A deed of dedication of properties to a deity provided that v. Debab11t1ta

A deed of dedication of properties to a deity provided that the scttlor shall during her life-time be the shebait of the said deity and that after her death, her son M shall be the shebait. It provid ed further that after M's death, M's wife K and after K's death, the heirs of M shall be the shebaits. If M died without any issue or without giving authority to his wife to adopt, M shall be compe tent to appoint a shebait by will, but in case M died without any issue, the shebaitship shall, after the death of his wife devolve leaving a upon his heirs under the Hindu law. M died in 1942 In a suit by the son by his first wife K, and a second wife. second wife for a declaration that she was entitled to the shebait ship as sole shebait or in any event as a j"oint shcbait with her step-son : Held, that the Hindu Women's Rights to Property Act, 1937, was applicable to the case and the plaintiff was entitled to ~oint shebaitship with her step-son. '~ Held also, on the construction of the deed, (i) that the words uheirs of the said M" occurring in the deed were not words -.>£ gift but only words regulating devolution; and (ii) that heirs oi M did not mean issue of M but his legal heirs and there was nothing in the deed to show that the son of M had i right to preference to the widow. succeed ,... CIVIL No. 22 of 1951. APPELLATE JURISDICTION : Civil Appeal Appeal against the Judgment and Decree dated the 19th May, 1950, of the High Court of Judicature at Calcutta (Harries C.J ..• and Sinha J.) in Appeal No. 29 of 1950 arising out of a decree dated 9th February, 1949, in S~it No. 2481 of 1947. Bakshi Tek Chand (S. Banerji, with him) for the - appellant. S. Bannerjee (B. Sen and S. C. Roy, with him}, for the respondent.

#1951. May 3. The Judgment of Fazal Ali, Maha jan and Mukherjea JJ. was delivered by Mukhcrjca J. Chandrasckhara Aiyar J. delivered separate but concurring judgment. a S.C.R. SUPREME COURT REPORTS 1127 MuKHEKJEA J.-This appeal is directe.d against an appellate judgment of the Calcutta High C.Ourt, dated the 19th May, 1950, which affirmed the judgment of a single Judge of the Original Side of ~at C.Ourt passed on 9th February, 1949, in Suit No. 2481 of 1947. 1951 Angurbala Mullick v. Debabrata Mullick Mukherjea J. The plaintiff, who is the appellant before us, is the widow of one Mrityunjoy Mullick, a wealthy Hindu resident of Calcutta, while the· defendant, who is still an infant, is the only son of Mrityunjoy born of his first wife Kiranbala, who died during the lifetime of her husband. The controversy between the parties centres round the short point as to whether the plain tiff is entitled, after the death of her husband, to act as shebait of an idol named Sree Sree Nitto Gopal Jew founded by Mrityunjoy and his mother either solely or jointly with the defendant, her step-son. .( It may be stated the parties. side adduced any evidence before To appreciate the points that have been canvassed before us in this appeal , it will be necessary to narrate a few antecedent facts about which there is no dispute between neither judge during the hearing of the case and the questions the suit were argued as questions of law raised indenture which turning on created the endowment as well as of the provisions to Property Act (Act . of the Hindu Women's Rights the construction of her$:! XVUI of 1937 as amended by Act XI of 1938). It appears that one Dhananjoy Mullick, who was the adoptive father of Mrityunjoy, died on 28th of August, 1907, leaving behind him, his widow Nitto Sundari and the adopted son Mrityunjoy who was then a minor. On February 11, 1 910, Nitto Sundari obtained letters of administration to the estate of the the minority of deceased Dhananjoy the adopted son. On June 13, 1920, the widow purchased a house property in the city of Calcutta being premises No. 14, Syakrapara Lane-Qut of the monies belonging to the estate of her hunsoand, and on October 10, 1934, she conveyed the said property to that time attained majority. Mrityunjoy who had by limited during 19Sl Angorbala Mullick v. .Debabrota Mulliclc Mukherjea I. 1128 SUPREME COURT REPORTS (1951] On the very same day that this property was conveyed to Mrityunjoy, Nitto Sundari and Mrityunjoy together executed an indenture, by which certain properties described in Schedules A and B of the document and including premises No. 14, Syakrapara Lane, were to deity Nitto Gopal Jew. The dedicated indenture recites that Nitto Sundari had, with the consent and concurrence of her son, established and consecrated the said idol and located it in premises No. 14 Syakra para Lane, and that she had been performing worship and periodical festivals of the deity according to Hindu rites. The document lays down in detail the various rites, ceremonies and festivals of the idol that are to be performed daily or at specific periods, and the way purposes are to be met from the income of the dedi cated properties. A remuneration of 25 per cent. of the net income of the debutter property has also been provided for the shebait or shebaits for the time being. After declaring the various trusts, the indenture pro ceeds to provide for appointment of shebaits and for devolution of shebaitship in the following manner :- the expenses necessary for in which "That the said Sm. Nitto Sundari Dassi doth hereby constitute and appoint herself the shebait of the said Thakur for and during the term of her natural life and doth hereby declare that after her death her son the said Mrityunjoy Mullick shall become the she- bait of the said Thakur and after his death his wife Sm. · Kiranbala Dassi and after her death the heirs of the said Mrityunjoy Mullick shall be and act as shebait or shebaits of the said Thakur and she doth hereby declare him or them such shebait or shebaits accordingly and doth hereby direct and declare the daily worship and other periodical festivals and ceremonies of the said Thakur should be performed by such shebait or shebaits. Provided however case the said Mrityunjoy Mullick . shall happen to die without any issue or without giving any authority to his wife him surviving, to adopt, then in such case shall be competent for the said Mrityunjoy Mullick to appoint by will or otherwise a shebait who would act ) t- "' S.C.R. SUPREME COURT REPORTS 1129 as such after the death of his sai'd wife as aforesaid hut in case the said Mrityunjoy Mullick shall happen to die without any issue the shebaitship . of the said Thakur after the death of his wife shall devolve upon his heirs under the Hindu Law." 1951 A.ng11rbalo Mullick v. Debabrata Mullick Mukherjea J. ' the shebait. Kiranbala, It is not disputed that Nitto Sundari acted as she. bait till her death in 1938 and that after her death Mrityunjoy become the first wife of Mrityunjoy, who is referred to in the indenture .as stated above, died on l4th January, 1942, leaving her infant son Debabrata, who is the defendant in the suit. Soon after her death, Mrityunjoy married plaintiff Angurbala as his second wife and within five months after this marriage Mrityunjoy died on the 4th of July, 1942. · The present suit was the Calcutta High Court on 29th Original Side of August, 1947, by Angurbala and she prayed a declaration that she was the sole shebait of the deity under the terms of the indenture or, in the alternative, was entitled to shebaitship jointly with the defendant, she being a co-heir of her stepson under the provisions of the Hindu Wowen's Rights to Property Act. There was a further prayer claiming a right of residence in premises No. 14. Syakrapara Lane. exclusively The written statement that was filed on behalf of the plaintiff's claim of shebaiti the defendant denied jointly either right, the defendant, and asserted that the defendant was the sole shebait under the terms of the deed of endowment as well as under law. The defendant also . contended right of resi4ence in the premises mentioned above. that the plaintiff was not entitled to any, herself The learned trial Judge by his judgment dated 9th of February, 1949, held that the plaintiff was neither the sole shebait of the deity nor was she entitled to claim shebaiti rights jointly with the defendant and that the Hindu Women's Rights to Property Act was inapplicable to devaluation of shebaiti, rights at all. It was held further that as the plaintiff was not in law the natural guardian of the defendant, she could not 1951 Angur/Jala Mullick v. Debab11t1ta Mullick Mukherjea I. 1130 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [19511 claim to exercise the rights of a shebait on behalf of the defendant as his natural guardian so long as the defendent remained a minor. The learned Judge held, however, that the plaintiff's claim to a right of resi dence in premises No. 14, Syakrapara Lane, was well founded and she was held entitled to relief respect. The result was that save and except givmg the plaintiff a declaration of her right of residence in premises No. 14, Syakrapara Lane, all the other prayers of the plaintiff were dismissed. to act as a sole shebait Against this decision the plaintiff preferred an appeal which came up for hearing before an appeal Bench of the Calcutta High Court consisting of Sir Trevor Har ries C.J. and Sinha J. The learned counsel appearing in support of the appeal did not seriously challenge that part of the decision of the trial Judge which negatived the plaintiff's claim either under the terms of the indenture of endowment. or as a guardian of the defendant during the period of his minority. The only question pressed was whether the plaintiff was entitled to be a joint shebait with the defendant. The learned Judges rejected this conten tion of the appellant primarily on the ground that the identical point was Federal Court in Umayal Ac!zi v. Lakshmi Achi(1) and it was held to shebaitship was that succession not in any way altered or affected by the provisions of the Hindu to Property Act. The appeal was the plaintiff having obtained a certificate under article 133(1)(c) of the Constitution has now come up in appeal to this Court. \Vomen's Rights thus dismissed and raised and considered by The substantial contention raisc;d by Mr. Tek Chand, who appeared on behalf of the plaintiff-appellant, is that under the clause in the indenture relating to devolu tion of shebaitship, the shebaitship is to go to Kiran bala after the death of Mrityunjoy and after her death it is to vest in the heirs of. Mrityunjoy. As Kiranbala died during the life-time of Mrityunjoy, the grant of the shebaiti right in her favour lapsed and the heirs of Mrityunjoy arc, therefore, entitled to come in as the (I) [1945] F,C.R.1. r t9Sl A!fgurbala Mullick v. Debabrata Mullick Mukhetjea J. ' S.C.R. SUPREME COURT REPORTS 1131 the plaintiff and to Property Act, is argued by It is said that as shebaitship is property, next shebaits after Mrityunjoy~s death. Who heirs are has. got to be determined according to the law succession opened in force at time when the to Property the Hindu Women's Rights and under Act, which came into force in the year 1937, the widow of a propositus, who dies intestate, would rank as an heir along with the son and would be entitled to the same share as a ·son gets in the property of the deceas ed; it wouW devolve under section 3 of the Hindu Women's Rights to Property Act upon both defeadant jointly. Assuming, however, for argument's in the that the expression "property", as used sake, tloes not Hindu Women's Rights include shebaiti right, learned counsel that it is a well-established proposition of law that succession ordinary rules of inheritance in respect to secular pro perty under the Hindu law, and as the Hindu women'.s Rights· to Property Act ·has amended the general law of inheritance in certain matters, the same, alterations must be recognised in regard to succession to shebait ship as well. A point was also raised by Mr. Tek Chand-though it was not pressed seriously...:...that the language of the indenture would go to suggest that in the wife of the matter of succession to . shebaitship Mrityunjoy would have priority over other heirs. It i.~ true that the document spe3ks only of Kiranbala, to. come as shebait the wife· of Mrityunjoy who after . his death; . but the . word is merely descriptive of the word "Wife'' "Kiranbala" and whoever would happen to be the wife of Mrityun joy at the date of his death, would be entitled succeed to his shebaiti rights. is argued is governed by to shebaitship the outset stated at proposition of Mr. Shankar Banerjee appearing for the respondent that he · would not dispute as a is property of that shebaitship ~ some kind the devolution of which is governed, in the absence of any direction to the contrary given by the founder, by the ordinary rule of succession under the Hindu law. He contended however, that the Hindu 26-3 S.C.India/68 1951 Angurbala Mullick v. D~babrata Mullick MiJcher}ttl I. f. r r 1132 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [19511 in this connection the expression "property" the relevant clause in the Women's Rights to Property Act, which is a piece of legislation enacted for a special purpose, does special not use in a wide and unlimited sense; and it would appear clear from the provisions of the different sections of the Act that it could not have had in contemplation, and does not purport to affect, the rules of succession relating to the type of property special and somewhat anomalous which shebaitship admittedly is. The learned counsel to the provisions of sec referred tions 3 and 5 of the Act as well as to the preamble which sets out its object, and considerable stress was laid upon the pronouncement of the Federal Court in Umayal Achi v. Lakshmi Achi('). The other conten tion put forward by the learned counsel turns upon the construction of indenture referred to above which lay down the mode of devolu tion of the shebaitship, and his argument was reading the clauses as a whole, it would be clear the intention of the executants of the deed was that the "issue" of Mrityunjoy would succeed to him as shebaits in the first instance and that no other heir of Mrityunjoy basing his claim either upon general law or any special enactment would be entitled to become shebait so long as any issue of Mrityunjoy was alive. A further question relating the construction of the deed, raised by Mr. Banerjee, was that the words "heirs of the said Mrityun; oy" occurring the deed arc to be construed not as words of devolution but of direct gift to the heirs under the deed and consequently the expression "heirs" must mean those who could legally claim :is heirs at the time when the grant was made : and any subsequent change in the law could not affect the position. We will first advert to and examine the prov1s1on• of the Hindu Women's Rights to Property Act and see whether the Act includes within its scope a property of such character as shebaitship is. The exact legal position of a shebait may not be implications are capable of precise definition but (I) [194.5) F.C.R. 1. 1951 Ang_urb11la Mullick v. Debabrata Mullick · Mukher}ea J. S.C.R. . SUPREME COURT REPORTS 1133 the other hand the Judicial Committee fairly well established. It is settled by the pronounce in Vidya Varuti v. ment of Bal usami (1) that the relation of a shebait in regard to debutter property is not that of a trustee to trust pro perty under the English law. In English law the legal estate in the trust property vests in the trustee who holds it for the benefit of cestui que trust. In a Hindu the entire religious endowment on ownership of the dedicated property is transferred to the diety or the institution itself as a juristic person the shebait or mahant is a mere manager. But though a shebait is a manager and not a trustee in the technical sense, it would not be correct to describe the shebaitship as a mere office. The shebait has not only duties to discharge in connection with the endowment, but he has a beneficial interest in the debutter pro- . the Judicial Committee observed perty. As above case, in almost all such endowments the she bait has a share in the usufruct of the debutter pro the grant or perty which depends upon the upon custom or usage. Even where no emoluments are attached to the office of the shebait, he enjoys some sort of right or interest in the endowed property which the character of a proprietary partially at least has the conception of shebaiti both the right;. Thus, in elements of office and property, of duties and personal interest, are mixed up and blended together; and one of the elements cannot be detached from the other. It is the presence of this personal or beneficial interest in the endowed property which invests shebaitship with the character of proprietary rights and attaches to it the legal incidents of property. This was elaborately discussed by a Full Bench of the Calcutta High Court in Manohar · Mukherji v. Bhupendra Nath Mukherji( 2 ) and this decision of the Full Bench was approved of by the Judicial Committee in Ganesh Chunder Dhur v. Lal Behary(8) and again in Bhabatari~i v. Ashalata(4 ), The effect of the Privy Couru:il pointed out in the last case, was to emphasize (I) 48 I.A. 302. two decisions, as (3) 63 I. A. 448. terms of the first (2) I.L.R. 60 CaL 4S2. 27-3 S.C.lndia/68 i, (4) 70 I.A. 57. 1951 Angurbala Mu//ick v. · Dehahrata Mullick Mukhtrj.a J. 1134 SUPREME COURT REPORTS. [1951] law," observed Lord Hobhouse the proprietary element in the shehaiti right, and to show that though in some respects anomalous, it was an anomaly to be accepted as having been admitted "According to into Hindu law from an early date. Hindu in Gossamee v. Rumanlolljee Gossamee('), Sree Greedharreejjee the worship of a Thakoor has been founded, the 'when shebaitship is held to be vested in the heirs of the founder, in default of evidence that he has disposed of it otherwise, or there has been some usage, course of to show a different dealing, or some circumstances the founder therefore, mode of devolution." Unless, in any. particular has disposed of manner-and this right of disposition is inherent in founder-or except when usage or custom of a different to exist, shebaitship like any other nature is proved line of follows species of heritable property inheritance from the founder. the shebaitship Turning now to the Hindu Women's Rights to Pro perty Act, it will be seen that the object of the Act, as set out in the preamble, is to give better rights to women in respect of property. Section 2 lays down :- "Notwithstanding any custom to shall apply where a Hindu dies intestate." the contrary, rule of Hindu law or the provisions of section 3 Section 3( 1) then provides :- "When a Hindu governed by the Dayabhaga School of Hindu law dies intestate leaving any pro perty, and when a Hindu governed by any other school of Hindu law ...... dies intestate leaving separate pro- perty, his widow, or if there is more than one widow all his widows together, shall, subject to the provisions of sub-section ( 3), be entitled in respect of property in respect of which he dies intestate to the same share as a son: ( !- r r ~ Provided that the widow of a predeceased son shall inherit in like manner as a son if there is no son sur inherit in viving of such predeceased son, and shall --. (I) 161.A. 137. S.C.R. SUPREME COURT REPORTS li35 like manner as a son's son if there is surviving a ·son or son's son of such predeceased son; Provided further that the apply mutatis mutandis to the widow of a predeceased son of a predeceased son." same provts1on 1951 Angurbala Mullick V.· Debabrata Mullick Mukherjea i. \ Sub-sections (2) and ( 4) of section 3 ate not material for our present purpose. Sub-section (3) lays down :- . "Any interest devolving on a Hindu widow under limited the provisions of interest known as a Hindu woman's estate .......... " this section shall be Section 4 lays down. that the •Act is . not to operate retrospectively. The only other section the Act which has been referred to in the course of arguments is .section 5 which runs as follows :- ( "For the purposes of this Act a person shall be. deemed to die intestate in respect of all property · ot which he has not made a testamentary disposition which is capable of taking effect." It will be seen that section 3(1) abrogates the general to which a ·widow rule of Hindu law according succeeds to her deceased husband's property only default of male issue and she is now entitled to the . same share as a son along with or in default of male issue. Similar rights have been given by to the widow of a provisos attached . to section 3 ( 1) predeceased son and also to the widow of a predeceased son of a predeceased son. Section 3(1) speaks of "any property". The expression prima facie includes, unless something to the contrary can be spelt out from the types of other provisions of the Act, all forms or interest answering to the description of "property" in law. Of course, the property must be heritable pre> the question of to which alone. perty in succession may legitimately arise. respect Reliance has been placed f:iy Mr. Banerjee, first of all, upon the object or purpose for which the statute was passed. The object, as set out in the preamble, is to give better rights to women in respect to property; in other words, the object of the legislation is to confer 1136 SUPREME COURT Rfil'ORTS [1951! larger rights upon women in comparison to what In our enjoyed under the ordinary Hindu opinion, the preamble does not throw any light on the question as to whether the Act does or does not include within its ambit rights and interest of a shebait. law. 1951 Angurbala Mul/itlt v. Debabrata MuJ//clt Muk/rerfea J. interest known as the "Hindu women's Mr. Banerjee' next invokes in support of his conten 3, tion the provisions of sub.section (3) of section lays down that the interest devolving upon a widow under the provisions of the Act will be the limit estate''. It is argued that this distinction between the Hindu woman's estate and the unrestricted rights of a male heir can be predicated only of ordinary secular pre> perty, but this distinction is unmeaning when applied to shebaiti right, for the nature of the interest enjoyed by a. male or a female shebait is exactly the same. This argument does not appear to us to be at all con thing happens when the vincing. Precise! y the same shebaiti right devolves upon a female heir under the ordinary law of inheritance. If a shebait dies leaving behind him a widow and no male issue, the widow to shebaitship under ordinary law but would succeed her rights in respect oi the shebaiti would be restricted they would have been if the in the same manner as there are successor was to and certain inherent in the shebaiti right itself and they exist irres pective of the shebaitship devolves upon a male or a female heir. But although as regards powers of alienation the disability of the male and the female shebaits may be identical, then: is yet a distinction between them as regards the other limitation or characteristic of a Hindu women's estate. When a Hindu female heir succeeds to the property of a male propositus, she cannot interest which she inherits, to her own heirs upon her death. The property· goes after her death not to her heirs but to the heirs of the last male owner. This rule applies even when the right which devolves upon a widow is the right of a shebait. After her death sh~blliti right would not pass to her stridhana heirs but would restrictions attached the son. This limitations and to whether is because transmit fact as r 1951 A._ngurbala Mullicki v. Debabrata1 · Mullick Mukherjea 1. S.C.R. SUPREME COURT REPORTS 1137 go to heirs of the last shebait(1). Sub-section (3) of section 3, therefore, is of no assistance to Mr. Banerjee's client. ( intended is capable of testamentary disposition Mr. Banerjee then contends that section . 5 of the Hindu Woman's Rights to Property Act affords a clear to be applicable indication the Act only to property in respect to which a testamentary disposition is possible. This section, it may be noted was added by the amending Act XI of 1938 and the object apparently was to explain what is meant by "dying intestate". It says that for the purposes of the Act -a person shall be deemed to die intestate in respect of all property of which he has not made a festament taking effect. ary disposition which Mr. Banerjee would read the section as qualifying the meaning of the word "property" as used in section 3(1) or rather as engrafting a limitation upon it. What he the section would be says is, that the language of wholly inappropriate if the Act is applicable to pro perties in respect to which, as in the case of shebait ship, no is possible. This argument, in our opinion, cannot be accepted as sound. Section 2 of the Act which has been referred to above makes the provisions of section 3 applicable only when a Hindu dies intestate. A person is ordinarily regard ed as dying intestate when he has left no will dispos. 'ing of his properties. A doubt might arise whether this Act would apply when a will was actually executed by a deceased, but for some reason or other it was incapable of taking effect and it was for the purpose of removing such doubt that this section was added by the amending Act of 1938. The language of section 5 of the Act is exactly the same as that of section 30 of the Indian Succession Act and the object underlying both these provisions appears to be identi cal. Mere execution of a will is not enough to exclude the operation of the Act. The will must be an opera tive will and if the will is void or incapable of taking effect, it would be deemed that the testator has died intestate. as: is "non-testamentable", If the property (I} Anurtlgi kuer v. Part1111a111md. t\ . . I. R. 1939 Pat. 1. 1951 Angurbala Mullick v. Debabrata Mul/ic/o Mukherjea I. 1138 SUPREME COURT REPORTS (1951] intestate Mr. Banerjee puts it, no testamentary disposition of such property is possible or could take effect in law and the testator must in such circumstances be deemed in respect of such property. to have died Thus, there is nothing in any of the provisions of the Act from which an inference could be drawn that the expression "property" as used a interpretation and limited or restricted is not applic able to shebaitship, which is recognised as property in Hindu law. in section 3( l) has ' ) Reference may now be made to the decision of the Federal Court in Umayal Achi v. Llkshmi Achi('), upon which the learned appellate Judges of the High Court practically based their decision. The facts of that case stripped of unnecessary details are that one Arunachalam Chettiar who was a resident of Madras and owned considerable properties, moveable and immoveable, both within and outside British India, died leaving behind him two widows and the widow of a predeceased son. The deceased had left a will but the legacies given by the same exhausted only a small portion of his estate so that with regard to the r rest which was of considerable value he died intestate. The deceased was in possession of several trust proper- ties in regard to which there were certain religious and charitable trusts and the direction in the will was that the management of these trusts should devolve upon his heirs. The son's widow instituted a suit in the the Subordinate Judge at Devakottai for Court of for partition and the estate and administration of separate possession of a half share of the same, basing her claim upon the Hindu Women's Rights to Property Act. The suit was resisted by the two widows as well as by the executqrs appointed under the will of the deceased and it was pleaded, intra alia, that the Hindu Women's Rights to Property Act was ultra vi res the legislature and that in any event it was not applicable as the propositus did not die intestate. The trial court ~ held first that the Act was not ultra vires and was the exception of properties with operative on all ,_ (I} [1945J F. C.R. I. ' . ' 1951 Angurbala Mullick v. Debabrata Mullick Mukherjea J. S.C.R. SUPREME COURT REPORTS 1139 second the provisions of the deceased died the plaintiff was entitled ·Property Act were not attracted agricultural lands and this finding was affirmed by the High Court on appeal and also on further appeal to the Federal Court by the Judges of the the majority of Court. The Judge finding of regard intestate with to a considerable amount of property and con sequently to a · half share thereof. The High Court affirmed this finding with this variation that her claim to moveable situated outside British India was not allowed but the Federal Court reversed the decision of the High Court on this point and restored that of the trial Judge. The other point and that is the point with which we are concerned in the · present case, related to the devolution of the trust es tates which were held by the testator. Both the courts ~ below concurred in holding that these trusts should go · to the heirs of the deceased under the ordinary Hindu law and the Hindu Women's Rights trusts. This decision was upheld by the majority of the point was the Judges the Federal Court and in his judg actually dealt with by Varadachariar J. ment. The view expressed by the ~ that the Hindu Women's Rights to Property Act was intended to apply only to properties beneficially owned rights by the propositus and it was not applicable to that, to us properly construed, this decision does not stand in the way of the appellant. In the first place, we do not know at all what the nature of these trusts was. The learned Judge observed himself in his judgment . that there was little or no evidence as to the terms of the foundations in respect of any of the trusts "managed" by the deceased. This observation, taken along with the terms of the documents referred to in the judgment, would go the deceased was a mere man~ger of the trusts and in respect of some of them ~ at least he was. the manager jointly with other persons. In the High Court, Sir Lionel Leach C. J. expressly held that in no sense could trust properties be regarded as the separate property of the testator and trusteeship. It seems the nature of learned Judge to show 'i- 1951 Angurbala Mu/liclo v. Debahrata Mullick Mulcherjea J. 1140 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1951] ~ ~ is normally to shebaitship, the Hindu Women's Rights that in regard to the consequentfy Act XVIII of 1937 could not apply such a case. V aradachariar J. observed with reference ~ to the documents relied upon by the . learned counsel for the appellant that they only provided for "manage ment by his heirs." At any rate, we have no materials trusts that formed the to hold subject-matter of trustees had any beneficial or personal interest in the trust properties. the indications, on the other hand, are clearly in the opposite direction. In these circumstances, no question arises in the present case of controverting the proposi- tion of law that V aradachariar J. purported down, namely, Property Act could not govern succession to property in respect to which the propositus had no beneficial It is not possible, however, to enunciate enjoyment. on the basis of this decision, a broad rule of law that in which an element of succession beneficial or personal involved interest would not be governed by the provisions of the Act. There are indeed one or two observations ·of the learned Judge in his judgment, not very definitely expressed, from which it is not impossible to draw an inference they ~ in favour of the respondent, but we think should be construed in the light of the facts and the case. The observation actual decision Hindu law regards trusteeship as property for certain purposes is of a most general character and it has to be noted that not only the word "shebaitship" has not been used by the learned Judge but he does not even confine his remarks even to religious trusts. Morever, trusteeship is not certainly equivalent to shebaitship. On the other hand, learned limited objective of the Act affords an Judge to such a indication that he had in mind a trust of character where the trustee had no personal interest in the trust property. The object of the Act as stated above, is to give better rights to women in if it is regarded as If a trusteeship, evc;_n property. P.roP<:rty, carries with it no emoluments or any benefi- cial interest for the trustee and consists of nothing else the reference made by the respect of " .;. 1951 Angurbala Mullick v. Debabrata Mullick Mukherjea J. S.C.R. SUPREME COURT REPORTS 1141 but a bundle of obligations and duties, it might pos sibly be said that the giving of a share iD- such rights to a Hindu widow would not in any way improve her position. But the position would be obviously differen.t if there is a beneficial interest of a substantial kind inseparably connected with· the duties of a particular office. Then again, the learned Judge possibly used the expression "private property" in a ·somewhat loose sense as meaning personal property in respect to which the proprietor has a beneficial interest of his own.· The reference to section 3(3) of the Hindu Women's Rights indicated already, not to Property Ast is, as we have much helpful for the purpose of construing the Act. After all, we must take the decision as it stands and it is not right to call into aid a particulaI1 reason assign ed by the learned Judge, for the purpose of carrying the decision beyond what it actually purports to. lay down. We think that a very proper view of the effect of this decision of the Federal Court has been taken by a Division Bench of the Madras High Court P. Suryanarayanacharyulu v. P. Seshamma(1). There the question arose in connection with the rights asso ciated with the office of archakatavam, which is a here ditary religious office and the holder or holders of it for the time being are beneficially entitled to enjoy the income of the endowed property. It was held that the principle the Federal Court in Umayal Achi v. Lakshmi Achi(2) has no application to a case relating to the office ·of archak_atvan. pointed out by the Madras High Court that though the observations of the learned Judge in the Federal Court the main are wide, the decision proceeded only . on ground to property In our opinion, beneficially owned by the propositus. the same reasons apply to the case of a hereditary shebait of a private debutter, particularly where, in the present case, 25 per cent. of the net income of the endowed properties has been given to the shebait or shebaits for the time being as their remun~ration. Our conclusion, therefore, • is that there is nothing in the Act governs succession laid down by It 1(1) A.I .. 9SOMad. 103. (2) [1945] F.C.R. I. 19Sl A._ngurbala Mui/kl< v. Debabrata Mullick Mukherjea I. i 1142 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1951] any of the provisions of the Hindu Women's Rights to the. s~ope a_nd Property Act which excludes operation of to shebaitship which is a recognized form of property in Hindu law. the Act succession then we is perfectly sound. Succession Assuming that the word "property" in Act XVIII of 1937 is to be interpreted to mean property in its common and ordinarily accepted sense and is not to be extended to any special or peculiar type of property, the other contention of Mr. Tek Chand shebaitship, even though there is an ingredient of office in it, follows succession to ordinary or secular property. It is the general law of succession that governs succes sion to shebaitship as well. While the general law has now been changed hy reason of Act XVIII of 1937, there does not appear to be any cogent reason why the law as it stands at present should not be made applic able in the case of devolution of shebaitship. The last contention of Mr. Tek Chand that under the indenture itself the wife of Mrityunjoy and not Kiranbala particularly has been given rights of succes sion to shebaitship prior to any issue of Mrityunjoy is manifestly untenable and as the learned counsel was not at all serious in pressing this point, we consider it unnecessary to discuss it any further. It remains for us now to advert to and consider the other contentions raised by Mr. B;merjee wi}ich depend upon the construction of the refevant clauses in the indenture. It may be stated at the outset that we are not at all impressed by the argument of the learned counsel that the words "heirs of the said Mrityunjoy" occurring in the document are to be construed as words not of inheritance but of grant. Such construction would be against the language and the whole tenor of It is to be noted that Mrityunjoy was the document. the owner of the dedicated properties and the real founder of the endowment. The mother was associated with him in the act of dedication because it was she the diety and was who consecrated and established looking after it was installed. It was in the fitness of things therefore that its worship and service since }' r S.C.R. SUPREME COURT REPORTS 1143 of Nitto Mrityunjoy should request his mother to become the fi'rst shebait and this is exactly what is recited in the Sundari, indenture. After Mrityunjoy, the founder, himself, was to be the shebaii: and save and except the provision made in favour of Kiranbala, his existing wife, the devolution of shebait ship has been directed to be in the line of heirs of the founder. There treat the heirs as the objects of an independent gift. It may be noted that this identical point was raised before the Federal Court in Umayal Achi v. Lakshmi Achi(1) with regard to the devolution of trust estates. The direction in the will in that case was that should go to the heirs. It was held by Varadachariar J. that it was not reasonable to construe such words as words of gift and not of devolution. is no indication of any intention ~19Sl Angurbala Mu/lick v. Debahrata Mullick Mukherjea I. On the question of construction Mr. B~nerjee's main argument is that if the relevant provisions of the in denture dealing with devolution of shebaitship are read as a whole, it. will be manifest that the executants of the deed intended that the issue of Mrityunjoy were to have preference over other heirs the matter of succession to shebaitship; and that an heir who is not an issue could not come in . so long as an issue remain ed alive. The relevant portion of the document has been set out already and it provides in the first place that after the death of Nitto Sundari, her son the said Mrityunjoy Mullick, shall become the shebait, after him his wife Smt. Kiranbala Dassi, and after her death, the heirs of the said Mrityunjoy Mullick shall be and act as shebaits. Then there is a proviso to the effect said Mrityunjoy shall happen to die witheut any issue or without giving any authority to his wife; him surviving, then in such to adopt, case it shall be competent for Mrityunjoy to appoint by will or otherwise a shebait who would act as such after the death of the said wife; but in case the said Mrityunjoy Mullick shall happen to die without any issue, death of his wife shall devolve upon his heirs undet the said Thakur after the shebaitship of (1) [1945] F.C.R. 1. 19SI Angurhala Mullick v. Debabrata Mullick Mukherjea J. 1144 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1951 l lays stress upon Hindu law. Mr. Banerjee the pro viso, particularly the last portion of it and it contains, according to him, a clear direction that it is only on that the heirs of Mrityunjoy can the failure of issue in as the proviso shebaits. may be reconciled with the clause it, Mr. Banerjee invites us to hold that the word "heirs" in the previous clause should be taken to mean only the issue of Mrityunjoy. that precedes In order • is concerned We do not think that the interpretation suggested by the learned consel is the proper one. A proviso is normally an excepting or a qualifying clause and the effect of it is to except out of the preceding clause upon is engrafted something which but for the proviso would be within it. The word "heirs" cannot normally be limited to issue only. It must mean all persons who are entitled to the property of another under the law of inheritance. So far as the main pr<> is nothing in the language vision or in the context to suggest that the word "heirs" has not been used in its ordinary or natural sense. Mr. Banerjee argues that the proviso that case would be wholly inexplicable whereas it is a sound canon of construction that all the parts of a document should In be read our opinion, the clause that precedes the proviso lays down the general rule relating to devolution of shebait ship. The expression "heirs" has not been used in any restricted or limited sense and extends to all persons who are entitled to succeed under the law. The proviso engrafts an exception upon the general rule. What it does is to give a power to appoint a shebait, who would come as such after his death the contingency of his dying without any issue without giving any' authority to his wife to .adopt a son. includes both son and daughter and the power of appointment cannot be exer~ised by Mrityunjoy even if he has a daughter living. The proviso thus qualifies the main provision to this extent that if the particular conting ency . that is mentioned here is fulfilled, Mrityunjoy It may be noted that the word "issue" together and no portion is to be omitted. to Mrityunjoy 1951 Angurbala Mullick v. Debabrata Mullick· Mukher}ea J. -S.C.R. SUPREME COURT REPORTS 1145 would be entitled to appoint a shebait, although no such power can be deduced from the general clause. In case the contingency does happen l:iut the wife is not given any power of adoption and no appointment is also made by Mrityunjoy, the consequence woul_d certainly be that the other heirs of Mrityunjoy woul(l succeed as shebaits and this is what is laid down in the concluding portion of the proviso. The expression "his heirs" at the end of the proviso would certainly mean heirs other than the son and daughter of Mrity ·unjoy. As Mrityunjoy actually left a son, the contin gency contemplated by the proviso did not arise at all and in these circumstances the proviso is to be ignored altogether for purposes of construction and ·it is not proper to attempt to spell, out of implication, something which is not only not in the main provisions but is contradictory to it. We think, therefore, that this contention of Mr. Banerjee also must fail. it, by The result, therefore, is that, in our opinion, appeal succeeds. The judgment and decree of both the courts below are set aside except the declaration of the right of residence of the plaintiff which was given by the trial court and not disturbed in appeal. In addition to that, it will be decalred _that the plaint iff is entitled to joint shebaitship with the defendant in respect of the debutter created by the indenture of October 10, 1934. We direct the taxed c0st.S of both the parties in all to be paid out of the debuttar estate. the courts CHANDRASEKHARA A1YAR J.-1 agree with the con learned brothers in the thi:ee clusion reached by my judgment just now pronounced, but I would like add a few words on · two points on which I do not sec eye to eye with them fully. In support of his contention that the word "property" in the Hindu Women's Rights to Property Act cannot be construed so comprehensively as to include a she bai~ right, Mr. Bannerjee referred to sub-clause (3) of secnon 3, which speaks of "any interest devolving on a Hindu widow under the provisions of this section • 1951 Angurbala Mullick ... Dehabrata Mullick Chandrasekhara Ai'yar J. 1146 SUPREME COURT REPORTS (1951] interest shall be the limited interest known as a Hindu woman's estate"; and he urged that the conception of such an estate as distinguished from an absolute to such a right of property. This is a inapplicable In dealing with point that deserves some attention. it, we are not thinking of any property endowed to Thakur or the deity and its intrinsic legal characteris tics as constituting a religious endowment. We have in mind the shebaitship itself as a species of property. Can it be postulated with reference to the shebaitship that a Hindu widow succeeding to the office has only what is known as a "Hindu women's estate" as con trasted with a full or absolute estate taken by a male heir? Does a male heir get higher rights than a Hindu widow? and if so, what are they? So far as a shebait ship is concerned, the office does not enure beyond the lifetime of the holder, whether male or female, is res extra commercium. is generally inalienable. It A male heir cannot alienate it any more than a female heir. What limitations exist or are imposed on alien ability arises out of the nature of the property and not out of the nature of the estate taken by the heir. In the very nature of things, there can be no alienation for necessity, surrender, acceleration of in succession, etc. Plausible and favour of attractive is this line of reasoning, and it lends support to the view taken in Umayal Achi v. Lakshmi Achi(') by Sir Varadachariar, where, referring to sub-clause (3) of section 3, he observes :- the estate the next .. ' "This provision will be appropriate enough relation to private property where the woman's estate is different from the interest taken by a male heir. But in respect of trusteeship or other similar office the law makes no difference between taken by a male heir and the interest taken by a female heir." interest But it does not decisively outweigh the several con siderations set forth in the judgment just now delivered by my learned brother Mukherjea J. for construing the include the word "property" in a wider serue so as to If there is no legal objection to a shebaiti right also. "'c (1) [1945] F.C.R. !. 1951 Angurbala· Mullick y,; . Debabrata Mullick Chandrasekhara· A.;yar I. S.C.R. SUPREME COURT REPORTS 1147 woman being a shebait under Hindu law, there is no particular ·reason why she should be excl?de~ from the same under an Act which llllposes succeeding terms, no restriction or prohibition either in express or by necessary implication. I am of the opinion legal effect, adopted The next point relates to the construction of deed of indenture executed by Nittamony Dasi and that the technica~ Mrityunjoy. rules of interpretation of provisos and exceptions, witfi reference to their scope and construing statutes should. not ordinarily be imported in interpreting deeds and documents executed by men. In ordinary deeds, a proviso may sometimes be in the nature of an explanation of the main clause or provision; and we must look not merely at the form the governing idea of the language but its substarn;e, or purpose of the deed, the context and the surround ing circumstances together the real meaning or inten tion of the executant. Judged in this- light and adopting a broad construction, it appe~s to ine that what Mrity unjoy had in mind when he executed the indenture was, as made clear in the proviso, that his issue (born of his loins) or any person whom his wife may adopt on his authority, .should succeed to the shebaiti in the lint instance; and secondly, in default-of such contin gency, the shebaitship should go to any person who may be nominated in this behalf by his will; and thirdly in default of issue (born or adopted) and in default of nomination by will (which is necessarily implied), the right was to devolve . upon his heirs under the Hindu the proviso explains what he law. In this means by his heirs in view, the respondent will succeed to the office in pre ference to the_ appellant. the preceding clause. In other words, But the construction placed on the indenture by my learned brothers is also a possible one and I do not desire to express any dissent from the result, they have reached. Appeal. al.lowed. Agent for appellant : Ganpat Rai. Agent for respondent : P. K. Bose.