Holding

Malayala Brahmins are governed by Hindu law unless proven otherwise; Schedule A properties are illom property, while the properties under Ex. P. 1 are self‑acquired and not illom, so the appeal is dismissed.

Issues considered

Whether Malayala Brahmins are governed by Hindu law or Marumakkathayam law.
Whether the Schedule A properties constitute illom (joint family) property held for maintenance.
Whether the properties acquired under Ex. P. 1 (Schedule B) are illom property or self‑acquired separate property.
Whether the Kerala Nambudiri Act, 1958, particularly Section 13, applies to the partition of the alleged illom properties.

Legislation cited

Kerala Nambudiri Act, 1958s. 13

Subjects

Malayala BrahminsHindu LawMarumakkathayamKerala Nambudiri Act 1958illom propertypartitionper capitaself‑acquisitionjoint family propertycivil appeal

Judgment

•--! GOVIND POTT! GOVINDAN NAMBOODIRI A
v.
KESA VAN GOVINDAN POTT! & ORS.

JULY 22, 1987

...... [O. CHINNAPPA REDDY AND
K. JAGANNATHA SHETTY, JJ.]
8

.'\ Kerala Nambudiri Act, 1958: Malaya/a Brahmins governed by
Hindu Law-Income earned from hereditary profession of Malaya/a
Brahmins-Properties purchased from such income-Whether joint
" family properties. c
~ Practice and procedure: Court not to be prisoner of indecision-
Clarity and promptness in decision of court-Necessity for.

The plaintiff's great grandfather executed a partition deed Ex.
P. 1 under which the properties acquired by him were divided into four D
• "<'. shares as described in Schedules A, B, C & D and distributed to his sons
and grandsons. The plaintiff claimed in a suit for partition that plaint B
schedule properties consisting of properties in Schedules A & D of Ex.
P. 1 had been acquired out of the income from the plaint A schedule and
hence they were also the illom properties in which he was entitled to
r share on per capita basis. Defendants 1 to 10, 24 to 26 and 29 to 33 E
supported his case. Defendants 11, 13, 16 to 21, 22 and 27 contended

~
that the plaintif's great grandfather had no surplus income from plaint
A schedule properties and the acquisitions made by him which were the
subject matter of division under Ex. P. 1 were the separate properties.

The trial Court decreed the suit and held that parties were governed p
by marumakkathayam Law and Plaint A schedule properties were lllom
properties, that the plaintiff's great grandfather could get surplus
income therefrom which was utilised for purchasing properties dealt
with under Ex. P. 1 and, therefore, the illom properties were available
for partition, and that, in any event, the parties by their subsequent
~ ,,,.__ conduct appeared to have treated the properties as illom properties and G
passed a preliminary decree for partition on per capita basis.

The matter was taken in appeal to the High Court. Cross Objec·
tion was also filed. The High Court held that there was no acceptable
evidence to show as to what were the properties allotted to the original
testator for his maintenance when he left his illom or the Income there· Ii
615
616 SUPREME COURT REPORTS (1987] 3 S.C.R.

A from and that there was no mat~rial to prove that the plaint A schedule
properties were given to him for maintenance; nor was there evidence
to establish that the plaint B schedule properties were acquired with the
aid qf surplus income from plaint A schedule properties. With regard to
properties allotted to the testator's grandson under Ex. P. 1 and his
subsequent c~nduct to treat the properties as joint family properties, it
B held that firstly, there was no intention on the part of the testator's
grandson to treat his properties as illom properties, and secondly, even
if he had such an intention it would he doubtful whether the principle of
Hindu Law could he applied to the properties.

In appeal before this Court, it was urged that the High Court
C proceeded on the wrong assumption that there was no proof that the
plaint A schedule properties were illom properties that were given to
the plaintiff's great grandfather for his maintenance.

Dismissing the appeal by special leave, this Court,

D HELD: 1. Malayala Brahmins are governed by Hindu Law
unless they can be shown to have deviated in any respect and adopted
different practices, like local customs, if any. Some of their rights have
now been regulated by the Kerala Nambudiri Act, 1958 (Act 27 of 1958)
which provides for the family management and partition of illom
properties among Nambudiri Brahmin Community and Section 13
E a
confers right on members of illom ·to claim partition on per capita
basis. [621F-G]

2. Iswara Sevas in temples like Santhi Ceremony and Parikar-
mam works are said to be the hereditary profession of Malayala
Brahmins and the illom to which the parties belong. But the income
F . earned by any member of an illom from such practice would not become
the joint family property. It would be separate property of the indi-
vidual. It cannot become joint family property. The position, however,
may be different if a member earns from such practices which exclu-
sively helong to the joint family. [622F-GI

G 3.1 In the instant case, there is no doubt that the plaint A j..
schedule properties are common illom properties which were in posses-
sion of the testator under a maintenance arrangement. The plaint B
Schedule properties or properties dealt with under Ex. P. 1 are illom
properties and they are acquisitions made by the testator from time to
time. They could he regarded as illom properties provided It is estab-
H Iished that they have been acquired with the aid of illom ptoperties. But

-
G. POITI v. K. POTn [SHEITY, J.J 617

the relevant evidence on record is scanty. The High Court was, there- A
fore, justified in stating that there was no acceptable evidence produced
in the case to support the plea of the plaintiff. [622B, C-D]

3.2 Ex. P. 1 is an ancient deed executed at an undisputed point
of time. The terms of the deed indicate that all the properties divi- B
ded thereunder were acquired in the name of the father out of the
personal exertions of the father and his sons, that the properties
were divided into four shares taking into consideration the efforts
made by each party to acquire the movable and immovable properJies,
and that the parties shall enjoy with absolute rights the properties
allotted in the respective shares, which clearly go to show that the
properties dealt with under Ex. P. 1 were the self-acquisitions of the C
testator. [622E, JI, 623C]

4. Litigants come to Courts for decisions and not for obtaining
doubtful opinions. The Court, therefore, should not be a prisoner
of indecision. Clarity and promptness in decision making are the
need of the hour. That would go a long way to reduce the docket ex- D
plosion. [620G I

Kunji Amma Narayani Amma v. Dhathri Antherjanan, [1954]
K.L.T. 155, referred to.

CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION: Civil Appeal No. 2114 E
(N) of 1972.

From the Judgment and decree dated 16. 7.1971 of the Kerala High
Court in Appeal Suit Nos. 183, 195 and 249 of 1966.

G. Viswanatha Iyer, P.K. Pillai and N. Sudhakaran for the F
Appellant.

T.S. Krishnamoorthy Iyer, T.S. Padmanabhan, T.T. Kunhikan-
nan, S. Balakrishnan, Irfan· Ahmed and Ms. Lily Thomas for the
Respondents.
G
The Judgment of the Court was delivered by

JAGANNATHA SHETTY, J. This appeal by Special Leave is
against the judgment and decree dated July 16, 1971 passed by the
High Court of Kerala in Appeal Suit Nos. 183, 195 and 249 of 1966.
H
618 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1987) 3 S.C.R.

A The Appellant is the plaintiff and respondents are defendants 1
to 34 in Original Suit No. 35 of 1961 of the Sub Court, Alleppey,
Kerala State. It is a suit for partition in which the plaintiff claims 1/33
share in the plaint properties. The plaintiff and defendants 1 to 33 are
members of an undivided Malayala Brahmin illom. They are the
B ·descendants of one Vishnu Embran. (referred to hereinafter as Vishnu
(Senior)). 1be relationship of the parties with Vishnu (Senior) is set out
in geneological table annexed to the common judgment of the High
Court. Suffice it to state here that Vishnu (Senior) had three sons:
Kesavan, Krishnan and Narayanan. The plaintiff is the grandson of
Kesa van. One of the sons of Kesavan was given the name of his grand
father. To avoid confusion, we may call him as Vishnu (Junior).
c
Vishnu (Senior) did not remain with the members of his illom. -1;:
When he was 17, he took some properties of his illom for maintenance
and moved out of his native village. He settled at a place called
Chambakulam. There he was earning by performing Iswara Sevas like
Santhi ceremonies and Parikarmam works in temples. In the course of
0
time he acquired some properties. ~ '

Vishnu (Senior) who went out to eke his livelihood at 17,
reached 71. He then thought of peacefully retiring. He wanted that his
children after his death should not quarrel over the properties. With
their full consent, he 'executed Ex. P. 1, a partition deed dated
E
October 3, 1074 M.E. corresponding May 15, 1889 A.D. Thereunder
the properties acquired by him were divided into four shares described ~
in the dee.d as Schedules A, B, C & D. He gave schedule A to Kesa- l
van, Schedule B to Krishnan, Schedule C to Narayanan and Schedule
D to his grandson Vishnu (Junior). These schedules should not be ~
confused with the plaint Schedule properties. Plaint A Schedule con-
F
sists of property given to Vishnu (Senior) from his original illom for
the purpose of his maintenance. Plaint B Schedule consists of proper-
ties under A and D Schedules in Ex. P. !. The other schedules in the
plaint are not much relevant for this case. So they are not referred to.

The case of the plaintiff, to put it shortly is that plaint B schedule
G
properties have been acquired out of the income from Plaint A ..l....
Schedule and hence they are also the illom properties in which he is
entitled to a share on Per Capita basis.

Defendants 1 to JO, 24 to 26 and 29 to 33, supported the plaintiff.
H Defendants 11, 13, 16 to 21, 22 and 27 contested the suit. The case of
the contesting defendant is that Vishnu "(Senior) had no surplus in-
G. POITI v. K. POITI (SHB1TY, J.) 619

come from plaint A Schedule properties and the acquisitions made by
him which were the subject matter of division under Ex. P. I were his
A
separate properties.

The trial court accepted the case of the plaintiff. It held that
parties are governed by Marumakkathayam Law. Plaint A .Schedule
properties are illom properties. Vishnu (Senior) could get surplus in- B
come therefrom. That available surplus was utilised for purchasing
properties dealt with under Ex. P. 1. The said properties are, there-
fore, the illom properties which are available for partition. The Court
also said that in any event, the parties by their subsequent conduct
appear to have treated the properties as illom properties . Accordingly,
it passed a preliminary decree for partition on Per Capita basis.
c
'"-
# Against the said decree there were appeals and Cross Objection
before the High Court.

The main question urged before the High Court related to the
nature of the Plaint B Schedule properties. The High Court on apprai- D
~
~ sal of the oral and documentary evidence held as follows:

There is no acceptable evidence to show what were tbe proper-
ties allotted to Vishnu (Senior) for his maintenance when he left his

~
,
illom, or the income therefrom. There is no material to prove that the
Plaint A Schedule properties were given to Vishnu (Senior) for his E
maintenance. Nor there is evidence to establish that the Plaint B
Schedule properties were acquired with the aid of surplus income from

- Plaint A Schedule properties.

With regard to properties allotted to Vishnu (Junior) under Ex.
P. 1 and his subsequent conduct to treat the properties as joint family
properties, the High Court observed:
F

"The point is, whether there was any intention on the part
of Vishnu (Junior) to treat the properties as illom proper-
,. )I/._
ties. It is no doubt, a principle of Hindu Law that where a
co-parcener throws his self acquisitions into the common G
hotchpotch with the volition that the.self-acquisition should
become joint family properties they will assume the charac-
ter of joint family properties. It is doubtful whether this
principle of Hindu Law can be applied to the parties here.
As already stated, there is no evidence that Vishnu
(Junior) had the volition to throw D Schedule properties H
into the common hotchpotch."
620 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [ 1987) 3 S.C.R.

A In other words, it was observed firstly, there was no intention on
the part of Vishnu (Junior) to treat his properties as illom properties;
Secondly, even if he had such an intention it would be doubtful
whether the principle of Hindu Law could be applied to the parties.

With these conclusions, the High Court reversed the decree of the
B trial court but it passed a preliminary decree in regard to plaint A .} ·~
Schedule and some other properties as under:
~
"As plaint A Schedule was allotted only for the mainte-
nance of Vishnu (Senior), the possessory interest in the
properties comprised therein and attributable to the share ~

of Kesavan would devolve on the sons of Kesavan. As
c regards B Schedule properties excluding the properties
comprised in the D Schedule in Ex. P. 1 they being the ~
self-acquisitions of Vishnu (Senior) will be divided equally
among the sons of Kesavan. The D Schedule properties in
Ext. P. 1 comprised in the Plaint B Schedule being the
D absolute properties of Vishnu (Junior), namely defendants
11 to 21. The income from plaint A Schedule which is ~ '
attributable to the share of Kesavan and the Plaint B
Schedule properties except the income from D Schedule in
Ext. P. 1 will be distributed among the sons of Kesavan

E
equally. The income from the D Schedule properties.in
Ext. P. 1 and included in the Plaint B Schedule will be ~
~
given to the legal representatives of Vishnu (Junior)."
,

Before we consider the contentions urged before us, it will be
better to clear the mental cobweb as to the law applicable to Malayala _,.A
Brahmins. The trial Court said that they are governed by Marumak-
F kathayam Law. The High Court did not say anything specific. It
appears to have doubted the applicability of the principles of Hindu
Law to them. A question of this nature should not have been kept in
doubt. As a matter of fact no point that comes for consideration should
bl< kept in doubt by Courts. The litigants come to Courts for decisions
and not for obtaining doubtful opinions. The Court, therefore, should
G not be a prisoner of indecision. The clarity and promptness in decision ..I.,
.
making are the need of the hour. That would go a long way to reduce
the docket explosion.

Fortunately, for us the problem presents little difficulty, in view
of the stand taken by Couns.el on both sides. Our attention has been
H drawn to the decision of the Kerala High Court in Kunji Amma
G. POTI1 v. K. POTI1 (SHE1TY, J.] 621

Narayani Amma v. Dhathri Antherjanan, [1954] K.L.T. 155. There it A
was observed at page 158:

"On behalf of the plaintiff respondent, the learned Advo-
cate General argued that the principles of Hindu Law are
not applicable and that the case should be guided by rules
of Maramakkathayam Law. In Travancore it has been held B
from very early times that the Malabar Brahmins are gover-
ned by principles of Hindu Law as modified by local custom
(6 T.L.R. 143, 19 T.L.R. 241, 34 T.L.R. 262, 19 T.L.J.
441) in Parmeswaran Narayanan v. Nange/i Antharajanam
a decision of the Royal Court of Appeal of Travancore, 10
TLR 151 and Narayanan Narayanroo v. Kunjikutty Kutty C
and Others, 20 T.L.R. 65 F.B. it. was held that unless
Malayala Brahmins can be shown to have deviated in any
respect from the interpretation put upon old texts by
modern Hindu Sages and adopted different practices, they
should be held bound by Hindu Law as now understood
and acted upon elsewhere. -The main object of the D
Malayala Brahmin Act III of 1106 was to make provision
for better management of tarwards, to define and limit the
power of Karnavan, to improve the rights of the junior
members and to lay down the rules of intestate succession
in respect of their self acquired properties. Appropriate
provisions were made in the Act to achieve these objects. E
We do not feel justified in holding that the plaintiff and 1st
defendant are governed by principles of Marumakkatha-
yam law, merely because such safeguards as are found in
Marumakkathayam law have been incorporated in the
Malayala Brahmin Act."
F
No argument has been addressed before us that the view taken in
the above case is incorrect. It can, therefore, be stated and indeed not
disputed that Malayala Brahmins are governed by Hindu Law, unless

-
..-
they can be shown to have deviated in any respect and adopted diffe-
rent practices. like local customs, if any. Some of their rights have now
I/.. been regulated by the Kerala Nambudiri Act, 1958 (Act 27 of 1958). G
The Act provides for the family management and partition of illom
properties among Nambudiri Brahmin C\lmmunity. Section 13 of the
Act confers right on a member of illom to claim partition on Per Capita
basis.

The law being thus clarified, we may now turn to the contentions H
622 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [ 1987] 3 S.C.R.

A urged by Shri Vishwanatha, learned counsel for the appellant. He
urged that the High Court proceeded on the wrong assumption that
there is no proof that the plaint A Schedule properties are illom prop-
erties that were given to Vishnu (Senior) for his maintenance. We
think the Counsel is right. That also seems obvious and causes no
difficulty. In fact, it was admitted by all the defendants (see para 19 of
B the trial court judgment) that the Plaint A Schedule is common illom
properties which were in possession of Vishnu (Senior) under a
maintenance arrangement. There can, therefore, be no doubt or dis-
pute on this aspect of the matter.

The question next to be considered is whether plaint B Schedule
C or the properties dealt with under Ext. P. I are also illom properties. -
They are undisputedly the acquisitions made by Vishnu (Senior) from
time to time. They could be regarded as illom properties provided it is
established that they have been acquired with the aid of illom proper-
ties. That of course is the case put forward by the plaintiff. But the
relevant evidence on record is scanty. The High Court was, therefore,
D justified in stating that there is no acceptable evidence produced in the
case to support the plea of the plaintiff.

The matter also becomes plain if we turn to the terms of Ext. P. 1
on which Shri Krishna Murthy Iyer for the contesting respondents
mainly depended. It is an ancient deed, executed at an undisputed
E point of time. The deed at the beginning states that all the properties
dividedbth~reudnbder hwere acqui redffin the nda.me of the fatherf "~ith thde ~
assets o tame y t e persona1 e orts an improvements o mme an r
my children." It means out of the personal exertions of the father and
sons. The plaintiff himself has stated that Vishnu (Senior) was doing ~'
Iswara Sevas in temples like Santhi Ceremony and Parikarmam works.
F It is said to be the hereditary profession of Malayala Brahmins and the
illom to which the parties belong. But the income earned by any
member of a illo111 from such practice would not become the joint
family property. It would be separate property of the individual. So
too the properties purchased out of such income. It cannot become
joint family property. The position, however, may be different if a
G member earns from such practices which exclusively jJelong to the Joa ~
joint family.

Another significant recital in Ext. P. 1 may now be noticed. It
provides that the properties were divided into four shares after taldng
into consideration the efforts made by each party to acquire the mov-
H able and immovable properties. It means the division was as per
G. POITI v. K. POITI [SHEITY, J.) 623

contributions made by each party. If the properties were illom prop.er- A
ties, this recital has no place in the deed.

The deed does not refer to undisputed illom properties, that is
the plaint A Schedule. It is a deed of partition. If the properties
acquired by Vishnu (Senior) were also regarded as illom properties,
there was no good reason for him to remain silent in respect of the
B
possessory right of the plaint A Schedule. He ought to have, in the
context, referred to it as to who should be in possession and what he
should do about the income therefrom. Above all the deed finally

- provides that the parties shall enjoy with absolute rights the properties
allotted in the respective shares. These indications clearly go to show
that the properties dealt with under Ex. P. 1 were the self acquisitions
of Vishnu (Senior). We thus agree with the conclusions of the High
Court though not for all the reasons stated.
c

In the result, the appeal fails and is dismissed with costs.

N.P.V. Appeal dismissed. D

-

.