Case: Voleti Venkatarama Rao Vs. Kesapragada Bhaskara Rao & Ors

Bachawat, J.1. This disputes relates to the succession to the immoveable properties of late Bhaskara Rao, a Brahmin karnam, who died on November 29, 1903 without issue, but leaving a widow. The suit was instituted on April 15, 1953 by the appellant claiming to be the nearest heir of Bhaskara Rao for recovery of possession of the properties. The case of the contesting defendants is that Bhaskara Rao execute a will on November 29, 1903 authorising his widow Seshamma to adopt a son, that pursuant to such authority. She adopted Rajeswararao in or about May, 1904 that Rajeswara died in 1950 and that the first defendant is his adopted son. The courts below concurrently found in favour of the defendants on all the points. They held that (1) Bhaskara Rao duly executed the will dated November 29, 1903; (2) his widow Seshamma in fact adopted Rajeswararao in or about May 1904 and the requisite ceremonies of adoption were performed. These findings of fact are no longer challenged.2. The trial court held that at the time of adoption Seshamma was about 14 years of age. The High Court held that having regard to the lapse of time there was a strong presumption that Seshamma had attained the usual age of discretion at the time of the adoption, that the presumption had not been rebutted and that the adoption was valid.3. Mr. M. C. Chagla argued that in May 1904 Seshamma had not attained the age of discretion and was not competent to make the adoption. He relied on the following passage in Mullas Principles of Hindu law, 13th Ed., Art. 465, page 491:"A minor widow may adopt in the same circumstances as an adult widow, provided she has attained the age of discretion and is able to form an independent judgment in selecting the boy to be adopted. According to Bengal writers the age of discretion is reached at the beginning of the sixteenth year; according to Benaras waters, at the end of the sixteenth year. The former view was taken in a recent Madras case."4. Now there is no clear evidence on the question of Seshmnmas age in May 1904. The plant said that she was then 10 years of age. One of the written statements said that she was about 15 years old. Exhibit A-2 an extract from the register of deaths suggests that she was then aged about 14 years. In Ex. A-7 dated March 25, 1907, Ex. B-5 dated May 2, 1907 Ex. B-110 dated April 25, 1909 , Ex. B-7, dated November 1, 1911, Ex. B-22 dated November 15, 1911, Exs. A-11 and A-12 dated November 17, 1911, she was described as a minor. But Ex. B-138 dated August 9, 1910 described her as a major. The evidence of DW 2 suggests that she was about 15 years old at the time of adoption. The evidence of DW 3 fixes her age at about 17 years in or about 1903. Evidence was adduced to show that she married in 1898 when she was 11 or 12 years old. The appellant made no attempt to produce the certified copy of the register of births which would have shown her exact age. The adoption was made in May 1904. It was challenged in 1953 after a lapse about 50 years. The long delay in filling the suit is not satisfactorily explained. A declaratory suit challenging the adoption could have been filed soon after the adoption. Rajeswararao died in 1950, Seshamma died on October 2, 1952. During his lifetime Rajeswararao was recognised by every member of the family as the adopted son of Bhaskara Rao. He was registered as karnam and acted as such till his death. Under Ex. B-12 dated November 19, 1937 the plaintiffs mother Kamappa purchased a property from Rajeswararao wherein he was described as the adopted son of Bhaskara Rao.Having regard to the long lapse of time and the recognition of Rajeswararao as the adopted son of Bhaskara Rao, the strongest presumption arises in favour of the validity of the adoption.The law on this point is correctly stated in Mulldas Hindu Law, 13th Ed., art. 512 page 519:-"But when there is a lapse of 55 years between the adoption and its be questioned, every allowance for the absence of evidence to prove such fact must be favourably entertained. stands to reason that after a very long term of years, and a variety of transactions of open life and conduct upon the footing that the adoption was a valid act the burden must rest heavily upon him who challenges its validity," see also Venkataseetarama Chandra Row v. Kanchu Marthi Raju, AIR 1925 PC 201 , 202.The presumption in this case is very heavy considering that all the parties to the adoption and all those who could have given evidence in favour of its validity have passed away. The appellant has not rebutted this presumption and has not shown that Seshamma did not attain the age of discretion in May 1904 and was not competent to make the adoption. The courts below rightly found infavour of the factum and validity of the adoption. There is no merit in this appeal.

Decision:
0[ds]4. Now there is no clear evidence on the question of Seshmnmas age in May 1904. The plant said that she was then 10 years of age. One of the written statements said that she was about 15 years old. Exhibit A-2 an extract from the register of deaths suggests that she was then aged about 14 years. In Ex. A-7 dated March 25, 1907, Ex. B-5 dated May 2, 1907 Ex. B-110 dated April 25, 1909 , Ex. B-7, dated November 1, 1911, Ex. B-22 dated November 15, 1911, Exs. A-11 and A-12 dated November 17, 1911, she was described as a minor. But Ex. B-138 dated August 9, 1910 described her as a major. The evidence of DW 2 suggests that she was about 15 years old at the time of adoption. The evidence of DW 3 fixes her age at about 17 years in or about 1903. Evidence was adduced to show that she married in 1898 when she was 11 or 12 years old. The appellant made no attempt to produce the certified copy of the register of births which would have shown her exact age. The adoption was made in May 1904. It was challenged in 1953 after a lapse about 50 years. The long delay in filling the suit is not satisfactorily explained. A declaratory suit challenging the adoption could have been filed soon after the adoption. Rajeswararao died in 1950, Seshamma died on October 2, 1952. During his lifetime Rajeswararao was recognised by every member of the family as the adopted son of Bhaskara Rao. He was registered as karnam and acted as such till his death. Under Ex. B-12 dated November 19, 1937 the plaintiffs mother Kamappa purchased a property from Rajeswararao wherein he was described as the adopted son of Bhaskara Rao.Having regard to the long lapse of time and the recognition of Rajeswararao as the adopted son of Bhaskara Rao, the strongest presumption arises in favour of the validity of thepresumption in this case is very heavy considering that all the parties to the adoption and all those who could have given evidence in favour of its validity have passed away. The appellant has not rebutted this presumption and has not shown that Seshamma did not attain the age of discretion in May 1904 and was not competent to make the adoption. The courts below rightly found infavour of the factum and validity of the adoption. There is no merit in this appeal.