Holding

The Court upheld the validity of the 1955 will, affirmed the testator's capacity, allowed the bequest of management rights to a stranger, and confirmed that the scheme under Section 57 of the Madras Hindu Religious Endowments Act, 1926, binds the successor trustee.

Summary

The case concerned a partition suit over properties that were part of a Kattalai grant to a temple. The original settlor had given management rights to his second wife, who by a General Power of Attorney and later a will appointed A as successor‑trustee. A executed two wills on the same day in 1955, bequeathing the management rights of the Kattalai properties to his son‑in‑law B and his personal assets to his sons. The appellants challenged the first will as suspicious, illegal and unauthorised, arguing that the right of management could not be transferred to a stranger and that the scheme of administration under Section 57 of the Madras Hindu Religious Endowments Act, 1926, was not complied with. The Supreme Court held that the will was duly executed, the testator was of sound mind, and the right of management could be bequeathed to any competent person, including a stranger, and that the 1945 scheme under Section 57 binds the successor trustee. Consequently, the appeal was dismissed.

Issues considered

The will dated 1 July 1955 (Ex. B‑487) was legally proved.
The will was executed under suspicious circumstances affecting its validity.
The testator could bequeath the management and trusteeship of Kattalai properties to a stranger, bypassing his lineal descendants.
The scheme of administration under Section 57 of the Madras Hindu Religious Endowments Act, 1926, is binding on the successor trustee.

Subjects

Kattalai granttrusteeshiptestamentary capacityMadras Hindu Religious Endowments ActSection 57will validitypartition suitreligious endowmentsuccessiongeneral power of attorney

Judgment

PALANIVELA YUTHAM PILLAI AND ORS. A
v.
RAMACHANDRAN AND ORS.

MAY 9, 2000

[S.B. MAJMUDAR AND U.C. BANERJEE, JJ.] B

Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments-Original Sett/or granted
management rights to his widow and she entrusted all responsibilities to A
through a General Power of Attorney and later on also appointed him C
successor-trustee-Scheme of administration prepared by the Board of
Commissioner for Hindu Religious Endowments in 1945-A executed two
wills on same day; (i) bequeathing management rights upon his son-in-law
B (ii) bequeathing his personal properties to his sons-Trial Court held, in
the partition suit filed regarding properties of A, that properties for which
management rights were bequeathed could not be partitioned as they were D
subject matter of Katta/ai grant and that the first will was valid and legal-
High Court affirmed findings-On appeal Held, the first will was not executed
, in suspicious circumstances and A was in sound disposing state of mind as
he had made another will favouring his own sons on the same day as regards
his personal properties-Original sett/or did not pass on a life estate or a E
widow's estate to his widow and did not intend to pass on any rights to his
heirs of lineal descendants, therefore she had every right to select A in her
place-A also had every right to will away the said trusteeship infavour of
B, who although a stranger, was found competent-First will was not
unauthorised or illegal as a limited right to manage properties was
transmitted to 8-Scheme of administration prepared in 1945, although not F
highlighted before the Trial Court and High Court, binding upon A and after
him B and even aey other person who is further entrusted with the management ·
rights-Madras Hindu Religious Endowment Act, 1926-Section 57.

The original settlor, under a Gift Deed, entrusted right of management
of property of a temple under a kattalai grant to his second wife along with G
the responsibilities of carrying out charitable work on behalf of the deity.
She executed a general power of attorney in favour of A in 1922 entrusting
him all responsibilities. She, later on in 1924, executed a will and appointed
him a successor-trustee in the said property. He carried out his
responsibilities as a power of attorney holder before her death and that of a H
I
2 SUPREME COURT REPORTS (2000] SUPP. I S.C.R.

A successor-trustee after her death in 1950. The Board of Commissioner for
Hindu Religious Endowments in 1945, settled a scheme of administration
under Section 57 of the Madras Hindu Religious Endowments Act.

In 1955, A executed two wills on the same day, (i) bequeathing the
management and trusteeship rights to B, his son-in-law (ii) bequeathing his
B personal properties to his sons. The properties of A were sought to be
partitioned in the original partition suit. It was contended before Trial Court
that the first will was illegal and inoperative as right of management could
not have been given by A to a stnmger ignoring his own sons. It was held that
as the properties were subject matter of a Kattalai grant, they could not be
C partitioned, and that the contents of the first will were legal and valid. High
Court affirmed these findings in appeal. Hence this appeal.

Appellants contended that t.he first Will had been executed in suspicious
circumstances as A was not in good health; that the will was not legally proved
as the attesting witnesses were not examined in proof thereof, that the right
D of management could not have been given to a stranger; that the original
settlor had only created a life interest on widow's estate in favour of his second
wife and as she had no issues or legal heirs, the right of management would
revert to the reversioners being :the lineal descendants of the original settlor
after her death; that A could continue in management as a reversioner but
could not have willed the said right in favour of a stranger; and that the scheme
E prepared by the Board of Commissioner for Hindu Charitable Endowments,
in 1945, had not been complied with by B.

Respondents contended that the will had not been executed in suspicious
circumstances; that the second will regarding personal properties was
F executed in favour of the appe,llants on the same day, which proved his
testamentary capacity; that the second wife of the original settlor was
entrusted with all absolute right of management and trusteeship and same
could not devolve on the reversioner on her death, that she had every night to
appoint A as the manager and successor-trustee and the settlor had not
reserved the right of management for his own lineal descendants but had
G completely parted with the sam1! in favour of his second wife; that there was
no restriction on the right of A to appoint the manager of his choice on his
demise; and that as no reliance was placed upon the scheme prepared by the
Board of Commissioner for Hindu Charitable Endowment during the trial,
the contention cannot be raised at this stage.

H Dismissing the appeal, the Court
PALANIVELA YUTHAM PILLAI v. RAMACHANDRAN 3

~ HELD : 1.1. A mere look at the first Will shows that apart from two A
attesting witnesses the scribe of the Will, has also witnessed the same. The
description of the scribe mentions that it is written and witnessed by him and
when he was examined in proof of the said Will before the Trial Court, it
cannot be said that the attesting witnesses were not examined in proof of the
said Will. The disputed Will was attested by tkree attesting witnesses out of
which the scribe was examined in the Trial Court for proving the said Will
B
The Trial Court as well as the High Court were justified in taking the view
that the first Will was duly executed. It has been concurrently held on facts
that the deceased testator was in a sound disposing state of mind and was
capable of executing the first Will and that there were no suspicious
circumstances surrounding the Will. Merely because B was present at the c
time of execution of both the wills, it could not be said that it was a suspicious
circumstance. It has also to be kept in view that on the very same day the
testator executed two Wills, one - the disputed Will in favour of B so far as
Kattalai properties and their management were concerned. But
simultaneously at the same sitting on the same day, he executed another Will
in favour of the appellants, his own sons so far as his personal properties D
were concerned. Both the Wills were got registered simultaneously. It is easy
to visualise that ifthe second Will executed by the testator on the very same
day can be found to be legal and valid though held by the Trial Court to have
not been acted upon, it cannot be held by any stretch of imagination that the
same testator, who was in sound disposing state of mind while executing a E
valid Will in favour of Appellants would lose his testamentary capacity while
executing on the same day at the same time another disputed Will in favour
of B. Even if the Will in favour of the appellants might not have been acted
upon for reasons best known to them after the demise of the testator, that
would not affect due execution of the said Will by the testator nor would it
affect his testamentary capacity qua the disputed Will executed on the same F
• day and got registered simultaneously with the second Will. The findings
reached about testamentary c:.pacity of the testator by the Trial Court and
confirmed by the High Court are well sustained on evidence and cannot be
said to be said to be suffering from any patent error of law or being perverse
which would call for interference. (11-C-H; 12-A-H) G
1.2. So far as schedule Kattalai properties were concerned, they were
not personal properties of A and were endowed properties belonging to the
temple. Mere right of management was given to him by the earlier manager
and it is this right of management which was being entrusted by him to B
who was found to be a capable manager. So far as the personal properties are H
"
4 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2000] SUPP. I S.C.R.

A concerned, the testator executed another Will on the same day in favour of
his own children, including the appellants. He had, therefore, not disinherited
them qua his own personal properties. Moreover, even despite his active
participation, he saw to it that the testator bequeathed his personal properties
in favour of his own sons. His presence proved to be beneficial not only to him
B but also to the appellants. (13-D-ll")

Bhagwan Kaur W/o Bachan Singh v. Kartar Kaur Wlo Bachan Singh
& Ors., (1994) 5 SCC 135; H. Venkatachala Iyengar v. B.N. Thimmajamma &
Ors., AIR 46 (1959) SC 443 and Ramchandra Rambux v. Champabai & Ors.,
AIR 52 [1965) SC 354, relied on.
c 2. The recitals of the gift deed made by the original settlor indicate that
he wanted the right of managem1:nt of the donated properties to be entrusted
to his second wife along with h1:r heirs after his life time. A mere right of
managing the properties, as a trustee, by collecting income therefrom and
utilising the same for performing the religious ceremonies and charitable
D performances as laid down in th1~ Gift Deed was entrusted to his second wife
along with her heirs and no proprietary right was created except that of
collecting an amount of Rs. 2 per month as remuneration for performing the
said duties. The settlor had not entrusted the right of management as
successor-trustees to any of his heirs or lineal descendants. He instead chose
E to select his own second wife and her heirs for discharging this obligation.
The recitals in the Gift Deed did not, create a life interest or widow's estate
in favour of the donor's second wife after his demise. This right of
management as a trustee which inhered in donor's second wife after his death
could be independently exercised by her along with her heirs. As she had no
issues or lineal descendants, the phrase "along with her heirs" on that score
F became redundant and she had every night to manage on her own the donated
properties as a trustee. She also had every right to select a successor - trustee
in her place by her Will, which she did in 1924 in favour of A. A got the
right of management and truste•~ship only because of this will and had every
right to will away the said trusteeship in favour of anyone. There was no need
G to give a preference to his own sons in this regard and not to a stranger like
8. He, as a successor-trustee and manager, had to select the best available
person of his choice to act after his demise with a view to continue the
charitable performances as originally entrusted by the donor in favour of his
second wife. Therefore, the first Will was not unauthorised or illegal in
anyway as a limited right to manage the properties got transmitted by A to
H 8. (15-A-D; 17-E-G; 18-D-E; G-H; 19-C)
•
PALANIVELAYUTHAM PILLAI v. RAMA CHAND RAN [S.B. MAJMUDAR, J.] 5

Ka/ipada Chakraborti & Anr. v. Smt. Palani Bala Devi & Ors., AIR 40 A
(1953) SC 125 and Ram Gopal v. Nand Lal & Ors., AIR 38 (1951) SC 139,
relied on.

The Hindu Law of Religious and Charitable Trusts-Fifth Edition by
A.C. Sen. by B.K. Mukherjea, Eastern Law House, Page 198-200, referred to.
B
3. The scheme of administration settled by the Board of Commissioner
for Hindu Religious Endowments in 1945, was not highlighted or relied upon
before the Trial Court or even before the High Court. However, it cannot be
forgotten that such an order of the Commissioner is already on the record of
the case and that Order was rendered during the lifetime of the original C
settlor's second wife when A was also very much in the management of the
endowed properties as a General Power of Attorney holder. The scheme would
be binding on A as General Power of Attorney holder of the original settlor's
second wife and after her death also, as the legatee and manager of the Kattalai
properties, would be bound by said scheme and similarly, whoever is the
successor trustee appointed by him under the first Will would also be bound D
by the said scheme and similarly any further trustee appointed for
management of the Kattalai properties would also be bound by the said scheme
., so long as the scheme is not altered by the competent authorities. It cannot
be disputed that B would be bound by the said scheme as legatee of the right
of management under the first Will Similarly any further entrustment of
the said right of management by B will also be subject to the binding settled E
scheme." Relevant provisions of the scheme were not effectively implemented
till now because the authorities were awaiting the decision of this Court as to
who will be the Kattalai manager. Once that dispute is resolved and proper
Kattalai trustee is indicated all the provisions of the scheme would be enforced.
[21-B-HJ F
• CIVIL APPEL LATE JURISDICTION : Civil Appeal No. 2002 of 1987.

From the Judgment and Order dated 12.7.84 of the Madras High Court
in A. No. 1058of1977.

T.L. Vishwanatha Iyer, A.T.M. Sampath, V. Balaji, Subramonium Prasad, G
R. Nedumaran for M.A. Chinnasamy, R. Sathish, P.N. Ramalingam, Mrs. Poonam
Prasad and Ms. Astha Tyagi for the appearing parties.

The Judgment of the Court was delivered by

. S.B. MAJMUDAR, J. This appeal, on grant of special leave, is moved H
r
6 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2000] SUPP. I S.C.R.

A by Defendant nos. 1-4 in Original Suit No. 341of1968 in the Court of the
Subordinate Judge of Madurai in the State of Tamilnadu. The said suit was
filed by Respondent nos. 2 & 3 herein as plaintiffs against number of other
defendants with which we are not concerned in this appeal. The said suit was
filed for partition and separate possession of the plaintiffs undivided share
B in the suit properties scheduled 'A', 'B' & 'C'. It was contended that the
plaintiffs and the 7th defendant were the sons of one Sivasankaran Pillai
through his second wife, while th1: Defendant nos. 1,5 & 6 were the sons of
the said Sivasankaran Pillai through his first wife. The 8th defendant was the
second wife of Sivasankaran Pillai. Sivasankaran Pillai died on 27th January,
1956. According to the plaintiffS, the suit properties were the ancestral
C properties of the said Sivasankaran Pillai who inherited the same. That the
said properties remained as joint family properties and the plaintiff and
Defendant nos. 1,5 & 6 were continuing as undivided members of the joint
family even after the death of Sivasankaran Pillai.

,, The contesting Defendant nos. I, 5 & 6 resisted the suit on various
D grounds. In the present proceedings, the dispute centers around schedule 'C'
properties only. Hence we may not dilate on other properties and the nanire
of dispute between the contesting defendants qua them. So far as schedule
'C' properties were concerned, th1: contention of the contesting defendants
was that they were gifted by the original owner one Palanivelayutham Pillai
E by a Gift Deed dated 18th February, 1907 in favour of Madurai Devasth~.nam
Tirupparankundram Andavar Subramaniaswamy and consequently, they were
not liable to be partitioned amongst the descendants of said settlor. It was
further contended that under the said Gift Deed the right of management of
the aforesaid endowed properties was entrusted, on the death of the settlor,
to his second wife who had to continue charitable performances for the deity
F along with her heirs and had to act as a trustee qua these properties. That
the said designated trustee, the second wife of the settlor Pitchammal alias
Avudai AmmaJ, after the death of the settlor, had continued to manage the
said properties as a trustee. That she had executed a General Power of
Attoi:ney on 3rd August, 1922 in favour of R. Sivasankaran Pillai whose
G properties were sought to be got partitioned in the present suit. That, amongst
others, the said Sivasankaran Pillai was entrusted with the task to manage and
·maintain schedule 'C' properties and to perform the charitable activities as per
the document executed by the deceased husband of Pitchammal. That by a
Will dated 27th January, 1924, the said Pitchammal also appointed the very
same Sivasankaran Pillai and his wife Subbammal who pre-deceased
H Sivasankaran Pillai, as successor trustees after her death. He alone, therefore,
PALANIVELAYUTHAM PILLAI v. RAMA CHAND RAN (S.B. MAJMUDAR, J.] 7
remained the repository of the right of management of schedule 'C' properties. A
That the said Pitchammal died on 24th June, 1950 and thereafter Sivasankaran
Pillai continued to manage the schedule 'C' properties pursuant to the Will
dated 27th January, 1924. That the said Sivasankaran Pillai, by his Will (Ex.B-
487) dated 1st July, 1955, bequeath the rights of management and trusteeship
to Defendant No. 9 - K.Sethuramalingam Pillai, his son-in-law, so far as B
schedule 'C' properties were concerned. While on the same day he executed
another Will qua his other properties in favour of Defendant nos. I, 5 & 6.
The plaintiffs' contention was that the aforesaid two Wills of Sivasankaran
Pillai were unauthorised, illegal and inoperative at law. Earlier, the present
appellants resisted the said suit and contended that the Wills were legal and
valid but subsequently by an amended written statement Defendant nos. 1,5 C
& 6 parted company of Defendant No. 9 and submitted that Sivasankaran
Pillai's Will (Ex.B-487) dated !st July, 1955 in favour of Defendant No. 9
entrusting the management of schedule 'C' properties to him after testator's
death was not legally proved and, in any case, was inoperative at law as
Sivasankaran Pillai could not Will away the right of management of schedule
'C' properties to a stranger like Defendant No. 9, who was his son-in-law, D
bypassing his own sons who were his heirs.

) The learned Trial Judge, after recording evidence offered by the
contesting parties, came to the conclusion that so far as schedule 'C' properties
were concerned, they could not be partitioned being kattalai properties i.e. E
consisting of special grant for religious services in a temple. The learned Trial
Judge, however, held that the Will of I st July, 1955 (Ex. B-487) entrusting the
management of the aforesaid schedule 'C' properties to his son-in-law,
Defendant No. 9, bypassing his own sons was duly proved and was perfectly
legal and valid. The aforesaid decision was rendered by the learned Trial
Judge on 30th November, 1976. F

Being aggrieved by the said decision of the learned Trial Judge, the
present appellants along with Defendant No. 5 filed first Appeal no. I 058 of
1977 in the High Court of Judicature at Madras. The appeal was confined to
schedule 'C' properties and two contentions were canvassed for consideration G
of the High Court. They are : 1) Whether the Will (Ex. B-487) dated 1st July,
1955 said to have been executed by Sivasankaran Pillai favouring Defendant
No. 9 was legal and valid and was duly proved. 2) Whether under the
aforesaid Will Sivasankaran Pillai was authorised to entrust trusteeship and
management of schedule 'C' properties, i.e. kattalai properties, to a stranger
like Defendant No. 9, who was his son-in-law, bypassing his own sons. The H
8 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2000] SUPP. I S.C.R.

A Division Bench of the High Court, by its impugned judgment dated 12th July,
1984, negated both these contentions and upheld the decision of the Trial
.. .
Court on these issues. That is how the appellants-original Defendant nos. 1-
4 have landed in this Court in the present proceedings by obtaining special
leave to appeal under Article 136 of the Constitution of India.

B RIVAL CONTENTIONS:

Learned counsel for the appellants Shri Sampath in support of the
appeal vehemently contended that Sivasankaran Pillai, the father of Appellant
No. I was not having any sound disposing state of mind on the date on
c which he is said to have executed! the Will (Ex. B-487) i.e. on 1st July, 1955. '-
That he was almost invalid and was not having enough mental poise and that
the Will was clouded by many suspicious circumstances. He further submitted
that, in any case, the Will was not legally proved as attesting witnesses to
the said Will were not examined in proof thereof. He alternatively contended
that, in any case, the Will could not be treated as a valid legal document under
D which the right of management of schedule 'C' katta/ai properties could be
entrusted to a stranger to the family like Defendant No. 9, who was his son-
in-law, bypassing the appellants, who were his straight lineal descendants. In
support of this alternative contention, it was submitted that the original (
endowment of schedule 'C' properties, pursuant to the Gift Deed of.
E Palanivelayutham Pillai dated 18th February, 1907, created a life interest or
widow's estate in favour of his second wife Pitchammal who had to carry on
religious and charitable performances along with her heirs after the death of
the donor; and as Pitchammal had no issues or her legal heirs, on the death
of Pitchammal, the right of management would revert to the reversioners being
the lineal descendants of original settlor - Palanivelayutham Pillai. That
F Pitchammal died on 24th June, 1950. Thereafter, Sivasankaran Pillai, as a
reversioner, could continue in management of the Katta/ai properties but he,
in his turn, could not have willed away the said right of management in favour
•
of Defendant No. 9, who was a stranger to the family. That right of management
would legally enure in favour of Sivasankaran Pillai' s lineal descendants - like
appellants and Defendant No. 5 and consequently the Will (Ex.B-487) of
G
Sivasankaran Pillai was legally inoperative even on this ground. It was also
contended by Shri Sampath that pending the suit, even Defendant No. 9 has
•
died, and his heir - Defendant No. I 0 - his widowed wife, who is the sister
of Appellant No. I, was bequeathed with the right of management of schedule
'C' properties by Defendant No. 9 by his own Will in her favour and that the
H said Will would fall through if it is held that the Will (Ex.B-487) dated I st July,
' • <
PALANIVELA YUTHAM PILLAI v_ RAMA CHAND RAN [S.B. MAJMUDAR, J.] 9
1955 of Sivasankaran Pillai in favour of Defendant No. 9 itself was inoperative A
in law.

It was also contended that by an Order dated 13th September, 1945 of
the Board of Commissioner for Hindu Religious Endowments, Madras, a
scheme of administration was settled under Section 57 of the Madras Hindu
Religious Endowments Act, 1926 (Madras Act II of 1927) for administration B
of the kattalai known as Palani Velayudham Pillai's specific endowments for
Uchikalam kamalapatram service and feeding on Karthigai Monday for Sri
Subramaniaswamy Temple, Tirupparankundram, Madurai. That the said order
was passed at the time when Sivasankaran Pillai was managing the properties
under the General Power of Attorney dated 3rd August, 1922 executed by C
Pitchammal in his favour. Therefore, the katta/ai trustee had to be governed
by the said scheme of administration and that Defendant No. 9 who was
managing the schedule 'C' properties, had not complied with the requirements
of the said scheme.

Learned senior counsel for the contesting respondents - Defendant No. D
9 and Defendant No. 10, being the heir of Defendant No. 9 (since deceased),
on the other hand, contended that the decision rendered by the High Court
on the aforesaid points is quite justified and calls for no interference. That
the testamentary capacity of deceased Sivasankaran Pillai has been found to
be well sustained on record. That there were no suspicious circumstances E
surrour.ding the Will; that the Will was legally proved as the scribe was also
an attesting witness and was examined as such. Consequently, the Will was
legally proved; that mere presence of Defendant No. 9 at the time of execution
vf the Will could not be treated to be a suspicious circumstance when, on
the same day, the testator executed two Wills and got them registered. One
Will (Ex. B-487) was in favour of Defendant No. 9 and another Will (Ex. B-488) F
was executed in favour of contesting defendants themselves, the appellants
herein, and Defendant nos. 5 & 6 so far as his personal properties were
concerned. On the legality of the Will, it was submitted that by the Gift Deed
(Ex. B- 506) the settlor appointed his second wife Pitchammal as manager and
trustee qua schedule 'C' properties, entrusting her with the duties of carrying G
on charitable performances indicated in the Gift Deed and though she had to
carry on these performances along with her heirs, in the absence of her legal
heirs, she became entrusted with absolute right of management and trusteeship
and could not be treated as having widow's estate or limited interest. Hence,
there was no question of the said right of management and trusteeship
devolving on the revers1oners on her death. That she had every right to H
10 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2000] SUPP. I S.C.R.

A appoint her successor manager which she did by appointing Appellant No.
l's father - Sivasankaran Pillai by her Will dated 27th January, 1924 (Ex. B-26)
which started operating on 24th June, 1950, when Pitchammal died. That
thereafter Sivasankaran Pillai performing the duties of management pursuant
to his appointment by Pitchammal also had equal right to appoint another
manager on his demise as per the impugned Will (Ex.B-487) dated !st July,
B 1955 favouring Defendant No. 9. That the settlor had not reserved the right
of management to be confined to his own lineal descendants but had
completely parted with the same in favour of his second wife Pitchammal
pursuant to the Gift Deed (Ex. B-506) and consequently whatever Pitchammal
did was binding not only on Sivasankaran Pillai but also to his successor
C manager as per his Will (Ex.B-487) dated !st July, 1955. That there was no
restriction on the right of Sivasankaran Pillai to appoint the manager of his
choice on his demise so far as schedule 'C' properties were concerned and
that is exactly what he had dom: by the impugned Will (Ex. B-487) dated I st
July, 1955 and, therefore, the High Court was right in upholding the said Will
in favour of Defendant No. 9. Once that conclusion is reached, Defendant No.
D 9, as a manager of these properties, was equally competent to entrust the said
management on his demise to Defendant No. 10 as his successor manager. So
far as the Order dated 13th Septt:mber, 1945 of the Board of Commissioner for
Hindu Religious Endowments, Madras is concerned, it was submitted that no
reliance was placed on the same during the trial and, therefore, the appellants
E cannot raise any contention in that behalf. However, Respondent No. 8,
Executive Officer appearing for the Devasthanam - originally joined as
Defendant No. 11 in the suit, submitted that the scheme settled by the Order
dated 13th September, 1945 could not be enforced earlier because of the
pendency of this litigation and the said scheme will be given effect in the light
of the decision of this Court, whereunder the appropriate kattalai trustee will
F be ascertained and the said trustee will have to act under the supervision 0f
the Executive Officer for the time being in force.

In the light of the aforesaid rival contentions, the following points arise
for our consideration :
G
I. Whether the Will (Ex. B-487) dated I st July, 1955 said to have
been executed by Sivasankaran Pillai in favour of Defendant No.
9 was legally proved.

2 Whether the said Will was surrounded by suspicious
circumstances and was requir.ed to be r-::jected.
H "
PA LANI VELA YUTHAM PILLAI v. RAMACHANDRAN [S.B. MAJMUDAR, J.] 11

~ 3. Whether the aforesaid Will can be treated to be_ legal and valid A
in so far as it tried to entrust the management of katta/ai properties
in favour of a stranger to the family, Defendant No. 9, bypassing
the sons of Sivasankaran Pillai.
4. Even if the aforesaid points are decided against the appellants
and in favour of Defendant Nos. 9 & I 0, whether the scheme of B
administration settled as per the Order dated 13th September,
1945 of the Board of Commissioner for Hindu Religious
Endowments, Madras is required to be enforced against the

~- kattalai trustee, now Defendant No. I 0, who is the legatee of the
management rights as per the Will executed by Defendant No. 9
in her favour. c
We shall deal with these points seriatim.
PO!NTNO. I

So far as the proof of Will (Ex. B-487) dated 1st July, 1955 is concerned,
a mere look at the said Will shows that apart from two attesting witnesses D
S. Ramachandran and R. Balakrishnan, T.K.Sankara Narayanan, who is the
scribe of the Will, has also witnessed the same. The description of Sankara
"'" Narayanan mentions that it is written and witnessed by him and when he was
examined in proof of the said Will before the Trial Court, it cannot be said
that the attesting witnesses were not examined in proof of the said Will. The E
submission of learned counsel Shri Sampath appearing for the appellants to
the effect that Sankara Narayanan is shown to be a witness in the other Will
(Ex. B-488) dated !st July, 1955 is now not shown to be a witness simpliciter
so far as the disputed Will is concerned and, therefore, he should not be
treated as an attesting witness to the latter Will, cannot be countenanced. It
is difficult to appreciate this contention. If the Will (Ex. B-487) had shown F
Sankara Narayanan only as a scribe, Shri Sampath would have be~n right.. But
the Will shows that Sankara Narayanan ascribed his signature apart from
describing himself as a scribe. It must, therefore, be held that the disputed
Will was attested by three attesting witnesses out of which one Sankara
Narayanan was examined in the Trial Court for proving the said Will. The Trial G
Court as well as the High Court were justified in taking the view that the Will
(Ex. B-487) was duly executed. It has also to be kept in view that on the very
same day the testator executed and got the Will registered along with the
other Will (Ex. B-488) in favour of Defendant nos. 1,5 & 6. Point No. I is,
therefore, answered in the affirmative in favour of the contesting respondents
) ;;t>
and against the appellants. H
12 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2000] SUPP. I S.C.R.

A POINT NO. 2:
So far as this point is concerned, it has to be kept in view that both
the Trial Cou1t as well as the High Court have concurrently held on facts that
the deceased testator was in a sound disposing state of mind and was
capable of executing the Will and that there were no suspicious circumstances
B surrounding the Will. Merely because Defendant No. 9 was present at the
time of execution of both the wills,, it could not be said that it was a suspicious
circumstance. It has also to be kept in view that on the very same day i.e on
1st July, 1955 the testator Sivasankaran Pillai executed two Wills, one - the
disputed Will (Ex. B-487) in favour of Defendant No. 9 so far as schedule 'C' _(
kattalai properties and their management were concerned. But simultaneously
C at the same sitting on the same day, he executed another Will (Ex. B-488) in
favour of the appellants & Defendant nos. 5 & 6, his own sons so far as his
personal properties were concerned. Both the Wills were got registered
simultaneously. It is easy to visualise that if the Will in favour of appellants
and Defendant nos. 5 & 6 executed by the testator on the very same day can
D be found to be legal and valid though held by the Trial Court to have not
been acted upon, it cannot be held by any stretch of imagination that the
same testator, who was in sound disposing state of mind, while executing a
valid Will (Ex. B-488) in favour olf Appellants and Defendant nos. 5 & 6 would
loose his testamentary capacity while executing on the same day at the same
time another disputed Will (Ex. B-487) in favour of Defendant No. 9. The
E appellants cannot be permitted to blow hot and cold at the same time. Of
course, Shri Sampath, learned counsel for the appellants, submitted that he
does not rely upon the Will (Ex. B-488) as it is not acted upon but that is
neither here nor there. Even if the Will in favour of the appellants might not
have been acted upon for reasons best known to them after the demise of
F the testator, that would not affect due execution of the said Will by the
testator nor would it affect his testamentary capacity qua the disputed Will
executed on the same day and got registered by the testator simultaneously
with the Will (Ex. B-488) in favour of the appellants and Defendant nos. 5 &
6. Even though an attempt was made to show that the testator was unwell
and confined to bed and the plaintiffs went to the extreme and submitted that
G testator was a lunatic, the evidence on record shows to the contrary. He might
be old and suffering from illness but his testamentary capacity is not shown
to be affected adversely in any manner when on the same day he executed
two Wills and got them registered. The findings reached about testamentary
capacity of the testator by the Trial Court and confirmed by the High Court
H are well sustained on evidence and cannot be said to be suffering from any
PALANIVELAYUTHAM PILLAI v. RAMACHANDRAN [S.B. MAJMUDAR, J.] 13

patent error of law or being perverse which would call for our interference in A
appeal under Article 136 of the Constitution of India. Reliance tried to be
placed by learned counsel Shri Sampath for the appellants on the three
decisions of this Court in Bhagwan Kaur w/o Bachan Singh v. Kartar Kaur
w/o Bachan Singh & Ors., (1994) 5 SCC 135, H. Venkatachala Iyengar v.
B.N. Thimmajamma & Ors., AIR (46) 1959 SC 443 and Ramchandra Rambux
v. Champabai & Ors., AIR (52) 1965 SC 354 also cannot be of any assistance B
to him as the fact situations which fell for consideration in the aforesaid
decisions were entirely different and suspicious circumstances considered in
these decisions are found to be totally absent, so far as the facts of the
present case is concerned.
c
Mr. Sampath tried to highlight certain circumstances, which according
to him, were highly suspicious. We may briefly refer to them. He submitted
that under normal circumstances any reasonable person like the testator,
would not disinherit his own children, i.e the appellant No. I and his brothers
nor would he prefer a total stranger as a sole legatee of schedule 'C' properties.
This contention is totally devoid of force. The reason is obvious. So far as D
schedule 'C' properties were concerned, they were not personal properties of
Sivashankaran Pillai. They were endowed properties belonging to the temple.
Mere right of management was given to him by earlier manager Pitchammal
and it is this right of management which was being entrusted by him to
Defendant No. 9, who was found to be a capable manager. So far as the E
personal properties are concerned, the testator executed another Will (Ex.B-
488) on the same day in favour of his own children, including the appellants.
He had, therefore, not disinherited them qua his own personal properties. The
second suspicious circumstance highlighted by Shri Sampath was to the
effect that Defendant No. 9, being beneficiary of the Will, had actively
participated in its execution. That is neither here nor there. Even despite his F
active participation, Defendant No. 9 saw to it that the testator bequeathed
his personal properties in favour of his own sons, namely, the appellants and
Defendant nos. 5 & 6.

It has also to be kept in view that Defendant No. 9 was brother-in-law G
of Appellant No. I and a trusted worldly wise person on whom the testator,
his father-in-law, had full trust. He was not shown to be inimical to the
appellants when the disputed Will was executed. In fact, he was looking after
the interest of the entire family. Thus his presence proved to be beneficial not
only to him but also to the appellants. The next circumstance pressed in
service was that the testator was residing with Defendant No. 9 in his house. H
14 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2000] SUPP. I S.C.R.

A This, to say the least, is not a suspicious circumstance but a relevant
circumstance which would persuade the testator to entrust the management
of the kattala.i properties to Defendant No. 9. The next circumstance tried to
be highlighted by Shri Sampath was that the testator was seriously ill and had
undergone abdominal operation and was unconscious and had no capacity
B to understand things. It is difficult to appreciate this contention. Even though
the testator might be ill and might have undergone abdominal operation, he
could not be said to be unconscious when he himself got the Will registered
before the authorities when the registering officer remained present in the
house of Defendant No. 9 between 8 - 9 in the morning and ascertained the
willingness and capacity of the testator in getting the Will executed and
C registered by the authority. Shri Sampath tried to submit that the scribe got
the Will executed by the testator by exercising undue influence and coercion.
This contention, to say the least, is not at all borne out from the evidence
wheirthe very same scribe becam(: an attesting witness to the Will (Ex. B-488)
in favour of appellants themselves and Defendant nos. 5 & 6. If he was out
to pressurise the testator to disinherit the appellants and Defendant nos. 5
D & 6, he would never have stood as an attesting witness to the Will (Ex. B-
488) in favour of Defendant nos. I, 5 & 6 on the very same day on which
it was executed by the testator along with the disputed Will. Resultantly, point
No. 2 is also answered against the appellants and in favour of the contesting
respondents.
E
POINT NO. 3

So far as this point is concerned, we have to trace the genesis and the
nature of th<: management entrusted to Sivasankaran Pillai by the deceased
Pitchammal. The first document, in chronology, is the Gift Deed (Ex.B-506)
F dated 18th February, 1907. It recites that the donor Palani Velayutham Pillai
was donating the properties in favour of Madurai Devasthanam
Tirupparankumdram Andavar Subramania swamy. These properties were gifted
to the temple for the purpose of performing poojas and Archanas to the deity
daily at noon, for performing lotus archana in every karthigai month and for
G Bhojanas to Brahmins and others. The Gift Deed also recited that excluding
the payment of government taxes the remaining income derived out from the
under-mentioned properties had to be utilised for the aforesaid purpose by
the management of the trustee and in case of death of the donor prior to the
death of his second wife, she will continue the said charitable performances
along with her heirs and after the amount spent for the said purpose, an
H amount of Rs.2/- per month had to be detained by them and she had to act
PALANIVELA YUTHAM PILLAI v. RAMACHANDRAN [S.B. MAJMUDAR, J.J 15

as a trustee. In the event of any fault on the part of performing the said A
charitable performances, the Devasthanam was entitled to question the same.
He also consented for transferring the patta as a trustee of the properties in
the name of the deity. These recitals clearly indicate that the donor wanted
the right of mangement of the donated properties to be entrusted to his
second wife along with her heirs after the lifetime of the donor. It is obvious B
that the properties belong to the temple. A mere right of managing the
properties, as a trustee, by collecting income therefrom and for utilising the
same for performing the religious ceremonies and charitable performances as
laid down in the Gift Deed was entrusted to his second wife along with her
heirs. It is pertinent to note that this mere right of management as a trustee
did not confer any proprietary right in the property donated to the temple. C
The only proprietary right was to collect an amount of Rs.2/- per month as
remuneration for performing the duties of a trustee entrusted to his second
wife along with her heirs. It is also necessary to note that this mere right of
management as a trustee charged with the duty to perform religious and
charitable performances was the kattalai grant to donor's second wife along
with her heirs. It is pertinent to note that the donor, who is the settlor, had D
not entrusted the right of management as successor trustees to any of his
heirs or lineal descendants. He, on the contrary, chose to select his own
second wife and her heirs for discharging this obligation. It is, therefore, not
possible to agree with the contention of Shri Sampath, learned counsel for the
appellants, that the aforesaid recitals in the Gift Deed conferred any life E
interest or widow's estate to the donor's second wife, after his demise. On
the contrary, the right of management and to act as trustee for the same
without any proprietary interest in the donated properties was only conferred
on his second wife along with her heirs.

In this connection, we may usefully refer to the observations of learned F
author B.K.Mukherjea on 'The Hindu Law of Religious and Charitable Trusts'
- Fifth Edition by A.C. Sen, Eastern Law House in connection with Kattalai
grants in South India. The learned speaker in one of his lectures reproduced
in the aforesaid book at pages 198-200 observed as under:
G
XIV. KATTALAI GRANTS IN SOUTH INDIA

"4.55. Kattalai or special grant- Before I close this chapter one thing
requires to be noticed and that is a special grant for religious services

- in a temple which is in vogue in Southern India and is known by the
name of 'Kattalai'. As Muttusami Aiyyar, J. explained in Vythilinga H
16 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2000] SUPP. I S.C.R.

A v. Somasundara, in ordinary parlance, the tenn 'Kattalai' as applied
to temple means endowments and signifies a special endowment for
certain specific service or religious charity in the temple. Ardajama
Kattalai or endowment for midnight service is an instance of the
fonner and Annadan Kattalai or an endowment for distributing food
to the poor is an example of the latter. In tliis sense the word 'Kattalai'
B is used in contradistinction to the endowment designed generally for
the upkeep and maintenance of the temple. Persons who endow
properties for kattalais are entitled to appoint special trustees to
administer them, and the general trustees of the institution have no
right to dispossess them. And if under the tenns of the grant, the
c special trustee has to utilise the income for specified services in the
temple, the general trust,ee has the right, as the person in charge
generally of the temple, to require the special trustee to hand over the
income to him. But the special trustee is, in respect of the management
of the kattalai properties, under the same obligations as a trustee, and
an alienation by him of those properties would be void, unless it is
D for necessity or benefit. ln the case of some important temples, the
sources of the income are classified into distinct endowments according
to their importance. Each endowment is placed under a separate trustee
and specific items of expenditure are assigned to it as legitimate
charges to be paid therefrom. Each of such endowments is called also
E a "Kattalat' and the truste:e who administers it is called the Kattlaigar
or 'stanik' of the particular Kattalai. The import of this expression was
discussed in detail by Sesagiri Aiyyar, J. in Ambala Vana v Sree
Minakshy. According to him, this expression is used with reference
to three different kinds of endowments. Properties may be endowed-

F (a) for the perfonnance of 'pujas' in the temple, or

(b) for the perfonnance of certain festivals in the temple, or >
(c) for the perfonnance of Archanas to the deity in the name of the
donors.
(a) Ordinarily, the puja is not perfonned in the name of the
G
donor, and consequently, supplementary grants are made by
pious persons in order that the service should be more
efficiently perfonned. Instances of this type of grant are to
be found in the famous temple at Chidambaram, where almost
all the necessary daily services are conducted by means of
H 'Kattalf1is' endowed by pious donors.
PALANIVELA YUTHAM PILLAI v. RAMACHANDRAN [S.B. MAJMUDAR, J.J 17

__.,. > (b) It also happens that where lands for funds in respect of A
particular service or festival at temples are not sufficient for
conducting them on the original scale, new donors come
forward to supplement these funds.

(c) For Archana, however, no supplementary grant by other
donors is possible. It is intended solely for the spiritual B
benefit of the grantor and it is not the concern of third
parties to help in his performance if the funds are for any
reason not found sufficient.

Whatever the exact nature of Kattalais may be-and that must depend
upon the usages of particular temples-one fact ought to be remembered c
in this connection, and that is that when the grant is to the deity and
the income of particular funds is earmarked for special services which
are entrusted to special trustees, if there is a surplus which cannot be
spent on these services, it would be a case for the application of the
cy pres doctrine and the special trustee can, on no account, claim the
D
surplus. This has been held by the Judicial Committee in an appeal
from the Madras High Court."

f These observations clearly indicate that the grantee of such special endowment
derives his or her right of management from the appointment by the settlor
and could not be treated to be having independent proprietary right in the E
subject matter of the grant.

Once this conclusion is reached, it becomes obvious that the right of
management as a trustee which inhered in donor's second wife - Pitchammal
after his death could be independently exercised by her along with her heirs.
Now it is not in dispute that she had no issues or lineal descendants. F
Therefore, the phrase 'along with her heirs' on that score became redundant
and she had every right to manage on her own the donated properties as a
trustee. Even alternatively, as submitted by learned senior counsel for the
contesting respondents, it could be held that her heirs may even include her
testamentary heirs. In either way Pitchammal, the second wife of the settlor,
G
had every right to select successor trustee in her place by her Will. That is
precisely what she did by executing her Will (Ex.B-26) dated 27th January,

] 1924 in favour of Sivasankaran Pillai, father of appellant No. I. It is not in
dispute that even prior to the said Will, the said Sivasankaran Pillai under the
General Power of Attorney dated 3rd August, 1922 from Pitchammal, was

-- managing the trust properties as her agent. But on the death of Pitchammal H
18 SUPREME COURT REPORTS (2000] SUPP. I S.C.R.

A on 24th June, 1950 the Will (Ex.B-26) became operative in his favour and he
became the successor trustee and manager of these properties charged with
the obligation to carry out the religious and charitable performances as 1

directed in the Gift Deed of the se:ttlor. It has also to be kept in view that the
said entrustm1~nt of trusteeship rights by Pitchammal in favour ofSivasank<\fan
Pillai by her Will (Ex.B-26) dated 27th January, 1924 is not in dispute between
'B the parties. However, Shri Sampath, learned counsel for the appellants, tried
to put a gloss over this will by submitting that even otherwise Sivasankiiran
Pillai, the legatee under Pitchammal's Will, was himself the lineal descendant
of settlor Palanivelayutham Pillai and can be said to be the heir of Pitchammal.
It is difficult to appreciate this contention. The Gift Deed of 18th Febru;rry,
C 1907 nowhere mentioned, as noted earlier, that the donor wanted trustee~hip
and management of properties to go to his lineal heirs. That Sivasankiuan
Pillai got the right of management and trusteeship only because of the Will
of Pitchammal who had every right to will away the said trusteeship in favour
of anyone she liked unfettered by any restrictions found in the original Gift
Deed conferring right of management to her for the first time.
D
In view of the aforesaid finding of ours, it is equally not possible for
us to accept the contention of Shri Sampath that when Sivasankaran Pillai
wanted to make Will in connection with the right of management of the temple
properties, he ought to have and should have preferred only his own sons
E and not a stranger like Defendanlt No. 9. In fact, that was the main conteotion
of learned counsel for the appellants. He submitted that the Will (Ex.B.487)
of Sivasankaran Pillai, favouring Defendant No. 9 dated 1st July, 1955 was, 1

in any case, unauthorised and illegal as the testator Sivasankaran Pillai could
not have willed away the right of management of temple properties to Defendant
No. 9 who was not his lineal descendant but was a stranger to the f1tmily
F being, his son-in- law. This submission is totally devoid of any (orce.
Sivasankaran Pillai, by his impugned Will (Ex.B-487) dated 1st July, 1955 in his
turn selected an appropriate manager for the trust properties charged with the
obligation of trusteeship to carry on the charitable performances. The said
Will itself shows that he was acting as per the directions and demands of
G Pitchammal and because of his bad health he was unable to continue the said
charitable performances and, therefore, he was bequeathing the ·said ri~ht in
favour of Defendant No. 9, his son in law. It has to be kept in view that it
was a mere right of management and not a proprietary right which inhered in
the testator Sivasankaran Pillai pursuant to the earlier Will of Pitchammal in
his favour. He, as a successor trustee and manager, had to select the best
t
H available person of his choice to act after his demise as trustee and manager
PALANIVELA YUTHAM PILLAI v. RAMA CHAND RAN [S.B. MAJMUDAR, J.] 19

of the temple properties with a view to continue the charitable performances A
as originally entrusted by donor in favour of his second wife Pitchammal and
under whose directions he was acting during her lifetime and had to act under
her Will after her demise. To recapitulate, as the original settlor had not
reserved the right of management and trusteeship of these properties donated
by him to the temple for his lineal descendants and, on the contrary, had B
handed over that right to his second wife and had further left the said
management to her, along with her heir, such absolute right being conferred
on her by the settlor could be well utilised by her in selecting a successor
of her choice. That is precisely what was done by her Will of 3rd August,
1922 and in exercise of the same right conferred on Sivasankaran Pillai, he in
his tum as her representative validly executed the impugned Will in favour C
of Defendant No. 9. It cannot, therefore, be held that the Will (Ex.B-487) of
!st July, 1955 was in any way unauthorised or illegal. It has to be kept in view
that Pitchammal herself was not appointed by her husband as a shebait of
the properties. She had a mere right to manage the properties on which she
had every right to bequeath to any person of her choice unfettered by any
other restrictions in this connection. It is the very same unfettered right which D
got transmitted from her to Sivasankaran Pillai by her Will dated 27th January,
1924 and which further got transmitted by him in favour of Defendant No. 9
by the impugned Will (Ex.B-487) dated !st July, 1955. It is, therefore, not
possible to agree with the contention of Shri Sampath, learned counsel for the
appellants, that Sivasankaram Pillai was bound to entrust the management E
and trusteeship qua the temple properties to any of his sons and could not
have selected a stranger like Defendant No. 9. It has to be kept in view that
mere right of management of trusteeship unfettered by any direction of the
original settlor could be entrusted by Sivasankaran Pillai in his tum to any
competent person of his choice, only for the limited purpose of management
not backed up by any proprietary right in connection with the trust properties F
J. which, admittedly, belong to the deity.

Reliance placed by Shri Sampath, learned counsel for the appellants, in
the case of Kalipada Chakraborti & Anr. v. Smt. Palani Bala Devi and Ors.,
AIR 40 (1953) SC 125 cannot be of any assistance to him. In that case, G
B.K.Mukherjea, J. speaking for the three-Judge Bench observed in this
connection about Shebaitship as under:

"(b) Hindu Law - Religious endowments - Shebaitship. Whatever
might be said about the office of a trustee, which carries no beneficial
interest with it, a shebaitship, combines in it both the elements of H
20 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2000] SUPP. I $.C.R.

A office and property. As the shebaiti interest is heritable and follows
the line of inheritance from the founder, obviously, when the heir is
a female, she must be deemed to have, what is known, as widow's
estate in the shebaiti interest. It is quite true that regarding the powers
of alienation a female shebait is restricted in the same manner ¢; the
male shebait, but that is because there are certain limitation~ and
B restrictions attached to and inherent in the shebaiti right itself which
exist irrespective of the fact whether the shebaitship vests in a male
or a female heir."

It must be kept in view that in the light of the recitals in the Gift Deed
C of 18th February, 1907, as noted by us earlier, it cannot be said that the s¢ttlor
had givell' any shebaitship rights to his second wife nor had he laid down
any line of inheritance qua such shebaitship in his Gift Deed. It was a mere
right of membership entrusted to his second wife with a further right given
to her to execute the office of trusteeship along with her heirs and without
any reference to the settlor or his heirs. The aforesaid decision, therefore, on
D the facts of the present case, do1:s not get attracted. On the contrary, ih an
earlier judgment of this Court in ithe case of Ram Gopal v. Nand Lal & Ors.,
AIR (38) 1951 SC 139, the same learned Judge B.K. Mukherjea, J., speaking
for the Court, while dealing with the right of Hindu widow in connection ~ith
the gift of property, made the following pertinent observations: '

E "The mere fact that the gift of property is made for the support and
maintenance of a female relation cannot be taken to be a prima f<:'cie
indication of the intention of the donor, that the donee was to enjoy
the property only during her lifetime. The extent of interest, whic~ the
donee is to take, depends upon the intention of the donor as expressed
by the language used, and if the dispositive words employed in the
F document are clear and unambiguous and import absolute ownership,
the purpose of the grant would not, by itself, restrict or cut down the
interest. The desire to .provide maintenance or residence for the donee
would only show the motive which prompted the donor to make the
gift, but it could not be read as a measure of the extent of the gift.
G It is, of course, true that the aforesaid observations were in connection with
the absolute gift of properties in favour of a hindu widow. But the principle
laid down therein can squarely get attracted while interpreting and giving
effect to the recitals in the Gift Deed of 18th February, 1907. The senior's
intention is very clear that he wanted to entrust right of trusteeship and
H management to his second wife along with her heirs without any fetter or
PALANIVELAYUTHAM PILA! v. RAMA CHANDRA [S.B. MAJMUDAR, J.] 21
restriction on her power to appoint successor manager after her demise. For A
all these reasons above, the third point for determination, therefore, also is
answered in the affirmative in favour of the contesting respondents and
against the appellants. That talces us to the consideration of the last point.

POINT NO. 4:
B
Learned seniot counsel for the respondents was right when he contended
that the scheme of administration settled by the Board of Commissioner for
Hindu Religious Endowments, Madras on 13th September, 1945 was not
highlighted or relied upon before the Trial Court or even before the High
Court. However, it cannot be forgotten that such an Order of the Commissioner C
is already on the record of the case and that Order was rendered during the
lifetime of Pitchammal when Sivasankaran Pillai was also very much in the
management of the endowed properties as a General Power of Attorney
holder of Pitchammal. A mere look at the Order shows that for this very
endowment of kattalai, a scheme of administration was settled under Section
57 of the Madras Hindu Religious Endowments Act, 1926 (Madras Act II of D
1927). It would be binding on Sivasankaran Pillai as General Power of Attorney
holder of Pitchammal and after her death also, as the legatee and manager of
the kattalai properties, Sivasankaran Pillai would be bound by the said
scheme and similarly, whoever is the successor trustee appointed by him
under the Will (Ex.B-487) of 1st July, 1955 would also be bound by the said E
scheme and similarly any further trustee appointed for management of the
katta/ai properties would also be bound by the said scheme so long as the
scheme is not altered by the competent authorities. It cannot be disputed that
Defendant No. 9 would be bound by the said scheme as legatee of the right
of management under Will (Ex.B-487) of Sivasankaran Pillai dated !st July,
1955. Similarly any further entrustment of the said right of management by F
Defendant No. 9 in favour of Defendant No. 10 by his Will will also be subject
to the binding settled scheme of I 945 and she will have to act under the
directions of the Executive Officer as per the scheme settled for this very
katta/ai endowment as per the Order of 13th September, I 945. Even the
Executive Officer of the Devasthanam, who is governed by the said Order, is G
a party to the proceedings being Defendant No. 11. Learned counsel for
Defendant No. I I submitted before us that relevant provisions of the scheme
were not effectively implemented till now because the authorities were awaiting
the decision of this Court as to who will be the kattalai manager. Once that
dispute is resolved and proper katta/ai trustee is indicated all the provisions
of the scheme as per Order dated 13th September, 1945 will be enforced. In H
22 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2000) SUPP. I S.C.R.

A this connection, we may usefully refer to what the High Court has to say in
the impugned judgment. In para-31 of the judgment, the High Court observed
as under:

"31. We wish to add one thing. The performance of the charities
ordained in Ex.B.506 shall be carried out by the defendants who are
B obliged to do so, under the supervision of the 11th defendant."

The said direction is well sustained. We only want to make it clear that ,the
aforesaid dire.ctions of the High Court to 11th defendant for supervising the
working of the charities ordained in Ex. B-506 will also have to be carried out
in the light of the Order of the Board of Commissioner for Hindu Religious
C Endowments, Madras dated 13th September, 1945. Defendant No. I 0, who is
now the legatee of the management rights as per the will executed by Defendant
No. 9 in her favour, will also be bound by these directions. Point No. 4,
therefore, is imswered in the affirmative in favour of the appellants and
against Defendant No. I 0.
D As a result of.the aforesaid discussion, the appeal fails and is dismissed
subject to the further directions contained in our decision on point No. 4. Jn
the facts and circumstances of the case, there will be no order as to costs.

A.Q. Appeal dismissed.