High Court Kerala High Court

Raveendranathan Nair vs Rajamma on 8 April, 2009

Kerala High Court
Raveendranathan Nair vs Rajamma on 8 April, 2009
       

  

  

 
 
  IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM

SA.No. 739 of 1998(D)



1. RAVEENDRANATHAN NAIR
                      ...  Petitioner

                        Vs

1. RAJAMMA
                       ...       Respondent

                For Petitioner  :SRI.S.VIDYASAGAR

                For Respondent  :SRI.S.SREEKUMAR

The Hon'ble MR. Justice THOMAS P.JOSEPH

 Dated :08/04/2009

 O R D E R
                         THOMAS P.JOSEPH, J.
              = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
                           S.A.No.739 of 1998
              = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
                Dated this the 8th       day of April,   2009

                              J U D G M E N T

———————-

Courts below concurrently found that the possessory mortgage

created under Ext.A2, deed No.2170/54 is liable to be redeemed and

accordingly granted a decree. That is under challenge in this second

appeal at the instance of supplemental defendant No.3 in which the

following substantial questions of law are raised for a decision.

“1. Whether possession obtained by a

purchaser in public auction sale of property

held in execution proceedings taken pursuant

to an award passed under the Kerala Co-

operative Societies Act is not hostile to the rest

of the world?

2. Whether title obtained by such an

auction purchaser can be ignored or set at

naught in a Civil Suit instituted twelve years

after the sale and delivery of possession of the

property to him?

3. Whether a mortgage created in

favour of a Co-operative Society can be ignored

in collateral proceedings?”

S.A. No.739 of 1998

-: 2 :-

2. Plaintiff died during the pendency of the suit and his legal

representatives were impleaded as supplemental plaintiffs. Parties are

referred to as plaintiff and defendants as in the trial court for

convenience.

3. According to the plaintiff a total extent of 3.11 acres

including the suit property – 1.08 acres – was acquired by Vilasini

Amma and others as per assignment deed No.3248/1122 M.E (Ext.A4

is its certified copy) and they created a possessory mortgage in favour

of defendant No.1, a minor then represented by Kumaran, her father

as guardian as per deed No.2170/54 dated 29.6.1954 (Ext,.A2 is its

copy). It was directed in the mortgage deed that the income from the

property was to be appropriated towards interest payable on the

mortgage money. While so, Vilasini Amma and others assigned their

right of redemption of the mortgage in favour of the plaintiff as per

Ext.A1, assignment deed No.1827/74. It is the possessory mortgage

created under Ext.A2 that the plaintiff sought to redeem on the

strength of Ext.A1. Supplemental defendant No.2 was later impleaded

as per order on I.A. No.2277 of 1978 alleging that the mortgagee in

possession (defendant No.1) transferred the property to

supplemental defendant No.2. The suit was decreed in favour of the

plaintiff. Supplemental defendant No.2 preferred A.S. No.14 of 1981

S.A. No.739 of 1998

-: 3 :-

before the Additional District Court, North Parur which was transferred

to the Sub Court, North Parur and renumbered as A.S. No.33 of 1982.

While so, supplemental defendant No.2 died and her legal

representative was impleaded as appellant/supplemental defendant

No.3 (appellant herein). Appeal was allowed and the case was

remanded to the trial court giving defendant No.3 opportunity to file

written statement and contest the case. He filed written statement

contending that pursuant to the award obtained by the Co-operative

Society (hereinafter referred to as “the Society”) for the charged

debt of Vilasini Amma over the 3.11 acres including the suit property,

that property was sold in public auction by the sale officer pursuant to

the award passed against Vilasini Amma. Papputty Narayanan

purchased the said 3.11 acres and the sale sannad was issued in his

favour. He took delivery of the property. He assigned that property to

Subrahmonian as per Ext.B4, assignment deed dated 10.5.1961 for

valid consideration. Subrahmonian assigned the property to

supplemental defendant No.2 as per Ext.B3, assignment deed dated

1.6.1963 and on the death of supplemental defendant No.2, defendant

No.3 inherited the same and is in possession and enjoyment as its

absolute owner. Subrahmonian and his assignees possessed the

property as its absolute owners. Title if any of all others is lost by

S.A. No.739 of 1998

-: 4 :-

adverse possession and limitation. It is also contended that the

assignment deed in favour of the plaintiff is fraudulent and the

assignors of the plaintiff had no right over the property to be

conveyed. At any rate, defendant No.3 is entitled to get the value of

improvements. Trial court granted a decree in favour of the plaintiff

on 21.2.1983. Defendant No.3 challenged that judgment and decree

in A.S. No.110 of 1987. There was again a remand to the trial court for

fresh consideration of the contentious issues. The suit again ended in

a decree for redemption on 3.6.1994. Value of improvements was

disallowed as defendant No.3 did not produce evidence to show that

any improvement was effected. Defendant No.3 challenged that

judgment and decree in A.S. No.141 of 1994. Learned Additional

District Judge dismissed the appeal as per judgment dated 23.5.1997

which is under challenge in this second appeal.

4. It is not disputed that 3.11 acres including the 1.08 acres

which is the subject matter of the present proceeding was sold in

public auction at the instance of the Society for the debt allegedly due

from Vilasini Amma and others pursuant to the award obtained by the

Society. It is also not disputed that the property was purchased in

auction by Papputty Narayanan to whom sale sannad was issued.

Ext.B1 is that sale sannad dated 2.12.1958. It is also not in dispute

S.A. No.739 of 1998

-: 5 :-

that the property was delivered over to Papputty Narayanan as seen

from Ext.B10, copy of the delivery report. It is while Papputty

Narayanan was in possession and enjoyment of the property that he

assigned it to Subrahmonian as per Ext.B4, assignment deed dated

10.5.1961 and Subrahmonian in turn assigned the property to

supplemental defendant No.2 as per Ext.B3, dated 1.6.1963. It is

contended by learned counsel for defendant No.3 that the possessory

mortgage created under Ext.A2 is a fraudulent and sham transaction

and that at any rate, the sale in public auction under the provisions of

the Kerala Co-operative Societies Act (for short, “the Act”) and the

Travancore-Cochin Revenue Recovery Act, 1951 (for short, “R.R. Act”)

is free of all encumbrances whatsoever over the property and

conferred absolute title in favour of the purchaser. Learned counsel

also contended that Vilasini Amma who created the charged debt in

favour of the Society was a member of that Society and hence the

“dispute” between Vilasini Amma and the Society is one required to

be decided under Sec.69 of the Act and hence that dispute could be

resolved only in accordance with the provisions of that Act.

According to the learned counsel if at all Vilasini Amma and others or

any of her assignees were aggrieved by the sale in auction their

remedy was to challenge that sale in accordance with the provisions of

S.A. No.739 of 1998

-: 6 :-

the Act. It is also contended that two members of the tarwad of

Vilasini Amma (Aravindaksha Menon and Ravindranadha Menon) had

challenged Ext.A2 possessory mortgage in respect of the suit

property and certain other transactions concerning certain other

properties effected by Vilasini Amma and others allegedly on behalf of

the tarwad, in O.S. No.70 of 1970. But that suit was settled, plaintiffs

therein gave up their contention that the possessory mortgage created

as per Ext.A2 and other transactions were not for the necessity of the

tarwad and hence those transactions are not binding on them.

Learned counsel contended that plaintiffs in O.S. No.70 of 1970 being

members of the tarwad and if the suit property (along with other

items) belonged to the tarwad, plaintiffs on behalf of the tarwad ought

to have challenged Ext.B1, sale sannad and sought redemption of

mortgage in O.S. No.70 of 1970. It is contended by learned counsel

that Ext.B5, copy of the plaint in O.S. No.70 of 1970 referred to a

partition effected in the tarwad of Vilasini Amma and others on

12.4.1967 and hence at any rate, the tarwad stood disrupted by that

partition. If that be so, the members of the tarwad were not entitled to

assign the right of redemption in favour of the plaintiff as per Ext.A1,

document No.1827/74. According to learned counsel it was only since

the members of the tarwad were not entitled to redeem the mortgage

S.A. No.739 of 1998

-: 7 :-

as per Ext.A2 at their instance that Ext.A1 was executed in favour of

the plaintiff as an experiment to attempt at redemption of the

mortgage allegedly created as per Ext.A2. Learned counsel requested

that the documents produced along with I.A. Nos.1432 of 2005 and

625 of 2009 be received as additional evidence.

5. Learned counsel for the plaintiff in response contended

that the courts below have concurrently found that suit property

belonged to the tarwad of Vilasini Amma (with herself as the

Karanavathy) and that the debt for which the property was sold at the

instance of the Society is not proved to be a debt of the tarwad binding

the tarwad as such. The Society sold the property of the tarwad as if it

belonged to Vilasini Amma. Therefore the auction sale cannot bind

the tarwad. For that reason delivery of the property in favour of

Papputty Narayanan and the subsequent assignments cannot bind

the tarwad. Learned counsel contended that the said finding being

one of the fact based on evidence, there is no scope for interference

with it in the second appeal. It is also contended that once sale in

auction is not binding on the tarwad, that cannot affect the

possessory mortgage created as per Ext.A2 or the assignment or right

of redemption in favour of the plaintiff as per Ext.A1. Learned counsel

S.A. No.739 of 1998

-: 8 :-

contended that the documents produced in the second appeal cannot

be received as additional evidence. According to learned counsel no

satisfactory explanation is given for non-production of the said

documents in any of the courts below in spite of the fact there were

two rounds of litigation in those courts. It is contended by learned

counsel that the transactions referred to in the documents produced

in the second appeal do not relate to the suit property or the debt to

the Society referred to in Ext.B1. I heard the counsel on both sides on

I.A. No.1432 of 2005 and I.A. No.625 of 2009 also along with this

appeal.

6. Exhibit B1 is the sale sannad dated 2.12.1958 issued by

the Deputy Registrar of Co-operative Societies in favour of Papputty

Narayanan. It states that the property was sold in public auction on

16.11.1957 in accordance with the provisions of the R.R. Act pursuant

to award No.284 of 1956 of the Deputy Registrar, Co-operative

Societies, Kottayam. The sale was confirmed in favour of Papputty

Narayanan and he paid the purchase price. The sale was published

as per Sec.40 of that Act. Section 2(a) of the R.R. Act defines “public

revenue due on land” as including among other things assignment in

kind or money charged on lands and payable to the Government

(according to the learned counsel for defendant No.3, money payable

S.A. No.739 of 1998

-: 9 :-

to the Society is the money payable to the Government). Section 44

of the R.R. Act states that all lands brought for sale on account of

arrears of public revenue due thereon shall be sold free of all

encumbrances. Section 35 of the (Co-operative Societies) Act provides

for a first charge subject of course to any prior claim of the

Government in favour of the Society for any debt to the Society from

its member, past or deceased member as provided therein and sub-

sec.(2) prohibits transfer of any property which is thus subject to a

charge, except with the previous permission in writing of the Society

concerned. Learned counsel for defendant No.3 contends that sale

on 16.11.1957 was free from all encumbrances including the

possessory mortgage in favour of defendant No.1 as per Ext.A2 of the

year 1954 and the right of redemption cannot and does not survive

after Ext.B1.

7. It is not very much in dispute before me that if the sale of

the property in public auction followed by the sale sannad (Ext.B1) in

favour of Papputty Narayanan bound the tarwad and accordingly the

suit property, that sale must have precedence over any other

transaction in respect of the property and that such sale would be free

of all encumbrances over the property. Therefore the crucial issue for

a decision is whether Ext.B1 bound the tarwad and the property of

S.A. No.739 of 1998

-: 10 :-

the tarwad.

8. It is not in dispute that Vilasini Amma and her children

belonged to the Hindu, Nair Community which followed

Marumakkathayam law of succession. Section 2(3) of the Travancore

Nair Act defines ‘tavazhy of a female’ as meaning “a group of persons

consisting of that female and her issue how-low-so-ever in the female

line or such of that group as are alive”. As per sub-sec.(6), ‘tarwad’

“means and includes all the members of a Marumakkathayam family,

with community of property”. Vilasini Amma and her children thus

constituted a natural group and formed a sub tarwad. Exhibit A4 copy

of assignment deed No.3848 of 1122 M.E. shows that the acquisition of

the property was by Vilasini Amma and her daughter, Visalakshy (other

children were born later). Exhibits A4 further states that the

consideration for purchase of that property was raised by Vilasini

Amma and her daughter by executing an agreement for sale of

another item of property of the tarwad of Vilasini Amma situated in

Ernakulam Village to Kattikaran Chacko Ouseph and that the assignor

under Ext.A4 received the sale consideration from the said Chacko

Ouseph. The sale consideration referred to in Ext.A4 could be traced

to the sale of property of the tarwad of Vilasini Amma and others. In

S.A. No.739 of 1998

-: 11 :-

Lakshmi v. Ananadan (1982 KLT SN 36 – Case No.56) and

Sarojini Amma v. Abubacker (1986 KLT 944) this Court held

that once it is found that the acquirers constituted a natural group and

formed a tavazhi by themselves the acquisition should be presumed

to be on behalf of that tavazhi. In this case, Vilasini Amma and her

only child then in existence, daughter Visalakshy constituted a natural

group and formed a tavazhi. Hence the acquisition as per Ext.A4 must

be presumed to be for the tavazhi. Apart from that presumption

Ext.A4 states that purchase money was raised by entering into an

agreement for sale of an item of property belonging to the tarwad.

Subsequent to Ext.A4, Vilasini Amma and Karunakaran Nair begot two

other children also. Exhibit A2 is the mortgage deed No.2170 of 1954

executed by Vilasini Amma on her own and by her husband,

Karunakaran Nair representing their minor children Visalakshy,

Aravindaksha Menon and Ravindranadha Menon. Exhibit A1,

assignment deed No.1827/84 is also executed by the said persons.

From Exts.A1, A2 and A4 it is evident that the acquisition of the 3.11

acres including the suit property was for the tavazhi of Vilasini Amma.

The courts below have rightly held so.

9. The next question is whether Ext.B1, sale sannad bound

S.A. No.739 of 1998

-: 12 :-

the tarwad and its property. Exhibit B1 states that for the amount due

to the Society as per award No.284 of 1956 with Karunakaran Nair

(husband of Vilasini Amma) as respondent No.1 on his own behalf and

on behalf of minor children Visalakshy, Aravindaksha Menon and

Ravindranadha Menon and Vilasini Amma as respondent No.1 on her

own and on behalf of the minor children referred to above, property

belonging to Vilasini Amma was sold by the authorised officer on

16.11.1957. Exhibit B1 states in the beginning that the property

belonging to Vilasini Amma and at a later stage sates that the right

which Vilasini Amma and her husband as owners had in the property

was sold in auction and conveyed to Papputty Narayanan.

10. It is contended by learned counsel for defendant No.3 that

even a reading of Ext.A2 and the documents produced in the second

appeal would show that debt to the Society incurred by the tarwad was

for the necessities of the tarwad. The document produced in this

appeal along with I.A. No.1432 of 2005 is the kuri agreement No.1468

of 1953 referred to in Ext.A2. Exhibit A2 states that money is raised

by that mortgage to discharge the liability of the Taluk Co-operative

Bank. That certainly is not the debt to the Society referred to in

Ext.B1. Document No.1468 of 1953 of course states that the debt

referred to therein was created for the necessities of the tarwad. But

S.A. No.739 of 1998

-: 13 :-

that is not shown to be the debt referred to in Ext.B1 and which

culminated in the award referred to in Ext.B1 was for an on behalf of

the tarwad and bound the tarwad.

11. Along with I.A. No.625 of 2009, copy of mortgage deed

No.2171 of 1954 is produced by defendant No.3 to be received as

additional evidence. That is a mortgage deed executed by the same

executants as in Ext.A2 on the same day in favour of defendant No.1,

executed by her father, Kumaran. That document refers to certain

debts created in favour of the Co-operative Bank. There again it is not

shown that any of those debts is the debt referred to in Ext.B1.

Defendant No.3 should have produced the copies or summoned the

original of the relevant documents as per which the debt referred to in

Ext.B1 was created and shown that the said debt was created for and

on behalf of the tarwad. No sufficient or justifiable reason is also

stated to receive the documents produced in this appeal as additional

evidence. The affidavits in support of the applications to receive

additional evidence contain the same averments and state that

defendant No.3 was searching for the documents and obtained the

certified copies, there was long delay and the same could be obtained

by him only at “this stage”. It is true that second appellate court has

the power to receive additional evidence under Order XLI Rule 27 of

S.A. No.739 of 1998

-: 14 :-

the Code of Civil Procedure but not for a mere asking. The Court must

be satisfied that there is justifiable reason as referred to in Order XLI

Rule 27 of the Code which prevented the party concerned from

producing such evidence in the courts below. It is not as if the

documents produced along with the applications could be received in

evidence to the prejudice of the opposite party. Necessarily they

must get an opportunity to produce contra evidence if any or explain

away the circumstances which may be created against them. I have

also to bear in mind that 3 decades plus 2 years have elapsed since

the parties started this litigation. As pointed out by the learned

counsel for the plaintiff, twice there were remands by the first

appellate court whatever be the reason thereof. If defendant No.3

were diligent, he could have produced the relevant documents in any

of the courts below before which the litigation was pending for 21

years. On the facts and circumstances of this case I am not inclined to

think that defendant No.3 could be permitted to adduce additional

evidence or that the documents produced are relevant or necessary

for a just decision of this appeal. Hence I.A. Nos.1432 of 2005 and 625

of 2009 will stand dismissed.

12. Exhibit B1 does not show or indicate that the debt was for

the necessities of the tharwad. Going by Ext.B1 it would appear that

S.A. No.739 of 1998

-: 15 :-

Karunakaran Nair (husband of Vilasini Amma) was also a respondent

on his own as well in the case which ended in award No.284 of 1956.

That would indicate that he was a party on his own in the loan

transaction. For the debt of Karunakaran Nair the tarwad property

could not have been sold. It is also pertinent to note that defendant

No.3 has no case in his written statement that the debt to the Society

was created by the tarwad or for any legal necessities of the tarwad.

Instead, the contention raised is that the debt was incurred by Vilasini

Amma. Exhibit B1 would show that the property was sold in public

auction as if it belonged to Vilasini Amma or Vilasini Amma and her

husband. There is no reference in Ext.B1 that the property belonging

to the tarwad was brought to sale. There is no presumption attached

to the sale under the Act or the R.R. Act or to Ext.B1 that it bound

the tarwad or that the debt was incurred for the necessities of the

tarwad. As per Sec.27 of the Travancore Nair Act, a debt created by

the Karanavan or other managing member of a tarwad shall not bind

that tarwad unless it is for the necessity of that tarwad. Though

Vilasini Amma was also a party in the Arbitration case referred to in

Ext.B1, there is no indication that she created that debt for the

necessities of the tarwad. The undivided share of Vilasini Amma could

not have sold in auction. From the mere fact that the children also

S.A. No.739 of 1998

-: 16 :-

were parties in the arbitration proceedings it cannot be presumed

that the debt was incurred for family necessity. The loan transaction

referred to in Ext.B1 is also not capable of raising any presumption

that the debt was incurred for the necessity of the tarwad. As I stated

above, it is not even pleaded so, by defendant No.3. Nor did he

attempt even to prove that, by getting the relevant documents from

the Society concerned.

13. Section 31 of the Travancore Nair Act states that no decree

shall bind the tarwad unless it is obtained against the Karanavan as

such. Learned counsel for defendant No.3 would meet Sec.31 with

the non-obstante clause in Sec.35 of the Act which conferred first

charge for the debt of the Society. But Sec.35 of the Act which merely

dealt with the creation of charge has nothing to do with the binding

nature of decree referred to in Sect.31 of the Travancore Nair Act.

14. This Court in Padmanabhan Nair v. Vasudevan

Nair (1959 KLT 984) held that it is not necessary that Karanavan

of the tarwad was impleaded as such in the proceeding to bind the

tarwad. Even assuming so, there is no mention in Ext.B1 and

defendant No.3 did not adduce evidence also to show that any of the

respondents in award No.284 of 1956 represented the tarwad.

S.A. No.739 of 1998

-: 17 :-

Karunakaran Nair was not competent to represent his minor children

and I stated that it is not shown who actually had incurred the debt

and for what purpose whatsoever.

15. Reliance is made by defendant No.3 on Exts.B2, B5 and

B6. Exhibit B5 as I stated above is the copy of plaint in O.S. No.70 of

1970 filed by Aravindaksha Menon and Ravindranadha Menon, two

junior members of the tarwad headed by their mother, Vilasini Amma.

Exhibit B5 would show that plaintiffs therein claimed that the property

referred to therein including the suit property was tarwad property

and that the transactions including Ext.A2 referred to therein were

not created for the necessity of the tarwad. But as seen from Exts.B2

and B6, plaintiffs therein gave up that contention. Trial court

observed that the action brought for setting aside the transaction and

for recovery of possession of the property though by two junior

members was for and on behalf of the tarwad but they could not have

given up the claim to bind the tarwad. None of the other members of

the tarwad who were defendants in O.S. No.70 of 1970, nor even

defendant No.1, mortgagee under Ext.A2 (represented by her father

and guardian) are parties in Exts.B2 and B6. Therefore the

compromise said to have been effected by the plaintiffs in O.S. No.70

S.A. No.739 of 1998

-: 18 :-

of 1970 and defendant No.9 therein (who was not at all concerned with

the present suit property which is item No.3 therein) cannot bind the

tarwad.

16. It is contended by learned counsel that even as per the

provisions of the Travancore Nair Act, right of the members of the

tarwad can arise only once and that right arose when two junior

members filed O.S. No.70 of 1970 but no challenge was made against

Ext.B1. Hence the assignee of the members of the tarwad is not

entitled to sue for redemption of the mortgage, it is contended. It is

also contended that the tarwad stands disrupted by the partition on

12.4.1967 referred to in paragraph 6 of Ext.B5, copy of plaint in O.S.

No.70 of 1970. It is however, seen that all the members of the tarwad

have joined to execute Ext.A1 in favour of the plaintiff transferring

their right of redemption. Assuming that the joint family stood

disrupted by the partition on 12.4.1967 referred to in Ext.B5, all the

members of the tarwad who had a separate share in the property

consequent to the alleged disruption of the joint family have assigned

their right jointly in favour of the plaintiff as per Ext.A1.

17. Since it is not shown that the debt referred to in Ext.B1

bound the tarwad, the contention raised by defendant No.3 that the

sale in auction referred to in Ext.B1 is free from all encumbrances

S.A. No.739 of 1998

-: 19 :-

whatsoever based on the provisions of the Act and the R.R. Act should

fail.

17. Another contention raised is that since Vilasini Amma was

a member of the Society, challenge to Ext.B1 could only be under

the provisions of the Act and not collaterally in the suit for redemption.

The contention is equally not sustainable as the plaintiff is entitled to

ignore Ext.B1 if it has no binding effect on the tarwad or its property

and consequently, on Ext.A2.

19. Learned counsel for defendant No.3 then contended that

Ext.A2 has not come into effect and that it is a sham transaction, at

any rate created fraudulently. Learned counsel contended that even

the mortgage money referred to in Ext.A2 was not a reality but, was

bogus. Reference made by learned counsel to the mortgage money

mentioned in Ext.A2 as “said to have been received” is not a

reference to the mortgage money as such. The reference in Ext.A2

about the money “said to have been received” is to the manner in

which the mortgagee is said to have raised the amount by sale of an

item of property belonging to one Mathew. Exhibit B1 shows that the

award was passed in 1956, sale of the property in auction was on

16.11.1957 and Ext.B1 was issued on 2.12.1958. Exhibit A2 is

executed in 1954. There is no reason to think that it was in

S.A. No.739 of 1998

-: 20 :-

anticipation of the award in 1956, sale in auction on 16.11.1957 and to

defeat all those things that Ext.A2 was executed in 1954. That,

possession of the property has gone to the mortgagee under Ext.A2 is

evident from Ext.B10, copy of delivery report produced and relied on

by defendant No.3. Exhibit B10 states that Kumaran (father and

guardian of defendant No.1, the possessory mortgagee under Ext.A2)

was residing in the property (3.11 acres) adjoining the road towards

the western portion of the said property and that he voluntarily

vacated the property. On the back of Ext.B10, Kumaran describing

himself as the person in possession of the property (3.11 acres) has

signed as a witness. Exhibit B10 shows that Kumaran (certainly on

behalf of defendant No.1, the mortgagee under Ext.A2) was in

possession of the 3.11 acres including the suit property. There is no

case or evidence that Kumaran got possession of the property

otherwise than under Ext.A2. Therefore the contention that Ext.A2 is a

sham transaction or created fraudulently cannot stand. The contention

that Subrahmonian and his assignees were holding the property

adversely to all others also cannot stand. Courts below have held and

rightly, that mere length of possession is not sufficient to extinguish

title. Possession with the necessary hostile animus is not established.

Moreover, the assignee of the right to redeem can and need file the

S.A. No.739 of 1998

-: 21 :-

suit for redemption and recovery of possession on the expiry of the

period of mortgage stated in Ext.A2. In view of what I have stated

above, the substantial questions raised are answered accordingly

against the appellant/supplemental defendant No.3.

Second appeal is dismissed. No costs.

Civil Miscellaneous Petition No.1819 of 1999 shall stand

dismissed.

THOMAS P.JOSEPH, JUDGE.

vsv

THOMAS P.JOSEPH, J.

===================
S.A. NO.739 OF 1998
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J U D G M E N T

8TH APRIL, 2009