30/11/2014

Q:Writeanoteonthedoctrineofelectionwithsuitableillustrations.

Q:Writeanoteonthedoctrineofelectionwithsuitable
illustrations.
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Answer:

TheprincipleofthedoctrineofelectionwasexplainedbytheHouseoflordsintheleadingcase
of Cooper Vs. Cooper . Lord Hatherley explained the principle underlying the doctrine of
electioninthefollowingwords,.thereisanobligationonhimwhotakesabenefitundera
willorotherinstrumenttogivefulleffecttothatinstrumentunderwhichhetakesabenefit
andifitbefoundthatthatinstrumentpurportstodealwithsomethingwhichitwasbeyondthe
powerofthedonororsettlortodisposeof,buttowhicheffectcanbegivenbytheconcurrence
ofhimwhoreceivesabenefitunderthesameinstrument,thelawwillimposeonhimwhotakes
thebenefittheobligationofcarryingtheinstrumentintofullandcompleteforceandeffect.

Section35oftheTransferofPropertyActembodiedthedoctrineofelection.
Accordingtothesection35whereaperson
i)professestotransferpropertywhichhehasnorighttotransfer,and
ii)aspartofthesametransaction,confersanybenefitontheowneroftheproperty,

suchownermustelecteithertoconfirmthetransferortodissentfromit.
Ifhedissentsfromit,
a)hemustrelinquishthebenefitsoconferredand
b)thebenefitsorelinquishedrevertstothetransferororhisrepresentativeasifithadnotbeen
disposedof.
However,whensuchbenefitrevertsbacktothetransferor,itissubjecttothechargeofmaking
good to the disappointed transferee the amount or value of the property attempted to be
transferredintwocases,namely
i)wherethetransferisgratuitous,andthetransferorhas,beforeelection,diedorotherwise
becomeincapableofmakingafreshtransferand
ii)wherethetransferisforconsideration.
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Q:Writeanoteonthedoctrineofelectionwithsuitableillustrations.

Thedoctrineofelectionmaybeillustratedbythefollowingexample.

LetussupposethatonefarmofSultanpuristhepropertyofCandworth`8,00/.A,professes
to transfer that farm of Sultanpur upon which he has no right to transfer . And by an
instrumentofgift,professestotransferittoB,givingbythesameinstrument`1,000/toC.C

, the owner of the farm of Sultanpur , is to elect either to confirm the transfer or to
dissentfromit.Here,Celectstoretainthefarmordissentsfromthetransfer.C,thenforfeits
thegiftof`1,000/.Inthesamecase,Adiesbeforetheelection.TherepresentativesofAmust
,outofthe`1,000/pay`8,00/toBtomakegoodtothedisappointedtransfereetheamount
orvalueofthepropertyattemptedtobetransferred.

Thedoctrineofelectionisbasedontheprincipleofequity.
Theconditionsnecessaryforapplicationofthisdoctrineareasfollows:
1)Thetransferormustnotbeownerofthepropertywhichhetransfers.
2)Thetransferormusttransferthepropertyofotherownertoathirdperson.
3)Thetransferormustatthesametimegrantsomeproperty,inthesameinstrument,outof
hisown,totheownerofproperty.
4)Thetwotransfersi.e.transferofthepropertyofownertothetransfereeandconfermentof
benefit on the owner of property must be made in the same transaction . Question of election
doesnotariseifthetwotransfersaremadebyvirtueoftwoseparateinstruments.
5)Theownermusthaveproprietaryinterestintheproperty,acreditorisnotputtoelectionas
hehasonlyapersonalrighttobepaidbythedebtor.
6) The owner taking no benefit under a transaction directly , but diverting a benefit under it
indirectly,isnotputtoelection.
7)Questionofelectiondoesnotarisewhenbenefitisgiventoapersoninadifferentcapacity.

ThereisdifferenceinbetweenEnglishandIndianlawregardingthedoctrineofelection.
i) English law applies the principle of compensation while the Indian law adopts the rule of
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Q:Writeanoteonthedoctrineofelectionwithsuitableillustrations.

forfeiture.
ii) English law does not specify any time within which election is to be made .Indian law
specifiedoneyeartimewithinwhichownerofthepropertyistoelectwhetherheconfirmsthe
transfer or dissents from it .If the owner does not comply with such requisition , he is to be
deemedtohaveelectedtoconfirmthetransfer.

Thereisoneexceptiontothedoctrineofelection.

Whereaparticularbenefitisexpressedtobeconferredontheownerofthepropertywhichthe
transferorprofessestotransfer,andsuchbenefitisexpressedtobeinlieuofthatproperty,if
suchownerclaimstheproperty,hemustrelinquishtheparticularbenefit,butheisnotbound
torelinquishanyotherbenefitconferreduponhimbythesametransaction.

Thisexceptionmaybeexplainedbyanexample.

LetussupposethatXtransferstoYthepropertyp/1,inlieuofYspropertyP/2whichisgiven
to Z . X also gives to Y the property P/3 . If Y elects to retain his own property he must
relinquishclaimoverp/1butnotp/3.

In the case of Promoda Dasi Vs. Lakhi Narain , it was held by the Honble High Court of
CalcuttathatwhereaHindutestatorinbequeathingallhispropertyincludedthereintheshare
ofhisbrotherswidow,butmadeasuitableprovisionforhermaintenance,andthewidowat
firstsuedforandobtainedtheallowanceformaintenancebutsubsequentlysuedforhershare
inherhusbandsproperty,thesecondsuitwouldbeprecludedwithregardtothedoctrineof
election,asthewidowmusthaveknownthatthemaintenancewasprovidedforinlieuofher
husbandsproperty.

Section127oftheTransferofPropertyActalsocontainsthedoctrineofelectionortheonerous
giftsalsoputthedoneeforelectionontheprinciplethathewhowantstherosesmustnotfear
thethorns.
Section 127 says that where a gift is in the form of a single transfer to the same person of
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Q:Writeanoteonthedoctrineofelectionwithsuitableillustrations.

severalthings,ofwhichoneis,andtheothersarenot,burdenedbyanobligation,thedonee
cantakenothingbythegiftunlessheacceptsitfully.

*****

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