In Brief
A Supreme Court judgment on specific performance of an unregistered agreement to sell agricultural land in Karnataka. The original vendors unilaterally terminated the 2000 agreement citing litigation pendency and death of one vendor, then sold the land to subsequent purchasers in 2007. The original vendees sued for specific performance. The Court held: (1) unilateral termination of non-determinable contracts is invalid without statutory basis; (2) subsequent purchasers had actual and constructive notice of the prior agreement and termination circumstances, and deliberately abstained from inquiry, negating bona fide purchaser status; (3) original vendees continuously demonstrated readiness and willingness to perform. Specific performance decreed, directing subsequent purchasers to execute sale deeds and original vendees to pay balance consideration with interest plus additional compensation.
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