"45. Observing that in a suit for declaration of title, the
plaintiffs- respondents are to succeed only on the strength of
their own title irrespective of whether the defendants- appellants
have proved their case or not, in Union of India and Others vs.
Vasavi Co-operative Housing Society Limited and others,
2002(5) ALD 532, it was held as under:-
26.As per the dictum of the Apex Court in 2014(4) CTC 471 ? Union
of India V. Vasavi Co-op. Housing Society Ltd., the plaintiff has to succeed
only on the strength of its own title and that could be done only by adducing
sufficient evidence to discharge the onus on it, irrespective of the question
whether the defendants have proved their case or not. But, here, the
plaintiff has proved his case by way of filing documents and letting oral
evidence. Per contra, the appellants has not proved their case. Because,
Ex.35 came into effect after Ex.A15, the sale certificate issued. But, in
Ex.B36, compromise decree, no power for alienation has been given. Further,
as per Ex.A9, it was held that there was no such Thaika available, But,
Exx.B35 and 25 has proved that they are concocted and Exs.B6, 18 and 19 are
collusive decree and there is no document to show that 5th defendant obtained
sale deed from the Court of law and taken possession through the Court of
law. Non examination of the 5th defendant is fatal and hence, I am of the
view that the defendants have not proved their case and that factum was
rightly considered by both the Court below. Therefore, the appellants are
not entitled any relief in the second appeal and the substantial questions of
law 1 and 2 are answered accordingly.
(i)In AIR 2014 SC 937 (Union of India Vs. Vasavi Co-Op Housing Society Ltd), wherein it has been held as follows_
"The legal position, therefore, is clear that the plaintiff in a suit for declaration of title and possession could succeed only on the strength of its own title and that could be done only by adducing sufficient evidence to discharge the onus on it, irrespective of the question whether the defendants have proved their case or not. We are of the view that even if the title set up by the defendants is found against, in the absence of establishment of plaintiff's own title, plaintiff must be non-suited."
In Union of India v. Vasavi Co-Op Housing Society Ltd.,
(supra) the Court reiterated that in a suit for title and
possession, the burden lies on the plaintiff to establish
a clear case for the grant of such declarations. It was
held that revenue entries do not confer title and should
not be treated as documents of title.
20. As per Union of India v. Vasavi Co-Op. Housing
Society Ltd.; (AIR 2014 SC 937) and Smt. Smriti Debbarma v.
Prabha Ranjan Debbarma; (2023 SCC OnLine SC 7), the
plaintiffs must prove superior title to succeed in their claim for
declaration. The plaintiffs fail to establish Puttamma's title to
Survey No.22/1, as their sale deeds omit explicit reference to
the survey number and no title deeds, RTCs or mutation
records support Puttamma's ownership. The unregistered
GPAs further weaken their case, as they cannot convey title.