Khajeh Suleman v Salimullah AIR Privy Council 107 2nd Mar 1922

8/14/2019 Khajeh Suleman v Salimullah AIR Privy Council 107 2nd Mar 1922

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followinghethe t/(/l.f of the propert.hey be prolce(ul fromOllt! tho! {he TlOllIe and

Th is d cer1 r,on trt In crlc.1anRc:The objer.!. ofties iet-his, thatinjury and ruin,

(FnOM GALCUTTA.)2nd March, 1922.

VISCOUNT CAYE, LanD DUNEDTN,LORD SHAW AND Sm JOHN ED(H~.'Khf7ji'1t sllir.I1lrrll Quadir (/1/([ anof/icr-PItt in I.irr,,t\ pj)C IIn n l.s.

v.

SalimI/lifT" 13al/(/r/lt1' a1H/clRIlI!'- HeA!101,rlClIl(,pcal d!l!mii5CcJ~~'9~tt4~~e:GLh J\\ne,-l~Hl. w~I~l..trov{lrsod &'-';:,Ho~icitor~TdrlAppeJ1a'l1l;:~"':"'Solicilo'r. l"dia ~.~\t,dgment ana rJecroobf tho (...,urt of the .Ot]it"e!,:a.~~.,u\~ ;,w.,~~~n':' 'L' ",':,'::j"; gubar,dlnl1te.J udgc of J)nc:-(\. dntc~ t.hc 16th.. :.-.. f:'~.~;'r!'...' .:- ,. ,,_~..:'1j1I.~~t'Aprl1jJ.~17;~1,'hefactR ~Ivmg nsot.olhe, d,..~1N~ll.OJ~~~~~tJ~~S.}~;I.~(1~!}~~:::/?91~!l1~s:iapute~RY hO'Rtatcn OR followa:-', .. . . 1....~)1;i';!:~J.;~,'.~.:>1;~,:-;:"",:-:""" "':""7":-'.~ Early In tho 10th century ono KhnJoh10.- ,.. ' ; I: "" ... ::-~-,.-, I : , ... .."f 'Abdullah, a 1\1::lhol1lce11\.1) trader of Dacca.,.y ~ '-Tfl ~ .,... '., ... -", - 1 . ~ '. ,..... t. ","'t". ~ '"'-', ',' .. , - -.'. - ,died in teRLntC'. po:-;seRRed of the proport.yA~ I. R. 1922 Privy Council 107. ' in displlLe allcl Il)n dllg nmong oLher heirRfOllr aOllS 1I!l.11lrl AhElan\lllllh, Hnfi7.\l1lnh.Abdul Azim nllll Ahr1nl Knrll11.

On t.he 5th :Mny, 1846, certnin mOlllhcrBof tho - ralll ily exeeul.crl n deed whel'ehythey purpor(.cd t.o make ,rrlk/ of ccrtninfamily pl'op~l'l iell I.herein cle"criberl forthe ben,::,fH of Iherm:eh'e,; 1\J1l] lheir de!;cendnnts, p;Qllerntion nft,er genernt.ioll,Rno rolnlive8, I\nll f.llcn far the poor o!lelde:


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108 Privy Council RHAJEH SgLEMAN v. SALiMULi,Alt 19:t...clignlly of tho fnmlly bo l11alntnlnod, nlld 1881, which WD./l !llg-nod hy Ot On hohn1(0t.hat tho prontR of tho clltnto bo, nCOOl'llll1K nil the parties to tho !'lult, of 1880, H wasto the practice and l1I;n~e of the {omity, agreed that dW'the persona entitled toBpent for the Improvemont of t.he posiUon Te'celve allowances under t.hc deed of 18'6;and dignity of the fahlily for tho comfort and 0.11the defendants to the "uit exceptand henefit of the per~onR In who~e favour Abdul Gani and bift Ron Ahsanullo.h, shouldthe u'(1kf Is made,nnd for the perfdrmnt10G be ma(la p!ninWTR In the f\\lit, andl.hat t.heof t.he worldlj arid reli(dol1s affainl and of BulL "houle! be wil,hrlrawn without power LoolU\Titahlo actS." bring nny fresh' suit for tho Ramo Bub.

The ptirpos8 bf these two deed~ is philn. joct-maU:f .. l"The inlention oflhe donorI' in oach cnse The PrJl1clpal tOrtTIl';of the ngreementwaR to make perpetmi.l provision for the were containell in tho fol1owin~ clnusoR:r,lembors of their family by seWing the 4. The penmns signing thi" Homoran.proportioR upon Btlch members, genoration dUI11of Agreemont. ndmit that tho twoaftor ~enerntion, 1;0 long as Lhe family deod" of 1253 B. E. n.tHI 1275 J3. E. (1846~hould 18.Rt; nnn nil Ruch n settlement was anlL 18G8) nro vnlid nwl binding deeds 'ofnot recogn i"en by Mnhom odan Inw ! lhey wale}.Boltgbt t? validate it .hycnlling it B.; wakj 5. The personB Si~llinp; this Memon .n~iid .b:r InsorLlnp; n. distant ntHI conttngont durn of agreement admit, thot the properprOVISion for charltahle purposes. t.io~ held as IVakf hv the Nnwah Ah8anulIn the veal' i~80 SOllH) meinberR of Lho lah under the deed (;r 125313. E. now confnmilv de'scended frol11 the donors of J84G, "i"t of the properties ontere(1 illSchJdulebeing'dissali!;fied with the nllowanceH paid A appended to_this Mell1ornn~um ofto !lhem out uf tbo income of the ROt.tled Agroement o.ncl of no other properl.!'!s, arldproperties (which hRll greatly iilcreased), tl1at. the properties held as TVnlcf hy thebrought 0. Ruit, i11the Gourt. of the Subordi- Nawab Ah8anullo.h under tho deed of 1275nate ,Judge at. Daccn ogninst Abdul Guni !l.E. now conRis!. of the prope:lies enteredllnd ,Ah5allUlInh his son. alleging t.hat-t.he In Schedule B appended to thIS Momornn.n.eodof 1846 was n0(, vRlid as a wC1kfnnd dum. of Agreemont nlll! of no other pro.ihil.l the deed of 18(;8 r:ol11prised properties pertIes.purchn.sed by the Mut.wali oul of the in- G. The Nawab Ahsanullnh Consents bycome (locrued under Iho dood (If 1816 and virtlle of the power veRted in him ascia imlng flccounlR npon [hal fool.in~ nlld IlIulwali by the aid two (leedRj 1.0 increasepayment of their sharo. Ihe allowances of tho various members of

1 0/ t.he family whose names are ent~red iii. A!noug I.he pnrtJel; to IllS SUI~ were t.be ScheduleR.O aml D a:bpender! to thisAm Irtlllah (the faf.h':!r of t.hl'l. r;pp~1I!\.n~9). Memornndtlm of Agreement. to an aggrehlS .mo[he~ !Z7.n.tellne!o;~n. Blbl, lw; Wife gate or total n.mount of Rl1peOR one laoHahma B~hl,. l\nrt . her. llI?ther Ayeshn thirty three thousand and ejghty-~out' andKhanl1m. The. prOCH;,: tnte:~st.s of ,1hose eleven anuas only pet' nunum.persona in the proporllcB compTlsed In t.ho . - , : d .' .t.Wo (leeds of wale! are not clear on the . And it 18 d eclat e that tho )lorsonR whoserecord, nnd it is not nQW lllaterialLo 0.8- !lames ll.r.ee~ter~d ill the Scbedllio 0 apcertain lhel,ll; but It I~ rlnin that t.hey hnd pended toHlIs Memornndtllll of Agreementor claimed intercHIR in the propertios com- are the persons entitled to nllowallccR p~y.prlsed hi both deeds. able oul; of the Income of the properties. held as wak! under tho deed of 1253 B K: 'The sui~ was heard. bllt before jl1d~meht And t.hil persollR"'hose llamos are entored\vns pronounced flOl11efriends of the fnmily ill the Sohedule D appendod to [hiR Memo(inohtding t.he then Lieut.enelit.Governor, randum of Agreei:nent 6ro the perSOllfl enSir Asbley Eden, and fho District Judge. tit.1ed Lo nllowancefl paynble out. of the inMr. H.nmpilli) Ititervenctl ill the intoreRts come of the Droperties held a~ n'(7Ic/underof peDOll, nnd ultimately a compromiRe lhe deed of 1275 n. E.wnR efT(>dcll and the f'llit. WnR ntnyed upon And it is ligreecl- that the pnrllcullii:tho term!' of tw~ n(rree,mentFl ,dat.l:lu the amount Lobe pniulto ellch individual perrOll26th August 1881, nno tlu: 17th September shallbefixedliereafterbyo.Oomrnitteoc.on.1881. siBling of fOLlrmale memberR of t.he fn.milyBy the agreement of the 26th AugUfJt, who shall' bl'l ' Hileal dORcendants of


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(

KHAJEj.{ subn.iA.N iJ; 8ALIMt1:LLA1I PrIvy Council 109the original proprlolota of the esta~ell onleT:', 'tHe said 'Memornndtlm of AgrtHli1lonl, doed in the slifd Schechiibs A aild B two of the ',hateby exeoute this agreement iind agree,ali.ldftiUt male memb\:!ffl being nomlhated 'fihltly.i Uuit wlLhln seven days 'lifter theby lha .:Nawnb Ahsanl111a.h and two by ther begiI1bli1g of each month of th~ Bengalilahitlffa of the Suit No, 189 of 1880 and --;-oalebdar Iand all filtnre }.{utwalls shaJl pe.ytho ,ui.ld four memoera l1avlng power to td eaoh inember of tbe fnm lIy.wholie nameselect an umpire wIth a cllBting vole from la entered in the schedule appended to thisamongst their nuttiber or to !!eleot Oh9 agreert1erf'\ the amount of the allowancesother. member of the famHi to be an entered li.gninst his or her lIamtllieoondly,addillonal member of their Commlllee, ,tha~ neither I nor any future .Mulwali ~haJlbllt who flhnll have orie vote on1y; atop or withhold payment of the allowances 7. On the amounts of the al1o:wance1'; 1.0 hntered in the Schedule given ,bt!low withbe paid to eMh ioclivtdual member of (he out jURl cnUf:e, Ruch cau~e to be first cleclafamily beIng fixed by the said C6il1miHee, red jus.t by tbe family l'(/71chayat, to het.he Nawab Alu;nnullab shall within two eleoted biennially in accordanoe withweeks' time execute nn, ogniemont on ClauaeOf:the said Memorandum of Agreostomped paper ngreeing lo pa.y to each merit; ,thirdly, that., on the. ,allowance ofinclh-idual member the amount of the any meinber of the family being so stopnlfowaJ1ce fixed for him or for her by the ped, I' ahd all future Mulau'alis; afteraaid Commit.t.eo ancl stipulating {.hat flilCh deduction of any compnssionate nllo.nllowanco ~hRII not bo stopped except. nR wance ~hjoh I or nil:}; future ,Mufu.rualiboreIhil.fLer provided ill this Memorandum may make to the said offending memberOf Ap;reemenl. ' : I,: shnll pay the balanco of Lho nllowanoe so11. On the clenth at nuy member of the st.opped to his or her family or relativesfnmlly in receipt of an aJlownnce his or dependent on him or her: fourthly, tbot onher allOWAnce 1'holl be rlifltributed amongst the said biennially elect.ed falriily:pancha.his or ht'r hei .~ nnd rCRiduariesln prop or yet delermining on sufficient cause beingtiona to be clel.ermined by the family, shown w il, Ihat the allowance so 'stoppedPanchayot to ho nppointed as. bereinafter should be reRtored to tho atTending memprovided, . ber'r or any future MufClWOlis shall nccor-18. The family ponr:!l(l/lat referred to in dingly-restore and cuntinue it, amI fifthly,dlauses', 8,11, 1'l, 13,14,15, nhd 17, and ~>nthe ?ealh of any member of-the familywhich shall consider and determine JD receIpt of an allowance, I and all future

all tho aforesaicl family nrrangement shEdt lt~utalValis sha.1I dist.ribute the amount ofconsist of the MlIl/IJali for the lime being hI~ or her al!owa~oe !lmongst ~ls or herif he chooses to iLand four male members heirs aI,1d resHluane8,m prOp?rllO,nR to beof the family b~illg lineal ne8cendantR of rlete;mmed by the SRld bIenl11aJly electedt.he original proprietors of the eslates famity panchayet,montioned in tho said Scheclules A and B The 'sci-ieclule ctllltaillcd a lil't of theW.11ich. four membets shall be elected monthly allowances to bo paid to theb~enlllalJy by such ad.uH mnle and femnle ,several members of Ihe family out of thememben~ of, tho fnmlly n~ choose. to voto fTlComtl: arising from each of the twon~ l?e electlOll, aft-or hnvmg received due deeds; and included allowances under thenotICe, , ... " deed of' 1868 of Rs. 20 a month to Izza.

, The ag.reement o~ the 17th Septemher; tenneSB~, RB. 150 8. month to AyeBha.1881 whIch wa~ ,!:lIgnod by .AhsanuJla.~ Khanilm, ancl Rs, 150 a month lo Amio;tly. afler a rer-Itnl. t,o lhe eff~c~ lha~ B. rulJah. The suit was duly withdrawn illOommlttee Releel.en 111 nocordance WIth accordanoe with the agreements;'clnuse 6 of the ag~eemellt of the 2G~h, ' ' ',i 'August 1881 hl\o fixed the amounts enter~d ,For some ~earB after the eXeou~.iOll ofIn, the Rchcclllio given helow ns the these agreements peace reigned in thenmOllnts of the monthly aJ\owanoe~ to be family. and the allowances secured bypaid to the members of the family, whORe t.he agreements were duly paid; 'On tbennmes wcre ent.ered in the same scherlllle, c1ealh of Izzatenne~l'Ill. her son Alnirullahproceeded, as followl':- , " became ~nW.led to '11 I'hnre of her eBtatl:!,I Tbe Nov.-an AhslJ.nullnh Khnn Baha- and 8. proportionate port. of hor monthhdm: as Mllf/lVlli of. lhe deeds of /Unle! of allowance of Rf3. 20 was thenoefort.h1253 B, E. I1lln 1275 B, E., referred to in paid to him; and on the death of AY04


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ill! Privy Council KHAH~TT SUtRMAN v. SALIMUJ,J.All , \ \\.' ,I 'slta I.c.l " "; .' :-(j) llMH) 22 Cui. 610-22 I. A. 76 G Bar. 1172 . (oi) (1905) Z7 All. 320.32 LA., 86~.il ~Br. i88~r. 0.) _ (P.u.j~ ,;\','

1II.


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~'2 KHAJEH tlULEMAN v.l:::lALIMULLAH Privy Louncil J11~/

(3) t.hat the agreements of 1881; belng -Me.homedart law, and "the aHomp~ W8!'[

founded upon and inBe~a:i8.bly D.BBoc1i1.ted. nab vn.1idated by giving to the Botllomentswl~h tho ~(>(zlcfs of 18~6 nn.d 18G3, fell witb.: bt Ii oolour of cbo.rity; but the mo.ln pui'P~8cthose wa.kf~.- I '" " . '. I ": oL.the agreements of 1881 was qUite.Agil.illRt thf~ jttdgm cnt the. present, d lffererit. . I . i.::.appenl Wll.Bhrought., . tn . tho 8.l'gunleht rThe .. principal purpose of thoso' agree-before their LordBhipB lhere wne no SOdOUB ruaol;S W8.Bto Rocure ~o' living o.nd nnhlood lepulo n!l tethe above propositions inim ~. jJereonB certai n fixed allowo.nccR whIdIi\b.c}'ed (I) And (2)., There oa.n be riG (1bt.ibt were to becom e payable immerli" le 1y ~and;that, havinK regard to the declsions of the, were to b~ continued t~hheir heirs. It I~:.Boaru above r,eferred to, the deeds of 184G. t~l1e. tha.t the agroo~eI1ts purrorted to'and 18G8. whloh purpod,od 1.0 crea~e by; confirm the tVnkjfloma" and Ih'l.t theRift a I1Cl'pot\1lil F;uccession of il1l~rp.!';tRfor nlhhyances were 1l18,Ull\'paynule hy thetho n~gl'onrli!>ement of the fami!, of t.he' hand of lhe 1n/(fwali of t.h\; lm!,-jnama,q Ol1tdonoTs, wera invalid by the M'dl~l1le(lnn of the income o.ccruing to him from thoLaw nn!l were not, validated hy 1.1t!'llRe of properties thorehy BeWed ; uuttho allowthe term" Walef" or by t.he il1f:crl.ion of a; ances wore intendod to tnk'! efT'.?ct. 8Rremole tnl!lt for,tJ~ poor: nor can tho Ad irnmcd iato and hori~nhle chargeR on Ruch0["":"913 he construed as vt\lirlat.il1f! rloods Inoomcs taking priority of all the limltaexecuted before itR date. t,iOIlRconb ined in Iho sta.tement anr! they

The Tenl queRtion to be rlelermlned, ~o.:r th.erofore.,hcRupported il.ll.hotl~h thOROt.herefore. i~ whether tho High Court WtlB hnllt:a(.IO!lR fn.ll.rigb tin 110ld ing that, the deeds of loa1cf II' The d Iro~tlOn t? pay: tho nIlowaocepheing invalid. the scheme of maintenance ,out of ~he mcolno ?f the seWcd proper.nllownnceF; contained in the agreement,R tIes, wlllc~ appe,nrs In both Bgreements,of 18R 1 a ho foil to I.he ground. 1'lw con- sh?w~ nn I~tentJ(ln to cren.te a charge, andelusion of the learner! Juoges of t.he High thiS mtentlon was not frustl'lllcd by thl'Court 1.0I.hlt! efTed appears to have been ineffectual .nu.on~pt ~.o~oepB.live the BubAobaReollpon tho "iew thnt tho "chemo of quent nnd inva.IId 11IlHtl\.tlons oCthe Rottle.18R9 wnR founded upon and insep8.tllble Inent. I j ,from the ilIugalwakfna.lllas and could 110~ There IS a further dIfference betweenbe auppor~ed by the Oourt without alBo the two AetR of documonts which is alBo ofRupport.ing n family settlemont which is importA-nce. Tho. If)nl .71amn,q were theroeontrnry to Mllhomedn.n Law. fore, !mbject to the rule of Mnhomodn.n

They nppenT to have a.sAumed, on tho law w}tic~ ref]llires. that a g-ir~ Bh~lI b.e8\1.110rJ't'"of tl' ]"" f th B I' aocompanlcr! bv rlohvory i but the agree- '.' 1l;l ("CI8IOn 0 . 0 oarr 1I1. f 18R ' ifLabhmi Narayana A71anf7a. Gw'u v.Mndhava ments 0 1 ar? no~ ,g ta, bu.t c~htra.C~sDen Guru (5) tha~ if 'the midnlenn.nce forvo.lunble consldoro.tton. By tllO~e agree-II } dbId' ment.s the memhera of the famIly othern ownnncs In een c lnr~e on the pro- Ih S' AI] 1 G ' d h' Ahporty they might have been upheld as - an . It )( U an I n.n . ~s Ron . !In.n-herilnble' allownnce : but they held that nullnh sllT;cnr]erer! tholr claims to prope;-lh ,. It] t l~ t t.y of con!Hrlnahle vnlue and staved theIr. e pnrJCI'O . Je agreemen.s COll (l nO . -t . 'd t' fi' l tIJn"e "11ie110d to C' t h BUI In consl ern IOn 0 a. lrm con 1'0.0

T ! 1eo. e a c a rge on pro-. ' t tl ... t tper!.y which the were dedicatin to reli- BecmlO~ 0 . lem o.nnultles 0 an a~o~n, y I .. 1 g .. L excoerlll1g Rs. 1,30.000 llnd continuIng({JOURpurpOl'es. nne accordmg y thn~ no h 't' I ih I 1161"chargewn" crontor]. suc annUl leR:O e ~ .;8, .. '.~, I Such an agroement if mndo for vnluahle\\ Il.h ~ront respect. to the le,arne.d consideration i!>not Bubject to t.ho restric.T11!lge~ who, cn.me to that conclUSIOn; It tions affecting gifts among Mnhl)medinisI\ppen~f: t.o t.heir Lordsh,ips t.o givo too lit- hut i!'l[\ cont.rnc~ 'cron.tlng a chargo o~1.10w(!lgh!. to the eR!lenllaJ 9lfTerences het. lands, w'ilich mny he enforce!l liko otherween t.ho t.wo dt.ledB of TT'n!rf on the olle chnr~cs 'y the court.s. The provision con

hund nnd (.ho ngreements of 1881 .on lI~e tliined j" tho agreemenls that tho. tllslri.other. The deed" of \Vak! were InvnlId blition or nn annuity among Ihe heirs ofbecnuse theY,nlJemptedto,crettl.e n perpe- the anJ'lllil:nnt. shol11d be in proportions to~unt .. ~\~~(,o~!lI012-_~f eF;tatcs con\.rnry to bs r1ele'rmin~r1 hy !.he fc.mily (l'nnchnyat

(5) (1R~?1 If, 1\1n(1., ~G8';'20 LA: 9=G SOT" 270 if it. 'V[lfl inlondorl t.o do more than to(r.c,). nutho'rise the panchnynt to selllo tits,!

-;'


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I II v}';

A. 1. R. 1922 Pri vy Councij 112(FROM LAHORE).27th February 1922.VISCOlfwrn rTAr.DANI'~, AND GAVE,AND LOltDR PIJNEDIN, SIIAWAND

PJIILTJI Mnrm 1\ ND SW .TOlIN EoUF.AND MIL IHmrm ALl.

C!lhajj u R'111l- De fend an l-A ppo \In 11 t.v.

lIr.hi olld (jlhc1'5-Pll1.inlifT-ne~pondol1t.F;.Privy GOlln,::il Appelll No. 77 of 1\J21.(0) C'il,i[ [', C, (l. 17, 17.1-" S"jJi(i,'nl ,ell."'''''

mu~t b~ OIlU[OQOII . to /ho .1'"]'1!6fil'd "l'jo"'J-lll!/li""Iinrl Court rll"""t ('''11 .,[1' r urolllld,. '101 ,/ecidrd [,rtfrorn~r COll,'1 (I.' 11,-;11(1 "",,,,o/l!ri,,l.(b) O. 17, n. ~-r.'J11I'( of Ret'iel

Documents

Khajeh Suleman v Salimullah AIR Privy Council 107 2nd Mar 1922