Poovanalingam Servai vs Veerayi and Others

Phillips, J.—In this case, the 1st defendant and the 2nd defendant jointly purchased the suit property, the 1st defendant paying Rg. 340, and

the second defendant Rs. 60, the understanding being that each was to have half the property and the excess money paid by the 1st defendant was

on behalf of the 2nd defendant and repayable by him. The 1st defendant subsequently redeemed a usufructuary mortgage on the land and paid the

whole of the mortgage money and took possession. Just prior to this redemption, the plaintiff bought the 2nd defendant''s share in the property and

now brings this suit for redemption of his share of the usufructuary mortgage and for partition and for delivery of possession; of his separate share.

The second appeal has been argued at very great length on the assumption that this is a pure redemption suit, but this overlooks the fact that it is

in effect and in name a partition suit, for the plaintiff seeks to recover a demarcated half share of the suit property. The Lower Courts have ordered

the plaintiff before getting possession of his half share to pay to the 1st defendant Rs. 140 the purchase money paid by her on behalf of the second

defendant. There can be no doubt that in a partition suit all equities between the members of the co-parcenary should be worked out allotting to

each member the share to which he is equitably entitled. It is argued for the appellant that this principle is only applicable to the Hindu Law of

Partition and that, under any other law, these equities cannot be enforced, but no reasons are assigned for drawing such a distinction. We certainly

have the authority of an American writer (Freeman on Co-tenancy and Partition) that such equities should be adjusted. This seems to be only

reasonable and in accordance with what is right and proper. Freeman, at p. 675, mentions the very same equity as is in dispute here. The passage

runs:

If one of the co-tenants...has advanced more. than his proportion of the purchase money, the Court may decree that payment of the excess be

made to him, and in default of such payment, that the moiety of the tenant in default may be sold to satisfy the amount equitably due from it,

No English cases on the point have bean cited, but I may refer to Rajah of Vizianagram v. Rajah Setrucherla Somasekhararaz (1903) 26 Mad.

There it was held that where a tenant paid the public revenue on the land, he was entitled to a charge for that amount against his co-owner. At

p. 703, there is the following passage:

But when once the tight of contribution is established as in the present case, it certainly cannot be an inequitable or violent stretch of such right to

make it a charge against the co-owner''s share.

Even if there is no legal charge in the present case, yet on equitable principles such a charge can be enforced and when it comes to partitioning

the property between two co-tenants, this equity should in my opinion be enforced. On this ground alone, I think the second Appeal must fail and

therefore I do not propose to discuss the various arguments put forward on the footing that this is a mere suit for redemption.

Another point has been raised, namely, that the 1st defendant is not entitled to interest on the Rs. 140. The Lower Courts have awarded interest

from the date of payment until the date of the decree. This, I think, is wrong. The plaintiff has not been allowed mesne profits, because the 1st

defendant had paid whole of the money due on the usufructuary mortgage, but from the date the 1st defendant got into possession, the purchase

money of Rs. 140 cannot bear interest; for she has, in lieu of interest, possession of the land. Until that date, the 1st defendant has certainly

suffered damages in having had to pay the excess amount of the purchase money and on that ground, I think, she is entitled to interest. The interest

from 22nd July, 1918 to 16th June, 1920 is therefore disallowed.

Subject to this modification, the second appeal is dismissed with costs.