kuzhikanam marupattam document, Ext.B2 attested copy of the

kuzhikanam deed, Ext.B3 series are the basic tax receipts, Ext.B4

registered copy of the sale deed etc. in support of the respective

contentions taken by the parties.

4. The defendant challenged the partition deed and

contended that the partition was executed by the plaintiff with an

ulterior motive to defeat the right held by the defendant and his

predecessors-in-interest. It is the case of the defendant that two

members of the plaintiff’s family who are also parties to the

partition deed executed the kuzhikanam marupattam in the year

1957 and gave possession of 2 acres of land in the suit survey

lying on the eastern portion of the plaint schedule property and

that eversince the date of lease deed the defendant’s

predecessor-in-interest Chomanna Naika came into possession of

the said extent of property and in continuation the defendant and

other legal heirs are in enjoyment of the property. The courts

below noted the fact that in Ext.A1 partition deed it is admitted

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that the all the leasehold properties were in the possession of the

tenants. PW1 conceded that there were two tenants under the

plaintiff when the properties were set apart to her share. Ext.B4

is the copy of the sale deed executed by the plaintiff in favour of

the a third party who was examined as DW2. As per Ext.B4

plaintiff assigned 1.55 acres in R.S.No.1/1A1 which is lying on

the eastern side of the suit property. As per the boundary shown

in Ext.B4, Chomanna Naika’s property is lying on the western

side of Ext.B4 property. DW2 testified before the court that he

purchased the property as per Ext.B4 which is lying on the

eastern side of the property possessed by Chomanna Naika. The

trial court as well as the appellate court believed the oral

evidence of DW2 and held that his evidence is acceptable and

was not discredited. Admittedly, DW2 is a vendee of the land

which originally belonged to the plaintiff which is lying in

R.S.No.1/1A1. The trial court relied on Exts.B1 to B4 and held

that the documents also probabilises the case of the defendant

that he is possession of an extent of 2 acres of land which is the

eastern portion of plaint A schedule property. The trial court also

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noticed the fact that the plaintiff failed to take out a commission

to show the nature and lie of the property and that the defendant

had taken steps to examine DW2 in order to prove that the

property lying on the west of his property is in the possession of

the defendant. Taking into account the oral and documentary

evidence the courts below held that the plaintiff failed to prove

that she is in possession of the entire property scheduled in the

plaint. The courts below also held that Exts.B1 to B3 strengthens

the case of the defendant that he is in possession of 2 acres of

land which is the eastern portion of the plaint A schedule

property. Since the fact finding courts concurrently found that

the plaintiff failed to prove that she is in possession of the entire

extent scheduled in the plaint, she is not entitled to the reliefs

claimed. The courts below positively found that the defendant is

in possession of two acres of land which is the eastern half of

plaint A schedule property. In view of the conclusions and

findings entered by the courts below based on the materials on

record, this Court finds that the same is not liable to be interfered

with in exercise of the jurisdiction under Section 100 of the Code

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of Civil Procedure. No question of law muchless any substantial

question of law arises for consideration in the appeal. The suit is

for injunction simplicitor. The question of title was not gone into

by the courts below. It is made clear that the question of

possession as on the date of suit alone is decided. Therefore the

question of title is left open.

In the result, the appeal fails and accordingly, dismissed.

No order as to costs.

HARUN-UL-RASHID,
Judge.

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