RAMJILAL AND ORS. ETC. versus GHISA RAM ETC. on 24 January 1996

A

RAMJILAL AND ORS. ETC. v. GHISA RAM ETC. JANUARY 24, 1996

B [K. RAMASWAMY, S. SAGHIR AHMAD AND G.B. PATTANAIK, JJ.]

Punjab Pre-emption Act, 1913:

C

C S. 15(J)(b}-Entitlement to pre-emption-Suit filed by co-owne1~Decreed by tlial Cowt-Confinned in Jim appeal-Second appeal dismissed-Appeal to Supreme Cowt--Pending appeal Haryana Pre-emption Amendment Act, 1995 came into forcc---Right of pre-emption of co-owners taken away-Held, appeal in continuation of 01iginal proceedings-Right and remedy-Should be available not only 011 the date of sale but also on the date D of suit, decree and disposal of appeal-Pending appeal the right has been taken away by the amending Act, the 1ight to pre-emption is lost-Hence suit for pre-enzption not 1naintainabll~a1yana Pre-enzption Aniendnient Act, 1995.

Indian Evidence Act, 1872.

E

Section 57----All Acts of State Legislature and Parliament-Taking judi-cial notice of----Hmyana Pre-emption Amendment Act, 1995.

CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION: Civil Appeal No. 4017 of 1983 etc.

F

From the Judgment and Order dated 17.2.83 of the Punjab & Haryana High Court in R.S.A. No. 378 of 1983.

D.V. Sehgal, D.S. Tewatia, AK. Goel, Mrs. Sheela Goel, P. Narasim-han, R.S. Sodhi, K.K. Mohan and Ms. Geetanjali Mohan for the appearing G parties.

The following Order of the Court was delivered :

H

Leave granted in the SLP.

Substitution allowed.

These appeals were referred to a larger Bench by order of this Court made on lOlh May, 1994. The facts in C.A. No. 4017 are sufficient for disposal of these appeals.

A

The facts are that on July 16, 1979, certain lands situated in Kutiyana Tchsil & District Sirsa were sold by Mathri, Dilawar and Santosh Kumar B to the appellants by registered sale deed dated June 16, 1979. The respon-dent filed Suit No. 581/80 in the Court of Sub-Judge, 1st Class, Sirsa under Section 15(1)(b) of the Punjab Pre-emption Act, 1913 on July 18, 1980 for pre-emption of the land from the appellants on the premise that the lands originally belonged lo one Shri Ram who died in the year 1944. His widow Dhapan had remained in possession as Widow's Estate. She cannot be said C to have inherited the property through her husband. She had no right to sell the lands to the appellants as she remained limited owner. Therefore, being a co-owner of Shri Ram, the respondent is entitled to pre-emption of the lands sold by Dhapan to the appellants. Accepting the contention of the respondent, the trial Court decreed the suit. On appeal, it was D confirmed. Second appeal was dismissed. Thus these appeals by special leave. Section 14(1) of the Hindu Succession Act, 1956 enlarges the \Vi(h1\vs' estate known to sastric law; removed the fetters on possession and blossom into an absolute right to the wido\v.

E

Pending appeals, the Haryana Pre-emption Amendment Act, 1995 (Act No. 10 of 1995) came into force w.e.f. July 7, 1995. The question arises: whether the respondents are entitled to pre-emption. This con-troversy was considered by this Court Karan Singh & Ors. v. Bhagwan Singh (Dead) by L.Rs. & Ors., C.A. @ SLP (C) Nos. 14362 & 14372 of 1986 decided on 24th January, 1996 by a Bench of which two of us [K. Ramas-F wamy & G.B. Pattanaik, JJ.] were members. Therein, it was held that the appeal was continuation of original proceedings. When the appellate court has seisin of the whole case, the entire controversy would be at large and the issue would be open for reconsideration. Thus the whole case is at large. For the purpose of pre-emption, the right and remedy must be available not only on the date of the sale but also on the date of the suit G as well as on the date when the decree is made and is finally to be affirmed or need to be modified at the time of the disposal of the appeal. Since the appeal is a continuation of the original proceedings, the right and the remedy should continue to subsist till this Court decides the controversy, if the appeal is presented and is pending disposal. Since the statute had H

976 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1996] 1 S.C.R.

A intervened and the Act has taken away the right of pre-emption of the co-owners and confined the right and remedy to be only in favour of the tenants, the respondents have lost their right of pre-emption. In other Words, co-owners' right of pre-emption has been taken away by amendment to the Act. Consequentially, the respondents have lost the right, pending the appeals. This Court under Section 57 of the Indian Evidence Act shall B take judicial notice of all the laws in force in the territory of India. The Court would take judicial notice of the Acts of State Legislature and the Parliament. Accordingly, taking notice of the change in law the right and remedy to the respondent have been lost. As a result, the snit for pre-emp-tion is not maintainable. c The main appeal as well as connected appe•ls are accordingly al-lowed. Consequentially, the suits stand dismissed. But, in the circumstan-ces, without costs.

G.N.

Appeals allowed.