In Brief
A Wakf Board in Haryana sought recovery of land from Dharampal, who claimed ownership through adverse possession since 1953. The Board had filed an earlier suit against Dharampal's father in 1971, dismissed by default, then refiled in 1991 against three defendants. The trial court upheld Dharampal's adverse possession claim; the appellate courts reversed. The Supreme Court dismissed his appeal, holding the earlier suit dismissal was not a bar to the second suit (different parties and causes of action). More critically, under the Wakf Act's 30-year requirement for adverse possession, Dharampal failed to prove continuous possession because the Board broke continuity by asserting ownership through suits in 1971 and 1991.
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