SHREYA VIDYARTHIversusASHOK VIDYARTHI & ORS.

                       (2015] 14 S.C.R. 1190


A                    SHREYA VIDYARTHI
                                 v.
                  ASHOK VIDYARTHI & ORS.
              (Civil Appeal Nos. 3162-3163 of 2010)
B
                      DECEMBER 16, 2015
           [RANJAN GOGOi AND N.V. RAMANA; JJ.)
         Hindu law - Hindu undivided family - Hindu widow -
   Role assigned - Held: Hindu Widow is not a coparcener in
C the HUF of her husband and, thus, cannot act as Karta of the
   HUF after the death of her husband - Hindu Widow can act
   as the Manager of the HUF in her capacity as the guardian
   of the sole surviving minor male coparcener - Two
   expressions Karta and Manager are not synonymous -
D Expression 'Manager' may be understood as denoting a role
   distinct from that of the Karta - In a case where male adult
   coparcener has died and there is no male coparcener
  .surviving or where the sole male coparcener is a minor, the
   HUF does not come to an end - Mother of the male
E coparcener can act as the legal guardian of the minor and
   also look after his role as the Karla in her capacity as his
    (minor's) legal guardian - On facts, respondent was the only
   surviving male coparcener after the death of his father and
   was a minor - Materials on record indicate that the natural
F mother of minor played a submissive role.in the affairs of the
   joint family and the step mother played an active and
   dominant role in managing the said affairs, in her capacity
   as the step mother bf the respondent and the said role was
   not opposed by the natural mother - Step mother had
G purchased the suit property out of the joint family funds
   namely insurance money, thus, the suit property was a joint
   family property, the respondent was entitled to seek partition
    thereof and on that basis the apportionment of shares in the
   suit property between the respondent and the eighth
H
                                1190
   SHREYA VIDYARTHI v. ASH OK VIDYARTHI & ORS.              1191


defendant-respondent's step sister's adopted daughter rightly A
made by the High Court.
     Dismissing the appeals, the Court
     HELD: 1.1 The appellant came to be impleaded in
the suit following the death of defendant No. 2 and B
thereafter on the death of defendant No. 1. From the facts
recorded by the High Court it is clear and evident that
the appellant had participated in the proceeding before
the High Court at various stages through counsels. In
its order the High Court observed that full opportunity c
of hearing on merits was afforded to the appellant. There
can hardly be any justification to remand the matter to
the High Court for a fresh consideration by setting aside
the impugned order. [Para 14) [1200-C-D, F]
     1.2 The_ affidavit of step mother in suit filed by D
natural mother discloses that she was looking after the
family as the Manager taking care of the respondent No.1-
step son; that she had received the insurance money
following the death of her husband and the same was
used for the purchase of the suit property. The virtual E
admission by the predecessor-in-interest of the
appellant of the use of the insurance money to acquire
the suit property is significant. The insurance amounts
constitute the entitlement of all the legal heirs of the
deceased though the same may have been received by F
step mother 1s the nominee of her husband. [Para 15]
[1200-H; 1201-A·B, DJ
      1.3 The fact that the family was peacefully living
together at the time of the demise of the father; the
continuance of such common residence for almost 7 G
years after purchase of the suit property in the year 1961;
that there was peace and tranquility in the whole family
were rightly taken note of by the High Court as evidence

                                                             H
1192      SUPREME COURT REPORTS             [2015] 14 S.C.R.


 A of existence of a joint family. The execution of sale deed
   in the name of step mother and the absence of any
   mention thereof that she was acting on behalf of the joint
   family has also been rightly construed by the High Court
   with reference to the young age of the respondent-21
 B years which may have inhibited any objection to the
   dominant position of step mother in the joint family, a
   fact also evident from the other materials on record. The
   conclusion reached by the High Court on the issue of
   existence of a joint family is correct. [Para 16] [1202-E-
 C G; 1203-A]
         1.4 A Hindu Widow is not a coparcener in the HUF
   of her husband and, therefore, cannot act as Karta of
   the HUF after the death of her husband. The two
   expressions i.e. Karta and Manager may be understood
 D to be not synonymous and the expression 'Manager'
   may be understood as denoting a role distinct from that
   of the Karta. Hypothetically, the case of HUF may be taken
   where the male adult coparcener has died and there is
   no male coparcener surviving or as in the facts of the
 E instant case, where the sole male coparcener
   (respondent) is a minor. In such a situation obviously
   the HUF does not come to an end. The mother of the
   male coparcener can act as the legal guardian of the
   minor and also look after his role as the Karta in her
 F capacity as his (minor's) legal guardian. [Para 18] [1203-
   G-H; 1204-A·B]
        1.5 In the instant case, RV was the step mother of
   the respondent who at the time of the death of his father
 G was a minor. The respondent was the only surviving
   male coparcener after the death of his father. The
   materials on record indicate that the natural mother of
   respondent, had played a submissive role in the affairs
   of the joint family and the step mother had played an
 H active and dominant role in managing the said affairs.
   SHREYA VIDYARTHI v. ASH OK VIDYARTHI & ORS.           1193


The said role of step mother was not opposed by the A
natural mother. Therefore, the same can very well be
understood to be in her capacity as the step mother of
the respondent and, therefore, consistent with the legal
position which recognizes a Hindu Widow acting as the
Manager of the HUF in her c.apacity as the guardian of B
the sole surviving minor male coparcener. Such a role
necessarily has to be distinguished from that of a Karta
which position the Hindu widow cannot assume by
virtue of her dis-entitlement to be a coparcener in the
HUF of her husband. Regrettably the position remain C
unaltered even after the amendment of the Hindu
Succession Act in 2005. [Para 20] [1204-F-H; 1205-A-C]
      1.6 The apportionment of shares of the parties in
the suit property made by the High Court, does not
disclose any illegality or infirmity so as to justify any D
correction. Having held and rightly that the suit property
was a joint family property, the respondent was found
entitled to seek partition thereof and on that basis the
apportionment of shares in the suit property between
the respondent and the contesting eighth defendant was E
rightly made by the High Court in accordance with the
reliefs sought in the suit. [Para 23] [1205-G-H; 1206-A]
     Smt. Sarbati Devi &Anr. v. Smt. Usha Devi 1984
     (1) SCC 424: 1984 (1) SCR 992; Commissioner
                                                          F
     of Income Tax v. Seth Govindram Sugar Mills Ltd.
     AIR 1966 SC 24 : 1965 SCR 488; Controller of
     Estate Duty, Madras v. Alladi Kuppuswamy 1977
     (3) SCC 385 : 1977 (3) SCR 721; Sushi/a Devi
     Rampuria v. Income Tax Officer and Anr. AIR 1959
                                                         G
     Cal 697 - referred to.
                   Cas.e Law Reference
1984 (1) SCR 992          referred to          Para 15
1965 SCR 488              referred to          Para 17    H
1194         SUPREME COURT REPORTS                   [2015] 14 S.C.R.


 A     1977 (3) SCR 721             referred to            Para 17
       AIR 1959 Cal 697             referred to            Para 18
           CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION: Civil Appeal Nos.
       3162-3163 of 2010
 B           From the Judgment and Order dated 12.08.2009 and
       24.11.2009 of the High Court of Judicature at Allahabad in
       FirstAppeal No. 693of1987 and Civil Misc. Recall Application
       No. 262907 of 2009 in FA No. 693 of 1987
 C          Z. M. Naiyer, Sr. Adv., Salish Vig, Vikas Sachdeva,
       Ashutosh Sharma, Advs. for the Appellant.
           S. B. Upadhyay, Sr. Adv., Vijaiendra Nigam, Y.K.S.
       Chauhan, Ms. Kumud Lala Das, V. Sushant Gupta, Dr. Kailash
       Chand,Advs. forthe Respondents.
 D          The Judgment of the Court was delivered by
              RANJAN GOGOi, J. 1. The appellant before us is the
       8'h Defendant in Suit No. 630of1978 which was instituted by
       the first-respondent herein as the plaintiff. The said suit filed
 E     for permanent injunction and in the alternative for a decree of
       partition and separation of shares by metes and bounds was
       dismissed by the learned Trial Court. In appeal, the High Court
       reversed the order of the Trial Court and decreed the suit of
       the respondent-plaintiff with a further declaration that he is
 F     entitled to 3/41hshare in the suit property, namely, House No.
       7189, Tilak Nagar, Kanpur whereas the appellant (defendant
       No. 8 in the suit) is entitled to the remaining 1/41hshare in the
       said property. Aggrieved, these appeals have been filed.
        2. The relevant facts which will have to be noticed may
 G be enumerated hereinunder.
            In the year 1937 one Hari Shankar Vidyarthi married
       Savitri Vidyarthi, the mother of the respondent-plaintiff.
       Subsequently, in the year 1942, Hari Shankar Vidyarthi was

 H
   SHREYA VIDYARTHI v. ASH OK VIDYARTHI & ORS.                        1195
               [RANJAN GOGOi, J.]

married for the second time to one Rama Vidyarthi. Out of the A
aforesaid si'lcond wedlock, two daughters, namely, Srilekha
Vidyarthi and Madhulekha Vidyarthi (defendants 1 and 2 in
Suit No. 630 of 1978) were born. The appellant-eighth
defendant Shreya Vidyarthi is the adopted daughter of Srilekha
Vidyarthi (since deceased) and also the legatee/ beneficiary B
of a Will left by Madhulekha Vidyarthi.
        3. The dispute in the present case revolves around the
question whether the suit property, as described above, was
purchasec;I by sale deed dated 27.9.1961 by Rama Vidyarthi
from the joint family funds or out of her own personal funds. C
The suit property had been involved in several previous
litigations between the parties, details of which may now require
a close look.
       4. In the year 1968 Suit No. 147/1968 was instituted by         0
Savitri Vidyarthi (mother of the respondent-plaintiff) contending
that the suit property being purchased from the joint family funds
a decree should be passed against the daughters of Rama
Vidyarthi from interfering with her possession. This suit was
dismissed under the provisions of Order VII Rule 11 CPC on             E
account of failure to pay the requisite court fee. In the said suit
the respondent-plaintiff had filed an affidavit dated 24.2.1968
stating that he had willfully relinquished all his rights and
interests, if any, in the suit property. The strong reliance placed
on the said affidavit on behalf of the appellant in the course of      F
the arguments advanced on her behalf needs to be dispelled
by the fact that an actual reading of the said affidavit discloses
that such renunciation was only in respect of the share of Rama
Devi in the suit property and not on the entirety thereof.
Consistent with the above position is the suit filed by the            G
respondent-plaintiff i.e. Suit No. 21/70/1976 seeking partition
of the joint family properties. The said suit was again dismissed
under the provisions of Order VII Rule 11 CPC for failure to
pay the requisite court fee. It also appears that Rama Vidyarthi
                                                                       H
1196         SUPREME COURT REPORTS                    [2015] 14S.C.R.


 A     the predecessor-in-interest of the present appellant had filed
       Suit No. 37/1969 under Section 6 of the Specific Relief Act for
       recovery of possession of two rooms of the suit property which,
       according to her, had been forcibly occupied by the present
       respondent-plaintiff. During the pendency of the aforesaid suit
 B     i.e. 37/1969 Rama Vidyarttii had passed away. The aforesaid
       suit was decreed in favour of the legal heirs of the plaintiff-
       Rama Vidyarthi namely, Srilekha and Madhulekha Vidyarthi
       on 4.2.1976.                          ·
             5. It is in the aforesaid fact situation that the suit out of
 C     which the present appeals have arisen i.e. Suit No. 630 of
       1978 was filed by the present respondent-plaintiff impleading
       Srilekha Vidyarthi (mother of the appellant) and Madhulekha
       Vidyarthi (testator of the Will in favour of the appellant) as
       defendants 1 and 2 and seeking the reliefs earlier noticed.
 D
          6. The specific case pleaded by the plaintiff in the suit
   was that the plaintiff's father, Hari Shankar Vidyarthi, died on
   14.3.1955 leaving behind his two widows i.e. Savitri Vidyarthi
   (first wife) and Rama Vidyarthi (second wife). According to
 E the plaintiff, the second wife i.e. Rama Vidyarthi had managed
   the day to day affairs of the entire family which was living jointly.
   The plaintiff had further pleaded that Rama Vidyarthi was the
   nominee of an insurance policy taken out by Hari Shankar
   Vidyarthi during his life time and that she was also receiving a
 F monthly maintenance of a sum of Rs. 500/- on behalf of the
   family from the "Pratap Press Trust, Kanpur" of which Hari
   ShankarVidyarthi was the managing trustee. In the suit filed,
   it was further pleaded that Rama Vidyarthi received a sum of
   Rs. 33,000/- out of the insurance policy and also a sum of Rs.
 G 15,000/- from Pratap Press Trust, Kanpur as advance
   maintenance allowance. It was claimed that the said amounts
   were utilized to purchase the suit property on 27.9.1961. It was,
   therefore, contended that the suit property is joint family
   property having been purchased out of joint family funds. The
 H
   SHREYA VIDYARTHI v. ASH OK VIDYARTHI &ORS.                    1197
               [RANJAN GOGOi, J.]

plaintiff had further stated that all members of the family A
including the first wife, the first respondent and his two step
sisters i.e. Srilekha and Madhulekha Vidyarthi had lived
together in the suit property. As the relationship between th_e
parties had deteriorated/changed subsequently and the
plaintiff-respondent and his mother (Savitri Vidyarthi) were not · B
permitted to enter the suit property and as a suit for eviction
was filed against the first respondent (37 of 1969) by Rama
Vidyarthi the instant suit for permanent injunction and partition
was instituted by the respondent-plaintiff.
      7. The plaintiff's suit was resisted by both Srilekha and C
Madhulekha, primarily, on the ground that the suit property was
purchased by their mother Rama Vidyarthi from her own funds
and not from any joint family funds. In fact, the two sisters, who
were arrayed as defendants 1 and 2 in the suit, had specifically
denied the existence of any joint family or the availability of D
any joint family funds.
       8. The Trial Court dismissed the suit by order dated
19.8.1997 citing several reasons for the view taken including
the fact that respondent-plaintiff was an attesting witness to E
the sale deed dated 27.9.1961 by which the suit property was
purchased in the name of Rama Vidyarthi; there was no
mention i11 the sale deed that Rama Vidyarthi was representing
the joint family or that she had purchased the suit property on
behalf of any other person. The learned Trial Court further held F
that in the year 1955 when Hari Shankar Vidyarthi had died
there was no joint family in existence and in fact no claim of
any joint family property was raised unti_I the suit property was
purchased in the year 1960-61. The Trial Col!rt was also of
the view that if the other members of the family had any right to G
the insurance money such a claim should have been lodged
by way of a separate suit. Aggrieved by the dismissal of the
suit, the respondent-plaintiff filed an appeal before the High
Court.

                                                                  H
1198         SUPREME COURT REPORTS                    [2015] 14 S.C.R.


 A      9. Certain facts and events which had occurred during
   the pendency of the appeal before the High Court will require
   a specific notice as the same form the basis of one limb of the
   case projected by the appellant before us in the present appeal,
   namely, that the order of the High Court is an ex-parte order
 B passed without appointing a legal guardian for the appellant
   for which reason the said order is required to be set aside
   and the matter remanded for a de nova consideration by the
   High Court.
             10. The first significant fact that has to be noticed in this
 C     regard is the death of Madhulekha Vidyarthi during the
       pendency of the appeal and the impleadment of the appellant
       as the 8th respondent therein by order dated 31.08.2007. This
       was on the basis that the appellant is the sole legal heir of the
       deceased Madhulekha. The said order, however, was curiously
 D     recalled by the High Court by another order dated 10.10.2007.
       The next significant fact which would require notice is that upon
       the death of her mother Srilekha Vidyarthi, the appellant-
       defendant herself filed an application for pursuing the appeal
       in which an order was passed on 16/18.05.2009 to the effect
 E     that the appellant is already represented in the proceedings
       through her counsel (in view of the earlier order impleading
       the appellant as legal heir of Madhulekha). However, by the
       said order the learned counsel was given liberty to obtain a
       fresh vakalatnama from the appellant which, however, was not
 F     so done. In the aforesaid fact situation, the High Court
       proceeded to consider the appeal on merits and passed the
       impugned judgment on the basis of consideration of the
       arguments advanced by the counsel appearing on behalf of
       the appellant at the earlier stage, namely, one Shri A.K.
 G     Srivastava and also on the basis of the written arguments
       submitted on behalf of the deceased Srilekha Vidyarthi. It is
       in these circumstances that the appellant has now, inter alia,
       contended that the order passed by the High Court is without
       appointing any guardian on her behalf and contrary to the
 H
           SHREYA VIDYARTHI v. ASHOK VIDYARTHI & ORS.                  1199
                       [RANJAN GOGOi, J.)

        provisions of Order XXXll Rules 3, 10 and 11 of the CPC.        A
               11. Insofar as the merits of the appeal are concerned,
        the High Court took the view that on the facts before it, details
        of which will be noticed in due course, there was a joint family
        in existence in which the second wife Rama Vidyarthi had
        played a predominant role and that the suit property was B
        purchased out of the joint family funds namely the insurance
        money and the advance received from the Pratap Press Trust,
        Kanpur. Insofar as the devolution of shares is concerned, the
        High Court took the view that following the death of Hari
        Shankar Vidyarthi, as the sole surviving male heir, the c
        respondent-plaintiff became entitled to 50% of the suit property
.....    and the remaining 50% was to be divided between the two
         wives of Hari ShankarVidyarthi in equal proportion. Srilekha
         and Madhulekha Vidyarthi, i.e. defendants 1 and 2 in the suit,
         as daughters of the second wife, would be entitled to share of D
         Rama Vidyarthi, namely, 25% of the suit property. On their
         death, the appellant would be entitled to the said 25% share
        whereas the remaining 25% share (belonging to the first wife)
        being the subject matter of a Will in favour of her minor grand-
         children (sons of the respondent-plaintiff), ~he respondent- E
        plaintiff would also get the aforesaid 25% share of the suit
        property on behalf of the minors. Accordingly, the suit was
         decreed and the order of dismissal of the suit was reversed.
               12. The aforesaid order of the High Court dated
                                                                          F
        12.08.2009 was attempted to be recalled by the appellant-81h
        defendant by filing an application to the said effect which was
        also dismissed by the High Court by its order dated
        24.11.2009. Challenging both the abovesaid orders of the
        High Court, the present appeals have been filed.
                                                                          G
               13. Having heard learned counsels for the parties, we
        find that two issues in the main arise for determination in these
        appeals. The first is whether the High Court was correct in
        passing the order dated 24.11.2009 on the recall application
                                                                          H
1200         SUPREME COURT REPORTS                   [2015] 14 S.C.R.


 A     filed by the appellant and whether, if the appellant had really
       been proceeded ex-parte thereby rendering the said order
       untenable in law, as claimed, should the matter be remitted to
       the High Court for reconsideration. The second question
       arising is with regard to the order dated 12.08.2009 passed
 B     by the High Court in First Appeal No. 693 of 1987 so far as the
       merits thereof is concerned.
             14. The detailed facts in which the appellant-8th defendant
       came to be impleaded in the suit following the death of
       Madhulekha Vidyarthi (defendant No. 2) and thereafter on the
 C     death of Srilekha Vidyarthi (defendant No. 1) has already been
       seen. From the facts recorded by the High Court in its order
       dated 24.11.2009 it is clear and evident that the appellant had
       participated in the proceeding before the High Court at various
       stages through counsels. Therefore, there is no escape from
 D     the conclusion that the order passed in the appeal was not an
       ex-parte order as required to be understood in law. The
       appellant was already on record as the legal heir of Madhulekha
       Vidyarthi (defendant No. 2) and was represented by a counsel.
       The High court had passed its final order after hearing the said
 E     counsel and upon consideration of the written arguments filed
       in the case. In its order_ dated 24.11.2009 the High Court has
       observed that full opportunity of hearing on merits was afforded
       to the appellant. Even before us, the appellant has been heard
       at length on the merits of the case. In these circumstances
 F     there can hardly be any justification to remand the matter to
       the High Court for a fresh consideration by setting aside the
       impugned order.
          15. Insofar as the merits of the order of the High Court is
 G concerned, the sole question involved is whether the suit
   property was purchased by Rama Vidyarthi, (defendant No.1)
   out of the joint family funds or from her own income. The affidavit
   of Rama Vidyarthi in Suit No. 147 of 1968 filed by Savitri
   Vidyarthi discloses that she was looking after the family as the
 H
          SHREYA VIDYARTHI v. AS HOK VIDYARTHI & ORS.                1201
                      [RANJAN GOGOi, J.]

    Managertaking care of the respondent No.1, her step son i.e. A
    the son of the first wife of Hari Shankar Vidyarthi. In the said
    affidavit, it is also admitted that she had received the insurance ·
    money following the death of Hari Shankar Vidyarthi and the
    same was used for the purchase of the suit property along
    with other funds which she had generated on her own. The B
    virtual admission by the predecesso~-in-interest of the
    appellant of the use of the insurance money to acquire the suit
    property is significant. Though the claim of absolute ownership
    of the suit property had been made by Rama Vidyarthi in the
•   aforesaid affidavit, the said claim is belied by the true legal C
    position with regard to the claims/entitlement of the other legal
    heirs to the insurance amount. Such amounts constitute the
    entitlement of all the legal heirs of the deceased though the
    same may have been received by Rama Vidyarthi as the
    nominee of her husband. The above would seem to follow from D
    the view expressed by this Court in Smt. Sarbati Devi &Anr.
     vs. Smt. Usha Devi' which is extracted below. (Paragraph
     12)
            "12. Moreover there is one other strong
             circumstance in this case which dissuades us from        E
             taking a view contrary to the decisions of all other
             High Courts and accepting the view expressed by
             the Delhi High Court in the two recent judgments
             delivered in the year 1978 and in the year 1982.
             The Act has been in force from the year 1938 and         F
             all along almost all the High Courts in India have
             taken the view that a mere nomination effected
           · under Section 39 does not deprive the heirs of their
             rights in the amount payable under a life insurance
             policy. Yet Parliament has not chosen to make any        G
             amendment to the Act. In such a situation unless
             there are strong and compelling reasons to hold
             that all these decisions are wholly erroneous, the
    1
        1984 (1) sec 424                                              H
1202       SUPREME COURT REPORTS                  (2015] 14 S.C.R.


 A        Court should be slow to take a different view. The
          reasons given by the Delhi High Court are
          unconvincing. We, therefore, hold that the judgments
          of the Delhi High Court in Fauza Singh case and in
          Uma Sehgal case do not lay down the law correctly.
 B        They are, therefore, overruled. We approve the
          views expressed by the other High Courts on the
          meaning of Section 39 of the Act and hold that a
          mere nomination made under Section 39 of the Act
          does not have the effect of conferring on the
 C        nominee any beneficial interest in the amount
          payable under the life insurance policy on the death
          of the assured. The nomination only indicates the
          hand which is authorised to receive the amount, on
          the payment of which the insurer gets a valid
 D        discharge of its liability under the policy. The
          amount, however, can be claimed by the heirs of
          the assured in accordance with the law of
          succession governing them."
          16. The fact that the family was peacefully living together
 E at the time of the demise of Hari Shankar Vidyarthi; the
    continuance of such common residence for almost 7 years
    after purchase of the suit property in the year 1961; that there
    was no discord between the parties and there was peace and
    tranquility in the whole family were also rightly taken note of by
 F ·the High Court as evidence of existence of a joint family. The
    execution of sale deed dated 27 .9.1961 in the name of Rama
    Vidyarthi and the absence of any mention thereof that she was
    acting on behalf of the joint family has also been rightly
    construed by the High Court with reference to the young age
 G of the plaintiff-respondent (21 years)which may have inhibited
    any objection to the dominant position of Rama Vidyarthi in
    the joint family, a fact also evident from the other materials on
    record. Accordingly, there can be no justification to cause any

 H
   SHREYAVIDYARTHI v. ASHOKVIDYARTHl&ORS.                          1203
              [RANJAN GOGOi, J.]

interference with the conclusion reached by the High Court on      A
the issue of existence of a joint family.
       17. How could Rama Vidyarthi act as the Karta of the
HUF in view of the decision of this Court in Commissioner of
Income Tax vs. Seth Govindram Sugar Mills Ltd. 2 holding
that a Hindu widow cannot act as the Karta of a HUF which          B
role the law had assigned only to males who alone could be
coparceners (prior to the amendment of the Hindu Succession
Act in 2005). The High Court answered the question in favour
of the respondent-plaintiff by relying on the decision of this
Court in Controller of Estate Duty, Madras Vs. Alladi              C
Kuppuswamy3.wherein the rights enjoyed by a Hindu widow
during time when the Hindu Women's Rights to Property Act,
 1937 remained in force were traced and held to be akin to all
 rights enjoyed by the deceased husband as a coparcener
 though the same were bound by time i.e. life time of the widow    D
 (concept of limited estate) and without any authority 9r power
 of alienation. We do not consider it necessary to go into the
 question of the applicability of the ratio of the decision in
 Controller of Estate Duty, Madras (supra) to the present
case inasmuch as in the above case the position of a Hindu         E
widow in th~ co-parcenary and her right to co-parcenary
 property to the extent of the interest of her deceased husband
 was considered in the conlext of the specific provisions of the
 Estate Duty Act, 1953. The issue(s) arising presently are
 required to be answered from a somewhat different                  F
 perspective.
      18. While there can be no doubt that a Hindu Widow is
not a coparcener in the HUF of her husband and, therefore,
cannot act as Karta of the HUF after the death of her husband      G
the two expressions i.e. Karta and Manager may be
understood to be not synonymous and the expression
''Manager" may be understood as denoting a role distinct from
2 AIR 1966 SC 24

'[1977 (3) sec 3851
                                                                    H
. 1204            SUPREME COURT REPORTS              [2015] 14 S.C.R.


   A that of the Karta. Hypothetically, we may take the case of HUF
     where the male adult coparcener has died and there is no male
     coparcener surviving or as in the facts of the present case,
     where the sole male coparcener (respondent-plaintiff-Ashok
     Vidyarthi) is a minor. In such a situation obviously the HUF
   B does not come to an end. The mother of the male coparcener
     can act as the legal guardian of the minor and also look after
     his role as the Karta in her capacity as his (minor's) legal
     guardian. Such a situation has been found, and in our opinion
     rightly, to be consistent with the law by the Calcutta High Court
   C in Sushi/a Devi Rampuria v. Income Tax Officer and Anr. 4
     rendered in the context of the provisions ofthe Income Tax Act
     and while determining the liability of such a HUF to assessment
     under the Act. Coincidently the aforesaid decision of the
     Calcutta High Court was noticed in Commissioner of Income
   D Tax vs. Seth Govindram Sugar Mills Ltd. (supra).
               19. A similar proposition of law is also to be found in
         decision· of the Madhya Pradesh High Court in Dhujram v.
         Chandan Singh & Ors. 5 though, again, in a little different
         context. The High Court had expressed the view that the word
   E     'Manager' would be consistent with the law if understood with
         reference to the mother as the natural guardian and not as the
         Karta of the HUF.
           20. In the present case, Rallila Vidya!ihi was the step
   F mother of the respondent-plaintiff-Ashok Vidyarthi who at the
     time of the death of his father- Hari ShankarVidyarthi, was a
     minor. The respondent plaintiff was the only surviving male
     coparcener after the death of Hari Shankar Vidyarthi. The
     materials on record indicate that the natural mother of Ashok
   G Vidyarthi, Smt. Savitri Vidyarthi, had played a submissive role
     in the affairs of the joint family and the step mother, Rama
     Vidyarthi i.e. second wife of Hari Shankar Vidyarthi had played
     an active and dominant role in managing the said affairs. The
         4 AIR 1959 Cal 697

   H     5
             1974 MPL J554
   SHREYA VIDYARTHI v. ASHOK VIDYARTHI &ORS.                         1205
               [RANJAN GOGOi, J.]

aforesaid role of Rama Vidyarthi was not opposed by the A
natural mother, Savitri Vidyarthi. Therefore, the same can very
well be understood to be in her capacity as the step mother of  -,
the respondent-plaintiff-Ashok Vidyarthi and, therefore,
consistent with the legal position which recognizes a Hindu
Widow acting as the Manager of the HUF in her capacity as B
the guardian of the sole surviving minor male coparcener. Such
a role necessarily has to be distinguished from that of a Karta
which position the Hindu widow cannot assume by virtue of
her dis-entitlement to be a coparcener in the HUF of her
husband. Regrettably the position remain unaltered even after C
the amendment of the Hindu Succession Act in 2005.
     21. In the light of the above, we cannot find any error in
the ultimate conclusion of the High Court on the issue in
question though our reasons forthe aforesaid conclusion are
somewhat different.                                                   D
      22. Before parting we may note that the history of the
earlier litigation between the parties involving the suit property
would not affect the maintainability of the suit in question (630
of 1978). Suit No.37of1969 filed by Rama Vidyarthi was a              E
suit under Section 6 of the Specific Relief Act whereas Suit
No.147 of 1968 and Suit No. 21/70/1976 filed by first wife
Savitri Vidyarthi and Ashok Vidyarthi, respectively, were
dismissed under Order VII Rule 11 CPC on uccount of non-
payment of court fee. In these circumstances, the suit out of         F
which the present appeal has arisen i.e. Suit No. 630 of 1978
was clearly maintainable under Order VII Rule 13 CPC.
       23. The apportionment of shares of the parties in the suit
property made by the High Court, in the manner discussed
above, also does not disclose any illegality or infirmity so as G
to justify any correction by us. It is our considered view that
having held and rightly that the suit property was a joint family
property, the respondent-plaintiff was found entitled to seek
partition thereof and on that basis the apportionment of shares
                                                                      H
1206          SUPREME COURT REPORTS                [2015) 14 S.C.R.


 A     in the suit property between the plaintiff and the contesting
       eighth defendant was rightly made by the High Court in
       accordance with the reliefs sought in the suit.
             24. For the aforesaid reasons, we do not find any merit
       in these appeals, the same are being accordingly dismissed.
 B     However, in the facts of the case we leave the parties to bear
       their own costs.


       Nidhi Jain                                    Appeals dismissed.