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: 1 : IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BANGALORE DATED THIS THE 19 TH DAY OF JUNE 2012 BEFORE THE HON’BLE MR.JUSTICE K.N.KESHAVANARAYANA MFA.No.3618 OF 2010 (ISA) BETWEEN: Mrs. Joyce Enet Ugare W/o Ajith K. Ugare, Aged About 38 Years, Residing at Infant Villa, No.32/3, 12 th Main, Vijayanagara, Bangalore-560 040. … Appellant (By Sri.A.V.Gangadharappa for M/s. A.V.G.Associates, Advocates) AND: 1. James I. P. Roche, S/o Late Antony Francis Roche, Aged about 73 years, Residing At No. B-4, Shanthi Neer, Kanthi Nagar (J.B Nagar), Andheri East, Mumbai. 2. Rudolf Roche, S/o Late Antony Francis Roche, Aged about 68 years, Residing at M&M Co-Operative Society, 2 nd Floor, Room No.10, Datta Pada Road, Borivilli (East), Mumbai-400 066.
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IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BANGALORE

DATED THIS THE 19TH DAY OF JUNE 2012

BEFORE

THE HON’BLE MR.JUSTICE K.N.KESHAVANARAYANA

MFA.No.3618 OF 2010 (ISA)

BETWEEN:

Mrs. Joyce Enet UgareW/o Ajith K. Ugare,Aged About 38 Years,Residing at Infant Villa,

No.32/3, 12th Main,Vijayanagara,Bangalore-560 040. … Appellant

(By Sri.A.V.Gangadharappa for M/s. A.V.G.Associates, Advocates)

AND:

1. James I. P. Roche,S/o Late Antony Francis Roche,

Aged about 73 years,Residing At No. B-4, Shanthi Neer,Kanthi Nagar (J.B Nagar),Andheri East, Mumbai.

2. Rudolf Roche,

S/o Late Antony Francis Roche,Aged about 68 years,Residing at M&M Co-Operative Society,2nd Floor, Room No.10,Datta Pada Road, Borivilli (East),Mumbai-400 066.

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3. John B.J. Roche, S/o Antony Francis Roche, Aged about 66 years,

Residing at Little Star, Airport Road, Mangalore-575 001.

4. Mrs. Flossy Gonsalves, W/o Late Paul Gonsalves,

Aged About 75 Years, Residing at Garodi Compound, Bolar, Mangalore. Presently Residing at C/o Noel

Gonsalves Bachowale Building, Room No.35, 2nd Floor,

Dokar Street, Mazagaon, Mumbai-400 010.

5. Mrs. Shalet Sequira, W/o Herald Sequira,

Aged about 45 years,

Residing at 201, Manjuanth Apartment, Alake, Mangalore-575 001.

6. Mr. Ivan Lobo,

S/o Pascal Lobo, Aged about 43 years,

Residing at Door No.32/3, 12th Main, Vijayanagara, Bangalore-560 040.

Mrs. Irene D’Silva,Since Dead by her LRs.

7. Donald D’Silva,S/o Late Irene D’Silva,

Aged about 48 years,

Residing at C/403,Vithal Apartments,

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New Link Road,I.C. Extension, Kandra Pada,Dahisar (West),

Mumbai-400 001.

8. Mrs. Diana Montheiro, D/o Late Irene D’Silva,

Aged about 44 years,Residing at 23,

Surya Kiran Co-Operative Housing Society, Block No.194, Sector 6,Near Vasantha Complex Petrol Pump,Charkop, Kandivilli West,Mumbai-400 067.

9. Mrs. Edna D’Silva, D/o Late Irene D’Silva,

Aged about 40 years, Residing at C/403, Vithal Apartments, New Link Road, I.C Extension, Kandra-Pada,

Dahisar (West), Mumbai-400 001.

10. Mrs. Zita Mathias, W/o Paul Mathias, Aged about 64 years,

Residing at Urwa Store, Ashoknagara, Mangalore-575 001.

11. Mrs. Gloria Fernandes, W/o Joseph Fernandes,

Aged about 60 years, Residing at Badanidiyur Post, Kemman Village, Udupi Taluk, Mangalore District-576 101.

12. Mrs. Violet D’ Chunha,

W/o Dolphy D’Chunha, Aged about 57 years,

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Residing at Pius Villa Kuntikana, Bejai Post, Mangalore-575 004.

13. Mrs. Juliet Noronha, W/o Cyprian Noronha, Aged about 57 years, Residing at T. J. Compound, Opposite Crystal Plywood Urwa,

Chilimbe, Mangalore-575 006. ... Respondents

(By Sri.M. Vishwajith Rai for C/R-1 to R-3;R-6, R-10, R-12 & R-13 are served;Notice to R-4, R-5, R-7, R-8, R-9 & R-11 are

Dispensed with vide order dated 13.9.2010)

This MFA is filed under Section 299 of The IndianSuccession Act, against the order dated 20.3.2010passed in Misc.Case No. 76/2004 on the file of the IAdditional District Judge, Dakshina Kannada,

Mangalore, dismissing the case filed under Section 263of the Indian Succession Act, praying to set aside thejudgement and decree dated 16.12.1994 passed inO.S.No.1/1991 passed by this court in ProbateProceedings No.20/85.

This Appeal coming for hearing on this day, thecourt delivered the following:

J U D G M E N T

This Miscellaneous First Appeal under Section 299

of the Indian Succession Act (for short “the Act”) is filed

questioning the legality and correctness of the order

dated 20.3.2010 passed by the I Additional District

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Judge, Dakshina Kannada, Mangalore in Misc. Case

No.76/2004 dismissing the said petition filed by the

appellant under Section 263 of the Act praying to set

aside the judgment and decree dated 16.12.1994 passed

in O.S.No.1/91 granting Probate of Will in favour of

respondent Nos. 1 to 3 herein and to revoke the said

Probate granted by the Court.

2. Respondent Nos. 1 to 3 herein are the sons of

one Eliza Roche wife of Anthony Francis Roche. The

said Eliza Roche died on 17.6.1989 leaving behind

respondent Nos. 1 to 3 herein as her 3 sons and 7

daughters. One Smt.Maise Lobo, the mother of the

appellant and respondent Nos. 5 and 6 herein was also

one of the daughters of Eliza Roche. After the death of

Eliza Roche, respondent Nos. 1 to 3 herein filed petition

in P & SC 1/90 under Section 276 of the Act, seeking

grant of Probate of Will dated 18.10.1984 said to have

been left behind by Eliza Roche. The daughters of

deceased Eliza Roche were arrayed as respondent Nos. 1

to 7 to the said petition. Smt.Maise Lobo, mother of the

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appellant had been arrayed as respondent No.2 to the

said petition. On publication of the citation, some of the

respondents including the mother of the appellant

contested the petition. Therefore, the said petition was

registered as original suit in O.S.No.1/91. During the

pendency of the suit, Smt.Maise Lobo, mother of the

appellant and respondent Nos.5 and 6 herein died.

Thereafter, the plaintiffs therein (respondent Nos. 1 to 3

herein) filed application under Order XXII Rule 4 CPC to

bring the appellant as well as respondent Nos.5 and 6

herein as legal representatives of defendant No.2 therein

viz., Smt.Maise Lobo. The notice of the application sent

to the proposed legal representatives were served on the

proposed legal representative Nos. 2(a) and 2(b) while

notice sent by registered post to the appellant herein

proposed as legal representative No.2(c) was returned as

‘not claimed’. Thereafter, the notice of the said

application was taken out by publication in news paper.

The court after holding the service of notice of the

application on this appellant as sufficient, proceeded to

dispose of the matter. Ultimately, after contest, the suit

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came to be decreed by judgment and decree dated

16.12.1994 granting Probate of Will as sought in the

suit in favour of plaintiffs therein. Thereafter the

appellant herein filed Misc. Case No.67/2004 under

Section 263 of the Act seeking to revoke the probate

granted in favour of respondent Nos.1 to 3 herein in

O.S.No.1/91 principally on two grounds viz.,

(1) the Court lacked inherent jurisdiction to grant

Probate and

(2) there was no proper notice of the petition on

her.

The petition was opposed by respondent Nos.1 to 3

herein. After holding enquiry, learned District Judge,

by the order under appeal, dismissed the said petition

rejecting both the contentions urged by the appellant.

Aggrieved by the said order, the appellant is in appeal

before this Court.

3. I have heard the learned counsel appearing for

the appellant as well as the learned counsel appearing

for the respondent Nos.1 to 3 who are contesting

respondents in this appeal.

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4. The learned counsel for the appellant before

this Court urged the very same grounds, which had

been urged before the learned District Judge. According

to the learned counsel, in view of the notification issued

by the High Court in exercise of power under Section

23(A) of Karnataka Civil Courts Act, the jurisdiction to

deal with petitions arising under the Act have been

invested in the Court of the Civil Judge (Jr.Dn.) and

Civil Judge (Sr.Dn.), subject to the pecuniary

jurisdiction and therefore, the District Judge had no

jurisdiction to proceed with the suit as such the

judgment and decree passed in O.S.No.1/91 granting

Probate was without jurisdiction; that admittedly the

notice of L.R. application was not served personally on

the appellant and the notice said to have been taken out

by way of paper publication was in a paper which had

no circulation in the city in which the appellant was

residing, therefore, the appellant had no notice of the

said application as such she could not contest the suit;

that the appellant being a natural heir of her mother

who was one of the party / defendant to the suit, upon

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her death, has succeeded to her estate, as such she was

entitled to contest the suit and since there was no

proper notice to the appellant, she was deprived of the

opportunity, therefore, the judgment granting Probate is

opposed to the principles of natural justice and the

same ought to have been revoked by the learned District

Judge and an opportunity ought to have been provided

to the appellant to contest the suit; that by revoking the

Probate granted, no prejudice would be caused to the

plaintiffs/respondent Nos.1 to 3 herein as the Court

would be required to deal with the matter afresh by

affording opportunities to all the parties and it was open

to respondent Nos.1 to 3 herein to prove the Will and

get an order.

Therefore, the learned counsel submitted that the

order under appeal suffers from perversity and illegality

as such it is liable to be set aside.

In support of his contentions, the learned counsel

placed reliance on the following decisions:

1. Mt.Ramanandi Kuer Vs. Mt.Kalawati Kuer[ AIR 1928 Privy Council 2 ] and

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2. B.R.Jayanthi and others Vs. Radamma andothers – [ ILR 2008 KAR 4612 ]

5. On the other hand, the learned counsel for the

contesting respondent Nos.1 to 3 sought to justify the

order under appeal and contended as under:

that the learned District Judge had jurisdiction to

deal with the suit filed for grant of Probate and the

notification referred to by the counsel for the appellant

has no application to the Probate proceedings as the

said notification had been issued only in respect of the

proceedings under Part-X of the Act which deals with

issue of succession certificate; that the records of the

trial Court indicates that notice issued to the appellant

by registered post was redirected to her present address

and the same was returned unserved with a postal

endorsement “not claimed” in spite of delivering the

information and thereafter the notice was taken out in

news paper which had circulation in Bangalore City

where she was residing at the relevant point of time and

this indicates that she had notice of the proceedings as

such, it cannot be said that she was deprived of an

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opportunity; that the two other legal representatives

who are the elder sister and brother of the appellant

had entered their appearance in the trial Court through

their counsel and had contested the suit, as such there

was proper representation of the estate of Maise Lobo,

therefore, even if there was no proper service on the

appellant, no prejudice had been caused to the estate of

the deceased as such there was no just cause for

revoking the Probate granted by the Court.

In this regard, the learned counsel placed reliance

on the following decisions:

1. Anil Behari Ghosh Vs. Smt.Latika BalaDassai and others

[ AIR 1955 SC 566 ]

2. Dolai Maliko and others Vs. Krushna

Chandra Patnaik and others

[ AIR 1967 SC 49 ] and

3. Revanna Vs. A.H.Govindaraja[ ILR 1999 KAR 656 ]

6. I have bestowed my serious considerations to

the submissions made by learned counsel on both

sides.

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7. In the light of the above, the point that arise for

consider is,

“Whether the court below is not

justified in dismissing the petition?

8. As per sub-section (1) of Section 264 of the Act,

the jurisdiction to grant or revoke the Probate or letters

of administration, is vested with the District Judge of

the District concerned. Section 276 of the Act provides

for petition for grant of Probate. Such petition will have

to be presented before the Court of the District Judge of

the concerned district. Chapter IV of the Act comprising

Sections 264 to 302 which deals with practice granting

and revoking Probates and letter of administration does

not contain a provision similar to Section 388 of the Act

empowering the State Government to invest jurisdiction

to deal with granting or revoking of the Probate in the

inferior courts, below the court of District Judge.

Section 388 of the Act provides that the State

Government may by notification in the Official Gazette

invest any court inferior to the grade of a District Judge

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with power to exercise functions of a District Judge

under that part. Section 388 falls in Part-X of the Act

dealing with succession certificate. Therefore, the

power to invest the jurisdiction in any inferior courts in

grade to the court of District Judge is only in relation to

the proceedings for issue of succession certificate

provided under Part-X of the Act.

9. No doubt under Section 23-A of the Karnataka

Civil Courts Act, the High Court may by notification

invest Civil Judge (Sr.Dn.) or Civil Judge (Jr.Dn.), within

such local limits subject to pecuniary and other

limitations as may be specified in the notification, with

all or any of the powers of the District Judge under

Indian Succession Act. Further, according to sub-

section (2) of Section 23-A, any inferior court so

invested with the powers under sub-section (1) shall

have concurrent jurisdiction with the District Judge in

exercise of powers conferred by the Court on the District

Judge and the provisions of the Act relating to the

District Judge shall apply to those inferior courts as the

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case may be as if they were District Judge. Thus

Section 23-A of the Karnataka Civil Courts Act no doubt

confers jurisdiction on the High Court to invest all or

any of the powers of the District Judge under the Act in

any Civil Judge (Sr.Dn.) or Civil Judge (Jr.Dn.).

10. The High Court of Karnataka in exercise of the

power under sub-Section (1) of Section 23-A has issued

a notification under GOB No.460/2008. In

B.R.Jayanthi and others Vs. Radamma and others –

[ ILR 2008 KAR 4612 ] referred to supra and relied upon

by the learned counsel for the appellant, this Court had

an occasion to consider the said notification. The facts

of the said reported decision are, the learned District

Judge, before whom a petition under Section 276 of the

Act had been filed, transferred the petition to the Court

of Civil Judge (Jr.Dn.) pursuant to the notification

issued by the High Court. The contesting respondent

therein filed an application seeking return of the

complaint to the plaintiffs to present the same before

the proper court on the ground that the court of

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principal Civil Judge (Jr.Dn.), had no jurisdiction to

entertain the said suit in view of the provision contained

under Section 264 of the Act. The said application

came to be rejected. Against the said order a Writ

Petition came to be filed before this Court contending

that the District Judge had no jurisdiction to transfer

the petition for grant of Probate to the Court of Civil

Judge (Jr.Dn.) and the said court was not invested with

power to deal with the said petition. During hearing,

reliance was placed on the aforesaid notification issued

by this Court. Though the court initially did not accept

the contention of the petitioner and dismissed the Writ

Petition, subsequently, the said order was recalled as

could be seen from the order on being spoken to which

is found at page 4621 of the report and the matter was

restored. The order was recalled on the ground that in

the notification issued by the High Court in notification

NO.GOB 460/78 dated 12.3.1979, the court of Civil

Judge (Jr.Dn.) and Civil Judge (Sr.Dn.) have been

invested with the power of District Judge in relation to

the proceedings mentioned under Section 388 of the Act

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i.e., the proceedings regarding issue of succession

certificate only.

11. Thus from the above, it is clear that

notification on which strong reliance was placed by the

learned counsel for the appellant in this case also,

relate to investing of the power on the inferior courts

only in relation to the proceedings regarding issue of

succession certificate as the said notification is issued

under Section 388 of the Act. In this view of the matter,

the District Judge who decided the suit in O.S.No.1/91

which had been filed for grant of Probate had not lost

the jurisdiction to deal with it. On the other hand as

per the Section 264 of the Act he had power to deal with

the said suit. Therefore, the learned District Judge is

justified in rejecting the contention raised with regard to

the jurisdiction of the District Judge to grant Probate.

Therefore, the said finding recorded by learned District

Judge is sound and reasonable and is in accordance

with law. Therefore, I find no substance in the said

contentions urged by the learned counsel.

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12. With regard to the second contention viz.,

service of notice on the appellant, learned District Judge

has held that there was proper notice of the application

on the appellant and therefore there is no ground for

revoking the Probate granted.

13. Section 263 of the Act deals with revocation or

annulment of the Probate or letter of administration

granted. According to the Section, the Probate or letter

of administration granted may be revoked or annulled

for just cause. The explanation to the Section explains

the expression “just cause”. According to this

explanation, just cause shall be deemed to exist where –

(a) the proceedings to obtain the grant were

defective in substance; or

(b) the grant was obtained fraudulently by

making a false suggestion, or by

concealing from the Court something

material to the case; or

(c) the grant was obtained by means of an

untrue allegation of a fact essential in

point of law to justify the grant, though

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such allegation was made in ignorance

or inadvertently; or

(d) the grant has become useless and

inoperative through circumstances; or

(e) the person to whom the grant was made

has willfully and without reasonable

cause omitted to exhibit an inventory or

account in accordance with the

provisions of Chapter VII of this Part, or

has exhibited under that chapter an

inventory or account which is untrue in

a material respect.

The Section also has provided certain illustrations,

which reads as under:

(i) The Court by which the grant was

made had no jurisdiction.

(ii) The grant was made without citing

parties who ought to have been cited;

(iii) The Will of which Probate was obtained

was forged or revoked.

(iv) A obtained letters of administration to

the estate of B, as his widow, but it has

since transpired that she was never

married to him.

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(v) A has taken administration to the

estate of B as if he had died intestate,

but a will has since been discovered.

(vi) Since Probate was granted, a latter Will

has been discovered.

(vii) Since Probate was granted, a codicil

has been discovered which revokes or

adds to the appointment of executors

under the Will.

(viii) The person to who Probate was, or

letters of administration were, granted

has subsequently become of unsound

mind.

According to the learned counsel for the appellant, non-

service of notice on the appellant is one of the just

cause for revoking the Probate granted in favour of

respondent Nos.1 to 3 in this case.

14. As noticed supra, the appellant was not an

original party to the petition filed for grant of Probate. It

was her mother being one of the daughters of the

testatrix, who had been impleaded as respondent /

defendant No.2. The mother of the appellant, upon

issuance of citation, appeared before the Court and said

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to have filed her objections contesting the claim. It is

only under these circumstances the petition for grant of

Probate was converted into an original suit. It is

thereafter during the pendency of the suit, the mother of

the appellant died leaving behind her two daughters and

a son as her heirs. No doubt, upon the death of

Smt.Maise Lobo, the appellant as well as respondent

Nos. 5 and 6 who are her children, have succeeded to

the estate of Maise Lobo. Perusal of the records in

O.S.No.1/91, clearly indicate that application to bring

the legal representative of Maise Lobo was filed on

27.3.1991 and thereafter, the court directed issue of

notices to the proposed legal representatives. In the

application, the appellant was shown as third proposed

legal representative while her elder sister and brother

were shown as proposed legal representatives 1 and 2.

There is no dispute that the proposed legal

representatives 1 and 2 entered their appearance

through their counsel. The notice sent to the appellant

by registered post, as could be seen from the returned

postal cover available in the records, was sent to No.38-

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A, “Harsh Maduvana”, behind Shastries Memorial

Hospital, Vijayanagar, Bangalore-40 and the same was

redirected to House No.32/3, 12th Main Road,

Vijayanagar, Bangalore-40 and as per the postal

endorsement, the registered cover was not claimed by

the addressee though intimation had been delivered.

Therefore, the unclaimed postal cover was returned to

the sender. It is thereafter an application under Order

V Rule 20 of CPC came to be filed for publication of the

notice in one issue of Udaya Vani, Mangalore edition.

The said application came to be allowed by the Court

and as directed by the court, publication was taken out

in one issue of Udaya Vani on 4.9.1992. On the hearing

date fixed on the basis of the paper publication, the

court held service of notice on the appellant as sufficient

and since there was no representation on her behalf,

the court proceeded further treating the appellant as

exparte.

15. Two contentions were urged with regard to the

validity of the publication and the order holding the

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service as sufficient. Firstly, it was contended that the

publication did not address the name of the appellant

correctly nor the address of the appellant was correctly

mentioned in the publication. Secondly, the newspaper

in which the publication was taken out had no

circulation in Bangalore City at the relevant point of

time. Both these contentions have been rejected by the

learned District Judge.

16. Perusal of the paper publication indicates that

it was addressed to defendant No.2(a) and the name of

the party is described as Miss.Enect Lobo daughter of

Maise Lobo. The address shown is No.38-A, “Harsh

Maduvana”, behind Shastries Memorial Hospital,

Vijayanagar, Bangalore-40. No doubt the rank of the

appellant in the application was defendant No.2(c)

whereas in the paper publication, it was wrongly shown

as defendant No.2(a). This mistake in my opinion and

as rightly observed by the learned District Judge has

not caused any prejudice to the appellant for the reason

that her name has been correctly spelt in the

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publication. There is no dispute that the appellant is

called Enect Lobo. Of course the records indicate that

the name of the appellant is Joyce Enect Lobo prior to

her marriage and after her marriage she appears to

have added the surname of her husband also and she

appears to be now called as Joyce Enect Ugar. Even

according to the appellant, after few months of the

death of her mother, she married Ajith K. Ugar, who

hails from another community and therefore she lost all

her relationship with her family members. Therefore, it

is quite obvious that the family members of the

appellant had no knowledge about the change in her

name as Joyce Enect Ugar. The name mentioned in the

paper publication as Enect Lobo daughter of Maise Lobo

would clearly indicate that it relates to the appellant

only and no other person. Wrong description of the

rank of the party in itself would not make the notice

defective.

17. With regard to the circulation of the

newspaper in Bangalore, as rightly observed by learned

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District Judge, the appellant has not placed any

acceptable evidence to show that the said news paper

had no circulation in Bangalore city.

18. Sub-rule (1A) of Order V Rule 20 of CPC

introduced by way of amendment with effect from

1.2.1977 provides for service by an advertisement in a

newspaper and the newspaper shall be a daily

newspaper in the locality in which the defendant is last

known to have actually and voluntarily resided, carried

on business or personally worked for gain. Admittedly,

the appellant was residing in Bangalore. In the absence

of any evidence that newspaper Udaya Vani published

from Mangalore had no circulation at all in Bangalore, it

cannot be said that the appellant had no knowledge of

the proceedings. The burden of proving that there was

no proper notice of the proceedings lies on the person

who asserts so. It is only when the initial burden cast

on the person asserting such non-service is discharged,

the burden shifts on to the other side to establish that

there was proper service. Therefore, the learned District

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Judge has rightly cast burden on the appellant to show

that the newspaper had no circulation in Bangalore.

19. Even otherwise, the materials on record clearly

indicate that the appellant had knowledge of the

proceedings. Perusal of the cross-examination of the

appellant would indicate that up to the date of death of

her mother, the appellant was residing with her mother

in Bangalore while the mother was contesting the

petition filed for grant of Probate. Therefore, it cannot

be said that the appellant who was residing with her

mother had no knowledge about the proceedings. As

noticed supra, the notice sent from the court by

registered post had been re-directed to her present

address, which is furnished in the Miscellaneous

petition and the same had been returned unserved with

a postal shara “not claimed” in spite of delivering the

intimation. This shows that the appellant had the

knowledge of the proceedings and she had deliberately

avoided to receive the notice sent from the court.

However, nearly about 10 years thereafter she has

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presented the petition for revocation of the Probate on

the ground that she has no notice of the proceedings.

The elder sister and brother of the appellant have

received the notice and have appeared through their

counsel. This shows that estate of Maise Lobo had been

properly represented. Therefore, even if it is assumed for

the purpose of argument that the appellant had no

notice of the proceedings, no prejudice is caused for the

reason that estate of Maise Lobo was effectively

represented by her (appellant’s) elder sister and brother.

20. The Apex Court in the case of Anil Behari

Ghosh Vs. Smt.Latika Bala Dassai and others

referred to supra, had an occasion to consider the

omission to issue citation to the persons who should

have been apprised of the Probate proceedings. The

Apex Court having regard to the fact that the estate of

the particular person has been properly represented,

has held that omission to issue citation in respect of one

of the person cannot fall under defective substance

provided under clause (a) of Explanation to Section 263

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of the Act, as such it cannot be a ground to revoke the

Probate granted. In this decision, the Apex Court has

considered the decision of the Privy Council in the case

of Mt.Ramanandi Kuer Vs. Mt.Kalawati Kuer referred

to supra relied upon by the learned counsel for the

appellant and has explained the same.

In the case of Dolai Maliko and others Vs.

Krushna Chandra Patnaik and others, referred to

supra, the Apex Court has held that omission to bring

on record some of the heirs is not vital in the absence of

any allegation regarding fraud or collusion. The

relevant observations applicable to the facts of this case

as found in para 4 reads as under:

“4. x x x x Even so we are of opinion

that unless there is fraud or collusion or

there are other circumstances which indicate

that there has not been a fair or real trial or

that against the absent heir there was a

special case which was not and could not be

tried in the proceeding, there is no reason

why the heirs who have applied for being

brought on record should not be held to

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represent the entire estate including the

interests of the heirs not brought on the

record. This is not to say that where heirs of

an appellant are to be brought on record all

of them should not be brought on record and

any of them should be deliberately left out.

But if by oversight or on account of some

doubt as to who are the heirs, any heir of a

deceased appellant is left out that in itself

would be no reason for holding that the

entire estate of the deceased is not

represented unless circumstances like fraud

or collusion to which we have referred above

exist”.

In the case of Revanna Vs. A.H.Govindaraja

referred to supra, a Division Bench of this Court has

held that Will cannot be revoked unless a just cause is

shown and merely on the ground that one of the

relatives of the husband of the testatrix is not

impleaded, Will cannot be revoked.

21. Having regard to the discussions made above,

I am of the considered opinion that no prejudice is

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caused to the appellant. The appellant had sufficient

notice of and had knowledge of the Probate proceedings

and in spite of the same, she had remained absent and

after a long lapse of 10 years, she has made an attempt

to get revocation of the said Probate. Having regard to

the conduct on the part of the appellant, in my opinion,

learned District Judge has rightly held that there are no

grounds for revocation of the Probate granted by the

Court.

22. In this view of the matter, I find no illegality or

perversity in the order of the learned District Judge

dismissing the application filed by the appellant for

revocation of the Probate granted. In this view of the

matter, I find no merit in this appeal and the appeal is

accordingly, dismissed.

SD/-

JUDGE

RS/*


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