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2009 DIGILAW 719 (MAD)

Ponnusamy v. Muthu Gounder

2009-03-13

G.RAJASURIA

body2009
O R D E R:- This second appeal is focussed by the original first defendant, animadverting upon the judgement and decree dated 10.09.2008 passed in A.S.No.11 of 2008 by the Additional District Court, Fast Track Court No.4, Bhavani, confirming the judgment of the trial Court, namely, Principal District Munsif Court, Bhavani, in O.S.No.74 of 2007, which was a suit for partition. For convenience sake, the parties are referred to hereunder according to their litigative status before the trial Court. 2. The plaintiff filed the suit for partition seeking the following reliefs: "a) directing the division of suit property into 3 equal shares with reference to good and bad soil by metes and bounds, to allot one such a share to the plaintiff either by appointing a commissioner or otherwise; b) putting plaintiff in separate possession of his 1/3rd share so to be allotted vide Ref. Col. No.(a) above; c) awarding the costs of the suit; and d) granting plaintiff such other and further suitable reliefs as this Hon'ble Court may deem fit and proper in the circumstances of the case and thus render justice." The defendants entered appearance and filed the counter. The trial Court ultimately passed the preliminary decree allotting one-third share in favour of the plaintiff and the finding of the trial Court was to the effect that another one-third share could be allotted to D2 and yet another one-third share in favour of D3 to D6, representing the share of deceased Thandava Gounder. The first defendant filed appeal expressing his grievance that the trial Court failed to allot the portion under his possession towards his one-third share. The appellate Court dismissed the appeal. Being disconcerted and aggrieved by the judgments of both the Courts below, this Second Appeal has been preferred on various grounds and also by suggesting the following substantial question of law: "Whether the judgments of the Courts below are vitiated in that they have not given suitable directions when passing the preliminary decree for adjusting equities as per admitted possession of parties?" 3. Despite printing the names concerned, none appeared. 4. A plain poring over and perusal of the typed set of papers including the judgments of both the Courts below would demonstrate and display that the findings of both the Courts below are that the suit property has to be partitioned. Despite printing the names concerned, none appeared. 4. A plain poring over and perusal of the typed set of papers including the judgments of both the Courts below would demonstrate and display that the findings of both the Courts below are that the suit property has to be partitioned. However, the trial Court in paragraph 12 of its judgment without any evidentiary and legal basis observed as under: ",e;j tHf;fpy; jhth brhj;jpid thjp. 1k; gpujpthjp kw;Wk; 2 Kjy; 6 gpujpthjpfs; tha;bkhHpahf vt;thW mDgtpj;J tUfpwhh;fnsh mnj epiyapy; mth;fs; ghfk; gphpj;Jf;bfhs;s ntz;Lk; vd Kot[ bra;ag;gLfpwJ/ nkYk; mtuth;fs; tPL fl;o mDgtpj;J tUk; ghfj;ij mtuth;fSf;F xJf;fPL bra;antz;Lk; vdt[k; nkYk; thjpf;F 1-3 ghfk; fpilf;fj;jf;fJ vd Kot[ bra;ag;gl;L thjpf;F Mjuthf Kjy;epiyj; jPh;g;ghiz tH';fyhk; vd Kot[ bra;ag;gLfpwJ/" Nevertheless, in the preliminary decree of the lower Court, only one-third share was allotted in favour of the plaintiff. En passant, I would like to observe that in the written statement filed by D1, ultimately he prayed only for dismissal of the suit and there is no indication that he paid any Court fee for allotment of his share. 5. Pithily and precisely, tersely and briefly, the written statement of D1 is to the effect that based on oral partition he has been in possession of a portion of the suit property by raising a hut. D1 has not filed any suit for enforcement of the oral partition and even in the written statement, there is no prayer for enforcement of the alleged oral partition and for allotment of the portion which is within his occupation, including the hut which he alleged to have constructed towards his 1/3 share. 6. It is a trite proposition of law that any amount of evidence without pleadings should be eschewed. The first appellate Court correctly observed in its judgment at paragraph 12 that absolutely there was no iota or shred, shard or miniscule, molecular or pint-sized evidence to highlight and spotlight that there was oral partition and that there was no evidence adduced by D1 that he only constructed the hut by spending huge amount as claimed by him. As such, the approach of the first appellate Court is right to the effect that in the absence of any evidence and prayer for allotment of such portion under his occupation in his favour, the question of allotting such share in the preliminary decree itself does not arise. As such, the approach of the first appellate Court is right to the effect that in the absence of any evidence and prayer for allotment of such portion under his occupation in his favour, the question of allotting such share in the preliminary decree itself does not arise. Put simply the trial Court was wrong in jumping to the conclusion as though there was an oral partition and that the sharers should be allotted according to their respective occupation and enjoyment of the suit property. 7. The concept oral partition is recognised under law. Once there is an oral partition, the question of again partitioning the property would not arise. However, at this juncture, I would like to clarify that oral temporary arrangement till regular partition is entirely a different concept in Hindu Law. It appears that the trial Court failed to distinguish between an oral partition and an oral arrangement and in fact, there is an abysmal and not mere pococurante or insouciant difference between the two concepts. The Second Appeal has also been filed without taking note of the said significant distinction between the two concepts highlighted supra. There should be evidence also to demonstrate and display that the other co-sharers consented for a co-sharer to do ameliorative work in the individual co-share's portion under his enjoyment to the exclusion of others and in such an event only the other co-sharer cannot claim share in such amelioration. However, in this case, absolutely there is no pleading and proof to that effect. 8. It is a common or garden principle of Hindu Law that improvement made by one co-sharer in the joint property would enure to the benefit of all. As such, these are all well settled propositions which the trial Court failed to note and the grounds of second appeal emerged without considering these salient features. Hence I could see no merit in the second appeal. Accordingly, the same is dismissed. No costs. Consequently, connected miscellaneous petition is closed.