Rectification deed is a document correcting the mistakes
of facts in the original/principal deed.
Mr.Sampath had negotiated to purchase a residential site
at Peenya for Rs.4lakhs and got the sale deed registered. After receipt of the
sale deed, he found, that the dimensions of the area are wrongly mentioned in
the schedule as East to West 40' and north to south as 30' instated of East to
West 30' and North to South 40'. Mr.Rajagopal had a similar problem in the sale
deed; the boundaries of property purchased are wrongly mentioned.
The case of Narasimhan is slightly different; he has
purchased two different properties from a common vendor under a common sale
deed including both the properties under single schedule. Mr. Narasimhan was
for a pleasant shock to find that encumbrance certificate did not reflect the
sales in respective property schedules, but was combined under a single
property schedule.
Such instances are many. Many mistakes creep into the
sale deeds, as they are not properly verified and compared with the title
deeds, revenue records, and at times are not drafted by professionals/advocates.Sometimes, the area of the property, survey numbers, location, boundaries,
municipal numbers, description and number of floors, are wrongly written.Names
of parties may be mis-spelt, amount of consideration may be wrong, easementary rights may not have properly
dealt.In many cases, the real contention of parties to the deed may not have
been reduced into writing.
Such mistakes, errors in the deeds should be corrected by
another document. This is called rectification deed. It is equitable relief
granted by the Court of equity based on doctrine of mistake.In order to have
deed of rectification, there must be mutual mistake and the original deed does
not reflect the true intention of parties.
More important is that mistake should be of facts and not
a mistake of law. But, mistake of foreign law is considered as mistake of fact.
Sections 20 and 21 of Indian contract act deals with this aspect.When the
parties to deed, agreed to modify, add, delete the terms of original deed to
bring in true intention it is necessary to reduce such modifications into
writing properly and pay the requisite stamp duty.
Rectification Deeds are executed on mutual consent of the
parties to main deed, all the parties who have executed the main deed should
join in execution. But real problem lies where the mutual consent is not
possible. In such cases, the recourse is to file a suit under section 26 of Specific Relief Act 1963.This section provides, where the real intention of
the party is not properly expressed in the documents because of mistake of fact
or fraud, either the party or his representative may institute a suit to have
the deed rectified.
The section also empowers the court to direct the rectification of an instrument if the court satisfies that the deed does not
express the real contention of the parties.Further the contract in writing may
first be rectified and then if the party claiming rectification has so prayed,
in his pleading and the court thinks fit, may be specially enforced.This
relief will be granted, if it has been specially claimed.If it has not claimed
such relief in his pleadings, the court at any stage of the proceedings may
allow him to amend the pleadings. This is entirely discretionary and when
granted does not prejudice the rights acquired by the third party in good faith
for value.
If the original deed is registered, the corresponding
rectification deed also requires Registration.The stamp duty and registration charges are payable as prescribed by respective states.
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