In a Suit for Fixation of Boundary, Property of the Defendant Need Not be Scheduled

Jojy George Koduvath

The Kerala High Court in K.N. Sukumaran Nair v. K.E. Parameswara Pillai (Sathish Ninan & P. Krishna Kumar, JJ.), May 25, 2026, found the following in a ‘boundary fixation case’ –

1. Plaintiff Need Not Know Details of the Property of the Defendant

  • The plaintiff cannot be expected to know or be aware of the details of the property of the defendant including its extent and survey number.
  • It would be imprudent to hold that the plaintiff cannot file a suit for determination of the boundary of his property if he is unaware of the details of the property of the defendant.
  • In a suit for fixation of boundary the property of the defendant need not be separately scheduled in the plaint.
  • It would be sufficient to mention that the adjoining property of the disputed boundary is that of the defendant.

2. O. VII r. 3 CPC – Property Description Must Be Sufficient to Identify it

Order VII Rule 3 of the Code of Civil Procedure reads as under:

  • “3. Where the subject-matter of the suit is immovable property.—Where the subject-matter of the suit is immovable property, the plaint shall contain a description of the propertysufficient to identify it, and, in case such property can be identified by boundaries or numbers in a record of settlement or survey, the plaint shall specify such boundaries or numbers.”

3. Measurements be based on the title deeds of the both parties or possession

  • However, such measurements would be based on the title deeds of the respective parties or possession as the case may be.

4. When Commissioner Identified Properties, A Further Identification Not Necessary

  • The properties have been identified in the commissioner’s report and plan, a further identification by measurement is not necessary.

5. Decision Must Be By The Court 

  • Though the commissioner has included the disputed plot to be that of the plaintiff, the question as to whether it belongs to the plaintiff or to the defendant is to be decided by the court  based on the evidence on record including the recitals in the documents.

End Notes

Read: Mistake in Boundary or Survey Number will not Invalidate a Document; Insignificant Errors in Pleadings will not Disentitle a Decree

1. If the property is clearly identifiable, insignificant errors in its description in pleadings are not fatal. The court can act upon such correct identification without requiring a formal amendment to the pleadings or the decree.

  • Chandrakumar v. Narayana Bahuleyan, ILR 2011-2 Ker 897; 2011-2 KHC 884; 2011-3 KLT 185 (the plaintiffs may not be non-suited, for no explanation as to a larger extent).
  • Niyamat Ali Molla v. Sonargon Housing Co-operative Society Ltd. , AIR 2008 SC 225; 2007-13 SCC 421 (in the Schedule of the Property, certain blank spaces have been left for the insertion of the plot numbers maintained in the Village records).
  • Mohammed Munvar v. N.C. Nesan, 21 Mar 2024, 2024 Supreme(Mad) 613 (east and west boundaries interchanged).
  • Guda Sanjeeva Reddy v. Kodathala Sujatamma, 2006-4 ALT 636; 2006-4 CivCC 452; 2007-5 RCR(Civ) 271 (name of the Village was wrongly described in the plaint).

2. An insignificant error in the plaint, even repeated in the decree, can be corrected by the court, invoking section 152 CPC.

  • Rahulghani v. Uma Shenkar, A.I.R. 1944 Oudh 5, (clerical error: ‘west’ for ‘east’)
  • Satyanarayana v. Purnayya, 1931 Mad 260 (wrong survey number)
  • J. Sarojini Alias Nesamma v. Narayani Sarojini, 2008-1 ILR(Ker) 153; 2008-1 KHC 897; 2008-1 KLT 516 (mistake in survey number).
  • Deo Kumar Sah v. Mahesh Pd. Rai, 2004-3 BBCJ 175; 2004-3 PLJR 354 (mistake in plot number and area).
  • Mohinder Singh v. Teja Singh, AIR 1979 P & H 47, (incorrect plot number and area)
  • Pratibha Singh v. Shanti Devi Prasad, (2003)2 SCC 330 (mistake in survey number)
  • Easwari Amma Prsannakumari v. Radhakrishna Pillai, 2015 (5) KerHC 922 (a survey number was omitted, and the length of the way was incorrect).

3. A mere mistake occurred in the compromise petition Can Be Corrected In Decree

  • M. K. Soumini v. M. K. Sreedharen, 10 Jan 2017, 2017 Supreme(Ker) 173,

4. Mistakes in decree arose from the erroneous plaint Can also Be Corrected In Decree

  • J. Sarojini Alias Nesamma v. Narayani Sarojini, 2008-1 ILR(Ker) 153; 2008-1 KHC 897; 2008-1 KLT 516 (mistake in survey number),
  • Subramanian Iyer v. Joseph George, 1959 K.L.T. 165 (boundaries of the schedule wrongly described; decree corrected).

5. Even Incidental Errors Anterior To Decree (Original Document), Can Be Corrected In Decree

  • Abdhu v. Assainar (1993 [2] KLT 711)
  • Raman Nadar Velayudhan Nadar v. Janaki Karthi (2011 [2] KLT 149)

6. Court Orders – Technical Defects will not defeat Substantive Rights

  • Kailash v. Nanhku, (2005) 4 SCC 480.
  • Ghanshyam Dass v. Dominion of India, (1984) 3 SCC 46).
  • State of Punjab v. Shamlal Murari, (1976) 1 SCC 719.
  • Sushil Kumar Sen v. State of Bihar (1975) 1 SCC 774,
  • Sangram Singh v. Election Tribunal, Kotah, AIR 1955 SC 425,

7. Non-mentioning of survey number is not a ground to reject the application of Petrol Pump.

  • Rajesh Parmar v. Under Secretary, Petroleum Corporation, MANU/MP/0121/2019)
  • Indian Oil Corporation Limited v.  Gosala Raju, AIR 2022 AP (NOC) 260.

8. “Falsa Demonstratio Non Nocet”  (Adequate and sufficient description with convenient certainty of what was meant to pass): an erroneous addition to the description will not vitiate it.

  • Umrao Bapu v. Ramakrishna Bapu, AIR1938 Nag. 93,
  • Durga Prased Singh v. Rajendra Narain Bagchi (1910) 37 Cal. 293,
  • Savarimuthu Nadar Chellayan Nadar v. Kanakku Kali Pillai Padmanabha Pillai, 1957 KHC 184

9. General principle – boundary descriptions shall prevail

  • Subhaga v. Shoba, 2006-5 SCC 466
  • T. Venkata Vijaya Lakshmi v. Kodali Rayana Rao, 2023-4 ALT 272; 2023-3 CivCC 746
  • Vishnu Anant Dessai v. Govind Vithal Sawant, 2020-5 All MR 496 (Bom);
  • Sumathi v. State of Kerala, ILR 2018-4 Ker 956; 2018-5 KHC 586; 2018-4 KLT 959

10.Boundary descriptions – Vague and Uncertain Description Rejected & Definite and Certain Preferred.

  • Chandrakumar v. Narayana Bahuleyan, ILR 2011-2 Ker 897; 2011-2 KHC 884; 2011-3 KLT 185
  • Sivaraman Nair v. Shamsuddin, 1990 (1) KerLT 187: 1990 KHC 295
  • Savithri Ammal v. Padmavathy, 1990 KHC 295,

11. No Stamp Duty for Rectification Deed

  • P. Sasikumar v. State Of Kerala, 2024-4 KLT 864,
  • Jihas P.A. v. District Registrar, 2012 (3) KHC 146)
  • Rajesh Kumar K.T. v. State of Kerala, 2024 (3) KHC 425

12. Error will not necessarily invalidate a document – Not Applied

  • Kamalamma v. Shibu, 2024-3 KerHC 547.
  • Savarimuthu Nadar Chellayan Nadar v. Kanakku Kali Pillai Padmanabha Pillai, 1957 KHC 184,

13. Execution of ‘Rectification Deed’

  • Rajesh Kumar KT  v. State of Kerala, 2024-3 KHC 425,
  • Vannathi Valatpil Mahmood v. State of Kerala, 2019 (2) KHC 736 (change in the description of the property)
  • Jihas v. District Registrar, 2012 (3) KLT 194 (mistake in mentioning flat number in the sale deed).

14. Wrong description in Will. Legal heirs can execute a rectification

  • Baburaj P.K v. State of Kerala, 2019 (2) KHC 628.

15. Clerical or Arithmetical Errors in the plaint and Final Decrees can be Rectified

  • Kalkonda Pandu Rangaiah v. Kalkonda Krishnaiah, AIR 1974 AP 201,

16, When instrument may be rectified

  • Section 26 of Sp. Relief Act

17. Suit for Rectification of Deed – When Needed?

  • Aliyar v. Raju V. Vayalat, 2016-1 KHC 763; 2016-2 KLT 656.

18. Intention of the Parties to prevail when conflict between area and boundaries

  • Krishnamoorthi Iyer v. Janaki Amma, 1957 KHC 202 : 1957 KLT 886,
  • Sumathi v. State of Kerala, ILR 2018-4 Ker 956; 2018-5 KHC 586; 2018-4 KLT 959)
  • The Church of South India Trust Association v. Raja Ambrose, 1978- 2 MLJ 620.

19. No “suppression”, if the facts are (i) Not Material and  (ii) “Known” to the opposite side.

  • Avtar Singh v. Union of India, 2016-8 SCC 471, (in a case of information given to the employer by a candidate).

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