NAGAR PALIK NIGAM Vs. BHAGWAN DAS GUPTA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The respondent filed a suit for declaration and permanent injunction. He pleaded that he is owner of a farm house registered in the Municipal Corporation as 48/993/1 situate at Hem Singh ki Parade, Jambur Khana, Lashkar, Gwalior. Land of the house is a joint family property. Plaintiff-respondent's elder brother Naresh Kumar purchased the aforesaid land and the farm house constructed over it from Mahadev Narayan Rao vide registered sale deed dated 30/07/1959. Since then they had been residing in the house. The Tahsildar, Gwalior vide order dated 10/06/1967 declared that Naresh Kumar was the Bhumiswami of the land. On 29/08/1992, the Commissioner, Municipal Corporation, Gwalior issued a show cause notice to the plaintiff in regard to removal of construction. The plaintiff-respondent submitted a reply on 10/09/1992 and pleaded that he had not made any encroachment neither he had made new construction; however, the officers of Municipal Corporation had been continued to threaten him to remove the construction. On the basis of the aforesaid pleadings, the plaintiff sought a decree of declaration and permanent injunction.

(2.) The Municipal Corporation in its written statement denied the fact that the plaintiff was the owner of the land. The present petitioner-defendant Municipal Corporation specifically pleaded that the suit land is of the ownership of Municipal Corporation, Gwalior because in the khasra entry of Samwat 2040 it was recorded as Nazul land. In the earlier suit proceedings, Municipal Corporation was not a party, hence, the judgments passed by the Court below were not binding. It is further pleaded that the sale deed executed in favour of the elder brother of plaintiff was null and void because the seller had no right of ownership. It is further pleaded that before the Tahsildar, Municipal Corporation was not a party. The Municipal Corporation issued notice on 29/8/1992 under Sections 293, 294 and 302 of the Municipal Corporation Act for removal of construction because the construction was made without approval from the Municipal Corporation. Trial Court framed following issues for decision of the suit:-

(3.) After appreciating the evidence, the trial Court held that the plaintiff-respondent is in possession of the house No. 48/993/1 situate at Hem Singh ki Parade, Jambur Khana, Lashkar, Gwalior and a permanent injunction was issued against the Corporation to the effect that the Municipal Corporation shall not interfere in the ownership and possession of the plaintiff. Against the aforesaid judgment and decree, the Corporation preferred an appeal before this Court which was registered as First Appeal No. 60/2000. The Corporation specifically pleaded in the appeal that the Corporation is the owner of the suit property and house was constructed illegally. The Corporation raised the following grounds in the appeal:-