Heirs Of Deceased Ramshakti Jivandas vs Heirs Of Deceased Bhalabhai Dahyabhai on 6 May, 2026

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    Gujarat High Court

    Heirs Of Deceased Ramshakti Jivandas vs Heirs Of Deceased Bhalabhai Dahyabhai on 6 May, 2026

    Author: Bhargav D. Karia

    Bench: Bhargav D. Karia

                                                                                                                    NEUTRAL CITATION
    
    
    
    
                             C/FA/1485/2018                                      CAV JUDGMENT DATED: 06/05/2026
    
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                                                                                Reserved On   : 24/03/2026
                                                                                Pronounced On : 06/05/2026
    
                                       IN THE HIGH COURT OF GUJARAT AT AHMEDABAD
    
                                                   R/FIRST APPEAL NO. 1485 of 2018
    
                                                                  With
                                              CIVIL APPLICATION (FOR STAY) NO. 1 of 2018
                                                   In R/FIRST APPEAL NO. 1485 of 2018
    
                          FOR APPROVAL AND SIGNATURE:
    
    
                          HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE BHARGAV D. KARIA
    
                          and
                          HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE L. S. PIRZADA
    
                          ==========================================================
    
                                      Approved for Reporting                      Yes            No
                                                                                                 ✓
                          ==========================================================
                                      HEIRS OF DECEASED RAMSHAKTI JIVANDAS & ORS.
                                                         Versus
                                      HEIRS OF DECEASED BHALABHAI DAHYABHAI & ORS.
                          ==========================================================
                          Appearance:
                          MR DC DAVE, SENIOR ADVOCATE WITH MR JIGAR P RAVAL(2008) for
                          the Appellant(s) No. 1.1,1.2
                          MR MAYUR RAJGURU(1198) for the Appellant(s) No. 1.1,1.2
                          VEDANT J RAJGURU(9375) for the Appellant(s) No. 1.1,1.2
                          DECEASED LITIGANT THROUGH LEGAL HEIRS/ REPRESENTATIVES for
                          the Defendant(s) No. 1.1
                          MR MEHUL SURESH SHAH, SENIOR ADVOCATE WITH MR MR VISHAL C
                          MEHTA(6152) for the Defendant(s) No. 3
                          NOTICE SERVED for the Defendant(s) No. 1.2,2.1,2.2
                          ==========================================================
    
                            CORAM:HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE BHARGAV D. KARIA
                                  and
                                  HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE L. S. PIRZADA
    
    
                                                               CAV JUDGMENT
    

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    (PER : HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE BHARGAV D. KARIA)

    1.Heard learned Senior Advocate Mr. Dhaval C.

    Dave with learned advocate Mr. Jigar P. Raval

    for the appellants and learned Senior

    Advocate Mr. Mehul Suresh Shah with learned

    advocate Mr. Vishal C. Mehta for the

    respondent no.3.

    2.This appeal is filed by the original

    plaintiffs being aggrieved by judgment and

    order dated 22.03.2018 passed below Exhs.47

    and 48 in Civil Suit No.1197 of 2017 by Court

    No.17, City Civil Court, Ahmedabad allowing

    the application under Order VII Rule 11 of

    the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 (For short

    “the Code”) for rejection of the plaint and

    as a consequence thereof the decree is passed

    below Exh.1 rejecting the suit.

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    3. The appellants are referred to as the

    plaintiffs and the respondents are referred

    to as the defendants for the sake of

    convenience.

    Facts:

    4.Brief facts of the case are that the

    plaintiffs who are the legal heirs of late

    Ramshakti Jivandas Sheth, instituted Regular

    Civil Suit No.1197/2017 for declaration that

    sale deed dated 29.12.2010 registered at

    Serial No.13982 with the office of Sub-

    Registrar, Ahmedabad-5, Narol is illegal.

    5.It is the case of the plaintiffs that land

    admeasuring 17300 sq. mtrs. of Survey No.111

    and Survey No.111A situated at Village Narol,

    District Sub-District Ahmedabad along with

    land admeasuring 405 sq. mtrs of Pot Kharaba,

    total land admeasuring 17705 sq. mtrs was of

    the ownership of defendant no.1 late

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    Bhalabhai Dahyabhai and thereafter of his

    legal heirs defendant nos. 1/1 and defendant

    no. 1/2, defendant no.2 – late Bimani, widow

    of Ravjibhai and thereafter her legal heirs

    defendant no. 2/1 and defendant no.2/2.

    6.During the pendency of the appeal, defendant

    no.1/1- Bhupendrabhai Bhalabhai Patel expired

    and therefore, his legal heirs being

    defendant nos. 1.1.1 to 1.1.4 were brought on

    record. Defendant no.1.1.3-Nimesh

    Bhupendrabhai Patel also expired during the

    pendency of the appeal and therefore, his

    legal heirs being 1.1.3/1 and 1.1.3/2 are

    also brought on record.

    7.It is the case of the plaintiffs that entire

    land was purchased by the predecessor of the

    defendants by registered sale deed dated

    15.05.1959.

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    8.It is the case of the plaintiffs that late

    father of the plaintiffs- Sheth Ramshakti

    Jivandas along with the plaintiffs purchased

    the land admeasuring 10346 sq. mtrs out of

    the entire land (here-in-after referred to as

    “the suit land”) along with right of passage

    by registered agreement to sale dated

    14.05.1984 at the rate of Rs.16/- per sq mtr.

    for total consideration of Rs.1,65,536/- and

    had also paid 80% of the sale consideration

    amounting to Rs.1,32,430/- by cheque to

    defendant nos. 1/1, 1/2, 2/1 and 2/2 and

    their predecessor and defendants had executed

    irrevocable Power of Attorney, supplementary

    agreement and affidavit to the effect that

    vacant possession of the suit land was handed

    over to the plaintiffs as owners. It is the

    case of the plaintiffs that since 1984, the

    plaintiffs are de facto owners of the suit

    land. It is the case of the plaintiffs that

    in the suit land, the plaintiffs had made

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    construction and started a company named

    “Subhang Process Mill Pvt. Ltd.” registered

    under the provisions of the Companies Act and

    the name of the company of the plaintiffs is

    shown in the Municipal records as an occupier

    since 1986 and name of the plaintiffs are

    shown as the owner in the Municipal records

    for the taxation purpose.

    9.It is also the case of the plaintiffs that

    the plaintiffs are enjoying the possession of

    the suit land for more than three decades

    without any hindrance. It is the case of the

    plaintiffs that formal registered sale deed

    could not be executed due to some legal and

    technical obstacles for a long time in spite

    of repeated requests being made to the

    defendants and their predecessors by the

    plaintiffs for getting NA permission.

    However, assurance was given by the

    defendants that ownership rights were already

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    with the plaintiffs and therefore, there was

    no need to worry in spite of the fact that

    after the death of defendant nos. 1 and 2,

    names of the legal heirs were mutated in

    record of rights. It is, therefore, the case

    of the plaintiffs that as per section 53A of

    the Transfer of Property Act, 1882 only the

    sale deed was required to be executed by the

    defendants, and the plaintiffs were ready and

    willing to pay 20% balance amount of sale

    consideration.

    10. It is the case of the plaintiffs that

    when defendant no.3 published the notice in

    the newspaper “Gujarat Samachar” Daily on

    24.06.2017 for obtaining a title clearance

    certificate, it came to their knowledge that

    the defendants in defiance of the registered

    agreement to sale dated 14.05.1984 executed

    two registered sale deeds on 29.12.2010 in

    favour of defendant no.3 – Amrutbhai

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    Prabhudas Patel.

    11. The plaintiffs, therefore, filed their

    objection for issuance of title clearance on

    27.06.2017 and 01.07.2017 by publishing a

    public notice/clarification in newspaper

    “Gujarat Samachar” daily describing their

    ownership right over the suit land.

    12. The plaintiffs thereafter filed Regular

    Civil Suit No.1197/2017 before City Civil

    Court, Ahmedabad on 28.07.2017 for

    declaration that the plaintiffs be declared

    as owners of the suit land and further prayed

    to set aside the sale deed dated 29.12.2010.

    It is also prayed that permanent injunction

    be granted against the defendants and their

    servants, agents restraining them from

    transferring the ownership right of the suit

    land in favour of any third party.

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    13. Defendant no.3 – Amrutbhai Prabhubhai

    Patel filed application Exh.48 under Order

    VII Rule 11 of the Code for rejection of the

    plaint on the ground of limitation as the

    suit was filed on the basis of agreement to

    sale dated 14.05.1984 in the year 2017 i.e.

    almost after 30 years.

    14. Learned City Civil Court, Ahmedabad by

    Judgment and Order dated 22.03.2018 allowed

    the application Exh. 48 under Order VII Rule

    11 of the Code. It was observed by the

    learned Judge that there is contradiction in

    the averments made in the plaint and

    registered agreement to sale at Mark 4/1

    wherein it is stated that possession was not

    handed over to the plaintiffs and only at the

    time of execution of the sale deed,

    possession was to be handed over. It was

    further observed that entire document i.e.

    agreement to sale at Mark-4/1 appears to be

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    very suspicious as on the last page of the

    same, many signatures appear to have been

    erased and that the possession of the suit

    land is claimed by the plaintiffs on the

    basis of supplementary agreement for

    possession which is executed on stamp paper

    of Rs. 10/- on 09.05.1984.

    15. Learned Judge has also referred to the

    Court Commissioner’s report wherein the

    possession of the defendant no.3 was found at

    the suit land. It was observed that even

    otherwise the plaintiffs have challenged

    registered sale deed dated 29.12.2010 in the

    year 2017 and therefore, the suit is time

    barred and beyond the period of limitation.

    Learned Judge as a consequence dismissed the

    suit. Being aggrieved, the appellants-

    plaintiffs have preferred this appeal.

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    Submissions of the appellants-plaintiffs:

    16. Learned Senior Advocate Mr. Dhaval C.

    Dave with learned advocate Mr. Jigar P. Raval

    for the appellants-plaintiffs submitted that

    judgement and order dated 22.03.2018 passed

    by the learned Court in Regular Civil Suit

    no. 1197 of 2017, whereby the learned Judge

    has dismissed the suit preferred by the

    appellants-plaintiffs while allowing the

    application filed by the original defendant

    no. 3 under Order VII Rule 11 of the Code, is

    a non-speaking order. It was submitted that

    the learned trial Court has held that the

    suit is barred by the provisions of Section

    34 of the Specific Relief Act, 1963 and

    Section 63 of the Bombay Tenancy and

    Agricultural Lands Act, 1948. However, no

    reasons or grounds are provided by the

    learned Trial Court for arriving at such

    decision.

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    17. Learned Senior Advocate Mr. Dave for the

    appellants-plaintiffs submitted that the

    defendants have in collusion with each other

    defrauded the plaintiffs and after concealing

    relevant facts have got registered the sale

    deed in 2010 and had the entries entered in

    the revenue record after a considerably long

    time for which no notice was served up on the

    plaintiffs. However, upon publication of

    public notice for title clearance by the

    defendants in 2017, the plaintiffs came to

    know about the sale deed executed in the year

    2010. It was therefore submitted that, the

    limitation period starts only upon the

    knowledge of publication of notice in 2017

    and not from date of registration of

    agreement to sale in 1984. It was therefore,

    submitted that the learned trial court has

    committed an error in rejecting the plaint

    under order VII Rule 11 of the Code.

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    18. It was submitted that no specific time

    to perform the agreement was agreed between

    the parties as the land was an agricultural

    land and when the agreement to sale was

    signed in 1984, NA Certificate was required

    in order to get the registered sale deed and

    to use the suit land for non-agricultural

    purpose. It was submitted that the

    predecessor of defendants signed the General

    Power of Attorney in favour of the plaintiffs

    on 14.05.1984 and also supplementary

    agreement for possession was executed on the

    same day in favour of the plaintiffs and as

    such, the plaintiffs paid the 80% amount of

    sale consideration as agreed and got peaceful

    and actual possession by the supplementary

    agreement and also got receipt thereof. It

    was further submitted that the power of

    attorney and other documents of possession,

    etc. are supported with affidavit signed by

    late Bhalabhai Dahyabhai in favour of the

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    plaintiffs, whereby the plaintiffs were

    absolute owner as per the provisions of the

    Transfer of Property Act, 1882 and the

    defendants have neither right to possession

    nor right to transfer or assign the suit land

    in any manner.

    19. It was submitted that since 1984 i.e.

    since registration of Agreement to Sale, the

    appellants-plaintiffs were in possession of

    the suit land and therefore, did not prefer

    any litigation for execution of sale deed as

    the respondents-defendants continued to give

    oral assurances to the plaintiffs-appellants

    that the sale deed would be executed soon on

    receipt of NA order.

    20. It was submitted that, the rights of the

    plaintiffs-appellants or the reliefs as

    claimed in the prayers of the plaint with

    regards to declaration, possession, ownership

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    etc. are nowhere related to any of the

    clauses of Order VII Rule 11 of the Code and

    the case of the plaintiffs-appellants could

    not have been rejected under Order VII Rule

    11 of the Code without going into the merits

    of the matter and without appreciating

    evidence which are subject of trial and

    cannot be decided at the stage of considering

    application under Order VII Rule 11 of the

    Code.

    21. It was submitted that section 34 of the

    Specific Relief Act, 1963 would not bar the

    suit as section 34 would only apply when the

    plaintiffs-appellants would have claimed

    specific performance of agreement to sale,

    whereas in the facts of the case, section

    53A of the Transfer of Property Act, 1882

    would be applicable as the plaintiffs-

    appellants were already in possession of the

    suit land since 1984. It was submitted that,

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    as per section 53A, where any person

    contracts to transfer for consideration any

    immoveable property by writing signed by him

    or on his behalf from which the terms

    necessary to constitute the transfer can be

    ascertained with reasonable certainty, and

    the transferee has in part performance of the

    contract, taken possession of the property or

    any part thereof, or the transferee, being

    already in possession, continues in

    possession in part performance of the

    contract and has done some act in furtherance

    of the contract, and the transferee has

    performed or is willing to perform his part

    of the contract, or, where there is an

    instrument of transfer, but the transfer has

    not been completed in the manner prescribed

    by the law for the time being in force, the

    transferor or any person claiming under him

    shall be debarred from enforcing against the

    transferee and persons claiming under him any

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    right in respect of the property of which the

    transferee has taken or continued in

    possession, other than a right expressly

    provided by the terms of the contract.

    Therefore, the appellants-plaintiffs are

    entitled to have decree for ownership as

    prayed in the plaint.

    22. Learned Senior Advocate Mr. Dave for the

    appellants-plaintiffs in support of his

    submissions placed reliance on the judgement

    in case of Daliben Valjibhai and Others

    Versus Prajapati Kodarbhai Kachrabhai and

    Another reported in 2024 SCC OnLine SC 4105,

    wherein the Hon’ble Apex Court has held that

    while rejecting the plaint, when the question

    arises whether the plaintiffs had the

    knowledge of the execution of the sale deed,

    it could not be expected that the plaintiffs

    must have given meticulous details of the

    fraud perpetuated in the plaint itself.

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    However, the Hon’ble Court further held in

    the facts of the said case that the findings

    of the High Court are primarily factual and

    the High Court while rejecting the plaint,

    seems to have got carried away by the fact

    that the suit was filed by the plaintiff 13

    years after the execution of the sale deed.

    It was further held that there was no

    justification for the High Court in allowing

    the application under Order VII Rule 11, on

    issues that were not evident from the

    averments in the plaint itself. The High

    Court was also not justified in holding that

    the limitation period commences from the date

    of registration of the agreement of sale and

    the judgment of the High Court was held to be

    unsustainable. The Hon’ble Supreme court also

    considered the decision in case of P.V. Guru

    Raj Reddy v. P. Neeradha Reddy reported in

    (2015) 8 SCC 331 wherein, Hon’ble Apex court

    held that it is only if the averments in the

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    plaint ex facie do not disclose a cause of

    action or on a reading thereof, the suit

    appears to be barred under any law, the

    plaint can be rejected and in all other

    situations, the claims will have to be

    adjudicated during the course of the trial.

    It was further held that the claim of the

    plaintiffs with regard to the knowledge of

    the essential facts giving rise to the cause

    of action as pleaded in the plaint will have

    to be accepted as correct at the stage of

    consideration of the application under Order

    VII Rule 11 of the Code,and the stand of the

    defendants in the written statement would be

    altogether irrelevant.

    23. It was submitted that the Hon’ble Apex

    Court in case of Daliben Valjibhai and Others

    (supra) also dealt with the decision in case

    of Chhotanben v. Kirtibhai Jalkrushnabhai

    Thakkar reported in (2018) 6 SCC 422 wherein

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    Hon’ble Apex Court held that when the

    appellants-plaintiffs have asserted that the

    suit was filed immediately after getting

    knowledge about the fraudulent sale deed

    executed by the defendants, by keeping them

    in the dark about such execution, the issue

    regarding the suit being barred by limitation

    in the facts of the case, is a triable issue

    and for which reason the plaint cannot be

    rejected at the threshold in exercise of the

    power under Order VII Rule 11(d) of the Code.

    24. Reliance was also placed on the

    judgment of Hon’ble Apex Court in case of

    Urvashiben & Anr. V/S. Krishnakant Manuprasad

    Trivedi reported in (2019) 13 SCC 372.

    25. Reliance was placed on the judgment of

    Apex Court in case of Sucha Singh Sodhi (D)

    thr. L.Rs. Vs. Baldev Raj Walia and Ors.

    reported in AIR 2018 SC 2241, to submit that

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    as per Order II Rule 2 of the Code, every

    suit shall include the whole of the claim

    which the Plaintiff is entitled to make in

    respect of the cause of action, but a

    Plaintiff may relinquish any portion of his

    claim in order to bring the suit within the

    jurisdiction of any Court. It was therefore,

    submitted in the facts of the present case

    that the plaintiffs have relinquished his

    claim with regards to the specific

    performance of agreement to sale, which as

    per learned Senior Advocate Mr. Dave can be

    made in a subsequent suit or even in the

    present suit by way of an amendment. It was

    therefore, prayed that the impugned Judgement

    and orders are liable to be set aside and

    trial court may continue with the trial.

    Submissions of the Respondents:

    26. learned Senior Advocate Mr. Mehul Suresh

    Shah with learned advocate Mr. Vishal C.

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    Mehta for the respondents-defendants

    submitted that the suit filed by appellants-

    plaintiffs was filed after 33 years from the

    execution of registered Agreement to sale

    dated 14.05.1984 and therefore, the suit is

    suffering from limitation and is hopelessly

    time barred. It was submitted that nothing is

    placed on record by the appellants-plaintiffs

    to show reasonable grounds for delay from

    1984 till 2017 when civil suit was filed. It

    was submitted that the averments made in the

    plaint are absolutely vague with regards to

    what happened after 1984 till 2017 as no

    documents or prima facie evidences are

    produced on record or no specific averments

    of dates have been mentioned by the

    plaintiffs as to what notices were issued or

    follow-ups have been made by the plaintiffs

    after agreement to sale in 1984 or as to when

    the defendants have given oral assurances. It

    was further submitted that if it is assumed

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    that appellants-plaintiffs made regular

    requests to the defendants for execution of

    sale deed, it becomes obvious that the

    appellants were in knowledge of the alleged

    breach of agreement to sale and therefore,

    the period of limitation would start from the

    date when the appellants first came to know

    about the said alleged breach or when the

    first request for execution sale deed was

    made and therefore as per section 9 of the

    Limitation Act, 1963 limitation period that

    has once begun to run, cannot stop due to

    subsequent disability or inability and legal

    actions cannot be delayed indefinitely due to

    obstacles.

    27. It was submitted that the plaint does

    not disclose any cause of action as the only

    basis for declaration of title rights as

    prayed by the appellants-plaintiffs in the

    plaint is agreement to sale of 1984 coupled

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    with the claim of having continuous

    possession of the suit land, however, it is

    an accepted principle that merely being party

    to agreement to sale would not confer

    ownership rights.

    28. It was further submitted that the

    plaintiffs have disputed the registered sale

    deed of the defendants and have asked for

    declaration and injunction. However, no

    specific performance of agreement to sale is

    prayed for the by the plaintiffs in the

    plaint. It was submitted that section 34 of

    the Specific Relief Act,1963 provides for

    discretion of the Court as to declaration of

    status or right of any person entitled to any

    legal character, or to any right as to any

    property, who may institute a suit against

    any person denying, or interested to deny,

    his title to such character or right, and the

    Court may in its discretion make therein a

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    declaration that he is so entitled, and the

    plaintiffs need not in such suit ask for any

    further relief. However, proviso to section

    34 provides that no Court shall make any such

    declaration where the plaintiffs, being able

    to seek further relief than a mere

    declaration of title, omits to do so.

    Therefore, as per Section 34 of the Specific

    Relief Act,1963 in the present case as the

    plaintiffs, being able to seek further relief

    than a mere declaration of title, has omitted

    to do so, the suit was rightly dismissed

    under Order VII Rule 11(d) of Code.

    29. Reliance was placed on the decision of

    Hon’ble Apex Court in case of Vasantha (Dead)

    Thr. LR. V/s. Rajalakshmi @ Rajam thr. LRs in

    Civil Appeal No. 3854 of 2014 wherein it is

    held that the purpose behind the inclusion of

    the proviso to section 34 was to prevent

    multiplicity of the proceedings. It was

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    further expounded that a mere declaratory

    decree remains non-executable in most cases

    and if suit does not pray for specific

    performance/consequential relief, the suit

    cannot be maintainable and therefore being

    barred by law liable to be dismissed.

    30. Reliance was also placed on the

    decision of Hon’ble Apex Court in the case of

    Umadevi v/s. Anand Kumar reported in 2025 (0)

    AIJEL SC 75007, wherein order passed by the

    Trial court rejecting plaint under Order VII

    Rule 11 of the Code was upheld by the Apex

    Court when no cause of action for filing suit

    was disclosed by the plaintiffs in the plaint

    as the plaintiffs failed to address the

    crucial question of when they became aware of

    the registered sale deeds of suit property

    and whether if they had prior knowledge of

    the sale deeds, they failed to specify the

    exact date of such knowledge.

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    31. Reliance was also placed upon the

    decision of Apex Court in case of Shri Mukund

    Bhavan Trust & Ors. v. Shrimant Chhatrapati

    Udayan Raje Pratapsinh Maharaj Bhonsle & Anr.

    reported in 2024 SCC OnLine SC 3844 to

    substantiate the contention that the suit was

    barred by limitation.

    32. Learned Senior Advocate Mr. Shah

    further contended that, as held by Apex Court

    in case of Khatri Hotels Pvt. Ltd. vs. Union

    of India reported in (2011) 9 SCC 12, the use

    of the word ‘first’ between the words ‘sue’

    and ‘accrues’ in Article 58 of the Limitation

    Act,163 would mean that if a suit is based on

    multiple causes of action, the period of

    limitation will begin to run from the date

    when the right to sue first accrue. That is,

    if there are successive violations of the

    right, it would not give rise to a fresh

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    cause action, and the suit will be liable to

    be dismissed, if it is beyond the period of

    limitation counted from the date when the

    right to sue first accrued. It was therefore,

    submitted that in the facts of the case,

    first right to sue would arise after

    completion to three years in 1987 from the

    dated of agreement to sale dated 14.05.1984.

    33. Reliance was also placed upon the

    decision of Apex Court in case of Padhiyar

    Prahladji Chenaji (Deceased) Through L.R.S

    Versus Maniben Jagmalbhai (Deceased) Through

    LRS reported in 2022 (0) AIJEL-SC 68485

    wherein it was held that when the main

    reliefs sought by the plaintiffs in the suit

    were cancellation of the sale deed and

    declaration, the prayer of permanent

    injunction restraining defendant No.1 from

    disturbing possession can be said to be a

    consequential relief. Therefore, the title to

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    the property was the basis of the relief of

    possession, if that be so, the relief for

    permanent injunction can be said to be a

    consequential relief and not a substantive

    relief. Therefore, once the plaintiffs have

    failed to get any substantive relief of

    cancellation of the sale deed and failed to

    get any declaratory relief, relief of

    injunction can be said to be a consequential

    relief and therefore, the prayer for

    permanent injunction must fail and the

    plaintiffs cannot be said to be in lawful

    possession of the suit land, i.e. the

    possession of the plaintiffs would be “not

    legal or authorised by the law”, the

    plaintiffs would not be entitled to any

    relief of permanent injunction.

    Analysis:

    34. Heard the learned advocates for the

    parties and perused the plaint and the

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    documents annexed with the plaint. On perusal

    of the plaint, following points for

    determination are formulated for

    consideration:

    1) Whether the learned trial Judge has

    erred in law in allowing the application

    under Order VII Rule 11 of the Code without

    assigning any reason for holding that the

    suit is barred by the provisions of section

    34 of the Specific Relief Act,1963 and

    section 63 of the Bombay Tenancy and

    Agricultural Lands Act, 1948?

    2) Whether the plaintiffs can be said to have

    knowledge only on publication of the public

    notice by the defendants in the year 2017

    about the sale deed executed in the year 2010

    and limitation period would start only on

    publication of notice in 2017?

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    3) Whether the plaintiffs prove that full

    amount as agreed was paid and peaceful actual

    possession by the supplementary possession

    agreement was handed over along with General

    Power of Attorney dated 14.05.1984 as per the

    affidavit of late Bhalabhai Dahyabhai in

    favour of the plaintiffs?

    4) Whether the provisions of section 53A of

    the Transfer of Property Act, 1882 is

    applicable in facts of the case and not

    section 34 of the Specific Relief Act, 1963?

    5) Whether agreement to sale is barred by

    section 63 of the Bombay Tenancy and

    Agricultural Lands Act, 1948 as no permission

    was obtained for the purchase of agricultural

    land by the plaintiffs who are non

    agriculturists?

    6) Whether there is any cause of action to

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    file a suit in the year 2017 for declaration

    and permanent injunction without prayer for

    specific performance of the agreement to sale

    dated 14.05.1984?

    7) Whether the plaintiffs were entitled to

    raise the claim of specific performance of

    agreement to sale by way of amendment or not?

    35. Considering the facts of the case which

    are not in dispute between the parties, the

    suit was filed after more than 33 years from

    the execution of the agreement to sale dated

    14.05.1984. Therefore, prima facie the suit

    is barred by law of limitation being time

    barred.

    36. The contention raised on behalf of the

    appellants-plaintiffs is that the claim of

    the plaintiffs for specific performance of

    the agreement to sale can be relinquished as

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    the plaintiffs have also invoked the

    provisions of section 53A of the Transfer of

    Property Act, 1882 as there is part

    performance of the contract of agreement to

    sale and supplementary agreement for

    possession entered into in the year 1984 and

    only sale deed was to be executed. However,

    the averments made in the plaint in this

    respect are absolutely vague as nothing is

    disclosed as to what happened between 1984

    and 2017 and no documents are also placed on

    record with the plaint in that regard.

    37. There are no specific averments of any

    date mentioned by the plaintiffs as to what

    follow up actions had been taken after

    execution of the agreement to sale in the

    year 1984.

    38. On perusal of the documents placed along

    with the plaint, it also emerges that the

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    averments made in the plaint regarding the

    possession of the plaintiffs is also not

    corroborated by any document.

    39. It also appears that the averments

    regarding oral assurance given by the

    defendants are also only in the nature of

    clever drafting as even if it is assumed that

    the appellants-plaintiffs had made regular

    requests to the defendants for execution of

    the sale deed, it becomes obvious that the

    appellants-plaintiffs were in knowledge of

    alleged breach of agreement to sale in the

    year 2010 and therefore, the period of

    limitation would start when the plaintiffs

    first came to know about the alleged breach

    when they requested for execution of

    agreement to sale.

    40. On perusal of cause of action narrated

    in the plaint, same does not disclose any

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    cause as only basis for declaration of

    ownership rights as prayed by the plaintiffs

    in the plaint is agreement to sale of 1984

    coupled with the assertion of having been in

    continuous possession of the suit land.

    However, it is a trite law that merely being

    party to the agreement to sale would not

    confer ownership rights upon the plaintiffs.

    41. Provisions of section 34 of the Specific

    Relief Act, 1963 provides for discretion of

    the Court as to declaration of status or

    right of any person entitled to any legal

    character, or to any right as to any

    property, who may institute a suit against

    any person denying, or interested to deny,

    his title to such character or right.

    However, there is no prayer for specific

    performance of the agreement to sale by the

    plaintiffs in the plaint. In absence of such

    prayer, as per proviso to section 34, no

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    Court shall make any such declaration of

    title of the plaintiffs and the plaintiffs

    have failed to seek declaration of title and

    in the facts of the case the plaintiffs have

    failed to seek further relief except mere

    declaration of title and therefore, the suit

    was rightly dismissed under Order VII Rule

    11(d) of the Code by the trial Court.

    42. The Hon’ble Apex Court in case of

    Vasantha (Dead) Thr. LR. V/s. Rajalakshmi @

    Rajam thr. LRs (supra), has held that the

    purpose behind the inclusion of the proviso

    to section 34 was to prevent multiplicity of

    proceedings and mere declaratory decree

    remains non-executable in most cases if no

    prayer is made for specific performance or

    consequential relief and such suit is not

    maintainable being barred by law.

    43. The Hon’ble Apex Court in case of

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    Umadevi v/s. Anand Kumar(supra), after

    considering the decision in case of Suraj

    Lamp Industries Pvt. Ltd v. State of Haryana

    and another reported in (2012) 1 SCC 656 and

    decision in case of Shri Mukund Bhavan Trust

    and ors. v. Shrimant Chhatrapati Udayan Raje

    Pratapsinh Maharaj Bhonsle & Anr. reported in

    2024 0 SCC OnLine SC 3844 and decision in

    case of Madanuri Sri Rama Chandra Murthy v.

    Syed Jalal reported in (2017) 13 SCC 174 as

    well as decision in case of Dahiben v.

    Arvindbhai Kalyanji Bhanusali reported in

    (2020) 7 SCC 366, has held that considering

    the ratios of such decisions when the trial

    Court has come to the conclusion that the

    suit filed by the plaintiffs was a

    meaningless litigation as it did not disclose

    a proper cause of action and the suit would

    be barred by limitation.

    44. In the facts of the case also, no cause

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    of action for filing the suit is disclosed by

    the plaintiffs as the plaintiffs have failed

    to address the crucial question as to when

    they became aware of the registered sale deed

    executed in the year 2010 of the suit land

    and whether they had prior knowledge of the

    sale deeds as the exact date of such

    knowledge is not disclosed and only reliance

    is placed on public notice issued in the year

    2017 to bring the suit within the limitation.

    45. The Hon’be Apex Court in case of Shri

    Mukund Bhavan Trust & Ors. v. Shrimant

    Chhatrapati Udayan Raje Pratapsinh Maharaj

    Bhonsle & Anr.(supra) in facts of the said

    case has held that the reliefs sought in the

    suit were barred by limitation as per

    Articles 58 and 59 of the Limitation Act,

    1963 and upon meaningful reading of the

    plaint, it was evident that the suit was

    hopelessly barred by limitation. It was

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    clarified by the Hon’ble Apex Court that

    Article 58 provides a three year limitation

    period from when right to sue first accrues

    whereas Article 59 similarly prescribes three

    years for cancellation or setting aside an

    instrument. It was also held that as per

    section 3 of the Transfer of Property Act,

    1882 the registered documents provide

    constructive notice and therefore, in the

    facts of the present case, the sale deed

    executed in the year 2010 has remained

    unchallenged by the plaintiffs and therefore,

    action of challenging the same in the year

    2017 has become untenable due to lack of

    timely action and failure to assert right

    within the prescribed period.

    46. The Hon’be Apex Court in case of

    Padhiyar Prahladji Chenaji (Deceased) Through

    L.R.S Versus Maniben Jagmalbhai (Deceased)

    Through LRS(supra) has held as under:

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    “11. From the impugned judgment and order
    passed by the High Court, it appears that the
    High Court has not properly appreciated the
    distinction between a substantive relief and a
    consequential relief. The High Court has
    observed that in the instant case the relief of
    permanent injunction can be said to be a
    substantive relief, which is clearly an erroneous
    view. It is to be noted that the main reliefs
    sought by the plaintiff in the suit were
    cancellation of the sale deed and declaration
    and the prayer of permanent injunction
    restraining defendant No.1 from disturbing her
    possession can be said to be a consequential
    relief. Therefore, the title to the property was
    the basis of the relief of possession. If that be
    so, in the present case, the relief for permanent
    injunction can be said to be a consequential
    relief and not a substantive relief as observed
    and held by the High Court. Therefore, once the
    plaintiff has failed to get any substantive relief
    of cancellation of the sale deed and failed to get
    any declaratory relief, and as observed
    hereinabove, relief of injunction can be said to
    be a consequential relief.

    Therefore, the prayer for permanent injunction
    must fail. In the instant case as the plaintiff
    cannot be said to be in lawful possession of the
    suit land, i.e., the possession of the plaintiff is
    “not legal or authorised by the law”, the plaintiff
    shall not be entitled to any permanent
    injunction.”

    47. Applying the above ratio in facts of

    the present case, title to the suit land was

    made the basis of the relief of possession

    and if that be so, in facts of the case,

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    relief for permanent injunction can be said

    to be consequential relief and not a

    substantive relief. Therefore, prayers made

    in the plaint cannot be granted regarding

    permanent injunction as the main relief

    sought by the plaintiffs in the suit were for

    cancellation of the sale deed and declaration

    of title and the title of ownership of the

    plaintiffs qua the suit land would depend

    upon the cancellation of the sale deed

    executed in favour of the defendant no.3 and

    therefore, the plaintiffs cannot be said to

    be in lawful possession of the suit land as

    the possession of the plaintiffs would not be

    legal or authorised by law.

    48. The provision of section 53A of the

    Transfer of Property Act, 1882 would not be

    applicable in the facts of the case as it

    appears from the record that the plaintiffs

    have sought protection of the possession of

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    the suit land on the ground that possession

    was handed over pursuant to the supplementary

    agreement dated 14.05.1984 and therefore,

    their continued possession deserves

    protection. However, section 53A of the

    Transfer of Property Act, 1882 does not

    confer ownership or any enforceable title but

    only protects the possession of a transferee

    who has acted in part performance of the

    contract.

    49. It is by now well settled that the

    provision of section 53A operates only as a

    shield and not as a sword which can be used

    as a defense to resist dispossession but

    cannot be invoked as a basis to assert

    ownership or to seek affirmative relief such

    as specific performance or declaration of

    title. The plaintiffs, therefore, cannot rely

    upon section 53A in support of cause of

    action for enforcement of any contractual

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    right as per the settled legal position.

    Reliance placed on behalf of plaintiffs on

    section 53A of the Transfer of Property Act,

    1882 to sustain the claim or protect the

    possession is legally untenable once the

    primary claim for specific performance is

    barred by limitation, therefore, plea for

    protection of possession under section 53A

    would not be available.

    50. Reliance placed by the learned advocate

    for the plaintiffs on the decision of Hon’ble

    Apex Court in case of Daliben Valjibhai and

    Others Versus Prajapati Kodarbhai Kachrabhai

    and Another (supra) would be of no help in

    view of the findings of fact recorded by the

    trial Court coupled with the averments made

    in the plaint and the documents placed on

    record in support of such averments, more

    particularly in absence of date of actual

    knowledge of the execution of the sale deed

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    in 2010 not being disclosed by the plaintiffs

    and only averments are made in respect of

    acquiring the date of knowledge on

    publication of notice in the year 2017 which

    is nothing but clever drafting of the plaint.

    51. In the present case, reading the plaint

    as a whole and the proceedings on the basis

    of averments made therein as correct, the

    trial Court has rightly come to the

    conclusion that suit is barred by limitation

    considering the averments made in the plaint

    which ex-facie do not disclose a cause of

    action and reading thereof, the suit appears

    to be barred under law of limitation.

    52. Reliance placed on decision in case of

    Urvashiben & Anr. V/S. Krishnakant Manuprasad

    Trivedi(supra) is also not applicable in

    facts of the case as Hon’ble Apex Court has

    held that for deciding whether the plaint

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    deserves to be rejected only averments stated

    in the plaint have to be considered.

    Referring to Article 54 of the Limitation

    Act,1963, the Hon’ble Apex Court has held

    that when the date is fixed for performance,

    limitation is three years from such date. If

    no such date is fixed, the period of three

    years is to be computed from the date when

    the plaintiff has notice of refusal. In the

    facts of the present case merely because the

    plaintiffs have made averments that he came

    to know about execution of the sale deed of

    2010 in the year 2017 in the plaint from the

    date of publishing the public notice would

    not be applicable as it is nothing but a

    clever drafting in view of the averments made

    in the agreement for sale executed on

    14.05.1984 wherein it is stipulated that it

    is for the plaintiffs to obtain the requisite

    NA permission for transfer of land.

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    53. It is also pertinent to note that

    supplementary agreement for possession was

    executed on 09.05.1984 whereas agreement for

    sale was executed on 14.05.1984 and

    thereafter no averments are made by the

    plaintiffs of any efforts being made for

    execution of the sale deed for more than

    three decades.

    54. Similarly, decision in case of Sucha

    Singh Sodhi (D) thr. L.Rs. Vs. Baldev Raj

    Walia and Ors.(supra) would also be not

    applicable in the facts of the present case

    as the issue of applicability of Order II

    Rule 2 of the Code regarding the claim made

    by the plaintiffs and right of plaintiffs to

    relinquish any portion of the claim to bring

    the suit within the jurisdiction of the Court

    would not be applicable in absence of the

    averments made in the plaint bringing the

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    suit within the period of limitation.

    55. The contention raised on behalf of the

    plaintiffs that suit can be filed subject to

    obtaining permission under section 63 of the

    Bombay Tenancy and Agricultural Lands Act,

    1948 is not required to be considered at this

    stage in view of the fact that the suit is

    barred by limitation.

    Conclusion:

    56. Having considered the pleadings,

    documents and reliefs sought in the plaint,

    we are of the opinion that the trial Court

    has not committed any error as no cause of

    action has been stated by the plaintiffs as

    the suit is based on agreement to sale dated

    14.05.1984 whereas the suit is filed in the

    year 2017, therefore, the suit is time-barred

    by limitation under Article 54 of the

    Limitation Act as the right to seek specific

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    performance accrued in the year 1984 when the

    agreement was executed or at least in 2013 as

    the sale deed in favour of the defendant was

    executed in the year 2010.

    57. As the sale deed executed in 2010 was a

    registered public document, the plaintiffs

    are deemed to have had the constructive

    notice of the execution of such sale deed,

    hence the trial Court has rightly not

    considered the plea of lack of knowledge or

    date of knowledge in the year 2017 when the

    public notice for title clearance was

    issued.

    58. The cause of action as pleaded is in the

    nature of clever drafting being artificial

    and illusionary inasmuch as vague averments

    are made and allowing such suit to proceed

    would amount to permitting the abuse of the

    judicial process. The trial Court has

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    therefore, rightly rejected the plaint under

    Order VII Rule 11 of the Code of Civil

    Procedure, 1908. Appeal is accordingly

    dismissed. No order as to cost. Civil

    Application also stands disposed of

    accordingly.

    (BHARGAV D. KARIA, J)

    (L. S. PIRZADA, J)
    RAGHUNATH R NAIR

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