Saturday 28 July 2012

Suit for declaration and bars on it

What is a declaratory suit? What are the grounds of declaration?

A suit for declaration is always filed under section 42 of Specific Relief Act, 1877. There are various grounds for seeking declaration that are mentioned below:-

Discretion of Court as to declaration of status or right Bar to such declaration
42. Any person entitled to any legal character, or to any right as to any property, 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 declaration that he is so entitled, and the plaintiff need not in such suit ask for any further relief:
Provided that no Court shall make any such declaration where the plaintiff, being able to seek further relief than a mere declaration of title, omits to do so. Explanation - A trustee of property is a "person interested to deny" a title adverse to the title of some one who is not in existence, and for whom, if in existence, he would be a trustee.
Illustrations
(a) A is lawfully in possession of certain land. The inhabitants of a neighboring village claim a right of way across the land. A may sue for a declaration that they are not entitled to the right so claimed.
(b) A bequeaths his property to B, C and D, “to be equally divided amongst all and each of them, if living at the time of my death, then amongst their surviving children". No such children are in existence. In a suit against A's executor, the Court may declare whether B, C and D took the property absolutely, or only for their lives, and it may also declare the interests of the children before their rights are vested.
(c) A covenants that, if he should at any time be entitled to property exceeding one lakh of taka, he will settle it upon certain trusts. Before any such property accrues, or any persons entitled under the trusts are ascertained, he institutes a suit to obtain a declaration that the covenant is void for uncertainty. The Court may make the declaration.
(c) A covenants that, if he should at any time be entitled to property exceeding one lakh of taka, he will settle it upon certain trusts. Before any such property accrues, or any persons entitled under the trusts are ascertained, he institutes a suit to obtain a declaration that the covenant is void for uncertainty. The Court may make the declaration.
(d) A alienates to B property in which A has merely a life interest. The alienation is invalid as against C, who is entitled as reversioner. The Court may in a suit by C against A and B declare that C is so entitled.
(e) The widow of a sonless Hindu alienates part of the property of which she is in possession as such. The person presumptively entitled to possess the property if he survive her may, in a suit against the alliance, obtain a declaration that the alienation was made without legal necessity and was therefore void beyond the widow's lifetime.
(f) A Hindu widow in possession of property adopts a son to her deceased husband. The person presumptively entitled to possession of the property on her death without a son may, in a suit against the adopted son, obtain a declaration that the adoption was invalid.
(g) A is in possession of certain property. B, alleging that he is the owner of the property, requires A to deliver it to him. A may obtain a declaration of his right to hold the property.
(h) A bequeaths property to B for his life, with remainder to B's wife and her children, if any, by B, but if B die without any wife or children, to C. B has a putative wife, D, and children, but C denies that B and D were ever lawfully married. D and her children, may, in B's lifetime, institute a suit against C and obtain therein a declaration that they are truly the wife and children of B.

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