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Casual Act Of Possession Over Property Does Not Confer 'Possessory Title'

In CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4527 OF 2009, POONA RAM vs MOTI RAM (D) TH. LRS. & ORS., Moti Ram filed a suit came to be filed for declaration of title and for possession without any document of title to prove his possession, but claimed possessory title based on prior possession for a number of years. The Trial court decreed the suit. The First Appellate court reversed it holding that the defendants had proved their title and possession over the suit property. The High Court restored the Trial court decree and judgment. 

Setting aside the High Court judgment, the Supreme Court referring to previous judgments opined that a person who asserts possessory title over a particular property will have to show that he is under settled or established possession of the said property. But merely stray or intermittent acts of trespass do not give such a right against the true owner. Settled possession means such possession over the property which has existed for a sufficiently long period of time, and has been acquiesced to by the true owner. A casual act of possession does not have the effect of interrupting the possession of the rightful owner. A stray act of trespass, or a possession which has not matured into settled possession, can be obstructed or removed by the true owner even by using necessary force. Settled possession must be (i) effective, (ii) undisturbed, and (iii) to the knowledge of the owner or without any attempt at concealment by the trespasser. There cannot be a straitjacket formula to determine settled possession. Occupation of a property by a person as an agent or a servant acting at the instance of the owner will not amount to actual legal possession. The possession should contain an element of animus possidendi. The nature of possession of the trespasser is to be decided based on the facts and circumstances of each case.

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