# M. Y. A. A. Nachiappa Chettiar v. M. Y. A. A. Muthu Karuppan

- **Citation:** [1968] 3 S.C.R. 639
- **Court:** Supreme Court of India
- **Decided:** 1968-04-04
- **Case number:** Civil Appeals Nos. 749 and 750 of 1965
- **Bench:** J. C. Shah, V. Ramaswamy
- **Source:** https://unisonlegal.in/judgment/supreme-court-of-india/m-y-a-a-nachiappa-chettiar-v-m-y-a-a-muthu-karuppan-4328
- **Pages:** 9

## Headnote

I11dilln Registration Act (16 of 1908), s. 11(1)(b)-Partition of propem in specific shores-Deed not registered-Admissibility.
Pleadings-Plea of.acquiescence-Not raised in pleadings-Cannot be
allowed to be set up subsequently.
Hindu Law-Agharla 'Caste-Custom of lethansi allowing larger share
of family property to eldest son--Outmoded custom loses legal force.
Indian Evidence Act (I of 1812), s. 91-Bar on oral evidence.
D died in 1940 leaving certain agricultural land as well as house property.
He bad two children by his first wife the elder of whom was
mpoodent no. 1.
By his· second wife, appellant no. 2, he had a son,
appellant no. 1. The family belon~d to the Agharia caste and wns
aovemed by the Benares School of Hindu Law. In 1956 Appellants I and 2
liled a suit in the Court of the Qvi! Judge Raigarh (now m Madhya Pta·
deob) claiming that they were entitled to ~th share each in D's estate and
that there should be a partition by metes and bounds of joint family
: property. According to their pleadings Ex.D.4 dated December 27, 1943
by which appellant no. 2 accepted a lesser share of the properties than
was due to her and her son was executed as a result of coercion by respondent no. I. The latter along with other respondents contested the
suit, relying on Ex.D-4. The trial court, the· first appellate court, as well
as the High Court decided against the appellants who by special leave
came to this Court. The que.tions that fell for consideration were : (i)
whether Ex.04 was admissible in evidence without having been register·
ed; (ii) whether Appellant No. 2 was precluded
from demanding her
share because her signing of Ex. D4 showed acqui...,eme on her part;
(ill) whether a higher share far respondent no. 1 was justified because
of tho custom of Jethansi in the Agbaria caste according to which the
eldest son was entitled lo a larger share than others; (iv) whether it was
open to tho respondents to give oral evidence of actual partition subse·
quent to the execution of Ex.04.
HELD: (i) Tho recitals in Ex.D.4 showed that there was allotment
of specific properties to individual co-parceners and tho document therefore fell within tho mischief of s. 17(1J(b) of the Registration Act .. It
followed that Ex.D-4 was not, admissible in evidence to prove tho title of
any of the. C01'&fl'Cner& to any particular property or to prove that any
particular progerty had ceased to be joint property. The document was
only admDsiblo tO prove an· intention on the part of the co-parceners. to
becnme divided in status. [643 F-HJ
Nanni Bal v. Gita Bal, [1959] S.C.R. 479, relied on.
(ii) There was no pleadin~ on behalf of the respondents and no i!sue
framed to the effect that by signing Ex.D-4 appellant no. 2 had acquiese·
ed in the division of properties among her sons without claiming the
share to which she was entitled und"I' the Mitaksbara Law of the Benares
640
SUPREME COURT REPORTS
[1968) 3 S.C.R.
School. The respondents therefore could not be allowed to set up the
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plea of acquiescence by appellant no. 2 (644 El
(iii) The d0¥lfine of "Jethansi" or "Jeshtbhagam"
is now obsolete
and unen'forceable.
The principle of Hindu Law is equality of division
and the exceptions to that rule, have almost, if not altogether disappeared.
All between br_others or other relations absolute equality is now the invaria·ble rule in all the State5, unless, perhaps, where some special family
B
custom to the contrary is made out.
The re5pondents had failed to
prove ihat such a custom was prevalent in the caste di Agharias to which
the parties belonged. (644 F-0; 645 F·G; 646 A-F]
M. Y. A. A. Nachiappa Chettiar v.
M. Y. A. A. Muthu Karuppan
Cftettiar, A.I.R. 1946 Mad. 398 and Hur Purshad v. Sheo Dyal, 3 I.A.
259 at p. 285, referred to.
(iv) The evidence showed that document Ex.D-4 was intended by the
parties to be the sole evi~ence of partition and since it had been held that
Ex.D..4 was not admissible in evidence on account of non.registration to
establish when the pr

## Text

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639
SIDROMANI & ORS.
11.
HEM KUMAR & ORS.
April 4, 1968
[J. C. SHAH AND V. RAMASWAMY, JJ.j
I11dilln Registration Act (16 of 1908), s. 11(1)(b)-Partition of propem in specific shores-Deed not registered-Admissibility.
Pleadings-Plea of.acquiescence-Not raised in pleadings-Cannot be
allowed to be set up subsequently.
Hindu Law-Agharla 'Caste-Custom of lethansi allowing larger share
of family property to eldest son--Outmoded custom loses legal force.
Indian Evidence Act (I of 1812), s. 91-Bar on oral evidence.
D died in 1940 leaving certain agricultural land as well as house property.
He bad two children by his first wife the elder of whom was
mpoodent no. 1.
By his· second wife, appellant no. 2, he had a son,
appellant no. 1. The family belon~d to the Agharia caste and wns
aovemed by the Benares School of Hindu Law. In 1956 Appellants I and 2
liled a suit in the Court of the Qvi! Judge Raigarh (now m Madhya Pta·
deob) claiming that they were entitled to ~th share each in D's estate and
that there should be a partition by metes and bounds of joint family
: property. According to their pleadings Ex.D.4 dated December 27, 1943
by which appellant no. 2 accepted a lesser share of the properties than
was due to her and her son was executed as a result of coercion by respondent no. I. The latter along with other respondents contested the
suit, relying on Ex.D-4. The trial court, the· first appellate court, as well
as the High Court decided against the appellants who by special leave
came to this Court. The que.tions that fell for consideration were : (i)
whether Ex.04 was admissible in evidence without having been register·
ed; (ii) whether Appellant No. 2 was precluded
from demanding her
share because her signing of Ex. D4 showed acqui...,eme on her part;
(ill) whether a higher share far respondent no. 1 was justified because
of tho custom of Jethansi in the Agbaria caste according to which the
eldest son was entitled lo a larger share than others; (iv) whether it was
open to tho respondents to give oral evidence of actual partition subse·
quent to the execution of Ex.04.
HELD: (i) Tho recitals in Ex.D.4 showed that there was allotment
of specific properties to individual co-parceners and tho document therefore fell within tho mischief of s. 17(1J(b) of the Registration Act .. It
followed that Ex.D-4 was not, admissible in evidence to prove tho title of
any of the. C01'&fl'Cner& to any particular property or to prove that any
particular progerty had ceased to be joint property. The document was
only admDsiblo tO prove an· intention on the part of the co-parceners. to
becnme divided in status. [643 F-HJ
Nanni Bal v. Gita Bal, [1959] S.C.R. 479, relied on.
(ii) There was no pleadin~ on behalf of the respondents and no i!sue
framed to the effect that by signing Ex.D-4 appellant no. 2 had acquiese·
ed in the division of properties among her sons without claiming the
share to which she was entitled und"I' the Mitaksbara Law of the Benares
640
SUPREME COURT REPORTS
[1968) 3 S.C.R.
School. The respondents therefore could not be allowed to set up the
A
plea of acquiescence by appellant no. 2 (644 El
(iii) The d0¥lfine of "Jethansi" or "Jeshtbhagam"
is now obsolete
and unen'forceable.
The principle of Hindu Law is equality of division
and the exceptions to that rule, have almost, if not altogether disappeared.
All between br_others or other relations absolute equality is now the invaria·ble rule in all the State5, unless, perhaps, where some special family
B
custom to the contrary is made out.
The re5pondents had failed to
prove ihat such a custom was prevalent in the caste di Agharias to which
the parties belonged. (644 F-0; 645 F·G; 646 A-F]
M. Y. A. A. Nachiappa Chettiar v.
M. Y. A. A. Muthu Karuppan
Cftettiar, A.I.R. 1946 Mad. 398 and Hur Purshad v. Sheo Dyal, 3 I.A.
259 at p. 285, referred to.
(iv) The evidence showed that document Ex.D-4 was intended by the
parties to be the sole evi~ence of partition and since it had been held that
Ex.D..4 was not admissible in evidence on account of non.registration to
establish when the property was so partitioned, it was manifest that no
oral evidence was admissible to prove any subsequent partition having
regard to the prLvisions of s. 91 of the Evidence Act. [646 G-647 Al
CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION :
Civil Appeals Nos. 749
and 750 of 1965.
Appeals by special leave from the judgment and decree
dated November 8, 1963 of the Madhya Pradesh High Court in
second appeals Nos. 569 and 568 of 1960 respectively,
S. V. Gupte and G. L. Sanghi, for the appellants (in both
the appeals) .
Sarjoo Prasad and D. N. Mukherjee, for the respondents (in
both the appeals).
The Judgment of the Court was delivered by
Civil Appeal No. 749 of
1965 :
Ramaswami, J, This appeal is brought, by special leave,
from the judgment of the High Court of Madhya Pradesh, Jabalpur dated November 8, 1963 in Second Appeal No. 569 of
1960.
Respondents nos. 1 and 3,
Hemlmmar and Dinomani and
appellant no. 1 Shiromani are the sons of late Dharam Singh
Agharia.
Appellant no. 2 Mst. Subhagwati is the second wife
of Dharam Singh and the mother of appellant no. 1. Mst. Jampalhin, the mother of respondents 1 and 3 died before Dharam
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SHIROMANI v. HEM KUMAR (Ramaswami, /.)
641
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Singh married appellant no. 2.
The relationship of the parties
will appear from the following pedigree :
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First wife: ~1st. Jampa\hin
Hcn1Kumar
(Dfdt. No. I l
Dharam Singh
Si:i.:onU wife: Mst. Sl
1l'h<'gwati
(Pllf. No. 2)
Shiron~ani (Plff. No. 1)
Dinmani
(Dfdt. No. 3)
Et war Singh
Cha
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ndraBhusa11Singh
(Dfdt. No. 2)
!Dfdt. No. 4)
It is not disputed that the parties are governed by the Benares.
School of Hindu Law. It appears that Dharam Singh was mur·
dered in 1940 and his son Hemkumar was involved as an accused
but he was acquit!ed in that case.
Mst. Subhagwati, appellant
no. 2 appeared as a prosecution witness in the murder case and
deposed against Hemkumar.
At the time of his death, Dharam
Singh had left 102.28 acres of ryoti land in village Tilgi arid
16.56 acres of ryoti land at village Supaka and also some house
properties.
Appellants 1 and 2 instituted C.S. no. 43-A of 1956
in the court of the Civil Judge, First Class, Raigrah claiming
that they were entitled to }th share each of Dharam Singh's estate
and there should be partition by metes and bounds of the joint
family properries. They challenged the validity of Ex. D-4 dated
December 27, 1943. It was alleged that Mst. Subhagwati was
compelled by Hemkumar under threat of violence to execute the
deed, Ex. D-4.
It was said that the deed Ex. D-4 was prejudicial
to Shiromani who was a minor at that time because he was given
Jess than the share to which he was entitled and his mother Mst.
Subhagwati was also not given her due share of joint family
properties.
The appellants accordingly prayed that there should
be a fresh partition by metes and bounds of the joint family properties and they should be given tth share each therein.
The
suit was resisied by the respondents on the ground that the
parties were bound by the deed of partition, Ex. D-4 and there
was no ground for reopening the partition which had already
taken place. The trial judge found that the partition deed, Ex.
D-4 dated December 27, 1943 was not executed by Mst. Subhag·
wati under undue influence and that document was acted upon.
If was further held by the trial judge that though the partition
SUPRBMB COURT REPORTS
[1968] 3 S.C.R.
-deed did not reserve any share to Mst. Subhagwati, the appellants
were not entitled to reopen the partition because Mst. Subhagwati
was not entitled to a share and Hemkumar was entitled to an
increased share on account of the custom of "Jetbansi". 1he
.appellants took the matter in appeal to the.District Judge of
Raigarb but the appeal wa~ dismissed. The appellants preferred
.a Second Appeal to the High Court of Madhya Pradesh which
dismissed the Second Appeal. The High Court took the view
that the deed, Ex. D-4 was neither an award nor was it a document effecting partition of immovable properties of the value of
more than Rs. 100. It was held that Ex. D-4 was admissible
in evidence in order to show that there was separation of status
between the coparceners.
The High Court also rejected the
plea of the appellants that the partition should be reopened be·
·cause it did not give a share to Mst. Subbagwati.
Accord.in~ to
the Benares School of Hindu Law, Mst. Subbagwati was enutled
to a share m the joint family properties equal to that of a son
but the High Court found that there was a clear acquieicence on
the part of Mst. Subbagwati when she executed the deed, Ex.
D-4 and it must be taken that she relinquished her share in
favour of the other coparceners. On.the question of "Jethansi"
claimed by Hemkumar, the High Court found that the evidence
established the custom of "Jethansi" whereby the elder son was
given a greater share in the property of bis father. On the basis
of these findings the High Court dismissed the Second Appeal.
The first question to be considered in this appeal is whether
the deed, Ex. D-4 dated December 27, 1943 is admissible in
evidence.
On behalf of the appellants Mr. Gu_pte put forward
the argument that the document is inadmissible in evidence as it
·effected the partition of the properties of the value of more than
Rs. 100 and it was not registered. It was argued that there was
allotment of specific properties to individual coparceners in this
document and its registration was therefore compulsory under
s. 17 ( 1 )(b) of the Registration Act. In our opinion, the argu·
ment put forward on behalf of the appellants is. well-founded and
must be accepted as correct. It was contended on behalf of the
respondents that the document was not necessary to be registered
becaUSe there was only severance of joint status of the members
of the coparcenary and there was no partition of the properties
by metes and bounds. It is not possible to accept this argument
as correct. The relevant portion of Ex. D-4 is to the following
effect :
·
"For the partition of our joint land in Mauza Tilgi
and Supa and house and utensils etc. and Dhan, movable and immovable property,
amongst us
three
brothers, the Panchas have been appointed. The partition and distribution effected by the under-mentioned
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SllmOMANI v. HEM K1JMAlt (Ramaswami, /.)
64~
Panchas Will be acceptable to us and also the undermentioned conditions will also have to be accepted by
us.
1. Out of lease land in Mauza Tilgi and Mauza
Supa totalling 123 acres, Hem Kumar's share including
Jetltosi will be 51 acres that is 51 shares and Dinmani's
39 acres that is 39 shares and minor Shiromani's whose
guardian is Smt. Subhagwati 33 acres that is 33
shares. The three of them will be in possession of
the same.
Out of 123 acres of land, the . land near
Munga Tikra Gara Para will be given to Dinmani ang
minor Shiromani through guardian Smt. Subhagwa\1
for building a house instead of the old house. For
building of the house in Munga Tikra the three
brothers will give Rs. 60.
Out of the 'Mitti Khatu'
and Gobar khatu, there is in the house, after deducting
Hemkumar's tenth share will
be divided into three
equal shares amongst the three brothers and they will
take it so.
They will also divide the buried Khatu
into their shares.
.
.
.
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.
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5. That out of the old house the house on the side
of the v'1lage the length of which is 30 haath and the
stone used in it and the house on the side of 'Patav'
the length of which is 30 haath, is given to Hem Kumar
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in his share and as Jethosi and the Bamboo, wood etc.
used in the other house is given to the two brothers
Dinmani and Shiromani.
Besides the house and Kotha
there is old and new wood and 3 new doors.
All
this is given to Dinmani and Shiromani."
With regard to ryoti lands, para 1 definitely states that H.emF
kumar is allotted 51 acres, Dinmani 39 and Shiromani 33 acres.
With regard to the joint family house there is partition between
the three brothers by metes and bounds and specific shares are
given to each.
In view of the recitals in Ex. D-4 we are of
opinion that there is allotment of specific properties to individual
co~ceners and the document therefore falls
within the misG
chief of s. 17 (l )(b) of the Registration Act. It follows that Ex.
D-4 is not admissible in evidence to prove the title of any of the
eoparceners to any particular property or to prove that any particular property has ceased to be joint property. Of course the
document is admissible to prove an intention on the part of the
coparceners to become divided in status; in other words to prove
that the parties ceased to be joint from the date of the histrument
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dated December 27, 1943 (See the decision of this Court in
Nanni Bai v. Gita Ba1'1).
(I) [J959J S. C. R. 479.""°
j)44
SUPREME COURT REPORTS
[1968] 3 S.C.R.
We proceed to consider the next question arising in this
appeal, namely, whether Mst. Subhagwati was entitled to a share
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in the joint family properties equal to that of a son and whether
the alleged partition effected by Ex. D-4 was invalid because no
such share was allotted to her. It is not disputed on behalf of
the respondents that according to the Mitakshara Law of the
Benares School a wife is entitled, on partition between her sons,
to a, share equal to that of a son. But the contention put forward on behalf of the respondents is that by signing the docu·
ment, Ex. D-4 Mst. Subhagwati acquiesced in the division of
the properties between her sons without claiming any share for
herself and it must consequently be. taken that Mst. Subhagwati
relinquished her share.
It was pointed out that Ex. D-4 was
executed on December 27, 1943 and for a period of 11 years
Mst. Subhagwati did not take any action to impeach that dot:u·
ment.
We are unable to accept the argument pUt forward on
behalf of the' respondents as correct.
There is no issue in the
trial court regarding the alleged acquiescence of Mst. Subhag·
wati,, nor was it pleaded _on behalf of the respondents that there
was an agreement by which Mst. Subhagwati gave up her share
in favour of the other coparcen.ers.
On the contrary, it is alleged
in· para 9 of the Written Statement that Subhagwati was not entitled to any share and therefore the partition alleged to be effect·
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ed by Ex. D-4 was not prejudicial to the interests of plaintiff
no. 1. To put it differently, there is no pleading on the part of
respondents of acquiescence by Mst. Subhagwati and there is no
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issue on the question of acquiescence. We are accordingly unable to accept the 1lrgument of the respondents that there was
acquiescence on the part of Mst. Subhagwati or that she relinquished her share in favour of the other coparceners and the find·
ing of the High Court on this point iS erroneous.
We pass on to consider the next question arising in this
appeal, namely, whether Hemkumar was entitled to a
greater
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share of joillli family properties for the reason· that he was the
eldest brother on the principle of "Jethansi". But the doctrine
of "Jethansi" or "Jeshtbhagam" is now obsolete and unenforce·
able.
The principle of Hindu Law is equality of division and
the exceptions to that rule have almost, if not altogether, disappeared. One of the exceptions was in favour of the eldest
son, who was originally entitled to a special share on partition,
either a tenth or a twentieth in excess of the others, or some
special chattel, or an extra portion of the flocks (Apastamba, Il,
6, 14, 10..13; Baudh., Il, 2, 2-5; Gaut., XXVIII, U, 12; Vas.,
XVII, 42-45; Manu, IX. 112, 114, 156). But unequal partition of ancestral or joint propertY was from early times condemned. The Smritichandrika, the Vyavahara Mayukha and the
Viramitrodaya declare that unequal partition is forbidden in the
Kali age (Smritichandrika, III, 16; V. May., IV, iv, 11; Viramit.,
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SHIROMANl v. HEM KUMAR (Ramaswami, 1.)
645
ill, 16 (Setlur's ed., 319)._ The Commentary of Mitakshara on
y ajnavalkya. n. 117 is briefly as follows :
"art !Wr! ~:
lllffiili:"<ffif'llfil <'!fi!;firf~""oe~«1~1w=1 ~: 1 awrd
~ ~
111'~1'1'~ <J:·mr f~
I ~T-'f~ 'lT ~
'fT
~lf"414i'liW~-mr ~
<'IT'lif<r~l<"'1'i"61~'J. 1 l{'TT 'fT4"11<\&•i <rt 'fWl'f'iil"o!fT'fT;rif<r-~f<r
'f~iff<l!ffifil' <it1t1fqfa;;,;«llq~'J."OT'flJ: 1 ~
'1"-lf'TT f~41•ra>il oil' '"'l;-~Tf<r•r 1
Mi;t<fq'l\iliTSfq' lf'f lfirfa •<fit 11 ~
I ••• ~ftr<rirr flrin;r:
mm;<itfii
<'!T't1f~~fi'l'f<\<la1~<t
'fl'\~ ef« "1'!1f'f
~mmr f.!<r...r,f 1 flrnr on 'IT l l-1 1 1 .
"Unequal division though found
in the sastras
(e.g. Mam1 IX. 105, 112, 116, 117, Yaj. II. 114)
should not be practised because it has come to be condemned tor has become hateful to) by the people,
since there is the prohibition (in Yaj .. I. 156) that an
action, though prescribed in the sastras, should not be
performed when it has come to be condemned by the
people since such an action does not lead to the attainment ~f Heaven.
For example, though Yaj. t 109
prescribes the offering of a big ox or a goat to a learned brahmana guest, it is not now practised because
people have come to hate it; or just as, although there
is a Vedic text laying down the sacrificing of a cow
'one should sacrifice a barren cow called anubandhya
for Mitra and Varona', still it is not done because
people condemn it.· And it has been said 'just as the
practice of niyoga or the killing of the anubandhya cow
is not now in vogue, so also division after givinll a
special share (to the eldest son) does not now exist".
As between brothers or other relations, absolute equality is now
the invariable rule in all the States, unless, perhaps, where some
special family custom to the contrary is made out (For example,
see the decision of the Madras High Court in M.Y.A.A. Nachiappa Chettiar v. M.Y.A.A. Muthu Karuppan Chettiar(')_.
On behalf of the respondents, however, reliance was placed
upon the special custom of "Jethansi" said to be pr¢valent in the
caste of Agharias to which the parties belong. Reference was
made to the evidence of D.W. 4, Baratrani, D.W. 5,
Sitaram,
D.W. 6, Ya1obra and D.W. 7, Khewla1 to show that there ~
such a custom in the caste whereby the eldest son was given a
greaier share in .the property of the father: Mr. Sarjoo Prasad
took us through the evidence of these witnesses but we are not
(I) A. r. R. 1946 Mad. 398.
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'SVPllEMB COUllT llBPOllTS
(1968) J'S.C.ll.
satisfied on their evidence that the custom pleaded for has been
established. It is well-established that a custom must be proved
to be ancient, certain and reasonable if it is to be recognised and
acted upon by Courts of law; ll!ld being in derogation of the
general rules of law the custom must be construed strictly (See
Hur Purshad v. Sheo Dyal)('). In the present case, the evidence
adduced on behalf of the respondents to prove the alleged custom
is unsatisfactory and conflicting. D.W. 4, Baratram stated that
the custom of "Jethansi" was prevalent ill Agharias community
but he admitted when cross-examined, that he was not present
at any partition.
He further said that there was "no fixed custom about Jethansi and the1eldest brother could be given more
or Jess".
D.W. 5, Sitaram s~d that "I got 16 acres of Jetbansi
land in a partition between my own brother." The total area
of land was 100 acres.
He admitted that there was no written
document about the custom. D.W. 6, Yalobra said that his
brother Sita Ram got Jethansi land of 16 acres out of a total
area of 100 acres.
When cross-examined, be said that no more
than Dashanshi was . given "and the people who divided did not
fell any account of it". The evidence of Khew!al, D.S. 7 is that
there was partition among his brothers and the eldest brother
Din Dayal was given 5-6 acres of land as Jethansi. The total
area of the land to be divided was 100 acres.
No documentary
evidence of partition has been adduced on behalf of the respondents and the oral evidence is vague and uncertain. We are
accordingly of the opinion that the custom of J ethansi alleged
on behalf of the respondents has not been established by proper
evidence and the finding of the High Court is vitiated because
it is not supported by proper evidence.
We accordingly reject
the argument of the respondents that Hemkumar was entitled to
a larger share of the joint family properties on the basis of the
alleged custom of J ethansi in his caste.
On behalf of the respondents reference was made to the evi.
dence of D.W. 1 Dinamani and D.W. 2 Dindayal that there was
an actual partition of joint family properties not on December
27,. 1943 when Ex. D-4 was executed but about two months
later and specific allotments Were made to each of the coparceners.
There is, however, no pleading in the Written S•atement
on behalf of the respondents that apart from the document, Ex.
D-4 there was a partition of the joint fan1ily properties. We
are satisfied in this case, upon examination of the evidence. that
the intention of the parties was that document Ex. D-4 should
be the sole evidence of partition and since we have held that Ex.
D-4 is not admissible in evidence on account of non-registration
to establish when the property was so partitioned, it· is manifest
that no oral evidence is admissible to prove any subsequent parti·
(,I) 3 I. A. 259, at p. 28S.
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SHIROMANI v. HEM KUMAR (Ramaswami, J.)
647
A .tion having regard ID the provisions of s. 91 of the Evidence Act.
It is clear therefore that the appellants are entitled to a prelimi·
nary decree for partition of joint family properties.
For the reasons ex~ we hold that this appeal should
be allowed and the suit brought by the two appellants should
B
be &creed.
The appellants, Subhagwati and Shiromani are
each entitled ID tth share in the joint family properties and there
should be a preliminary decree drawn up for the partition of
tth share of the joint family properties for each of the appellants,
Mst. Subhagwati and Shiromani.
The question as to what are
the joint family properties which are to be the subject-matter of
partition would be determined by the trial court in proceedings
C
for 1he final decree.
We accordingly allow this appeal with
costs.
Civil Appeal No. 750 of 1965 :
For the reasons given by us in Civil Appeal No. 749 of 1965
we set aside the judgment of the High Court in Second Appeal
D
No. 568 of 1960 and C.S. No. 36-A of 1956 filed by Dinmani
is dismissed. We accordingly allow this appeal with costs. There
will be one hearing fee for both this appeal and Civil Appeal No.
749 of 1965.
G.C.
Appeal allowed
LSSup.CI/68-2