#property ownership

Allahabad High Court rules that Section 4 of the Benami Transactions Act, 1988, operates retrospectively, barring the real owner from claiming defense in suits filed after 1988, even if the transaction predates the law. The judgment upholds concurrent findings on ownership and licensee status, reinforcing the prohibition on benami defenses in post-enactment disputes.

The Punjab & Haryana High Court ruled that a charitable trust established by SGPC, funded by it, and whose assets revert to Sri Harmandir Sahib, falls under the definition of 'Gurdwara property' under Section 2(f) of the Haryana Sikh Gurdwaras Act, 2014. This subjects the trust to state regulatory control, impacting SGPC’s autonomy over such trusts and their assets.

The Madurai High Court has ruled that failure to update revenue records does not invalidate a land purchaser’s claim for compensation when they hold a registered sale deed. This affirms that title under the Transfer of Property Act prevails over administrative record-keeping, protecting bona fide buyers from being denied rightful compensation in acquisition proceedings.

Bombay High Court holds that post-purchase division of flats without documentary proof or society approval cannot establish ownership; natural justice violations must be proven, not presumed.