Subbayya Chakkiliyan
v.
Maniam Muthiah Goundan And Another
(High Court Of Judicature At Madras)
Second Appeal No. 1587 Of 1922 | 22-11-1923
[1] The question that has been raised before us is what exactly is the land that was purchased in Court-auction under Ex. II, the Court sale certificate. This certificate describes the land in the following terms:
In Coimbatore district, Ganapathi Sub-District, Coimbatore Taluq, Annuparapalayam village, situate to the north of the east to west main road, west of Venkataswami Goundan s House, south of the temple and east of Kahannan s land; lying within these and belonging to the defendant measuring 12 cubits east to west and 24 cubits north to south, together with 1 thatched shed herein ". It was contended before the lower appellate Court and that Court has given effect to that contention, that what was sold was only the extent mentioned in the land falling within the boundaries given and not the whole of the land within those boundaries. It is not pretended that the whole of the land within the boundaries mentioned did not belong to the judgment-debtor; but, because the measurements given are smaller than the measurements as taken now it is claimed by the plaintiff s temple that all the land within the four boundaries mentioned in the above description over and above 12 cubits cast to west and 24 cubits north to south still belong to them and not to the 1st defendant who claims under the auction-purchaser. We are unable to agree with the construction put upon this sale certificate by the learned District Judge.
[2] It seems to us to be quite clear that what was actually sold was the whole of the land within the boundaries and that the measurements were not accurately given, the mistake being in the measurements alone. Ordinarily when a piece of land is sold with definite boundaries, unless it is very clear from the circumstances surrounding the sale that a smaller extent than what is covered by the boundaries was intended to be sold, the rule of interpretation is that boundaries must prevail as against the measurements. There is no reason to suppose that, when the judgment-debtor was putting up the property for sale in execution of his money decree, he was reserving any portion of the property to be left to his judgment-debtor and settling only a portion of the property belonging to him. The property is a single property forming one block on the Avanasi Road. We think that all the circumstances point to the whole of the property within the boundaries having been sold. We agree with the District Munsif in his construction of the sale certificate and set aside the decree of the District Judge and restore that of the District Munsif with costs in this and in the lower appellate Court.
Advocates List
For the Appellant Messrs. K.V. Sesha Aiyangar, T. Sundara Rao Naidu, Advocates. For the Respondents S. Ranganadha Aiyar, Advocate.
For Petitioner
- Shekhar Naphade
- Mahesh Agrawal
- Tarun Dua
For Respondent
- S. Vani
- B. Sunita Rao
- Sushil Kumar Pathak
Bench List
HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE KRISHNAN
HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE WALLER
Eq Citation
1924 MWN 203
78 IND. CAS. 414
(1924) 46 MLJ 182
AIR 1924 MAD 493
LQ/MadHC/1923/412
HeadNote
Transfer of Property Act, 1882 - Ss. 5(1)(b) & (c) and 22 — Sale of land with definite boundaries — Sale certificate describing land as measuring 12 cubits east to west and 24 cubits north to south — Lower appellate court holding that only extent mentioned in land falling within boundaries given and not whole of land within those boundaries was sold — Held, sale was of whole of land within boundaries and mistake was in measurements alone — Words and Phrases — "Boundaries" — Sale of land with definite boundaries — Sale certificate describing land as measuring 12 cubits east to west and 24 cubits north to south — Lower appellate court holding that only extent mentioned in land falling within boundaries given and not whole of land within those boundaries was sold — Held, sale was of whole of land within boundaries and mistake was in measurements alone — Words and Phrases — "Boundaries"