Wednesday, 17 February 2016

FAQ on Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission (KERC)


The Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission (KERC) is an independent, autonomous body constituted under the Karnataka Electricity Reforms Act, 1999. It was established in November 1999. 

How does KERC ensure public participation?

KERC has an Advisory Committee in which all the stakeholders are represented. Besides, KERC calls for objections and suggestions from the public on matters of public interest before a decision is taken. Public hearings are conducted to ensure peoples participation. The draft rules, regulations and other matters having a bearing on the public are sent to experts; members of the civil society, consumer groups and their views are sought. The documents are also put on the website for comments. Further the public can visit KERC and obtain copies of documents. KERC can recognize any consumer or consumer group to represent consumers. Members of the public can appear before the KERC in its proceedings.


What are the objectives and functions of KERC?
The primary objective of KERC is to regulate the power sector in the state of Karnataka.  The other functions/objectives include the following:
-To determine the tariff for generation, supply, transmission and wheeling of electricity, wholesale, bulk or retail, as the case may be, within the State.

-Regulate electricity purchase and procurement process of distribution licensees including the price at which electricity shall be procured from the generating companies or licensees or from other sources

-Facilitate intra-transmission and wheeling charges

-Issue licenses to persons seeking to act as transmission licensees, distribution licensees and electricity traders

-Promote cogeneration and generation of electricity from renewable sources of energy 

-Adjudicate upon the disputes between the licensees and generating companies

-Levy fee for the purposes of the Electricity Act 2003

-Specify State Grid Code

-Specify or enforce standards with respect to quality, continuity and reliability of service by licensees

How does KERC protect consumer interest?

KERC is in the forefront to protect the interest of the consumers and at the same time to make the power sector financially and commercially viable. KERC has taken several initiatives to protect the interests of the consumers. The Office of Consumer Advocacy (OCA) has been established with a senior officer to represent consumers in the proceedings before the Commission. A Grievance Redressal Officer has been appointed to deal with consumer grievances. The OCA has been conducting consumer awareness programmes in all parts of Karnataka. Seminars and workshops are conducted to educate people about KERC and its activities and also the role of consumers in power sector reform. The OCA is publishing a newsletter in Kannada English. These are mailed to over 200 consumer groups and other interested organizations. 

Tuesday, 16 February 2016

JOINT PROPERTY RIGHTS


How joint rights devolve?
This is quite a different situation from what we discussed earlier. Here a single person makes a promise to two or more persons jointly. The promisor is single person and promisees are more than one. All the joint promisees during their lifetime, on death of any of them, the legal heirs/representative of the deceased promisee become promisee with other surviving promisees and on death of the last surviving promisee the representatives of all promisees jointly acquire rights to enforce the contract.

What is situation in case the promisee releases one of the joint promisor?
In case of a joint promise made by two or more persons, the promisee may release any of joint promisors from performing the contract. But such release does release the other promisor from performing the contract and does not discharge the released the promisor of his liability, responsibility to other joint promisors.

How joint liabilities devolve on the death of any one of the joint promisor?
The Section 42 of a the Indian Contract Act deals with this situation. It does not make any distinction between joint promises and several promises. According to the said section in the absence of any contrary in the contract, all the persons who made promise during their joint lives; after the death of any of the promisor, legal heirs / representative of deceased promisor along with surviving promisors; after the death of the last surviving promisor, the legal heirs, representatives of all the promisors, are bound to fulfill the promise.But if the contract provides for any contrary intension the liability devolves according to the contract.

What are the joint liabilities?
When two or more persons promise jointly to perform or to do something for a consideration, it is liability of all such persons who promised to perform or to do something. Such contractual obligations of the promises are joint liabilities, which are governed by a Indian Contract Act, 1872. We come across many such contracts in purchase, sale of the immovable properties and construction sector and also in administration of partnership assets. The person who makes promise is promisor and to whom the promise made is promisee.

More,

Monday, 15 February 2016

AGREEMENTS AND PART PERFORMANCE


Who are the persons who are exempted from appearance at the Registration Office?
Section 38 of Indian Registration Act specifies the persons who are exempted from appearance at the Registration office. They are:-
1) A person who by reason of bodily infirmity is unable to appear without risk or serious inconvenience.
2) A person who is in Jail under Civil or Criminal process. 
3) Persons exempted by law from appearance in court and who would but for provision in the Registration Act, be required to appear in person at  registration office.

Is it possible to register an apartment which comes under Village Panchayat or a CMC?
It is not advisable to buy an apartment which falls under the Panchayat even though the registration is possible now. But Apartment coming under CMC area can be registered without any problems. 

When the doctrine of part performance is not available?
When the person who desires to invoke the doctrine of part performance is not the signatory to the agreement or the consent party nor the recitals show that the agreement was entered into with the consent of such person, he cannot seek protection under the doctrine of part performance since there is no privity of contract between the parties.

What are the stamp duty payable in Karnataka for registration of an agreement to sell and the construction agreement?
The stamp duty payable for agreement to sell is Rs. 200/- when no possession of the property is handed over to the purchaser.Similarly, the stamp duty payable for construction agreement is Rs. 50/-.

Suppose in an agreement to sell, there is a clause that the vendor shall complete the sale transaction within three months of the date of agreement to sell, but fails to comply with this requirement.  Whether the agreement would become void and unenforceable?
Non-compliance of a clause in the agreement to sell would not make the agreement void.  The vendor has legal remedy to open him upto three years from the date of such a lapse.

More,

Saturday, 13 February 2016

SETTLEMENT DEED


When a property is a self acquired one, the doctrine of family settlement stricto sensu may not be applicable but in a case where two individuals declare each other to be owners of the property having equal share therein, an arrangement between them by way of a family settlement is permissible in law. Such a family settlement is not only in relation to the title of the property but also in relation to the use and possession thereof.
Disputes among members of business families have been the stuff of numerous novels and films, except for providing headlines in daily newspapers. Various families have ruined themselves fighting until the closing stages, the last scene of which is usually performed in the court. The judiciary is generally averse to enter into the paddle because the law should come after everything else in family relations. The same view has been reiterated in the present state of affairs when compared to the days of Privy Council. The concept of family arrangement is applicable to all the communities in which there is a common unit, common mass and the practice of joint living. Consequently, so long as the arrangements are made for settling the disputes with or without litigation, the validity cannot be questioned. Only when the dispute cannot be settled by way of family settlement, is adjudication by the way of arbitration possible.
It may be understood in proper sagacity in the case of a family settlement, as constituting a group of persons who are recognised in law as having a right of succession or having a claim to a share in the property in dispute. But every party taking benefit under a family settlement need not necessarily be shown to have under the law, a claim to share in the property. All that is necessary is that the parties should be related to one another in some way and have a possible claim or a semblance of a claim on some ground, as, say, affection.
The consideration for a family settlement is the expectation that such a settlement will result in establishing or ensuring amity and goodwill amongst the relations and after that consideration has been passed by each of the disputants, the settlement consisting of recognition of the right asserted by each other cannot be impeached. The court held that the consideration for the family settlement being compromise between parties even to a previous suit would be a family settlement.

More,

Friday, 12 February 2016

PARTITION DEED

Division of property held jointly by co-owners is known as partition. When a property is divided each member becomes sole owner of his/her portion of the property. Each divided property gets a new title and each sharer gives up his/her interest in the estate in favor of other sharers.
The instrument of partition is a document by which the co-owners of a property agree to divide a property among themselves by oral agreement or written agreement or by arbitration or through court. If a document of release shows that the executants are to get cash or other assets the document is an instrument of partition. The basis of partition is equality. The party shall share the property equally.
Partition deed requires stamp on the value of largest separated share. Duplicate copies are stamped under Article 25 of Indian Stamp Act. Each duplicate copy must denote the value of the stamp on the original. Unregistered deed of partition is not admissible as evidence to prove the fact of partition. Thus, one cannot prove his/her title on his/her share without registering it.
Palu Patti is also a very common practice of oral transfer of property but very few people know that a Palu Patti should be deduced in writing which further aggravates the problem. oral partition is allowed under Hindu Law, it is not preferable as it may give rise to disputes particularly with respect to immovable properties. It is advisable oral partition should be reduced in writing (palu patti). Also, the Income Tax Act does not recognise oral partition of a Hindu Family property unless the Income Tax Officer is satisfied with the facts and this is possible only when it is recorded in partition deed.

More,

Thursday, 11 February 2016

RECTIFICATION DEED


Rectification deed is a document correcting the mistakes of facts in the original/principal deed.

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 section26 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 property Registration. The stamp duty and registration charges are payable as prescribed by respective states.

More,

Wednesday, 10 February 2016

PROPERTY AND LEGAL SUGGESTION


Holding of property by a trustee includes changed commitments and obligations on the gatherings to a lawful instrument and these are specified inside of the Indian Trust Act 1882 that directs the arrangement, and execution of the trusts, forces and obligations of trusties in overseeing trust properties.

Gatherings to a Trust
Trust is a commitment snared to the property subsequently demonstrating however the property is to be utilized and who the recipients of the trust Property are. It's an assention between the creator of the trust and in this way the trustee i.e. the director of the trust property and thusly the proprietor of the trust property. A trust could likewise be designed by somebody Competent to contract, or with the authorization of the court by a minor or for the benefit of minor. A trust comprises of more than one individual. The individual who is that the proprietor of the property, who rests trust in another to deal with the property is termed creator of the trust or the pioneer.

The person who deals with the property according to the bearings of the creator of the trust could be a trustee. Each the creator of the trust and in this manner the trustee are gatherings to the archive known as lawful instrument that characterizes the targets and elements of the trust. The foundation is termed the trust. Beside the creator of the trust and consequently the trustee/s, the gathering who is qualified for the benefits of the trust is termed the recipient, who isn't a festival to the legitimate instrument. The recipient has the right to demand that the trust property is to be utilized for his or her focal points however they're not a festival to the legitimate instrument. Somebody equipped for holding the property might be trustee however not the govt of India. Similarly an administration worker can't be a trustee of masjid, sanctuary, church or diverse non common foundations.

Elements of a Trust:
The basic elements of a trust are:
(1) The goals ought to make certain,
(2) The recipients ought to make sure and clear and
(3) Definition of the trust property ought to be clear and conspicuous. The trust can't be made orally and it ought to be in composing promptly marked by the creator of the trust. Trusts are of the numerous sorts. An individual trust could be a trust wherever the recipients are the lawful beneficiaries of the creator, or a gaggle of person. A beneficent trust is one wherever the recipients region unit amount of open. The trust could likewise be part open and part non-open. An open trust is made for help, headway of instruction, confidence and distinctive capacities valuable to the group at gigantic.
A trust can't be made for the consequent capacities
1.Any reason that is verboten by law.
2.Any reason if passable would vanquish the procurements of law.
3. Shameful reason.
4.The trust that includes or suggests any harm to the individual, property of another.
5.The court sees the point as shameless or restriction the overall population strategy.

Production of Trust
A trust could likewise be made by methodology of a report known as the legitimate instrument. The lawful instrument is compulsorily registerable underneath segment l7 (b) of Indian Registration Act 1908. The tax assessment owed on the legitimate instrument is ruled by the Indian Stamp Act 1899, and falls among the forces of the State Governments. Along these lines the tax assessment shifts from State to State. The Indian Trust Act, 1882, doesn't have any significant bearing to open or non-open religions gifts. Segment 18 of Transfer of Property Act 1882 unwinds all confinements, just if there should arise an occurrence of properties exchanged for point of interest of open such as headway of information, religion, trade, wellbeing and distinctive associated destinations. A trustee can't assign his obligations to an alternate, with the exception of administrative obligations and ought to have a definitive administration over such designation.

Bailment and Trust
Regularly conveyance and trust are befuddled. In conveyance, there's conveyance of items from one individual to an alternate individual for a couple reason and on finish of such reason; the items got the opportunity to be returned. Just if there should be an occurrence of trust, the property is moved for trustee for the upside of someone else. In conveyance, the person who got the items isn't the legitimate proprietor; however the trustee could be a lawful proprietor of the property.

Rights and commitments of Trustee
The obligations of the Trustee should get the opportunity to be unmistakably characterized; he should acclimate to the terms of the legitimate instrument, according to the bearings of the creator of the trust. He should get mindful of the property of the trust and take required consideration with respect to the validity and recoverability of the speculations of the trust money. The trustee should, shield the title of the trust property, if important, by founding lawful procedures. He mustn't start any title antagonistic to the recipient. He should exercise right care and be unbiased and will thwart wastage and change over any putrescible property to lasting or beneficial in nature. He should keep up right records and receive right venture routines. The trustees can't submit any rupture of trust, can't go off the misfortune happened because of break of trust in one segment of the trust property against benefit of another bit of trust property. Once a rupture of trust is submitted by one in everything about trustees, all the inverse trustees are at danger of the recipient for the general misfortune managed. The trustees have bound rights, similar to ownership of the lawful instrument, title deeds of the trust property, pay of costs, right to settlement of records, right to chase the conclusion of the court.

Upkeep of Trust Properties
The trustee could rent the trust property for a sum not monstrous twenty one years while not the consent of the court, could offer the property in tons, by open closeout, or by an individual contract. He might moreover offer underneath uncommon conditions and get and offer. He has forces to make the venture of the trust property that ought to be in securities recorded in Trust Act. Any venture beside inside of the recorded securities ought to be with the composed assent of the recipient. He could apply the effectively of the minor for upkeep of minor with appropriate consideration and tact. When somebody acknowledges to deal with a trust he can't disavow it aside from with the authorization of the court, or with the assent of the considerable number of recipients.

Trust property can't be utilized by the trustee for his own benefit, and any benefit got from out of the trust property ought to be exchanged to the trust. It's to be noticed that the trustee can't buy the trust property of that he's trustee. Indeed, even his specialists can't get a comparative. Further, trustee or his operators can't get the recipients intrigue and can't be a bank, leaseholder of the trust property while not the authorization of the court. Similarly co-trustees can't loan among themselves.



In the event that a trustee legitimately offers the trust property, the recipients have a privilege to take after the trust property farewell it's inferred all the same the middle of the road ownership with the exception of just if there should arise an occurrence of bonfide deal for advantageous not the notification of the trust.

More,