Representation of beneficiaries in suits concerning property vested in trustees etc.
Full Text
In all suits concerning property vested in a trustee, executor or administrator, where the contention is between the persons beneficially interested in such property and a third person, the trustee, executor or administrator shall represent the persons so interested, and it shall not ordinarily be necessary to make them parties to the suit. But the Court may, if it thinks fit, order them or any of them to be made parties.
Plain English Summary
Establishes that trustees, executors, and administrators represent the beneficiaries in suits concerning vested trust/estate property against third parties, dispensing with the necessity of impleading individual beneficiaries unless the court orders otherwise.
Key Legal Elements
- Fiduciary Representation: Trustees/executors step into the shoes of all beneficiaries.
- External Contest Scope: Pertains to disputes between the estate/trust and external third parties.
- Dispensation of Beneficiaries: Non-joinder of beneficiaries does not constitute a defect of parties.
- Judicial Discretion (Second Sentence): Court may direct impleadment where trustee's interests conflict or collusion is alleged.
Practical Note
Strategic Defense in Trust & Estate Litigation: 1. Fiduciary Representation Doctrine: In suits filed by or against a public or private trust (e.g. eviction of tenants, recovery of trust property), third parties cannot object to the non-joinder of individual beneficiaries or temple worshippers. The trustees represent the whole beneficial interest (Radha Sundar Dutta v. Mohd. Jahadur Rahim (1959) SCR 1309). 2. Conflict of Interest Exception: If a beneficiary discovers that the executor or trustee is acting in collusion with the adversary or asserting an adverse personal title, move an application under Order I Rule 10 read with Order XXXI Rule 1 requesting direct impleadment to protect beneficial rights.
हिंदी पाठ
न्यासी (Trustee), निष्पादक (Executor) या प्रशासक (Administrator) में निहित संपत्ति से संबंधित सभी वादों में, जहां विवाद ऐसी संपत्ति में हिताधिकारी व्यक्तियों (Beneficiaries) और किसी पर-व्यक्ति (तीसरे पक्षकार) के बीच है, वहां न्यासी, निष्पादक या प्रशासक इस प्रकार हितबद्ध व्यक्तियों का प्रतिनिधित्व करेगा, और साधारणतया उन्हें वाद में पक्षकार बनाना आवश्यक नहीं होगा। किंतु न्यायालय, यदि वह ठीक समझे, तो यह आदेश दे सकेगा कि उन्हें या उनमें से किसी को पक्षकार बनाया जाए।