Holding

The rule of primogeniture applies to both the Gaddi and all other property of a sovereign ruler, and the properties in question were State property purchased benami, not private assets of the former ruler.

Summary

The Supreme Court examined two disputes concerning properties bought by the former ruler of Nabha, R.S., benami in the names of others. The first involved the Simla property (Sterling Castle) and the second the Delhi property (34 Alipur Road). The Court held that the rule of primogeniture, which applies to the rulership, also extends to all property of a sovereign ruler, and that such property is deemed State property unless the ruler can prove it was held in a private capacity. Applying the benami test, the Court found the properties were purchased for the State of Nabha, not as personal assets of R.S., and therefore the heirs could not claim a share. The earlier Allahabad High Court decision was held not to be res judicata. Consequently, the appeal concerning the Simla property was dismissed, while the appeal concerning the Delhi property was allowed.

Issues considered

What rule of succession applies to the State of Nabha?
Whether the Simla property belonged to the State of Nabha or was private property of R.S.
Whether the judgment of the Allahabad High Court constitutes res judicata
Whether the Delhi property was State property or private property of the Ruler

Legislation cited

Code of Civil Procedure, 1908s. 11, s. 86, s. 87-B
Constitution of Indias. Article 372
Hindu Succession Act, 1956s. 5(ii)
Hindu Women's Right to Property Act, 1937

Subjects

primogenituresovereign rulerbenami transactionHindu Succession Actstate vs private propertyArticle 372covenant of 1948partition suitres judicata

Judgment

HIS HIGHNESS MAHARAJA PRATAP SINGH A
v.
HER HIGHNESS MAHARANI SARO.TIN! DEVI AND ORS.

AUGUST 17, 1993

[KULDIP SINGH AND S. MOHAN, JJ.] B

Hindu Law: Hindu Succession Act 1956. Section 5(ii):-

Succession to estate a/Indian Ruler-Held, mle of primogeniture ap-
plicabl&-Said mle applies not only to the Rulership (Gaddi), but also other C
property-Only exception is property held by a Ruler in capacity other than
Sovereign-Person claiming such exception will have to plead and establish
the same.

Hindu Law-lmpartibility of Estat&-Rule of Primogenitur&-To be
established by custom-In the case of the Sovereign Ruler, these are presumed D
to exist-Held, mle of primogeniture continued even after 1947-48--Under
Article 372, the Law of Succession relating to primogeniture continues until
it is repealed--Constitution of India-Article 372.

Covenant dated May 15, 1948, entered into between Central Govem-
ment and the State of Nabha-Held, makes a clear distinction between private E
properties and State properties.

Benami sales-Principles reiterated and applied.

Code of Civil Procedur&-Section 11--Res judicatct-Not armlicable
where the facts and the law applicable are totally different. F
The controversy in the present appeals relates to two properties in
Simla and Delhi respectively, which were purchased by R.S. the erstwhile
Ruler of the Princely State of Nabha. In view of the restriction imposed by
the British upon purchase by Princes of property outside their own States,
the properties were purchased benami in the name of others. Relinquish- G
ment deeds were subseqnently executed by the ostensible owners in the case
.of the Simla' property, in favour of the three sons and widow of the late
RS. and in the case of the Delhi property, in favour of Nabha State. Upon
the death of R.S. in 1942, his elder son P.S. became the Ruler by the rule
of primogeniture. Disputes arose between P.S. on the one hand and the H
607
608 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1993] SUPP. l S.C.R.

A other heirs of R.S. on the other, with P.S. claiming the properties as his
private, exclusive properties on the basis of the rule of primogeniture, and
the other heirs contending that the properties were in fact the personal
properties of R.S. to which the rul• of primogeniture did not apply and
therefore, they had a share in the same.

B A suit for partition and in the alternative for joint possession filed·
by the other heirs in respect of the' Simla property ultimately led to a
judgment of a Division Bench of the Himachal Pradesh High Conrt
holding that the suit was liable to be dismissed because it was not estab-
lished that the said property was purchased benami from .ont of the
C personal funds of R.S. or that it was on that account his personal property.
The other heirs appealed to the Supreme Court byway of Civil Appeal No.
1208 of 1990.

A suit for possession filed by P.S. in respect of the Delhi property
ultimately led to a judgment of a Division Bench of the Delhi High Court
D holding that the said suit was liable to fail because the property was the
personal property of R.S. and not of Nabha State and, therefore, upon his
death it devolved upon PS, his brothers and also the wjdow of PS under
the Hindu Women's Right to Property Act 1937. P.S. appealed to the
Supreme Court by way of Civil Appeal No. 5857 of 1983. In Civil Appeal
E No. 1208 of 1990 filed by the other heirs, the Court framed the following
points for determination:

(1) What is the Rule of Succession applicable to the State ofNabha?

(2) Did the Simla property belong to the State of Nabha or was it
F the private property of R.S.?

(3) Whether the Judgment of the Allahabad High Conrt holding that
the rule of primogeniture applied only to succession to the Gaddi and not
succession to private properties as distinct from State properties would
constitute res judicata.
G
Dismissing Civil Appeal No. 1208 of 1990, and answering the points
as follows, this Court

HELD : 1. Though impartibility and primogeniture in relation to
Zamindari esl1!tes are to be established by custom, in the case of a
H sovereign ruler, they are presumed to exist. The rule of primogeniture
MAHARATA PRATAP SINGH v. MAHARANI SAROJINI DEVI 609

applies not only to the Rulership (Gaddi) but also to other property. The A
distinction between public and private property is not correct, since it runs

-· counter to the basis attributes of sovereignity. Being an absolute monarch
or sovereign, the Ruler was the owner of all the property in the State. If
some one asserts that to a particular property held by a sovereign the legal
incidents of sovereignity do not apply, it will have to be pleaded and
established by him that the said property was held by the sovereign not as
B
a sovereign but in some other capacity. [625-F; 626-H, 627-A, H; 628-A]

Vashit Narain Shanna v. Dev Chandra, [1955] 1 SCR 509, referred
to.

Revathinnal Balagopala Vanna v. His Highness Sri Padmanabhadasa
c
Vanna, [1993] Suppl.1SCC233; Vishnu PratapSingh v.State of M.P., [1990]
Supp. SCC 43; Elphinstone v. Bedrcechund, 12 ER 340; Baboo Gunsesh Dutt
Singh v.Maltaraja Moheshur Singh, Vol. VI (1854-7); Moore's Indian Appeals
164, Jai Kaur v.Sher Singh, (1960] 3 SCR 915;Saliq Ram v.MayaDevi, AIR
(1955] 1 SCR 1191; Madhav Rao Jivaji Rao Scindia v. Union of India (Privy D
Purses Case), AlR (1971) SC 530; D.S. Meramwala Bhayavala v. Ba Shri
Amarba Jethsurbhai, Vol. 9 (1968) I. L.R. Gujarat 966 and Mirza Raja Shri
Pushavathi Viziaram Gajapathi Raj Manne Sultan Baltadurv. Shri Pushavathi
Vtswerswar Gajapathi Raj, [1964) 2 SCR 403, relied on.
E
Sir W.H. Ratigan's Digest of Customary Law in the Punjab and
White Paper on Indian States (Para 157) referred to.

2. The rule of primogeniture continued even after 1947-48, and under
Article 372 of the Constitution the law of succession relating to primogeni-
ture continues until it is repealed. Article XII of the Covenant entered into F
between the Rulers of Nabha State and the Government of India shows
that there is a clear distinction between the private properties and the
State properties. Such private properties must be belonging to the Ruler
and must be in his use and enjoyment even earlier. [630-D; 632-A)

Thakore Shri Vinaysinghju v. Kumar Shri Natwarsingji, [1988) Supp.
G
SCC 133 and Rajkumar Narsingh Pratap Singh Dea v. State of Orissa, (1964]
7 SCR 112, relied on.

Mulla's Hindu Law, Sixteenth Edition at page 766; Rajya .Sabha
Debates, [1954] pages 7115 and 7116 and White Paper on Indian States, H
610 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1993] SUPP. 1 S.C.R.

A para 157, referred to.

3.1 The question whether a particular sale is benami or not is largely
one of fact. For determining this question, while no absolute l'ormule or
acid test uniformly applicable in all situations can be laid down, yet in
weighing the probability and gathering the relevant indicia, the Courts are
B usually guided by the following circumstances: (636-C]

(1) The source from which the purchase money came; (2) the nature
and possession of the property after the purchase; (3) motive if any for
giving the transaction a benami colour; (4) the position of the111arties and
C the relationship if any between the claimant and the alleged benamidar;
(5) the custody of the title deeds after the sale and (6) the conduct of
the i:mrties concerned in dealing with the property after the sale. The
above indicia are not exhaustive and their ellicacy varies according to the
facts of each case. Nevertheless No. 1 viz. the source whence the purchase
money came, is by far the most important test for determining whether the
D sale standing in the name of one person, is in reality for the benefit of
another. [636-D-F]

Jayadaya/ Poddar v. Bibi Hazra, (1974) 2 SCR 90, relied on.

Mayne's Hindu Law (13 Edition) 1201, referred to.
E
3.2 Applying the above well recognised tests for determining whether
a particular sale is benami, it is clear that the Simla a property was
acquired by the Nabha State benami and has been treated right from the
date of purchase as belonging to the State of Nabha. From the evidence on
record it is clear that the suit property was never the personal property of
F
R.S. (638-B)

4. The Judgment of the Allahabad High Court relates to a Com-
moner i.e. the Ruler who had been deposed. The facts and the law which
were applicable were totally different. Therefore it would not constitute res
G judicata. (638-C, El

Allowing Civil Appeal No. 5857 of 1983 tiled by PS, this Court
Held:

What is decisive are the user and enjoyment. Unless and until it is
H established by such at user and enjo)ment that the property was private,

).
MAHARAJAPRATAPSINGH v. MAHARANJSAROJINIDEVI [MOHAN,J.] 611

it cannot be claimed to be so. The evidence on record indicates that'the A
Delhi property belonged to the State of Nabha. [646-C, 647-A]

CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION: Civil Appeal No. 5857 of
~. .

From the Judgment and Order dated 23rd May, 1980 of the Delhi B
High Courtin Civil Regular first Appeal No.(OS) 6 of 1977.

WITH

Civil Appeal No. 1208 of 1990.
c
Arnn Mohan, J.M. Mukhe, Shanti Bhushan, N.H. Hingornai, R.P.
Wadhawani, M.K. Garg, Lokesh Kumar, H.S. Paul, Inderbir Singh, R.K.
Agnihotri, Mukul Mudgal, P.H. Parekh, Ms. Smriti, Ms. K.Hingorani, Ms.
Priya Hingorani, M.N. Shroff, Ms. Reena Bhandari, E.C. Agrawala Chabil
Das, Arrant Palle, Atul Sharma, M.N. Bhatt, Ms. Rina Agrawal, Janendra D
Lal, J.C. Sethi, L.K. Pandey, Vijay Kumar Verma and B. Mohan for the
appearing Parties.

The Judgment of the Court was delivered by

MOHAN,_J. The facts leading to these appeais are as under: E

N abha was a Princely State in pre-independence India. It was one of
the three Phulkian States. The other two were Patiala and Jind.

In the matter of succession to Chiefship, the rule of primogeniture
was followed by the Phulkian families. This rule was a.lso followed in the F
State of Nabha. While the eldest son became the Chief, provision was made
for the younger sons for their maintenance by way of grant of jagir, land
or purse.

When the British had paramountcy in Indi<) they subjected the ruling G
chiefs to various restrictions. One such restriction was about the purchase
of the property outside the territory of their own State. The policy was
enunciated to discourage the acquisition, whether direct or indirect, by
Sovereign or Feudatory princes of any lands in British Territory, however
and from whomever acquired. This policy was communicated to all native
State in Punjab including the State of Nabha. H
612 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1993] SUPP. 1 S.C.R.

A Maharaj a Ripudaman Singh was the Ruling Chief of Nabha State in
the early twenties of this century. His ruling powers were withdrawn by the
British Government in the year 1923. Thereafter, he was deposed from the
Gaddi in 1928 and was exiled to Kodaikanal in Tamil Nadu. He resided in
Kodaikanal till 1942 when he died. He left behind his wife, Sarojini Devi,
three sons, Pratap Singh, Kharagh Singh and Gurbaksh Singh and two
B daughters, Kamla Devi and Vimla Devi.
•·
Sarojini Devi, wife of Ripudaman Singh arid her children were resid-
ing in England from 1934 to 1944. She returned to India when her eldest
son, Pratap Singh was to receive administrative training as he was to
C become the Ruler of Nabha State by the applicability of rule of primogeni-
ture. It also requires to be stated. that the entire family came back to India
in the year 1945. Gurbaksh Singh, the third son of Ripudaman Singh died
in November 1963. He left behind his widow, Chandra Prabha Kumari and
two minor daughters, Krishna Kumari and Tuhina Kumari and a minor son
Vivek Singh. '
D
The property known as 'Sterling Castle' situate in Simla was owned
by Col. S. Appaji Rao Sitole of Gwalior. In view of the restriction relating
to acquisition of property imposed by the British Government Ripudaman
Singh purchased his property in the name of his friend Dr. Tehl Singh. The
E sale deed was dated December 21, 1921. Dr. Tehl Singh executed the deed
of relinquishment on 30th April, 1952. By the said Deed, Dr. Tehl Singh
relinquished his title and conferred it upon the three sons and the widow
of late Ripudaman Singh. It is this property which forms the subject-matter
of the suit.

F In 1957, dispute arose between the parties. Pratap Singh claimed
absolute right over this property denying the title of the other heirs of
Ripudaman Singh. When the Municipal Committee, Simla refused to effect
mutation in their names in view of the objection raised by Pratap Singh,
notice was issued to the Municipal Committee and the Sub-Registrar,
G Simla that the refusal to do so was not proper. Similarly, notice was issued
to Pratap Singh. On March 31, 1961, the two younger brothers sought leave
from the Central Government under Section 86 read with Section 87-B of
the Code of Civil Procedure to file a suit against Pratap Singh. That was ·
refused in July 1961. On January 30, 1962, Pratap Singh sold this proper-
ty in favour of 'the save the Children Fund', a society incorporated in the
H United Kingdom for a sum of Rs. 50,000.
MAHARAJ A PRATAP SINGH v. MAHARANI SARO.TINT DEVI [MOHAN, J.] 613

Sarojini Devi, Kharagh Singh and the minor children of Gurbaksh A
Singh filed a suit for partition and in the alternative for joint possession
and also for the recovery of mesne profits. ft was averred in the plaint that
the plaintiffs had a share in the 'Sterling Castle' as the heirs of late
Ripudaman Singh. Though the property ostensibly stood in the name of
Dr. Tehl Singh it was Ripudaman Singh who was the real owner, the sale
consideration having been provided by him. Therefore, Pratap Singh had B
no right to sell the property in favour of defendants 1 and 2, namely, 'the
Save the Children Fund' and its Administrator. The said sale was not
binding on the plaintiffs. Praying for the above said relief mesne profits
were claimed al the rate of Rs. 5,000/- for a period of three years com-
mencing from 1.2.62 till the date of suit and the future mesne profits. C
While the suit was pending defendants l and 2 sold the property in
favour of defendants 4 to 8 by. a sale deed dated 1.S: 1970. The sale
consideration was Rs. 1,40,000.

Though originally the suit came to be filed before the learned Senior D
Sub-Judge, Simla, after the merger of the are~ in Himachal Pradesh,
original jurisdiction came to be exercised by the Delhi High Court. On the
formation of the Himachal Pradesh High Court, the snit (C.S. No. 14 of
.1968) was transferred to the original side of that Court.

In the written statement of the defendants (other than the third E
defendant) it was urged that:

(1) Pratap Singh was a necessary party in so far as he had not been
joined the suit was bad for non-joinder.

(2) Inasmuch as the Central Government refused leave under Section F
86 read with Section 87-B of the Code of Civil Procedure against Pratap
Singh, the suit could not be filed even against his assignees.

(3) The suit was not maintainable for partial partition since· there are
other properties left by Ripudaman Singh.
G
. ( 4) From 1942 Ripudaman Singh had remained in possession of the
property as full owner for over 20 years and had, therefore, perfected his
title.

\~) In the merger agreement executed by Pratap Singh in tavour of
Central Government the suit property was claimed as exclusive property H
614 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1993] SUPP.1 S.C.R.

A of Pratap Singh. Such claim is conclusive as to ownership. If, in fact, Nabha
State was the owner by rule of primogeniture Pratap Singh become the
owner. In any event, the defendants were bona fide purchasers without
notice. Therefore, the sale in their favour will not be affected.

The learned Single Judge came to be conclusion that the property
B was purchased Benami by Ripudaman Singh. On his death, it devolved on
the entire joint family. The rule of primogeniture would not be applicable
to his personal property since it applied only to the properly of the State.
Merely because Pratap Singh was declared as a Ruler of Nabha State he
could not become the owner of this property. Thus, answering the issues
C in favour of the plaintiffs, he granted a preliminary decree for partition and
recovery of me5ne profits in favour of the plaintiffs and the third defendant.
Aggrieved by the same, the defendants took up· the matter in appeal
(R.F.A No. 22 of 1973).

The Division Bench reversed the judgment of the learned Single
D Judge and held that the plaintiffs had failed to establish that the 'Sterling
Castle' was purchased Benami in the name of Dr. Tehl Singh from out of
the personal funds of Ripudaman Singh or that it was, on that account, his
personal property. The failure to establish this basic fact must result in the
dismissal of the suit. Accordingly, the appeal was allowed. It is under these
circumstances, Civil Appeal No. 1208 of 1990 has come to be preferred.
E
Civil Appeal No. 5857 of 1983 arises out of the judgment of the Delhi
High Court in R.F.A. (OS) No. 6 of 1977 dated 23rd May, 1980. Pratap
Singh filed Suit No. 394 of 1966 for possession of House No. 34, Alipur
Road, Civil Lines, Delhi. The defendants are mother Sarojini Devi, two
brothers and two sisters. One of the brothers, namely, Gurbaksh Singh,
F having died, bis legal representatives were brought on record. The suit
property came to be purchased in the year 1922 by Ripudaman Singh in
the name of one Gurnarain Singh Gill. The Seller was one Shri Ram Popli.
The sale deed was executed on 8.4.1922 for a sum of Rs. 1,25,000. The
property was managed by the officials of Nabha State. In 1937, Gurnarain
G Singh Gill executed a deed of release in favour of Nabha State. The
property continued to be dealt with as belonging to Nabha State even after
Pratap Singh ascended the Gaddi. After independence the State of Nabha
acceded to the Indian Union. On 15.5.48, a Covenant was entered into
between the Central Government and 8 Princely States, all of which
merged to form a State Union called Patiala and East Punjab States Union
H (PEPSU), The plaintiff submitted an inventory of the properties. As per
MAHARAJA PRATAP SINGH v. MAHARANISAROJINIDEVI (MOHAN,J.] 615

paragraph 2 of Article XII the said inventory included the house in A
question. On that basis, it was urged by the plaintiff that it qecame his
private property and he was exclusive owner thereof. Thus, the suit for
possession.

In opposing the claim of the plaintiff the defendants contended that
it was a private property of Ripudaman Singh and continued to be so. The B
Covenant had recognised this position and had accordingly declared. The
Covenant did not create or confer a new right. On the contrary, the
intention of the Covenant is to receive claims, scrutinise the same and
finally put at rest the controversy, if any, between the Ruler and the
Government of the States Union once and for all.
c
The learned Single judge came to the conclusion that the suit proper-
ty was the property of Nabha State. It was not a personal property of
Ripudamari;Singh. He further proceeded to hold that Ripudaman Singh
could hold the property in his personal capacity. Upto the date of the
Covcnant the property was that of Nabha State. After 4th of May, 1949 the D
ownership changed. On this basis, the suit came to be decreed. Aggrieved
by the same, the defendants took up the matter in appeal (R.F.A. (OS)
No. 6 of 1977).

The Division Bench was of the view that the Covenant dated 5th May,
1948 does not create any new rights. It only recognises and declares the E
pre-existing rights. The claim of Pratap Singh as private property has been
established. The position regarding ownership of the property continued
unchanged even after Pratap Singh ascended the Gaddi. Thus, it was
concluded that the property was the personal property of Ripudaman
Singh. Upon his death, it devolved upon Pratap Singh and his brothers.
Sarojini Devi being the widow gets her right under Hindu Women's Right F
to Property Act of 1937 as Ripudaman Singh died in 1942. Accordingly;
the appeal was allowed and Suit No. 394 of 1966 was dismissed. It is against
this dismissal of the suit C.A. No. 5857 of l.983 has come to be preferred.

In Civil Appeal No. 1208 of 1990 Mr. Hingorani, Leaned counsel for G
the appellant would submit that under the impugned judgment the Division
Bench has accepted to the findings of the learned Single Judge on three
important points:

(1) The rule of primogemture was followed in the State of Nabha in
regard to succession to Chiefship or Gaddi. H
616 SUPREMECOURTREPORTS [1993] SUPP. lS.C.R.

A (2) Ripudaman Singh's own personal properties as distinct from
State properties and succession to his personal properties were governed
by Mitakshara School of Hindu Law.

(3) The inclusion of the suit property in the inventory furnished by
Pratap Singh, as his private property, would not deprive the original owners
B of the share as the heirs of the father.

These findings are independent of the findings covered by the decree
and would operate as res judicata. The only surviving issue in the appeal is
whether the suit property is the personal property of Pratap Singh or was
he owning the property as Karta of Joint Hindu Family? Having regard to
C the facts of this case, it is clear that Pratap Singh could not have purchased
suit property as State property in the year 1921.

During the Rulership Pratap Singh had treated the estate of his
father as joint family property. Documentary evidence supports this argu-
ment. Exhibit B dated 3rd December, 1943 referred to the ornaments and
D other articles of the widows of the previous Rulers of Nabha State. These
properties were private properties of-the Ruler, distinct from State proper-
ties.

Exhibit F is an indemnity bond given by Pratap Singh in favour of
E the Imperial Bank of India against any claim by the legal representatives
to the estate of his father.

Exhibit P.W. 3/B is a letter dated 30th October, 1956 form the Chief
Secretary PEPSU to Deputy Secretary, Government of India in respect of
loan of about Rs. 4,00,000 advance to Pratap Singh in J.947 against the
F estate cif his father.

The learned Single Judge had given due importance to these docu-
ments. The Division Bench erred in treating lightly of them.

In terms of Artide XII of the Covenant dated 20th August, 1948
G Pratap Singh had submitted a list of his private properties to Raj Pramukh
of PEPSU. That included Sterling Castle, 34, Alipur Road and 11 other
properties. Article XII postulates the Ruler can include in his inventory
only those properties as distinct form State properties, at that time.

Pratap Singh had, all along treated this estate, left by his father as
H joint family property. This is confirmed by his application dated 22nd of
MAHARAJ A PRATAP SINGH v. MAHARANI SARO JIN! DEVI [MOHAN, J.] 617

February, 1949. It requ1res to be noted that the application was filed after A
the submission of his inventory of private properties to the Raj Pramukh .
•
In the said application filed before the Court of Subordinate· Judge, Delhi,
for grant ofJetters of administration, it was clearly averred by Pratap Singh
that his father had left properties in different places in India including
Delhi. He, being the head of the family, was the best person to administer
the estate of the deceased. It was on this basis letters of administration B
were granted. It is a vital piece of evidence to show how Pratap Singh
himself treated the property.

On 4th May, 1949, Pratap Singh received a letter from Raj Pramukh
in respect of his inventory of private properties. That i"duded Sterling C
Castle and 34, Alipur Road, Delhi amongst other private properties.

Merely because the Municipal Committee, Simla did not bring on
record the names of the beneficieries under the deed of relinquishment by
Dr. Tchl Singh, effect mutation accordingly does not mean the rights of the D
appellant are, in any way, lost. The Allahabad High Court has ·held in a
judgment between the same parties that the rule of primogeniture applied
only to succession to the Gaddi and not succession to his private properties
as distinct. from the State properties. That judgment will constitute res
judicata. The Division ·Bench ought to h~ve given weight to the said
judgment. The deal of relinquishment executed by Dr. Tehl Singh con- E
elusively establishes that the suit property is a joint family property. It
requires to be carefully noted that the relinquishment has not been, dis-
puted in the written statement of any other respondent. In fact, it could
not be disputed since the learned counsel for the defendant had made
statement under Order X Rule. 1 of the Code of Civil Procedure that it
was not within the knowledge of defendants 1 and 2 that Ripudaman Singh F
had purchased the property in the name of Dr. Tehl Singh in 1921.
Defendants 1 and 2 had also no knowledge of relinquishment dated 30th
April, 1952. In view of this, the question of going into the validity of
relinquishment did not arise. Though Pratap Singh was called upon to
produce the original deed of relinquishment he did not do. so. It was under G
these circumstances, a registration copy came to be filed. The Division
·Bench has clearly overlooked this important aspect of the matter. Further,
Dr. Tehl Singh, having died even before the evidence was recorded in 1970,
his evidence could not be procured. In view of all this, the finding of the
Division Bench in relation to the deed of relinquishment cannot be sup-
ported. Article 363 cannot constitute a bar to decide the nature of the H
618 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1993] SUPP. l S.C.R.

A ownership with reference to the property in question.
In opposition to this, Mr. D.D. Thakur, learned counsel would submit
that there is absolutely no evidence in this case that Ripudaman Singh was
having large funds from Sarfa Khas which came to be utilised by Sarojini
Devi for purchase of the suit property. Excepting the oral testimony which
B has been rightly disbelieved, there is not a single document to prove that
the property was purchased benami in the name of Dr. Tehl Singh. Right
from inception, the property was treated as belonging to the State. The
Municipal Registry also bears this out. If really, that be so, rightly a
declaration was mad~ by Pratap Singh on 22nd February, 1949 while
C submitting the list of properties as his personal property. The ostensible
title of Dr. Tehl Singh cannot be put against because that cannot militate
against the treatment of the property as belonging to the State coupled with
the entries in the Municipal Register. As rightly held by the Division
Bench, the onus of proof cannot be cast on these respondents to prove that
the property was purchased by the State out of its funds.
D
The letter of administration was, no doubt, asked for, but that only
relates to bank accounts.

A careful reading of the White Paper Shows that there was no
distinction between private and public property made by the Ruler. Lastly,
E it is submitted, as seen from Exhibits D-3 to D-6, the records of Simla
Municipality clearly establish that the property belongs to the Nabha State.
In view of this, it is submitted that no inference is warranied with the
impugned judgment.

Mr. Arun Mohan, learned counsel, would submit that the question
F in this case is, whether acquisition of Alipur Road property by Ripudaman
Singh was in a capacity other than the Ruler of Nabha State? Jn other
words, at the time of Ripudaman Singh's removal and exile in 1923 or at
the time of his being formally deposed in 1928 the property was separated
from the State of Nabha or retained by him personally or exclusively in
G 1937. When Gurnarain Singh Gill, the ostensible owner, relinquished his
property, the question would be whether the relinquishment was in favour
of Gurcharan Singh (formally Ripudaman Singh) who was ,by then only a
subject or did he do so in favour of State? The learned Single Judge
proceeded mi the basis that there was a dual capacity. There is no such
dual capacity in law. He came to the conclusion that the evidence estab-
H lished purchase by the State. When the Division Bench held that the
MAHARAJ A PRATAP SINGH v. MAHARANI SAROJ IN! DEVI (MOHAN, J.J . 619

purchase was by Nabha State it did not have regai:d to the Acts of Stat~' iii. A
1923-28 on the one hand and the 1942 succession on t)ie other. · ' ·

Equally, the Division Bench failed to note that the property belonged.
to Nabha State and not to Gurcharan Singh. Even after Ripudaman Singh
was deposed, Gurcharan Singh had nothing to do with this property. The
finding of the Division Bench that the Covenant dated 5th May, 1948 only B
recognises and declares the pre-existing rights is wrong both in law and in
fact.

It is important to note that in so far as 1923-28 period is concerned
they are Acts of State, there was no death, no succession opened. There- C
fore, there was no application of Mitakshara. When in 1928 Ripudainan
Singh was formally deposed it extinguished every vestige of his title or
claim. When Pratap Singh was installed, title thereto came to vest in him
and the said title continued and has not been defeased at any point of time
subsequently. If .this be so, the findings of the Division Bench are liable to
be set aside. D
Countering these submissions, it is argued by 'Mr. Hingorani, learned
counsel, that the case of the appellant before the High Court was that even'
before the date of convenant an Indian Ruler whose capacity other than
that a Ruler acted only for the State, being its sovereign. Any property
purchased by him, in his own name or in the name of another person, E
would be purchased by the State. The tJ_igh Court has correctly found that
such a contention is not ac;Jepi.able in view of the Articles of the Covenant.

It is submitted that the kuler's private property is not governed by
any of the provisions of the Constitution which provide certain privileges,
rights and powers which are being enjoyed by the Ruler. F

The Division Bench followed the ruling of the Allahabad High Court
involving identical issues between the parties. It was ·on. the basis the
conclusions were arrived at that the Rule of Primogeniture applied only to
succession to Rulership and not to be private property. The ruling of the G
High Court had become final and, therefore, is not open to question. In
suppor~ of this, reliance is placed on Vashit Narain Sh.anna v. Dev Chandra,
[1955) 1 SCR 509. The same view was . taken by this Court in Revathinnal
Balagopala Varma, v. His Highness Sri Padmanabhadasa Vanna,Jl993]
Supp. 1 SCC 233. Learned counsel.wants to draw our attentiOl).1.0.para-
graphs 5 and 10 of the Judgment. H
620 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1993] SUPP. 1 S.C.R.

A After the merger ·of State Article XIV provides that succession,
according to law and custom to the Gaddi of each covenanting State, is
guaranteed. Article XII stresses that each Ruler of a covenanting State
could include only such properties in his inventory of private properties
which belonged to him as distinct from State properties.

B When Pratap Singh was installed as Ruler in 1941 he never passed
any Order or Farman in respect of the suit property. If the immovable
pr.operty has been purchased out· of the income of the imputable State it
· is a separate property of. the holder of the· impartible State. In so far as
there is no evidence that this property came to be merged to the impartible
State, succession will be governed by the general principles of Hindu Law.
C Therefore, it is submitted that no exception could be taken to the judgment
under appeal.

We will now take up Civil Appeal No. 12()8 of 1990. The facts have
the already been set out. Therefore, the basic question in this case would
D be, whether the acquisition of Sterling Castle by Ripudaman Singh in 1921
was in a capacity other than the Ruler of Nabha? It is the appellant in this
case who pleads benami. In view of the interdict on the native Ruler, to
purchase any immovable property in erstwhile British India, n·ecessarily
resort was had to this course of benami. It is well-settled in law that where
benami is pleaded the five principles will have to be taken into considera-
. E tion.
It has been held in Mayne's Hindu Law 13th Edition at page 1201 as
under:-

"(1) Source of the purchase money;
F
(2) nature and possession of the property and custody of the title
deeds;

(3) motive;

G (4) relatio!'ship between the parties;

(5) conduct of the parties in dealing."

· The points that fall for determination are:

H (l) What is the rule of succession applicable to the State of Nabha?.
MAHARAJAPRATAP 5INGH ''· MAHARANISAROJTNIDEVI[MOHAN,J.) 621

(2) Did Sterling Castle, the suit property, belong to the State of A
Nabha or the private property of Ripudaman Singh?

(3) Whether the judgment of the Allahabad High Court constitutes
res judicata?

Before we proceed to answer these questions we will briefly set out B
the historical background.

The State or Nabha was formed in 1963 by Hamir Singh as the Ruler.
Maharaja Hira Singh was a directs descendant of the former Ruler, Raja
Bhae,rwan Singh. When he died issueless in 1871, there were no natural
heirs. Being a descendant, Hira Singh came tp be selected as the Ruler. c
He wielded sovereign powers over this territory. On his death in 1911 his
son Ripudaman singh came to power. The admitted facts are:

Maharaja Ripudaman Singh ascended the Gaddi of Nabha in 1911
and came to rule the State. He was an absolute monarch enjoying the same
D.
status, powers and position as any other Hindu Ruler.

In 1920, Maharaja Ripudaman Singh acquired the Delhi property
and in 1921 he acquired the Himachal Pradesh property. Maharaja
Ripudaman Singh acquired a number of other properties (before and after
these two), but it is not necessary to go into those details, at this stage. E
In 1923, on account of his acfoities, the. British government as the
paramount power, removed Maharaj.a Ripudaman Singh. He was externed
and made to go into exile from the State and took up residence in
Dehradun which was part of British India. A monetary allowance was fixed
for him but that also was only partly given. The Administration of the F
Nabha State was taken over and carried on by the . British. Four years after
being removed, in 1927, he changed his name from 'Ripudaman Singh' to
"S. Gurcharan Singh". Although removed by the British in 1923, Maharaj a
Ripudaman Singh was formally disposed only on 2.2.1928. The British, as
the Paramount Power, then installed Pratap Singh (his son) as the Ruler G
' of Nabha. The State of Nabha, and all its properties came to vest in him
(Maharaja Pratap Singh). Having been deposed and ceasing to be a Ruler
and being a commoner, subject to law, former Maharaja Ripudaman Singh
settled down in the South Indian hill.station ofKodaikanal.

Fourteen years later, on 14.12.1942, S. Gurcharan (formerly H
622 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1993] SUPP. 1 S.C.R.

A Maharaja Ripudaman Singh) died leaving behind his widow, three sons and
two daughter. The Nabha State, he had been divested of 14 years earlier,
and whatever little he had left with him, formed subject-matter of his
Estate.

On 20.8.1948, Nabha State integrated (merged) with seven other
B princely States to form PEPSU. Maharaj a Pr atap Singh ceased to be a
sovereign ruler as of this date. A list of the properties separated from the
State and retained hy him, in terms of the Covenant, was prepared.

In the pre-independence era the Rulers were the princes. Although
C were "subject to British paramountcy yet were absolute. monarchs or
sovereigns within their own territories. Their word was the law. This aspect
of the matter has been dealt within Revathinnal Ba/agopala Vanna (supra);
in paragraphs 51 to 61, wherein there is a copious reference to case law.

Being an absolute monarch or sovereign, the Ruler was the owner of
D all the property in the State. In Vishnu Pratap Singh v. State of M.P., [1990]
Supp. SCC 43, at page 46 it was held:

"Despite the distinction drawn in Article XI, there was in reality
no distinction between State property and the property privately
owned by a Ruler, since the Ruler was the owner of all the
E property in the State. For the purposes of arrangement of finance,
however, such a distinction was practically being observed by all
Rulers. The apparent effect of the covenant was that all the
property in the State ve.sted in the United States of Vidhya Pradesh
except private property which has to remain with the Rulers. As
F is evident, the Ruler was required under Article XI to furnish to
the Raj Pramukh before May 1, 1948 an inventory of all immovable
properties, securities and cash balances held by him as such private
property. Conceivably, on a dispute arising as to whether any item
of property was or was not the private property of the Ruler and
hence State property, it was required to be referred to a Judicial
G Officer to be nominated by the Government of India and the
decision of that officer was to be final and binding on all parties
concerned. Despite the stern language of Article XI, requiring a
, Ruler to furnish the list of his private properties by May 1, 1948,
the covenant did not contain any clause or article providing penal
H consequences which would or were likely to follow in the event of
MAHARAJA PRATAP SINGH v. MAHARANI SAROJINI DEVI [MOHAN, J.] 623

a Ruler not furnishing the list of private properties before that A
date. Nothing is available in the covenant and none was pointed
out to us that if a Ruler failed to furnish an inventory of his private
properties before May 1, 1948, he was debarred from furnishing it
at a later stage and that failure on his part had the effect of
divesting him of little to his private properties."
B
'\gain in paragraph 13 at pages 51-52 it was stated thus:

"It is thus plain that the Ruler of Chattarpur lost none of his
sovereignty by integrating his State with other States except to the
extent in which it was arranged or redistributed on some of its C
aspects. It is in exercise of that sovereign power that the Ruler, in
the manner indicated' above, had set apart the property in dispute
as one of his private properties in the list submitted on July 5, 1948.
It is nobody's case that he could not submit such a list on July 5,
1948. Furlher, it \Vas in exercise of his sovereign as a]so individual D
right over his private property, that he transferred the house in
dispute to his father-in-law on August 25, 1948. In these cir-
cumstances, the suggested Conference which took place later in
September 1949 between him and Shri N.M. Buch, Secretary in
the Ministry of State, New Delhi, evident from letter Ex. P-9 dated
January 22, 1950, and the lists Exs. P-10 to P-12, appended there- E
with, is not of much significance. In the first place, the Ruler denied
when appearing as a witness in the trial as having received any
such Jetter or the lists appended therewith, suggestive of the fact
that he had reconverted the donated property to be a state proper-
ly. In the second place, but for the said letter, purportedly issued F
at a time when the State of Chattarpur had otherwise ceded to
the Central Government vide agreement dated January 1. 1950,
there was no direct evidence forthcoming for such conference. In
the third place, even if such Conference had taken place in Sep-
tember 1949, as suggested, the minutes thereof cannot be treated
as amounting to a divestiture of the gift made in favour of the G
father-in-law. Fourthly, the Rulers had no sovereign power towards
administering his State which had become part of the integrated
United State in terms of Article VJ of the Covenant, and during
the integration he could not exercise such sovereign power, so as
to take away the property of a private person and treat it as State H
624 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1993] SUPP.1 S.C.R.

A property because the property in dispute having once vested in the
defendant-appellants could not be divested in the manner sug-
gested. And lastly, there was no raiseable question or issue which
the Ruler could, while sitting with Shri Buch, decide amicably
without the aid of the Judicial Officer nominated by the govern-
ment entering upon such dispute, because before integration he
B owned his State and its properties and there could legitimately not
arise a dispute as to which was his private property or State
property and thus its settlement by a mutual consent .·did not arise.
Taking thus the totality of these circumstances in view, we are
driven to the conclusion that the High Court committed an error
c that the Ruler lost his sovereign right to earmark the property as
his private property after May 1, 1948, or that the said property
vested in the State with effect from that date or that the letter Ex.
P-9 of Shri N.M. Buch and the lists attached thereto, had the effect
of divesting the appellants of the title to the property in dispute in
favour of the State with effect from that date. In that strain, factual
D
position having not been denied, the validity of the gift dated ·
August 25, 1948, cannot be questioned on the grounds enumerated
in the plaint, due to exercise of sovereign power of the. Ruler in
. the grant thereof at that point of time. Once that is held the claim
·for damages too caves in. We hold it accordingly."
E
It was this ruling which was applkd in Revathinnal Balagopala
Vanna's case (supra).

The distinction between public.and private property of a sovereign
Ruler came up for consideration in one of the earliest rulings of the Privy
F Council.

Jn Elpltinstone v. Bedreechund, (12 ER 340) at page 345 it was
observed:

"Lord Tcntcrden asked, 'what is the distinction between the public
G and private property of an absolute sovereign? You mean by public
property, generally speaking, the property of the State, but in the
property of an absolute sovereign, who may dispose of everything
at any tinie, and in ally way he pleases, is there any distinction?'
and in delivering the judgment of their Lordships he also observed,
H 'another point made, which applies itself only to a part of the
MAHARAJA PRATAP SINGH >',MAHARANI SAROJJNI DEVI [MOHAN, J.j 625

information, is, that the property \Vas not proved to have been the A
public property of the Peishwa. Upon that point I have already
intimated my opinion, and l have the concurrence of the other
. Lords of the Council with me in it, that when you arc speaking of
the property of an absolute sovereign there is no pretence for
dra\ving a distinction, the whole of it belongs to him as sovereign;
B
and he may dispose of it for his public or private purposes in
whatever manner he may think proper."

ll also requires to be noted that this was one of the cases referred
to in Revathinnal Balagopala Vanna's case (supra).

White Paper on Indian States in paragraph 157 states as under :
c
"In th.e past the Rulers made no distinction between private and
State properly; they could freely use for personal purposes any
proper owned by their respective States. With the integration of
States it became necessary lo define and demarcate clearly the D
private property of the Ruler. The settlement was a difficult and
delicate task calling for detailed and patient examination of each .
case. As conditions and customs differed from State to State, there
were no precedents to guide and no clear principles to follow.
Each case, thererore, had to be decided on its merits. 1'
E
In the ruling already referred to, namely, Vishnu Pratap Singh
(supra), this aspect of the matter has been dealt with. However, witli regard
to one other aspect of the matter in Revathinnal Balagopula Vamia (supra),
in paragraph 64, it was observed:
F
"If someone asserts that to a particular property held by a
sovereign the legal incidents of sovereignty do not apply, it will
have to be pleaded and established by him that the said property
was held by the sovereign not as sovereign but in some other
capa~ity.
11

G
Q.1 What is the Rule of Succession applicable to the State·of Nabha?

As to the applicability of rule of primogeniture it could be culled
from the following rulings:

In Baboo Gunesh Dull Singh v. Maharaja Moheshur Singh, (Vol. VI. H
626 SUPREME COURT REPORTS (1993] SUPP. 1 S.C.R.

A (1854-7 Morre's Indian Appeals 164) it was stated as follows:
"We apprehend that the principle upon which we are about to
proceed in this case admits of no doubt or question whatever. By
the general law prevailing in this district, and indeed generally
under the Hindoo Law, esta~tes are divisible amongst the sons,
B when there are more than one son; they do not descend to the
eldest son, what are divisible amongst ali. With respect to a Raj as
a Principality, the general mle is othenvise and must be so. It is a
Sovereignty, a Principality, a subordinate Sovereignty and Prin-
cipality no doubt, which, in its very nature excludes the idea of
c division in the sense in which that term is used in the present case. 11

(Emphasis supplied)

In 'Digest of Customary law in the Punjab' by Sir W H Rattigan, K.C.;
LL.D. 15th Edition at page 126M it is sfated:
D
"The Rule of Primogeniture only prevails in families of ruling
chiefs or Jagirdars whose ancestors were ruling chiefs. 11

Again, there is a reference to the above Digest in Jai Kaur v. Sher
Singh, AIR (1960) SC 1118 at 1121.
E.
In Saliq Ram v. Maya Devi, AIR (1955) SC 266, at page 268 it was
observed thus:

"Rattigan's work has been accepted by the Privy Council as 11 a
book of unquestioned authority in the Punjab". indeed, the cor-
F rectness of this paragraph was not disputed before this Court in
Gopai Singh v. Ujagar Singh, AIR (1954) SC 579 (B)."

In Privy Purses case, AIR (1971) SC 530 at 596, Mitter, J. observed:

"It would appear that invariably the Ruic of Lineal Male
G
Primogeniture coupled with the custom of adopting a son prevailed
in the case of Hindu Ruler who composed of the bulk of this body."

Though i1npartibility and prin1ogeniture in relation to Zamindari
1

estates or other impartible estates are to be established by custom, in the
H case of a sovereign Ruler, they are presumed to exist.
MAHARAJAPRATAP SINGH v. MAHARANI SAROJINI DEVI [MOHAN, J.] 627

The allied question is whether the Rule of Primogeniture applies only A
to the Rulcrship (Gaddi) and not to the other property? This is precisely
the argument of Mr. Hingorani. This argument came to be accepted by the
learned Single Judge of the High Court of Himachal Pradesli as well as
the Division Bench of the Delhi High Court in the judgment under appeal.
We have already referred to the observations of Lord Tcntcrden in Eiphis-
to11e (Supra). We may also now refer to the observations of Bhagawati, J. B
(as he then was) in D.S Meramwala Bhayavala v. Ba Slui Amarba Jcth-
swbhai, Vol. 9 (1968) I.LR. Gujarat 966, al para 11:

"If tl1e Khari-Bagasara Estate was a sovereign Estate, it is
difficult to see how the ordinary incidents of ancestral co-parcen- C
ary property could be applied to that Estate. The characteristic
feature of ancestral co-parcenary property is that members of the
family acquire an interest in the property by birth or adoption and
by virtue of such interest they can claim for right: (1) the right of
partition; (2) the right to restrain alienations by the head of the
family except for necessity; (3) the right of maintenance; and (4) D
the right of survivorship. It is obvious from the nature of a
sovereign Estate that there can be no interest by birth or adoption
in .such E.,tate and these rights \vhich are necessary consequence
of community of interest cannot exist. The Chief of a soverign
Estate would hold the Estate by virtue of his .sovereign power and E
not by virtue of municipal law. He would not be subject to
municipal law; he would in fact be the fountain head of municipal
law. The municipal law cannot determine or control the scope an
extent of his interest in the Estate or impose any limitation on his
powers in re]ation to the Estate. 11
F
Again, at para 12 it is stated thus:

. "As a sovereign ruler he would be the full and complete owner of
the Estate entitled to do what he likes with the Estate. During his
lifetime no one else can claim an interest in the Estate. Such an G
interest would be inconsistent with his sovereignty. To grant that
the sons acquire an interest by birth or adoption in the Estate
which is a consequence arising under the municipal law would be
to the municipal law''.

This being the position, the distinction drawn between public and H

J
628 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1993] SUPP. l S.C.R.

·A private property seems to be not correct. Reference has been made lo the
case in Revathi1111al Ba/agopala Vanna (supra) in this regard. Jn so far as
such a concept runs counter to the .basic attribute of sovereignty the said
distinction is not acceptable. Jn this connection, we may refer to Mi1Za Raja
Shri Pushavathi Viziaram Gajapathi Raj Manne Sultan Bahadur v. Slui
B Pushvathi Visweswar Gajapalthi Raj, (1964) 2 403. At page 416 it wa'
observed thus:

"It follows from the decision in Shiba Prasad Singh's case (1932)
L.R. 59 I.A. 3,3 that unless the power is excluded by statute or
custom, the holder or customary impartible estate, by a declaration
C. of his intention can incorporate with the estate self-acquired im-
movable property and thereupon, the property accrues to the
estate and is impressed with all its incidence including a custom
of descent by primogeniture. It may be otherwise in the case of an
estate granted by the Crown subject to descent by primogeniture.'

D With this, we pass on to the next question whether the primogeniture
lapsed in the years 1947-48? It is the contention of the respondents that
Pratap Singh ceased to be covered by primogeniture on 15.8.47 and, in any
case, on 20. 8.48 when he ceased to be a sovereign. It is true that there was
no Rulership after India became a Republic on 26th of January, 1950 but
E if the estate is impartible in nature it would continue to be governed by
the Rule' of primogeniture. We will refer to Thakore Shri Vinayasinhji v.
Kumar Shri Natwarsinhji, [1988] Supp. SCC 133. At page 134 it is stated
thus:

"The principle of law that is applicable to a coparcenarv
F property or to the coparceners inapplicable to an impartible estate
or to is the holder thereof except that an impartible estate is
considered to be a joint family property to the extent of the junior
members succeeding to the estate by right of survivorship. When
under certain circumst"nces the right of a coparcener to take by
survivorship can be defeated, no exception can be. taken, if the
G right of survivorship of junior members of an impartible estate to
succeed to it is defeated by the holder thereof by disposition by a
#ill.II (
Again in Rajla1mar Narsing!t Pratap Sing/! Dea v. State of b1issa,
H [1964] 7 SCR 112, at page 121 it is observed thus:
MMb\RAfA PRATA!' SINGH "·MAHARANI SAROJINIDEVI [MOHAN. J.] 629

"As we have just indicated, the customary law which required the A
Ruler to provide maintenance for his junior brother) can be said
to have been continued by cl. 4(b) of the Order of 1948 and Art.
372 of the Constitution; ......... "

Section 5 of the Hindu Succession Act, 1956 (Central Att 30 of 1956)
stales as follows: B

"This Act shall not apply to -

(i) .. . .. . ......

(ii) any estate which descends to a single heir by the terms of any c
eonvenant or agreement entered into by the Ruler of any Indian
State with the Government of India or by the terms of any enact-
ment passed before the commencement of this Act;

(iii) ...... . . . ............. "
D
In Mu/la's Hindu Law Sixteenth Edition at page 766 it is stated:

"The exception is limited to the impartible estates of Rulers of
Indian States succc.s.sion to \Vhich is regulated by special covenants
or agrcen1ents and to estate) succession to \\thich is regulated by
any previous legislation, and the Estate and Palace Funds men- E
tioned in sub-section (iii)."

At this stage of Bill, 1954 it was clearly brought out in the Rajya
Sabha debates at pages 7115 and 7116 as under:

"Then there is another clause, sub-clause (ii) which says: F

"any estate which descends to a single heir by the terms of any
covenant or agreement entered into by the Ruler of any Indian
Stale \vilh the Government of India or by the terms of any enact-
. ment passed before the commencement of this Act."
G
This clause has been put in because, as we know, it is only after
the attainment of independence that on a large scale there has
been integration of States, and there are certain agreements and
covenants which have been "entered into between the Government
and those Rulers of States and some arrangements have been made H
. 630 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1993] SUPP. 1 S.C.R.

A only very recently with respect of their line of succession. It is a
special thing. What it says is: "any covenant or agreement entered
into by the Ruler". Naturally, if we have entered into any such
agreement only as recently as 1947 or 1948 and much time has not
elapsed, it is not property that by an enactment of a general nature
like tllis we should do something which will set al nought the
B
agreements and the convenants which the Government of India
has solemnly entered into with those people and on the strength
of which they had consented -to allow their States to be integrated
with India. Of course, I agree that probably it is not entirely a
socialist pattern or whatever you call it, but as I have been always
c saying, I hold the opinion that we have to proceed by the proces:,
of evolution. I do not mince matters."

Therefore, it can be said with certainty that this rule continued even
after 1947-48.

D Under Article 372 the law of succession relating to primogeniture
continues until it is repealed. This is the position of law relating to succes-
sion. .,
We will now see the relevant portions of the covenant entered into
between the Rulers of Nabha State and the Government of India on
E 5.5.48, ":'hich have a bearing on this aspect. Ir
I

The relevant provisions of the Covenant are:

"Art. VI. (a): All rights, authority and jurisdiction belonging to
the Ruler which pertain or are incidental to the Government of
F
the Covenanting State shall vest 'lit the Union and shall hereafter
be exercisable only as provided by the Constitution to be framed
thereunder;
,
(b) all duties and obligations of the Ruler pertaining or inciden-
G ta! to the Government of Covenanting State shall devolve on the
union and shall be discharged by it;

(c) all the assets and liabilities of the Covenanting State shall
be the assets and liabilities of the Union; and •'

H (d) the military torce if any, of the covenanting shall become
MAHARAJA PRATAP SINGH v. MAHARANI SARO.TIN! DEVI \MOHAN •.1.] 631

the Military forces of the Union. A

Art. VIII. The Raj Pramukh shall, as soon as practicable and
in any event no later than the 30th of August, 1948 execute on
behalf of the Union an Instrument of Accession in accordance with
the provisions of Section 6 of the Government of India Act; 1935,
and in place of the ln')truments of Accession of the several B
Covenanting States; and he shall by such instrument accept as
matters with respect to which the Dominion Legislature may make
laws for the Union all the matters mentioned in List I and List III
of the Seventh Schedule to the said Act except the entries in List
I relating to any tax or duty. ' c
Art. XII (1) The Ruler of each Covenanting State shall be
entitled to the full ownership, use and enjoyment of all private
properties (as distinct frol11 State Properties) belonging to him on
the date of his making over the administration of the State to the
Raj Pramukh. D
(2) He shall furnish lo the Raj Pramukh before the 20th <lay
of September,)948, an inventory of all the immovable properties,
securities and cash balances held by him as such private property.

(3) If any dispute arises as to whether any item of properly is E
the private property of the Ruler or State properly, it shall qe .
referred to such person as the Government of India may nominate
in consultation with Raj Pramukh and the decision of that person
shall be final and binding on all parties concerned.

Provided that no such dispute shall be so referable after the F
30th June, 1949.

Art. XJV. The succession according to la\V and custom, to
Gaddi of each Covenanting State, and to the personal rights,
privileges, dignities and titles of the Ruler thereof , is hereby G
guaranteed.

(2) Every question of dispute of succession in regard lo a
Covenanting State which arises after the inauguration of the ·union
shall be decided by the Council of Rulers after referring it i:o a
bench consisting of all the available Judges of the High Court of H
632 SUPREME COURT REPORTS (1993] SUPP. 1 S.C.R.

A the Union and in accordance with the opinion given by such
Benchu:

A careful reading of Article XII shows that there is a clear distinction
between the private properties and the State properties. Such private
properties must be belonging to the Ruler and must. be in his use and
B enjoyment even earlier. Therefore, properties which were recognised even
earlier as such private properties alone were to be left out and submitted
for the recognition as such. If this be the ·correct position of law, the
contrary observations of the learned Single Judge are not correct.

The property was purchased on 21.12.1921 benami in the name of
C Dr. Tehl Singh. the sale deed has been marked as Ex. P.W. 6(A). The
benami nature of the transaction is affirmed by .the letter of the Prime
Minister of Nabha State dated 17th April, 1922. In that reply to Governor
General's Agent it is admitted that Sterling Castle bas been acquired by
the Nabba State benami. The following amply establish as to how this
D property was treated as belonging to the State of Nabba.
21.12.1921 Sterling Castle, purchased in the name of Dr. Tebl Singh
Benami. Sale Deed is Ex. PW 6/A.

17.04.1922 Prime Minister Nabha State, sends a reply to Governor
E General's agent (Punjab States) admitting that Sterling Castle had been
acquired by the Nabha State benami.

19.12.1922 Resolution of Government of India, (Foreign & Political Dept.)
regarding acquisition of residential properties by Ruling Princes and Chiefs
in British India. 'The property when acquired by a Prince or Chief will be
F acquired as State Properties and not as personal property'.

07.06.1923 J.P. Thompson records that Maharaja Ripudaman Singh had
sought to retain certain houses including Sterling Castle. Permission to
remain Sterling Castle was declined. ·

G 08.07.1923 The British government as the paramount power removes
Maharaja Ripudaman Singh and takes over the admini,tration of Nabha
State. Maharaja Ripudaman Singh is externed and made to go into exile
\outside the State. The affairs of Nabha State are placed in the bands of
Mt. C.M.G. Ogilvie !CS as the first Administration appointed by them,
pending return to India of Mr. J. Wilson Johnson, the permanent Ad-
H ministrator. A sum of Rs. 3 lakbs per annum as pension is allowed.to
MAHARAJ A PRATAP SINGH "· MAHARANI SAROJINI DEVI IMOHA~. J.] 633

Maharaja Ripudaman Singh. Even this is not full paid. A
05.10.1923 Having taken over the administration of the State, the ·govern-
ment drawn up a list of house properties owned by Nabha State. 34, Alipur
Road shown as one such property. So is Sterling Castle. The list is for-
warded to the Government of India on 19.12.1923.
B
19.12.1923 Administrator Nabha sends to the Secretary Foreign & Political
Department, Government of India, a list of Nabha State Properties, price
paid and details of title deeds etc. Sterling Castle is included.

15.05.1924 State Engineer, Nabka - wri.tes to Municipal Board, Simla for
re-assessment of taxes of Sterling Castle, which is described as Nabha State
c
property. Ex. D-4.

27.08.1924 British prepare report on the Administration of Nabha State for
the period 8.7. 1923 to 31.3. 1924.
D
12.10.1924 Nabha State (as owner), Leases out Sterling Castle to Lt. Gen.
Sir Richard Stuart Wortley. Ex. D-6.

20.11.1924 State Engineer writes to Municipal Committee Simla enclosing
copy ?f lease between the State and Lt. Gen. Sri R. Wortley for Sterling
Castle. Ex. D-5. E
1926-1948 Simla Municipality Registers record Nabha State (and after
1948, Pratap Singh), as the 'Owner' of Sterling Castle, Ex. D-3.

02.02.1928 Maharaja Ripudaman Singh is formaly deposed and detained at
Kodaikanal. His son Pratap Singh then minor is installed on the Gaddi as F
Ruler of Nabha. A Council of Regency, consisting a President and three
members is constituted to rule the State during his minority. The State of
Nabha and all its properties come to vest in Maharaja Pratap Singh.

06.01.1931 Lt. Colonel Coldstream, President Council of Regency Nabha' G
State directs the Manager, Nabha Estate Simla that insurance Policy of
Sterling Castle be obtained in the name of President Council of Regency.

27.06.1931 Settlement Tehsildar, Simla after enquiries to 12.08.1931 and
proceedings conducted on various dates, sanctions mutation in favour of
Maharaj a of Nabha on 12.8.1931, and also record the Nabha State as being H
634 SUPREME COURT REPORTS (1993] SUPP.1 S.C.R.

A in possession.

21.12.1933 Resolution No. 21 of Council of Regency, Nab ha State regard-
ing boundary of Sterling Castle showing that space would remain State
Property.

B 13.04.1933 to 12.04.1934 : Expenditure on roads and buildings of Nabha
State analysed in which expenses pertaining to Sterling Castle also in-
cluded.

14.07.1936 President, Council of Regency suggests a cottage in the com-
pound of Sterling Castle (which is described 'State House') for renting by·
C Nabha Darbar to Mr. Gillan.

p9.02.1937 to 13.3.1937 : Estimates and proposals made in Nabha Stale
Budgets and subsequent sanctions made by the Agent Governor General
of India regarding expenditure or repairs and alterations to the kitchen of
lJ Nabha State House Sterling Castle.

05.03.1941 Maharaja Pratap Singh comes of age and is formally invested
with full ruling powers.

12.12.1942 S. Gurcharan (formerly Ripudaman) Singh dies at Kodaikanal.
E Succession to his Estate opens.

03.12 1943 Sardar Gurdial Singh, Home Minister Nabha State points out
in his Note No. 3909, that there was no distinction between the ornaments
belonging to State, land Mai Sahibas as everything vested in the Rulers.
Ex.-B
F
27.03.1945 U.S. Troops vacate Sterling Castle which Maharaj a Pratap Singh
had placed at the disposal of the Govt.

08.08.1945 Punjab States Residency informs Chief Minister Nabha that
G Sterling Castle was not required by Headquarters, Ambala Area.
15.08.1947 Having been freed of the British paramountcy by the Indian
Independence Act,1947 Nabha State like the other five hundred and odd
States, accedes to the Dominion of India on three subjects i.e. External
Affairs, Defence and Communication, but the Ruler (Pratap Singh) retains
H his sovereignty.
.·MAHARAJA PRATAP SINGH v. MAHARANI SAROJINI DEVI [MOHAN, J.j 635

23.12.1947 Executive Council approves the proposed Estimates of State A
Engineer, Nabha regarding repair to the collapsed retaining wall in Sterling
Castle.

19.08.1948 Maharaja Pratap Singh submits a list of properties to
Rajpramukh PEPSU showing the properties which intends to retain at the
time of merger. Sterling Castle is included in the list. B

20.08.1948 In terms of Covenant, Nabha State intergrates (merges) with.
seven other States to form PEPSU. Maharaja Pratap Singh ceases to be a
sovereign ruler as ot'this day.

04.05.1949 Rajpramukh PEPSU writes a letter enclosing the list of proper-
c
ties declared to be private property of His Highness Pratap Singh. Sterling
Castle is also included. Letter is Ex. D-1, while the List Ex. D-2.

28.06.1950 Secretary to PEPSU Govt. writes to Simla Municipal Committee
that Sterling Castle has been declared as private properly of Maharaja D
Pratap Singh and that entry be now made in his name as owner thereof.
Ex. D-7

26.04.1961 Simla Municipality certifies that according to Municipal records
Sterling Castle was owned by Nabha State from 1926 to 1949 and from
.
25.02.1950 the Ownership was changed to Maharaja Pratap. Singh. Ex. D-11 . .E
As to the Municipal Register the documents establish D '3', D '4', D
'5' and D '6'.

Q.2. Whether sterling castle is the prope1ty of State of Nabha?
F
The law relating to benami is stated in Jayadayal PoBdar (Deceased)
through His L.R.S. and another v. Mst. Bibi Hazra and Ors., [1974] 2 SCR
90@ 91-92:

"It is well settled that the burden of proving that a particular
sale is benami and the apparent purchaser is not the rear owner, G
always rests on the person asserting it to be so. This burden has
to be strictly discharged by adducing legal evidence of a definite
character which would either directly prove the fact of benami or
establish circumstances unerringly and reasonably raising an in-
ference of that fact. The essence of a benami is the intention of H
636 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1993] SUPP. 1 S.C.R.

A the party or parties concerned; and not unoften such intention is
shrouded in a thick veil which cannot be easily pierced through.
But such difficulties do not relieve the person asserting the trans-
action to be benami of any part of the serious onus that rests on
him; nor justify the acceptance of mere conjectures or surmises,
as a substitute for proof. The reason is that a deed is a solemn
B
document prepared and executed after considerable deliberation
and the person expressly shown as the purchaser or transferee in
the deed, starts with the initial presumption in his favour that the
apparent state of affairs is the real state of affairs. Though the
question whether a particular sale is benami or not, is largely one
c of fact, and for determining this question no abs,olute formulae or
acid tests, uniformally applicable in all situations, can be laid down;
yet in weighing the probablities and for gathering the relevant
indicia, the courts are usually guided by these circumstances; (1)
The source from which the purchase money came; (2) The nature
and possession of the property, after the purchase; (3) motive, if
D
any, for giving the transaction a benami colour; (4) the position of
the parties and the relationship if any between the claiment and
the alleged benamidar; (5) the custody of the title- deeds after the
sale and (6) the conduct of the parties concerned in dealing with
the property after the sale.
E
The llbove indicia are not exhaustive and their efficacy varies
according to the facts of each case. Nevertheless no. I, viz., the
source whence the purchase money came, is by far the most
important test for determining whether the sale standing in the
name of one person, is in reality for the benefit of another."
F
As seen from Ex. D'3' right from 1927 the properties stood registered
in the name of Nabha State upto 1952. The entry for the year 1961 is in
the name of Pm.tap Singh as the owner. From 1962 onwards the name of
'the save the children fund' the vendee from Pratap Singh is entered into.
G As against this, what is contended by the appellants is that Sterling Castle
is purchased out of Sarfa Khas of Ripudaman Singh who treated his
property as his private property. As rightly held by the Division Bench it
was for the plaintiffs (appellants herein) to prove that the property came
to be purchased from out of the personal funds. The plea, as raised in the
R plaint, was that Ripudaman Singh used to draw a privy purse of Rs.3,00,000
MAHARA.TA PRATAP SINGH v. MAHARANI SAROJINI DEVI (MOHAN, J.] 637 .

for his personal funds. He had large personal funds and inherited a lot of A
funds from his father. There are also funds from persona) gifts. All these
were kept by him separate from the State funds from out of which this
property came to be purchased. The proof regarding this plea rests entirely
on the oral evidence of P.W.l who would aver that after purchase the sale
deed remained in the custody of his mother. Inasmuch as P.W.l was born B
in the year 1924 he could not have any personal knowledge as to the
purchase and from whom the source of consideration went. The other oral
evidence is that of Sarojini Devi who was examined as P.W.1. According
to her, the amount was paid in cash to Sarda; Sitole by her husband in
Nabha. She stated that she was at Nabha at that time and it was she who
brought the ·case to come lo Sardar Sit~le. Concerning this huge amount C
she candidly admitted that no account of sarfa khas was maintained by her
husband, nor was any entry about the payment of Rs.3,00,000 made in any
account. Therefore, this oral testimony is hardly sufficient to establish the
source of consideration.

As regards the relinquishment deed it was stated to have been
D
executed on April 30, 1952 by Dr. Tehl Singh. The original of this docu-
ment is not forthcoming. Nor again, any one co'nnected with this document,
was examined. It is some what surprising that Pratap Singh should have
insisted upon such a document when he unequivocally declared by his
letters dated 19th August and 24th October, 1948, Sterling Castle as his E
personal property. These letters were submitted in accordance with Article
XII of the Covenant to which we have made a reference earlier. But what
is noteworthy is that in this deed of relinquishment it is stated that this
property was all through in the possession of the ruling family and the State
of Nabha. By the time the suit came up for trial Dr. Tehl Singh was dead.
Therefore, the finding of the Division Bench in the judgment under appeal F
faulting the plaintiffs (appellants) for non-examination of Dr. Tehl Singh
may be unwarranted. But in the light of the other documents, it is impos-
sible to hold that an inference must be drawn from the deed of relinquish-
ment in favour of the plaintiff to conclude Sterling Castle as the personal
property of Ripudaman Singh. As seen already even as early as 7.6.1923, G
there is a record declining permission to Ripudaman Singh to retain this
property as personal property.

Much cannot be made of Ex.-A, D.O. letter dated 13th March, 1956
in the absence of Ranbir Singh being examined. No.· doubt, letters of
administration ,were asked for but Sterling Castle was no one of the H
638 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1993] SUPP. l S.C.R.

A properties. The argument of learned counsel for the appellants that the
declarations made in accordance' 'with ·Article XII will not affect the
ostensible title of Dr. Tehl Singh who continued to hold the property till
1952, clearly overlooks the treatment of the property right form the date
of purchase as belonging to State of Nabha. Therefore, we have not the
slightest hesitation in concluding that the suit property was never the
B personal property of Ripudaman Singh. The Division Bench is right in its
conclusion.

Question 3: Whether the judgment of the Allahabad High Cowt constitutes
res judicata ?:
c The judgment of the Allahabad High Court relates to a commoner.
In other words, the Ruler who had been deposed. In 1942, he was not
wielding ruling powers of the State. The main issue to be decided in that
case \Vas succession relating to Gufcharan Singh's estate in 1942. In decid-
ing the question as to what monies were utilized of the purchase of Ilahi
D Manzi! in 1951 the Court returns a finding of fact that one set of monies
that went into the purchase of that house in 1951 was surplus sale proceeds
of Rs. 32,000 which were personal to Gurcharan Singh till 14.12.1942. That
being so, upon the death of Gurcharan Singh, the proceeds acquired the
character of Hindu Joint Family. On 14. 12. 1942, when succession opened,
the property was inherited according to Mitakshara Law. If really, there-
E fore, the funds flowed from Joint Family it stands to reason that it should
be held so, But, here not only the facts but also the law which is applicable
are totally different. Therefore, it is concluded that the judgment of the
Allahahad ,d;h Court would not constitute res judicata.

. In the result, the appeal will stand dismissed. There will no order as
F to costs.

Now, we go on to Civil Appeal No. 5857 of 1983. This appeal relates
to No. 34 Alipur Road, Civil Lines, Delhi. The documents under which the
purchase was made were dated 18.4.1922.
G
It was purchased benami in the name of Gurnarain Singh Gill. The
events that followed and the documents relating to this, till the suit came
to be filed by Pratap Singh for recovery of possession 1959, could be stated
chronologically.

H The property is in occupation of the Government of India (from
MAHARAJA PRATAP SINGH v. MAHARANI SAROJJNJ DEVI [MOHAN, J.l 639

1920) as a lessee per Ex. P-16 who had placed it at the disposal of the A
Australian High Commission. The tenants (Government of India) attorn to
the Nabha State as the purchaser.

11..06.1923 : J.P. Thompson records that Maharaja Ripudaman Singh
agrees that house belonging to Nabha State could be sold to raise money
for paying the proposed Rs. 50 lakhs compensation to Patiala State by the B
Nabha State. He said he had kept aside from the State of sum of Rupees
six lakhs for himself which he would not part and that he had no other
assets. The rest of the State.he said the British had taken over.

08.07.1923: The British Government as the paramount power removes
Maharaja Ripudaman Singh and takes over the administration of Nabha
c
State. Maharaja Ripudaman Singh is externcd and made to go into exile
outside the State. The affairs of Nabha State are placed in the hands of
Mr. C.M.G. Ogilvie !CS as the first Administrator appointed by them,
pending return to India of Mr. J. Wilson Johnston, the permanent Ad-
n1inistrator. D

A sum of Rs. 3 lakhs per annum as pension is allowed to Maharaja
Ripudaman Singh and nothing else. Even this is not fully paid.

03.10.1923: Administrator Nabha State writes to Governor General (Punjab
States) Agent a DO letter proposing extension of Lease of 34, Alipur Road. E
05.10.1923 : Having taken over the administrator from Maharaja
Ripudaman Singh, the Government draws up a list of house properties
owned by Nabha State. 34, Alipur. Road shown as one such property. So
is Sterling Castle. The List is forwarded to the Government of India on
F
19.12.1923.

07.10.1923 : Administrator Nabha receives concurrence to his proposal
from the Governor General's Agent (Punjab) regarding eAiension of Lease
of 34, Alipur Road.
G
12.10.1923 : Administrator Nabha State writes to Estate Officer that Lease
may be extended and that house No. 3~ Alipur Road belongs to the State
although acquired by the Maharaja benami.

19.12.1923 : Administrator Nabha State writes to Secretary Foreign and
Political Department, Govt. of India regarding possession of title deeds of H
640 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1993] SUPP. l S.C.R.

A various properties.
28.12.1923 : Administrator Nabha State writes to Gurnarain Singh Gill
(benamidar) to seek confirmation of the fact the 34 Alipur Road was
property of Nabha State.

B 31.12.1923 : Gurnarain Singh Gill (benamidar) acknowledges 34 Alipur
Road as the property of Nabha State.

10.01.1924 : Administrator Nabha State writes to Executive Engineer Stat-
ing that the house belongs to the State. ·

C 18.01.1924 : Estate Officer writes to Administrator Nabha State 'or produc-
tion of the Sale Deed as payment of rent could not be made without proof .
of ownership.

07.02.1924 : Administrator Nabha State despatches the Sale Deed of 34,
Alipur Road to the Estate Officer.
D
23.05.1924 : Estate Officer writes to Administrator Nabha State agreeing
to pay rent for 34 Alipur Road subject to the condition that claim of
Gurnarain Singh Gill will be the responsibility of the State.

23.05.1924: Estate Officer writes to Gurnarain Singh Gill notifying him that
E the Government was entering into an agreement with Nabha State believing
it to the owner of the bungalow 34, Alipur Road.

19.06.1924: List of the house properties belonging to the State having been
prepared, it enquired from Maharaj a Ripudaman Singh (by then in exile)
F as to the possession/whereabouts of the title deeds. Maharaja Ripudaman
Singh replies that he does not have any title deed in his possession relating
to house properties of the State and further expresses that in case of
difficulty in regard to the intended sale of these properties he would always
be prepared to give every assistance.

G 23.06.1924 : D.O. letter from Agent Governor General (Punjab States)
asking to surrender within 14 days title deeds of house property belonging
to Nabha State.

30.06.1924 : Rent Bill by Nabha State from 7.4.1922 to 30.6.1924 (Ex. P-24)

H 20.08.1924 : Estate Officer writes to Administrator Nabha State that lease
MAHARAJ A PRATAP SINGH v. MAHARANI SAROJINI DEVI [MOHAN. J.] 641

of No. 34 Alipur Road will be sent for execution on receipt of a reply from A
Gurnarain Singh to letter dated 23.05.1924 (copy Ex.P-30).

27.08.1924 : British prepare report on the Administrator of Nabha State
for the period 8.7.1923 to 31.3.1924.

28.08.1924 : Chief Secretary Nabha State writes to Gurnarain Singh Gill B
requesting him to reply to the Estate Officer and confirm that Nabha State
is the owner of 34 Alipur Road, Delhi.

02.09.1924 : Gurnarain Singh Gill (benamidar) confirms the factum of
ownership of Nabha State.
c
15.10.1924 : Rent Bill by Nabha State.

03.11.1924 : Estate Officer conveys Administrator Nabha State's demand
rent from 7.4.1922 to 31.5.1924.

03.11.1924 : Receipt issued by Administrator Nabha State for rent from D
7.4.1922 to 31.5.1924.

14.11.1924 : Rent being paid by the Government as the tenant for 34 Alipur
Road is credited to Nabha State Treasury. Imperial Bank of India's letter.

26.02.1925 : Estate Officer sends a copy of Lease to Administrator Nabha E
State.

02.03.1925 : Administrator Nabha State acknowledges receipt of copy of
Lease from the Estate Officer.

02.02.1928 : Maharaja Ripudaman Singh is formally deposed and detained
F
at Kodaikanal.

His son Pratap Singh then minor is installed on the Gaddi as Ruler
of Nabha. A Council of Regency, consisting a President and three members
is constituted to rule the State during his minority. the State of Nabha and G
all its properties come to vest in him (Maharaja Pratap Singh).

1931-1937: Expenses on maintenance of 34 Alipur Road show in Budget
Estimate of Nabha State.

25.02.1937 : Gurnarain Singh Gill (the Benamidar) executes a formal H
642 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1993] SUPP. 1 S.C.R.

A Release Deed in favour of Nabha State. Same is registered al Delhi on
30.4.1937.

05.03.1941: Maharaja Pratap Singh comes of age and is formally invested
with full ruling powers.

B 12.12.1942 : S. Gurcharan (formerly Ripudaman) Singh dies. Succession to
his Estate opens.

01.l.0.1944 : Australian High Commission vacates 34 Alipur Road.

27.10.1944 : Maharaja Praiap Singh desires possession of the house for
C himself and officials. (Ex. P-68)

28.10.1944 : Central Government to retain 34 Alipur Road house for its
own use. (Ex. P-69)

03.11.1944 : Chief Minister Nabha State gives consent to Central Govern-
D ment to retain 34 Alipur Road liouse as a tenant. (Ex. P-71)
15.08.1947 : Having freed of the British Paramountcy by the Indian Inde-
pendence Act, 1947 Nabha State like the other five hundred and odd
States, accedes to the dominion of India on three subject i.e. External
E Affairs, Defence and Communication, but the Ruler (Pratap Singh) retains
his sovereignty.

19.08.1948 : Maharaja Pratap Singh submits the list of properties to the
Rajpramukh he seeks to retain at the time of merger. Alipur Road property
is part of this.
F
20.08.1948: In terms of the Covenant, Nab ha State integrates (merges) with
seven other State to form PEPSU. Maharaja Pratap Singh ceases to be a
sovereign ntler on this day.

1949 : List of private properties in terms of Covenant includes 34 Alipur
G Road and Sterling Castle (Ex. P535)
04.05.1949 : Rajpramukh of PEPSU's letter to Maharaja Pratap Singh
enclosing the list of private properties.

12.06.1950 : PEPSU Executive Engineer writes to Secretary, Municipality,
H Delhi. re declaration of 34 Alipur Road as private property of Maharaja
MAHARNAPRATAP SINGH v. MAHARANI SAROJINI DEVI [MOHAN,J.] 643

Pratap Singh. Letter is dated 12.6.1950 (Ex. P-516) A

1948-1950 : Smt. Sarojini Devi being the mother of Maharaja Pratap Singh
assumes residence at his Alipur Road property.

1951 : Smt. Sarojini Devi manages to cause name to be entered in the
records of the Notified Area Committee as the owner of the house. B

27.01.1951 : Maharaja Pratap Singh's secretary writes to Notified Area
Committee re instruction given by executive Engineer, Building & Road,
Nabha State, regarding Maharaja Pratap Singh being the owner of the
house. Requires the fact to be entered into the records. (Ex. P-528) C

01.11.1956 : PEPSU merges into Punjab.

01.11.1957 : Dr. Anand Prakash As Advocate for Rajmata Sarojini Devi
writes to Home Ministry a letter where he alleges agreement for giving of
34, Alipur Road to Sarojini Devi by Maharaj a Pratap Singh agai:lst money D
for purchase of Rolls Royce car. No. plea that this property belonged to
S. Gurcharan (formerly Ripudaman Singh) and that his client succeeded
to it on 14.12.1942.

09.11.1957 : Deputy Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs, Govermnent of E
India, writes to Maharaja Pratap Singh forwarding• letter of Advocate of
Sarojini Devi alleging the giving of 34 Alipur Road to Sarojini Devi by
Maharaja Pratap Singh against Rs. 78,000 taken for purchase of Rolls
Royce Car. Letters l.11.1957, 9.11.1957 (Ex. P-AD)

26.11.1957 : Maharaja Pratap Singh writes to the Secretary, Notified Area F
Committee.

17.08.1959 : Maharaja Pratap Singh files suit for recovery of possession of
34 Alipur Road in the Court of Senior Sub-Judge, Delhi, which is later
transferred to the High Court of Delhi. G

All these have been referred to by the learned Single Judge (M.S.
Joshi, J.) in suit No. 394 of 1966.

Concerning the expenditure incurred for this building no evidence
whatever was let in on behalf of Ripudaman Singh or the respondents H
644 . SUPREME CO.URT REPORTS [1993] SUPP.1 S.C.R.

A (defendants). On the contrary, there are budget estimates prepared for the
ye~r 1931-48 as evidenced by Ex. P-73 to P-108. They clearly establish the
funds needed in this regard, came from the Gover!'ment treasury. It is true
that Sarojini Devi in her evidence would state that a sum of Rs. 25.000 was
left with the plaintiff for the upkeeping and the maintenance of the house.
B But this only remains on oral evidence.

At the time when the house was purchased under lease, the rent
realised was hardly Rs. 250 per month. There is no evidence to show that
Ripudaman Singh ever received the rent or demanded the rent. Though he
was alive for 20 years after the date of purchase he had not evinced any
C interest with regard to this property. This conduct belies the claim of the
defendant that it was purchased by him from out of his personal funds.

As rightly held by the learned Single Judge the evidence of Sarojini
Devi that Ripudaman Singh purchased the property from his personal
D funds and this was meant to be the personal property is hard to accept.
The bank account is not produced. The evidence of D.W.10 is brittle. D.W.
3's testimony bristles with contradictions. Therefore, that is not helpful.
What is more crucial is that Gurnarain Singh Gill throughout maintained
the stand that the property had been purchased for the State as benamidar.
E If really the property was purchased for Ripudaman (Gurcharan Singh) he
would not taken that stand as to betray the confidence of the master. The
release deed was executed on 25th February, 1937. It is somewhat strange
it should have been executed in favour of Nabha State and not Ripudaman
Singh. Ripudaman Singh was alive for 5 years subsequent to release deed.
F Not a word of purchase by him was uttered either by Ripudaman Singh
himself or by any one (beneficial owners).

The respondents placed reliance on Ex. D.W. 9/1. A careful perusal
of the document shows that there is no reference to 34, Alipur Road, the
suit property. Therefore, on that score, it cannot be claimed as private
G property of Ripudaman Singh.

As we have held in Civil Appeal No. 1208 of 1990 the letter of
administration dated 22nd February, 1949 (D.W. ll/l) does not, in any
n1anner, help the respondents since there ls no reference in the Annexure
H to the suit property.
'
MAHARAJ A PRATAP SINGH v. MAHARANI SARO.JIN! DEVI [MOHAN, .I.) 645

There is one clinching evidence in the letter of the Advocate for A
Sarojini Devi dated 1.11.1957. That is extracted below:

Ex. P-515
"No. AP./ Misc. /433 lst November, 1957

The Secretary to the Government of India, B
Ministry of Home Affairs,
New Delhi.

Dear sir,

Application under Section 86 read with Sect10n 878 of the C
Code of Civil Procedure.

On behalf of my client, Her Highness Rajamata Sarojini Devi
of Nabha, I hereby apply for permission to file a suit against His
Highness Maharaja Pratap Singh of Nabha for the following mat- D
tcrs·:

Suit for declaration to may client's ownership .;ights in the
property situate at 34, Alipur Road, Delhi. This property was given
by His Highness to my client in consideration of a sum of about Rs.
78,000 paid by my client His Highness behalf for purchase of a Rolls E
Royce Car.

Suit for injuction to restrain His Highness from selling the
above mentioned house.

Any other relief pertaining to the above mentioned house. F
Yours faithfully,
sd/- Anand Prakash."

Having regard to the admission made above that the property had
been purchased by Sarojini Devi from Pratap Singh, the present plea, put G
forth by her as belonging to the joint Family is contradictory to the earlier
stand.

Now, we come to the covenant entered into. We have already seen
the scope of Article XII. It is worth repeating the relevant clause of Article
XII, Clause (1): H
,.

646 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1993] SUPP.1 S.C.R.

A "(1) The ruler of each covenanting State shall be entitled to the
ow11e1>hip, use and enjo;ment of all p1ivate properties (as distinct
from State properties) belong to him 011 the date of his making over
the administration of that State to Raj Pramukh."

(Emphasis supplied)
B
The State properties have been dealt with under Article VI. The
language used in the above clause leaves no doubt that the private proper-
ties are distinct form State properties which were in the use and enjoyment
of the Ruler. Therefore, what is decisive are, the user and enjoyment.
C Unless and until it is established ~y such a user and enjoyment the property
was private, it cannot be claimed to be so.

Concerning the scope of this Article, the Division Bench says:

D "Under Article XII in paragraph (1) it is provided that the Ruler
shall be entitled to full ownership, use and enjoyment of all private
properties belonging to him on the date of his making over the
administration of that State to the Raj Pramukh. Paragraph 1
clearly assumes that the Ruler of each Covenanting State may be
having private. properties and the provision assures all the rights
E in respect of those properties. Under paragraph 2 the Ruler is
required to furnfah an inventory of all properties held by him as
such private property. The use of the word 'held' also makes it
clear that the Ruler while furnishing an inventory should be holding
some properties as his private properties. The decision given by
F the Raj Pramukh with the approval of the Government of India
·about a particular inventory furnished by the Ruler would not make
any difference because it was meant to put at rest any possible
dispute between the Government of the State Union and the Ruler.
The question which, next, arises is whether a property accepted as
a private property upon the furnishing of the inventory would mean
G that the property accepted as a private property would be the
exclusive property of the Ruler or would it also include the private
property held jointly by a Ruler with his family members. In our
opinion there is nothing to suggest that 'word' private property
when used in Arti_cle XII was meant to include only those proper-
H ties which were held in exclusive ownership by a particular Ruler."
MAHARAJ A PRATAP SINGH v. MAHARANI SAROJINI DEVI [MOHAN,J.] 647

We are unable to agree with this finding. If the various documents A
and the other evidence to which we have made a reference earlier point
out that the property belonged to the State of Nabha, it cannot be other-
wise, because of list submitted by Pratap Singh. The recognition by the
sovereign parties to the convenant, that the suit property is a private
property of Pratap Singh, would amount to an Act of State.
B
We are equally unable to uphold the finding of the Division Bench
in paragraph 6 of the judgment to the following effect:

"The property in dispute was admittedly purchased by
Maharaja Ripudarnan Singh in the name of Gurnarain Singh Gill.
There was no reason to buy the property benami in case the c
property was intended to be the property by Nabha State. Only
because the Maharaja was having difficulties with the British
Government he had lo buy property benami."

This finding clearly overlooks the interdict on a native Ruler to D
purchase property in British India. That interdict is a under:

Annexure R-10

"RULES AND OFFICE ORDERS OF THE POLITICAL
DEPARTMENT OF PUNJAB GOVT. EDITION 1908 E
OFFICE ORDER NO. XXXV

1.The Government of India in 1971 pointed out that the difficulties
and inconveniences arising from the possession by native foreign
chiefs of lands within British Territories are very serious. So greatly F
have these evils been felt that it has been the policy of the Govt.
to effect exchanges of territory in such cases, on the basis of giving
to the chiefs, land in sovereign right in lieu of their Zamindari
possession. For these reasons also it has been ruled by the Govern-
ment of India that grants of sales of land in British Territory should G
not be made to any native chief who is not a subject of the British
Government.

2. The Policy of the Government of India is, therefore, to dis-
courage the acquisition whether direct or indirect by Sovereign or
Feudatory princes or any lands in British territory however and H
648 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1993] SUPP. 1 S.C.R.

A from whomever acquired. All the Commissioners of divisions m
Punjab have been dir~~ted to report all cases in which landed
property may be acquired by a ruling chief. All proposed purchases
of this nature have to be referred for the orders of the Government
of India who will only allow such purchases in special circumstan-
ces. These orders refer to all immovable property of every descrip-
B tion whether land or houses and forbid also the lending of money
upon mortgage of sneh immovable property.

3. The wishes of the Supreme Government in this respect were, in
1982, communicated to all the Native States In the Punjab - To
c Patiala, Bhawalpur, Jind and Nabha direct and to other through
Political Agents.

4. Again in 1903, the Government of India pointed out that they
are strongly opposed on grounds of principle to the acquisition
of immovable property in British India by ruling chiefs and
D notables of Native States, and in forwarding a list of indicating the
manner and circumstances in which the policy of the Government
of India has been infringed in certain instances in the matter and
prompt and adequate measures taken to ensure the strict obser-
vance in future of the rules laid down by them.
E
Note: The term NOTABLE employed in the above orders applies
only to near relatives of ruling chiefs, to really important Sardars
or officials of Native States, and to persons whose relationship to
or dependence on such Sardars and officials is so close that their
names may b~ used as cover for 'Benami' transactions. 11
F
According this appeal will stand allowed. However, there shall be no
orders as to costs.

R.R. Appeal allowed.