THE
PUNJAB TRUSTS ACT 2020
(Act XXI of 2020)
C O N T E N T S
Section Heading
CHAPTER I
PRELIMINARY
1. Short title, extent and commencement.
2. Application.
3. Definitions.
CHAPTER II
CREATION OF
TRUSTS
4. Lawful purpose.
5. Validity of Trusts.
6. Creation of trusts.
7. Who may create a trust.
8. Subject matter of trusts.
9. Who may be a beneficiary.
10. Disclaimer by a beneficiary.
11. Who may be a trustee.
12. Acceptance of trusts.
13. Disclaimer of trusts.
14. Registration of properties.
CHAPTER III
ADMINISTRATION
OF TRUSTS
15. Trusts to be registered.
15-A. Registration of specialized trusts.
16. Registration of Trusts.
17. Refusal of application for registration.
18. Inspection of records and punishments.
19. Power to obtain the registration record.
20. Register of Trusts.
21. Access to the information.
22. Legal arrangement for holding the property.
CHAPTER IV
DUTIES AND
LIABILITIES OF TRUSTEES
23. Trustee to execute trust.
24. Trustee to collect and hold information.
25. Trustee to inform himself of state of
trust-property.
26. Trustee to protect title to trust-property.
27. Trustee not to set up title adverse to
beneficiary.
28. Care required from trustee.
29. Conversion of perishable property.
30. Trustee to be impartial.
31. Trustee to prevent waste.
32. Accounts and information.
33. Investment of trust-money.
34. Power to purchase redeemable stock at a
premium.
35. Sale by trustee directed to sell within
specified time.
36. Liability for breach to trust.
37. No set-off allowed to trustee.
38. Non-liability for predecessor's default.
39. Non-liability for co-trustee's default.
40. Several liabilities of co-trustee.
41. Non-liability of trustee paying without
notice of transfer by beneficiary.
42. Liability of trustees where beneficiary's
interest is forfeited to Government.
43. Indemnity of trustees.
CHAPTER V
RIGHTS AND POWERS OF
TRUSTEES
44. Right to title-deed.
45. Right to reimbursement of expenses.
46. Right to indemnity from gainer by breach of
trust.
47. Right to apply to Court for opinion in
management of trust-property.
48. Right to settlement of accounts.
49. General authority of trustee.
50. Power to sell in lots, an either by public
auction or private contract.
51. Power to sell, buy-in and re-sell.
52. Time allowed for selling trust-property.
53. Power to convey.
54. Power to vary investments.
55. Power to apply property of minors for their
maintenance.
56. Power to give receipts.
57. Power to compound, etc.
58. Power to several trustees of whom one
disclaims or dies.
59. Suspension of trustee's powers by decree.
CHAPTER VI
DISABILITIES OF TRUSTEES
60. Trustees cannot renounce after acceptance.
61. Trustee shall not delegate.
62. Co-trustees shall not act singly.
63. Control of discretionary power.
64. Trustee may not charge for services.
65. Trustee shall not use trust-property for his
own profit.
66. Trustee or his agent shall not buy.
67. Trustee shall not buy beneficiary's interest
without permission.
68. Trustee for purchase.
69. Co-trustee shall not lend to one of
themselves.
CHAPTER VII
RIGHTS AND LIABILITIES
OF BENEFICIARIES
70. Rights to rents and profits.
71. Right to specific execution and transfer of
possession.
72. Right to inspect and take copies of
instrument of trust accounts, etc.
73. Right to transfer beneficial interest.
74. Right to sue for execution of trust.
75. Right to proper trustees.
76. Right to compel to any act of duty.
77. Wrongful purchase by trustee.
78. When trust-property is into the hands of
third persons.
79. Saving of rights of certain transferees.
80. Acquisition by trustee of trust-property
wrongfully converted.
81. Right in case of blended property.
82. Wrongful employment by partner-trustee of
trust-property for partnership purposes.
83. Liability of beneficiary joining in breach
of trust.
84. Rights and liabilities of beneficiary's
transferee.
CHAPTER VIII
VACATING THE OFFICE OF
TRUSTEE
85. Office how vacated.
86. Discharge of trustee.
87. Petition to be discharged from trust.
88. Appointment of new trustees on death, etc.
89. Appointment by Court of new trustees.
90. Vesting of trust-property in new trustees.
91. Survival of trust.
CHAPTER IX
EXTINCTION OF TRUSTS
92. Trust how extinguished.
93. Revocation of trust.
94. Revocation not to defeat what trustees have
duly done.
CHAPTER X
CERTAIN OBLIGATIONS IN
THE NATURE OF TRUSTS
95. Where it does not appear that transferor
intended to dispose of beneficial interest.
96. Transfer to one for consideration paid by
another.
97. Trust incapable of execution or executed
without exhausting trust-property.
98. Transfer for illegal purpose.
99. Bequest for illegal purpose or of which
revocation is prevented by coercion.
100. Transfer pursuant to rescindable contract.
101. Debtor becoming creditor's representative.
102. Advantage gained by fiduciary.
103. Advantage gained by exercise of undue
influence.
104. Advantage gained by qualified owner.
105. Property acquired with notice of existing
contract.
106. Purchase by person contracting to buy property
to be held on trust.
107. Advantage secretly gained by one of several
compounding creditors.
108. Constructive trusts in cases not expressly
provided for.
109. Obligator's duties, liabilities and
disabilities.
110. Saving of rights of bona fide purchasers.
CHAPTER XI
Miscellaneous
111. Power to make rules.
112. Repeal and saving.
[1]THE PUNJAB TRUSTS ACT 2020
ACT XXI OF 2020
[10th September 2020]
An Act to revise
and modify the law relating to trusts.
It is
necessary to revise and modify the law relating to trusts, and to make
provisions for the ancillary matters.
Be it enacted by
Provincial Assembly of the Punjab as follows:
CHAPTER I
PRELIMINARY
1. Short title, extent and commencement.− (1) This Act may be cited as the Punjab
Trusts Act 2020.
(2) It extends to whole of the Punjab.
(3) It shall come into force at once.
2. Application.− Nothing
contained in this Act shall affect the Muslim law as to waqf, or the
mutual relations of the members of an undivided family as determined by any
customary or personal law, or apply to public or private religious or
charitable endowments.
3. Definitions.− In this Act:
(a)
“Assistant
Commissioner” means an Assistant Commissioner appointed under the Punjab Civil
Administration Act 2017 (III of 2017);
(b)
“author”
means [2][any] person
who reposes or declares his confidence in a trustee, and assigns a property to
a trustee for the benefit of a beneficiary;
(c)
“authorities” means an
‘investigating or prosecuting agency’ and the ‘Financial Monitoring Unit’ as
defined in the Anti-Money Laundering Act, 2010 (VII of 2010);
(d)
“beneficiary”
means [3][any]
person for whose benefit the confidence is accepted;
(e)
“breach of
trust” means a breach of any duty imposed on a trustee by any law for the time
being in force;
(f)
“Department”
means Revenue Department of the Board of Revenue of the Government;
(g)
“Director”
means Director of Land Records, Punjab;
(h)
“Committee”
means the District Intelligence Committee notified by Home Department of the
Government for each district;
(i)
“Financial
Monitoring Unit” means the Financial Monitoring Unit as defined in the
Anti-Money Laundering Act, 2010 (VII of 2010);
(j)
“Government”
means Government of the Punjab;
(k)
“instrument”
means an instrument of trust through which a trust is declared;
(l)
“interest”
means right of a beneficiary against a trustee;
(m)
“investigating or
prosecuting agency” means the investigating or prosecuting agency as defined in
the Anti-Money Laundering Act, 2010 (VII of 2010);
(n)
“notice”: a
person is said to have “notice” of a fact either when he actually knows that fact,
or when, but for willful abstention from inquiry or gross negligence, he would
have known it, or when information of the fact is given to or obtained by his
agent, under the circumstances mentioned in section 229 of the Contract Act,
1872 (IX of 1872);
(o)
“prescribed”
means prescribe by the rules made under this Act;
[4][(oo) “regulator” means a regulator as mentioned
in clause (1) of Schedule IV of the Anti-Money Laundering Act, 2010 (VII of
2010);]
(p)
“reporting entity”
means an entity specified under the Anti-Money Laundering Act, 2010 (VII of 2010);
(q)
“trust
property” means the subject matter of a trust whether movable or immovable
property;
(r)
“trust”
means an obligation annexed to the ownership of a property, and arising out of
a confidence reposed in and accepted by a trustee, or declared and accepted by
him, for the benefit of another and the owner; [5][**]
(s)
“trustee”
means a person who accepts the confidence of an author for the benefit of a
beneficiary [6][; and]
[7][(t) “specialized
trust” means a trust created for the establishment of collective
investment schemes, collective investment vehicles, private funds, pension
funds, real estate investment trust, exchange trade funds, private equity and
venture capital funds, debt securities trusts, trusts relating to any security
issued by the Federal or a Provincial Government through capital markets,
provident funds, gratuity funds, superannuation funds, employee benefit trust
or any other trust, administered by the regulator, notified by the Government
in the official Gazette.]
CHAPTER II
CREATION OF
TRUSTS
4. Lawful purpose.− (1) A trust
may be created for any lawful purpose, and the purpose of a trust is lawful
unless:
(a) it is forbidden by law; or
(b) it is of such a nature that it defeats
the provisions of any law for the time being in force; or
(c) it is fraudulent; or
(d) it involves or implies injury to the
person or property of another; or
(e) the court regards it as immoral or
opposed to public policy.
(2) Every trust which has an unlawful
purpose shall be void, and where a trust is created for more than one purposes
and one of the purposes is unlawful, the whole trust shall be void.
5. Validity of Trusts.− (1) No trust in relation to an immovable
property shall be valid unless declared by a non-testamentary instrument in
writing signed by the author of the trust and the trustee, and duly registered,
or by the will of the author of the trust or of the trustee and ownership of
the property is transferred to the trust.
(2) No trust in
relation to movable property shall be valid unless declared in the manner as
given under subsection (1), or unless the ownership of the property is
transferred to the trust.
6. Creation of trusts.− Subject to the provisions of sections 4
and 5, a trust is created when the author of the trust indicates with reasonable
certainty in writing:
(a)
an
intention to create a trust;
(b)
purpose of
trust;
(c)
trustee;
(d)
beneficiary;
(e)
trust
property; and
(f)
transfers
the trust property to the trust, unless the trust is declared by will or the
author is himself to be the trustee.
7. Who may create a trust.− A trust may
be created by [8][any]
person competent to contract under the Contract Act, 1872 (IX of 1872),
or, with the permission of a Civil Court of original jurisdiction, on behalf of
a minor.
8. Subject matter of trusts.− The subject matter of a
trust shall be a property transferable to the trust.
9. Who may be a beneficiary.− Every [9][* * *]
person capable of holding a property may be a beneficiary.
[10][* * * * *
* * ** * * * *]
10. Disclaimer by a beneficiary.− A proposed beneficiary may renounce his
interest in the trust by disclaimer addressed to the trustee, or by setting up,
with notice of the trust, a claim inconsistent therewith.
11. Who may be a trustee. − Every [11][* * *]
person capable of holding a property may be a trustee; but, where the trust
involves the exercise of discretion, such person shall not execute it unless he
is competent to contract under the Contract Act, 1872 (IX of 1872).
[12][* * * * *
* * ** * * * *]
12. Acceptance of trusts.− A trust shall be accepted by
the trustee indicating with reasonable certainty in writing, and the trustee
accepting the trust shall provide an affidavit that the trustee has read and
understood the duties and liabilities of the trustee as mentioned in Chapter-IV
of this Act.
13. Disclaimer of trusts.− (1) Instead of accepting a
trust, the intended trustee may, within a period of sixty days, disclaim it and
such disclaimer shall prevent the trust property from vesting in him.
(2) In case of
more than one trustees, if one of the trustees disclaims to be a trustee, it
shall not automatically confer the disclaiming trustee’s rights on the other
trustees.
(3) The author shall either; (a) explicitly
allow the co-trustees to proceed in case of any of the member’s disclaimer; or,
(b) write a new trust-deed.
14. Registration of properties.− All movable and immovable properties shall
be registered in the name of the trust under the Registration Act, 1908 (XVI of
1908).
CHAPTER III
ADMINISTRATION
OF TRUSTS
[13][15. Trusts to be registered.- (1) No trust shall
be functional unless it is registered with the Director under this Act in such
manner as may be prescribed.
(2) All trusts created under the Trusts Act,
1882 (II of 1882) or registered under the Registration Act, 1908 (XVI of 1908)
or under any other law for the time being in force shall get registered under
subsection (1) within such timeframe as may be notified by the Government.
(3) A trust which fails to get registered
under this section shall cease to function or operate in any manner, and
necessary action shall be initiated against such trust under section 92 of this
Act.]
[14][15-A. Registration
of specialized trusts.- (1) For
registration of a specialized trust under this Act, the trustee shall provide
to the Director a No Objection Certificate from the concerned regulator
containing the prescribed information.
(2) Where the trustee provides the No
Objection Certificate under subsection (1), it shall be deemed that the
requirements for registration of trust under section 16 have been fulfilled,
and the Director shall register the specialized trust.
(3) A specialized trust created prior to
commencement of this Act shall be deemed to have been registered under section
15 of this Act.
(4) A specialized trust, which is deemed to
have been registered under subsection (3), shall be issued a certificate of
registration under section 16 of this Act.
(5) A specialized trust which fails to fulfill
the requirements of subsection (1) shall cease to function or operate in any
manner, and necessary action shall be initiated against such trust under
section 92 of this Act.]
16. Registration of Trusts.− (1) For registration of a trust under this
Act, a trustee shall file an application before the Assistant Commissioner
concerned containing the following information:
(a) details of
the author;
(b) details of the trustees;
(c) details of the beneficiaries;
(d) details of any other natural person
exercising ultimate effective control over the trust to the satisfaction of the
Department; and
(e) any other information as may be
prescribed.
Explanation: In case of
more than one trustees, all the trustees may nominate one trustee who shall be
responsible for the provision of information under this section.
(2) The Assistant Commissioner concerned
shall forward the application received under subsection (1) to the Director.
(3) The Director shall request to verify the
contents and particulars of the application before the registration through the
investigating or prosecuting agencies which shall submit the verified report to
the Director within fourteen days of receiving the request from the Director.
(4) After receipt of the verified report
mentioned in subsection (3), the Director shall register the trust and issue a
Certificate of Registration to the trustee.
17. Refusal of application for registration.− The
Director, for the reasons to be recorded in writing, may refuse an application
for registration of a trust if:
(a)
the purpose
of the trust is unlawful or the trust proceeds are suspected to be proceeds of crime, as
the investigating or prosecuting agencies may
report to the Director under section 16, and the Director shall refer the
application to law enforcement agencies for legal action; or
(b)
any of the
members of the trust including the author, the trustee, the beneficiary or any
other person exercising ultimate effective control over the trust are declared
proscribed by Home Department of the Government, or associated with the
proscribed organizations under the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997 (XXVII of 1997) or under the United
Nations Security Council Act, 1948, and in such cases as mentioned in section
18, the Assistant Commissioner concerned shall share the details of such
individuals with Ministry of Interior and Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
Government of Pakistan through Home Department of the Government; or
(c)
the
District Intelligence Coordination Committee concerned considers that the trust
is a threat to national security; or
(d)
the author,
the trustee, the beneficiary, or any person acting on their behalf fails to
provide the complete personal details required for the registration and
functioning of the trust under this Act; or
(e)
any other
reason as may be prescribed.
18. Inspection of records and punishments.− (1) The
Assistant Commissioner concerned or the Director or the Department may require
any information relating to a trust from the trustee for any purpose, and shall
have the power to inspect such record at any time.
(2) The Assistant Commissioner shall share,
through Home Department of the Government, with the authorities, upon written
request, the information obtained under subsection (1).
(3) The Assistant Commissioner shall share
the information obtained under subsection (1) relating to assets of a trust and
beneficiaries with the reporting entity upon written request.
(4) The Director upon intimation by the
Assistant Commissioner concerned may impose fine up to rupees one million upon
a trustee who fails to provide information required under this section or
section 21 or 24 of this Act.
(5) For the contravention of section 21, a
trustee, in addition to the fine mentioned under subsection (4), shall also be
liable to imprisonment for a term which may extend to six months but shall not
be less than three months.
(6) The Court of Magistrate first class
shall take cognizance of the offences mentioned in subsection (5) upon a
complaint in writing by the Director, and shall try the offences in a summary
manner as provided in the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898 (V of 1898).
(7) The Director may take over the
properties of a trust or freeze its assets or remove a trustee or a beneficiary
from the trust and assign new trustees or beneficiaries through a legal order
from a court of original jurisdiction in case the trust or trustee or
beneficiary is convicted of a criminal offense, including terrorist financing,
money laundering or a threat to national security.
19. Power to obtain the registration record.− The Department shall obtain
the certified copies of registration of trusts record from Sub-Registrar or the
Registrar, as the case may be, appointed under the Registration Act, 1908 (XVI
of 1908) , held by them before the commencement of this Act, within a period of
sixty days from the date of commencement of this Act, and, the Department shall
make the record of trusts in conformity with the provisions of this Act.
20. Register of Trusts.− [15][(1) The Director at
provincial level and the Assistant Director at tehsil level shall jointly
maintain a register of the trusts in such manner as may be determined by the
Department.]
(2) The register shall contain information,
including but not limited to the name and details of every trust, its purpose,
author, trustees, beneficiaries, any person exercising ultimate effective
control over the trust and such other information as may be required by the
Department.
(3) The information under subsection (1)
shall also include the details if any of the persons associated with the trust
is living in Pakistan or outside Pakistan along with their residential
addresses.
(4) The Department shall [16][determined by the
Department] the extent of the details mentioned in
subsections (1), (2) and (3) to be made public in such manner as may be
prescribed.
21. Access to the information.− (1) The
Department or the Director through the Assistant Commissioner concerned may at
any time require any information relating to a trusts from the trustee, and the
trustee shall be bound to provide such information.
(2) For purposes of domestic and
international cooperation, the authorities may at any time, through Home Department
of the Government, require any information relating to a trust from the
trustee, and the trustee shall provide the information in such manner and
within such period of time as may be prescribed.
(3) The reporting entity may, through the
Department, in such manner and within such period of time as may be prescribed,
obtain any information from a trustee about the details of assets of the trust,
residential addresses of the trustees and details of the beneficiaries.
22. Legal arrangement for holding the
property.− A trust
may hold immovable and movable property in its name, or may dispose of such
property through a trustee.
CHAPTER IV
DUTIES AND
LIABILITIES OF TRUSTEES
23. Trustee to execute trust.− (1) The
trustee shall be bound to fulfill the purpose of the trust, and to obey the
directions of the author given at the time of its creation, except as modified
by the consent of all the beneficiaries being competent to contract.
(2) Where the beneficiary is incompetent to
contract, his consent may, for the purposes of this section, be given by a
Civil Court of original jurisdiction.
(3) Nothing in this section shall be deemed
to require a trustee to obey any direction which is impracticable, illegal or
manifestly injurious to the beneficiaries.
(4) Unless a contrary intention be
expressed, the purpose of a trust for the payment of debts shall be deemed to
be; (a) to pay only the debts of the author of the trust existing and recoverable
at the date of the instrument of trust, or, when such instrument is a will, at
the date of his death; and, (b) in the case of debts not bearing interest, to
make such payment without interest.
(5) A trustee, or all of the trustees,
as the case may be, shall be bound to disclose the fact that they are the
trustees when entering into a business relationship or carrying out an
occasional transaction with a reporting entity.
24. Trustee to collect and hold
information.− (1)
A trustee or each of the trustees, as the case may be, shall collect and hold
information about the author, the trustees, the beneficiaries, and any other
natural person exercising ultimate effective control over the trust to his
satisfaction and requirement of the Department, before the execution of the
trust as mentioned under this Act.
(2) The trustee shall provide the updated
information under this Act to the Assistant Commissioner, in such manner and
within such period of time as may be prescribed and in case of more than one
trustees, only one trustee will be nominated by other co-trustees for the
purpose of provision of information.
(3) The trustee shall collect and hold basic
information about the other service providers to the trust including, but not
limited to, investment advisors or managers, accountants or tax advisors, and,
provide this information to the Assistant Commissioner even after the
registration of the trust, in such manner as may be prescribed and in case of
more than one trustee, only one trustee will be nominated by other co-trustees
for the purpose of provision of information.
(4) A trustee shall further inform the
Department and law enforcement agencies if it comes to his knowledge any
illegal utilization of the trust money by the beneficiaries, after and during
the execution of the trust.
25. Trustee to inform himself of state of
trust-property.– A
trustee shall be bound to acquaint himself, as soon as possible, with the nature
and circumstances of the trust-property; to obtain, where necessary, a transfer
of the trust-property to himself; and (subject to the provisions of the
instrument of trust) to get in trust-moneys invested on insufficient or
hazardous security.
Illustrations
(a) The trust-property is a debt outstanding
on personal security. The instrument of trust gives the trustee no
discretionary power to leave the debt so outstanding. The trustee's duty is to
recover the debt without unnecessary delay.
(b) The trust-property is money in the hands
of one of two co-trustees. No discretionary power is given by the instrument of
trust. The other co-trustee shall not allow the former to retain the money for
a longer period than the circumstances of the case required.
26. Trustee to protect title to
trust-property.− A trustee shall be bound to maintain and
defend all such suits, and (subject to the provisions of the instrument of
trust) to take such other steps as, regards being had to the nature and amount
or value to the trust-property, may be reasonably requisite for the
preservation of the trust-property and the assertion or protection of the title
thereto.
Illustrations
The
trust-property is immovable property, which has been given to the author of the
trust by an unregistered instrument. Subject to the provisions of the law for
the registration of the documents, the trustee's duty is to cause the
instrument to be registered.
27. Trustee not to set up title adverse to
beneficiary.− The trustee shall not for
himself of another set up or aid any title to the trust-property adverse to the
interest of the beneficiary.
28. Care required from trustee.− A trustee is bound to deal
with the trust-property as carefully as a man of ordinary prudence would deal
with such property if it were his own; and, in the absence of a contract to the
contrary, a trustee so dealing is not responsible for the loss, destruction or
deterioration of the trust-property.
29. Conversion of perishable property.− Where the trust is
created for the benefit of several
persons in succession, and the trust-property is of a wasting nature or a
future or reversionary interest, the trustee is bound unless an intention to
the contrary may be inferred from the instrument of trust, to convert the
property into property of a permanent and immediately profitable character.
30. Trustee to be impartial.− (1) Where there are more beneficiaries than one, the trustee is bound to be impartial, and
shall not execute the trust for the advantage of one at the expense of another.
(2) Where the trustee has a discretionary
power, nothing in this section shall be deemed to authorize the Court to
control the exercise of such discretion reasonably and in good faith.
31. Trustee to prevent waste.− Where the trust is
created for the benefit to several
persons in succession and one of them is in possession of the trust-property,
if he commits, or threatens to commit, any act, which is destructive, or
permanently injurious thereto, the trustee is bound to take measures to prevent
such act.
32. Accounts and information.− A trustee or each of
the trustees, as the case may be, shall be bound to:
(a)
keep clear and accurate
accounts of the trust-property, and income;
(b)
furnish to the beneficiary
at the request of the beneficiary at all reasonable times with full and
accurate information as to the amount and state of the trust-property;
(c)
update such information
as may be prescribed about the author, beneficiaries, trustees, any other natural
person exercising ultimate control over the trust, trust assets and incomes.
(d)
get accounts audited by
a third party at least once in a year;
(e)
submit financial
reports to the Assistant Commissioner in every financial year; and
(f)
maintain the information collected under this section, and, section 24
above for a period not less than the five years after their involvement with
the trust ceases, or, the trust is extinguished.
33. Investment
of trust-money.− Where the
trust-property consists of money and
cannot be applied immediately or at an early date to the purposes of the trust,
the trustee is bound (subject to any direction contained in the instrument of
trust) to invest the money on the following securities, and on no other:
(a)
in promissory notes,
debentures, stock or other securities of a Provincial or Federal
Government;
provided that securities, both the principal whereof and
the interest whereon shall have been fully and unconditionally guaranteed by
any such Government, shall be deemed, for the purposes of this clause, to be
securities of such Government; or
(b)
security expressly
authorized by the instrument of trust, or any other security as may be
prescribed.
34. Power to purchase redeemable stock at a
premium.− A trustee may invest
in any of the securities mentioned in section 33, notwithstanding that the same
may be redeemable and that the price exceeds the redemption value, and a
trustee may retain until redemption any redeemable stock, fund or security
which may have been purchased in accordance with this section.
35. Sale by trustee directed to sell within
specified time.− Where a trustee, directed to sell within a specified
time extends such time, the burden of proving, as between himself and the
beneficiary, that the latter is not prejudiced by the extension, lies upon the
trustee unless the extension has been authorized by a Civil Court of original
jurisdiction.
36. Liability
for breach to trust.− Where the trustee commits a breach of trust, he is liable to make good the loss
which the trust-property or the beneficiary has thereby sustained, unless the
beneficiary has, by fraud, induced the trustee to commit the breach, or the
beneficiary, being competent to contract, has himself, without coercion or
undue influence having been brought to bear on him, concurred in the breach, or
subsequently acquiesced therein, with full knowledge of facts of the case and
of his rights as against the trustee.
Provided that a trustee
committing a breach of trust is not liable to pay interest except in the following
cases:
(i)
where he has actually
received interest;
(ii)
where the breach
consists in unreasonable delay in paying trust-money to the beneficiary;
(iii)
where the trustee ought
to have received interest, but has not done so;
(iv)
where he may be fairly
presumed to have received interest;
Explanation: The trustee shall be
liable, in case (i), to account for the interest actually received, and, in
cases (ii), (iii) and (iv), to account for simple interest at the rate of six
per cent per annum, unless the Court otherwise directs;
(v)
where the breach
consists in failure to invest trust-money and to accumulate the interest or
dividends thereon, he shall be liable to account for compound interest (with
half-yearly rests) at the same rate; or
(vi)
where the breach
consists in the employment of trust-property or the proceeds thereof in trade
or business, he shall be liable to account, at the option of the beneficiary,
either for compound interest (with half-yearly rests) at the same rate, or for
the net profits made by such employment.
37. No set-off allowed to trustee.− A trustee who is liable
for a loss occasioned by a breach of
trust in respect of one portion of the trust property shall not set-off against his liability again which has accrued to another portion of
the trust-property through another and distinct breach of trust.
38. Non-liability for predecessor's default.− Where a trustee
succeeds another, he shall not, as
such, liable for the acts or defaults of his predecessor.
39. Non-liability for co-trustee's default.− (1) Subject to the
provisions of sections 26, and 28,
one trustee shall not, as such, liable for a breach of trust committed by his
co-trustee.
Provided that, in the
absence of an express declaration to the contrary in the instrument of trust, a
trustee shall be so liable:
(a)
where he has delivered
trust-property to his co-trustee without seeing to its proper application;
(b)
where he allows his
co-trustee to receive trust-property and fails to make due inquiry as to the
co-trustee's dealings therewith, or allows him to retain it longer than the
circumstances of the case reasonably require; or
(c)
where he becomes aware
of a breach of trust committed or intended by his co-trustee, and either
actively conceals it or does not within a reasonable time take proper steps to
protect the beneficiary's interest.
(2) A co-trustee who joins in signing a
receipt for trust-property and
proves that he has not received the same shall not be answerable, by reason of
such signature only, for loss or misapplication of the property by his
co-trustee.
40. Several liabilities of co-trustee.− (1) Where co-trustees
jointly commit a breach of trust, or
where one of them by his neglect enables the other to commit a breach of trust,
each shall be liable to the beneficiary for the whole of the loss occasioned by
such breach:
provided that as between the trustees themselves, if one is less guilty than another and has had to refund the loss,
the former may compel the latter, or his legal representative to the extent of
the assets he has received, to made good such loss; and, if all are equally
guilty, any one or more of the trustees who has had to refund the loss may
compel the others to contribute.
(2) Nothing in this section shall be deemed
to authorize a trustee, who has been guilty of fraud, to institute a suit to
compel contribution.
41. Non-liability of trustee paying without
notice of transfer by beneficiary.− When any beneficiary's interest becomes vested in
another person, and the trustee, not having notice of the vesting, pays or
delivers trust-property to the person who would have been entitled thereto in
the absence of such vesting, the trustee shall not be liable for the property
so paid or delivered.
42. Liability of trustees where beneficiary's
interest is forfeited to Government.− When the beneficiary's
interest is forfeited or awarded by legal
adjudication to the Government, the trustee is bound to hold the
trust-property to the extent of such interest for the benefit of such person in
such manner as the Government may direct in this behalf.
43. Indemnity of trustees.− Subject to the
provisions of the instrument of trust and
of sections 36 and 39, trustees shall be respectively chargeable only for such
moneys, stocks, funds and securities as they respectively actually receive, and
shall not be answerable the one for the other of them, nor for any banker,
broker or other person in whose hands any trust-property may be placed, nor for
the insufficiency or deficiency of any stocks, funds or securities, nor
otherwise for involuntary losses.
CHAPTER V
RIGHTS AND POWERS OF
TRUSTEES
44. Right to title-deed.− A trustee shall be
entitled to have in his possession the instrument
of trust and all the documents of title (if any) relating solely to the
trust-property.
45. Right to reimbursement of expenses.− (1) Every trustee may
reimburse himself, or pay or
discharge out of the trust-property, all expenses property incurred in or about
the execution of the trust, or the realization, preservation or benefit of the
trust-property, or the protection or support of the beneficiary.
(2) If the trust-property fails, the trustee
shall be entitled to recover from the beneficiary personally on whose behalf he
acted, and at whose request, expressed or implied, he made the payment, the
amount of such expenses.
(3) Where a trustee has by mistake made an over-payment to the
beneficiary, he may reimburse the trust-property out of the beneficiary's
interest. If such interest fails, the trustee shall be entitled to recover from
the beneficiary the amount of such over-payment.
46. Right to indemnity from gainer by breach
of trust.− (1) A person other than a trustee who has gained an advantage
from a breach of trust shall indemnify the trustee to the extent of the amount
actually received by such person under the breach; and where he is beneficiary
the trustee has a charge on his interest for such amount.
(2) Nothing in this section shall be deemed
to entitle a trustee to be indemnified who has, in committing the breach of
trust, been guilty of fraud.
47. Right to apply to Court for opinion in
management of trust-property.− (1) Any trustee may,
without instituting a suit, apply by petition to a Civil Court of original
jurisdiction for its opinion, advice or direction on any present questions
respecting the management or administration of the trust-property other than
questions of detail, difficulty or importance, not proper in the opinion of the
Court for summary disposal.
(2) A copy of petition under subsection (1)
shall be served upon, and the hearing thereof may be attended by, such of the
persons interested in the application as the Court thinks fit.
(3) The costs of every petition under this
section shall be in the discretion of the Court to which it is made.
48. Right to settlement of accounts.− When the duties of a
trustee, as such, are completed, he
shall be entitled to have the accounts of his administration of the trust-property
examined and settled; and, where nothing is due to the beneficiary under the
trust, to an acknowledgement in writing to that effect.
49. General authority of trustee.− (1) In addition to the powers expressly conferred by this Act and by the instrument of trust, and subject to the
restrictions, if any, contained in such instrument, and to the provisions of
section 30, a trustee may do all acts which are reasonable and proper for the
realization, protection or benefit of the trust-property, and for the
protection or support of a beneficiary who is not competent to contract.
(2) Except with the permission of a Civil
Court of original jurisdiction, no trustee shall lease trust-property for a
term exceeding twenty-one years from the date of executing the lease, nor
without reserving the best yearly rent that can be reasonably obtained.
50. Power to sell in lots, an either by
public auction or private contract.− Where the trustee is empowered to sell any
trust-property, he may sell the same subject to prior charges or not, and
either together or in lots, by public auction or private contract, and either
at one time or at several times, unless the instrument of trust otherwise directs.
51. Power to sell, buy-in and re-sell.− The trustee making any sale may insert such reasonable stipulations
either as to title or evidence of title, or otherwise, in any conditions of
sale or contract for sale, as he thinks fit; and may also buy in the property
or any part thereof at any sale by auction, and rescind or vary any contract
for sale, and resell the property so bought in, or as to which the contract is
so rescinded, without being responsible to the beneficiary for any loss
occasioned thereby.
52. Time allowed for selling trust-property.− Where a trustee is
directed to sell trust-property or
to invest trust-money in the purchase of property, he may exercise a reasonable
discretion as to the time of effecting the sale or purchase.
53. Power to
convey.− For the purpose of
completing any sale, the trustee shall
have power to convey or otherwise dispose of the property sold in such manner
as may be prescribed.
54. Power to vary investments.− A trustee may, at his
discretion, call in any trust-property
invested in any security and invest the same on any of the securities mentioned
or referred to in section 33, and from time to time vary any such investments
for others of the same nature.
55. Power to apply property of minors for
their maintenance.− (1) Where any property is held by a trustee in trust for a minor, such
trustee may, at his discretion, pay to the guardians (if any) of such minor, or
otherwise apply for or towards his maintenance or education or advancement in
life, or the reasonable expenses of his religious worship, marriage or funeral,
the whole or any part of the income to which he may be entitled in respect of
such property; and such trustee shall accumulate all the residue of such income
by way of compound interest by investing the same and the resulting income
thereof from time to time in any of the securities mentioned or referred to in
section 33, for the benefit of the person who shall ultimately become entitled
to the property from which such accumulations have arisen.
Provided that such
trustee may, at any time, if he thinks fit, apply the whole or any part of such
accumulations as if the same were part of the income arising in the then
current year.
(2) Where the income of the trust- property
is insufficient for the minor's maintenance or education or advancement of
life, or the reasonable expenses of his religious worship, marriage or funeral,
the trustee may, with the permission of a Civil Court of original jurisdiction,
but not otherwise, apply the whole or any part of such property for or towards
such maintenance, education, advancement or expenses.
(3) Nothing in this section shall be deemed
to affect the provisions of any local law for the time being in force relating
to the person and property of minor.
56. Power to give receipts.− Any trustees or trustee
may give a receipt in writing for
any money, securities or other moveable property payable, transferable or
deliverable to them or him by reason, or in the exercise, of any trust of
power; and, in the absence of fraud, such receipt shall discharge the person
paying, transferring or delivering the same therefrom, and from seeing to the
application thereof, or being accountable for any loss or misapplication
thereof.
57. Power to compound, etc.− (1) Two or more trustees acting together may, if and as they think fit:
(a)
accept any composition
or any security for any debt or for any property;
(b)
allow any time for
payment of any debt;
(c)
compromise, compound,
abandon, submit to arbitration or otherwise settle and debt, account, claim or
thing whatever relating to the trust; and
(d)
for any of those
purposes, enter into, give, execute and do such agreements, instruments of
composition or arrangement, releases and other things as to them seem
expedient, without being responsible for any loss occasioned by any act or
thing so done by them in good faith.
(2) The powers conferred by this section on two
or more trustees acting together may be exercised by a sole acting trustee when
by the instrument of trust, if any, a sole trustee is authorized to execute the
trusts and powers thereof.
(3) This section shall apply only if and as
far as a contrary intention is not expressed in the instrument of trust, if
any, and shall have effect subject to the terms of that instrument and to the
provisions therein contained.
58. Power to several trustees of whom one
disclaims or dies.− When an authority
to deal with the trust-property is given to several trustees and one of them
disclaims or dies, the authority may be exercised by the continuing trustees,
unless from the terms of the instrument of trust it is apparent that the
authority is to be exercised by a number in excess of the number of the
remaining trustees.
59. Suspension of trustee's powers by decree.− Where a decree has been
passed in a suit for the execution
of a trust, the trustee shall not exercise any of his powers except in
conformity with such decree, or with the sanction of the Court by which the
decree has been passed, or, where an appeal against the decree is pending, of
the Appellate Court.
CHAPTER VI
DISABILITIES OF
TRUSTEES
60. Trustees cannot renounce after acceptance.− A trustee who has accepted the trust shall not afterwards
renounce it except:
(a)
with the permission of
a Civil Court of original jurisdiction; or
(b)
when the beneficiary is
competent to contract with his consent; or
(c)
by virtue of a special power
specified in the instrument of trust.
61. Trustee shall not delegate.− A trustee shall not
delegate his office or any of his duties
either to a co-trustee or to a stranger, unless:
(a)
instrument of trust so
provides, or
(b)
delegation is in the
regular course of business, or
(c)
delegation is
necessary, or
(d)
beneficiary, being
competent to contract, consents to the delegation.
Explanation: The appointment of an
attorney or proxy to do an act merely ministerial
and involving no independent discretion is not a delegation within the meaning
of this section.
62. Co-trustees shall not act singly.− When there are more
than one trustees, all shall join in
the execution of the trust, except where the instrument of trust otherwise
provides.
63. Control of discretionary power.− Where a discretionary
power conferred on a trustee is not
exercised reasonably and in good faith, such power may be controlled by a Civil
Court of original jurisdiction.
64. Trustee
may not charge for services.− In the absence of express directions to the contrary contained in the
instrument of trust or of a contract to the contrary entered into with the
beneficiary or the Court at the time of accepting the trust, a trustee has no
right to remuneration for his trouble, skill and loss of time in executing the
trust.
Explanation: Nothing in this
section shall apply to any Official Trustee, Administrator General, Public
Curator, or person holding a certificate of administration.
65. Trustee shall not use trust-property for
his own profit.− A trustee shall not use or deal with the trust-property
for his own profit or for any other purpose unconnected with the trust.
66. Trustee or his agent shall not buy.− No trustee whose duty
is to sell trust-property and no
agent employed by such trustee for the purpose of the sale, shall, directly or
indirectly, buy the same or any interest therein, on his own account or as
agent for a third person.
67. Trustee shall not buy beneficiary's
interest without permission.− No trustee,
and no person who has recently ceased to be a trustee, shall, without the
permission of a Civil Court of original jurisdiction, buy or become mortgagee
or lessee of the trust-property or any part thereof; and such permission shall
not be given unless the proposed purchase, mortgage or lease is manifestly for
the advantage of the beneficiary.
68. Trustee for purchase.− No trustee whose duty
is to buy or to obtain a mortgage of
lease of particular property for the beneficiary shall buy it, or any part
thereof, or obtain a mortgage or lease of it, or any part thereof, for himself.
69. Co-trustee shall not lend to one of
themselves.− No trustee or
co-trustee whose duty is to invest
trust-money on mortgage or personal security, shall invest it on a mortgage by,
or on the personal security of, himself, or one of his co-trustees.
CHAPTER VII
RIGHTS AND LIABILITIES
OF BENEFICIARIES
70. Rights
to rents and profits.− The beneficiary has, subject to the provisions of the instrument of trust, a right to
the rents and profits of the trust-property.
71. Right to specific execution and transfer
of possession.− (1) The beneficiary is entitled to have the intention of the author of the trust specifically executed to the
extent of the beneficiary’s interest; and, where there is only one beneficiary
and he is competent to contract, or
where there are several beneficiaries and they are competent
to contract and all are of one mind, he or they may require the trustee to
transfer the trust-property to him or them, or to such person as he or they may
direct.
(2) When property has been transferred or
bequeathed for the benefit of a married woman, so that she shall not have power
to deprive herself of her beneficial interest, nothing in this section shall
apply to such property during her marriage.
72. Right to inspect and take copies of
instrument of trust accounts, etc.− The beneficiary has a right, as against the trustee
and all persons claiming under him with notice of the trust, to inspect and
take copies of the instrument of trust, the documents of title relating solely
to the trust-property, the accounts of the trust-property and the vouchers, if
any, by which they are supported, and the cases submitted and opinions taken by
the trustee for his guidance in the discharge of his duty.
73. Right to transfer beneficial interest.− The beneficiary, if
competent to contract, may transfer
his interest, but subject to the law for the time being in force as to the
circumstances and extent in and to which he may dispose of such interest:
provided that when
property is transferred or bequeathed for the benefit of a married woman, so
that she shall not have power to deprive herself of her beneficial interest,
nothing in this section shall authorize her to transfer such interest during
her marriage.
74. Right to sue for execution of trust.− Where no trustee is
appointed or all the trustees die,
disclaim, or are discharged, or where for any other reason the execution of a
trust by the trustee is or becomes impracticable, the beneficiary may institute
a suit for the execution of the trust, and the trust shall, so far as may be
possible, be executed by the Court until the appointment of a trustee or new
trustee.
75. Right to proper trustees.− Subject to the provisions of the instrument of trust,
the beneficiary has a right that the trust-property shall be properly protected
and held and administered by proper persons and by a proper number of such
persons.
Explanation: The following are not
proper persons within the meaning of this section:
(a) a person domiciled abroad;
(b) alien enemy;
(c) a person having an interest inconsistent
with that of the beneficiary;
(d) a person in insolvent circumstances; and
(e) unless the personal law of the
beneficiary allows otherwise, a married woman and a minor.
76. Right
to compel to any act of duty.− The beneficiary has a right that his trustee shall be compelled to perform
any particular act of his duty as such, and restrain from committing any
contemplated or probable breach of trust.
77. Wrongful purchase by trustee.− (1) Where a trustee has wrongfully bought trust-property, the beneficiary has a right to have the property
declared subject to the trust or retransferred by the trustee, if it remains in
his hands unsold, or, if it has been bought from him by any person with notice
of the trust, by such person. But in such case the beneficiary shall repay the
purchase-money paid by the trustee, with interest, and such other expenses, if
any, as he has properly incurred in the preservation of the property; and the
trustee or purchaser shall; (a) account for the net profits of the property;
(b) be charged with an occupation-rent, if he has been in actual possession of
the property; and, (c) allow the beneficiary to deduct a proportionate part of
the purchase-money if the property has been deteriorated by the acts or
omissions of the trustee or purchaser.
(2) Nothing in this section shall:
(a)
impair the rights of
lessees and others who, before the institution of a suit to have the property
declared subject to the trust or retransferred, have contracted in good faith
with the trustee or purchaser; or
(b)
entitle the beneficiary
to have the property declared subject to the trust or retransferred where he,
being competent to contract, has himself, without coercion or undue influence
having been brought to bear on him, ratified the sale to the trustee with full
knowledge of the facts of the case and of his rights as against the trustee.
78. When trust-property is into the hands of
third persons.− (1) Where a trust-property comes into the hands of a third person inconsistently with the trust,
the beneficiary may require him to admit formally, or may institute a suit or a
declaration, that the property is comprised in the trust.
(2) Where the trustee has disposed of trust-property
and the money or other property which he has received therefor can be traced in
his hands, or the hands of his legal representative or legatee, the beneficiary
has, in respect thereof, rights as merely as may be the same as his rights in respect
of the original trust-property.
79. Saving of rights of certain transferees.− Nothing in section 78
entitles the beneficiary to any
right in respect of property in the hands of:
(a)
a transferee in good
faith for consideration without having notice of the trust, either when the
purchase-money was paid, or when the conveyance was executed, or
(b)
a transferee for
consideration from such a transferee.
Explanation 1: A judgment-creditor of
the trustee attaching and purchasing trust-property is not a transferee for
consideration within the meaning of this section.
Explanation 2: Nothing in section 78 applies to money, currency notes,
negotiable instruments in the hands of a bona fide holder to whom they have
passed in circulation, or shall be deemed to affect the Contract Act, 1872 or
the liability of a person to whom a debt or charge is transferred.
80. Acquisition
by trustee of trust-property wrongfully converted.− Where a trustee wrongfully sells or otherwise
transfers trust-property and afterwards himself becomes the owner of the
property, the property again becomes subject to the trust, notwithstanding any
want of notice on the part of intervening transferees in good faith for
consideration.
81. Right in case of blended property.− Where the trustee
wrongfully mingles the
trust-property with his own, the beneficiary shall be entitled to a change on
the whole fund for the amount due to him.
82. Wrongful employment by partner-trustee of
trust-property for partnership purposes.− If a partner, being a
trustee, wrongfully employs trust-property in the business
or on the account of the partnership, no other partner shall be liable in his
personal capacity to the beneficiaries unless he has notice of the breach of
trust and the partners having such notice are jointly and severally liable for
the breach of trust.
83. Liability of
beneficiary joining in breach of trust.− (1) The liability of a beneficiary in committing
breach of trust arises where one of several beneficiaries:
(a)
joins in committing breach
of trust; or
(b)
knowingly obtains any
advantage therefrom, without the consent of the other beneficiaries; or
(c)
becomes aware of a
breach of trust committed or intended to be committed, and either actually
conceals it, or does not within a reasonable time take proper steps to protect
the interests of the other beneficiaries; or
(d)
has deceived the
trustee and thereby induced him to commit a breach of trust, the other
beneficiaries are entitled to have all his beneficial interest impounded as
against him and all who claim under him (otherwise than as transferees for
consideration without notice of the breach) until the loss caused by the breach
has been compensated.
(2) When property has been transferred or
bequeathed for the benefit of a married woman, so that she has no power to
deprive herself of her beneficial interest, nothing in this section shall apply
to such property during her marriage.
84. Rights
and liabilities of beneficiary's transferee.− Every person to whom a beneficiary transfers his interest,
has the rights and is subject to the liabilities of the beneficiary in respect
of such interest at the date of the transfer.
CHAPTER VIII
VACATING THE OFFICE OF
TRUSTEE
85. Office how vacated.− The office of a trustee
shall be vacated by his death or by his discharge
from his office.
86. Discharge
of trustee.−The trustee may be
discharged from his office only as follows:
(a)
by the extinction of
the trust; or
(b)
by the completion of
his duties under the trust; or
(c)
by such means as may be
prescribed by the instrument of trust; or
(d)
by appointment under
this Act of a new trustee in his place; or
(e)
by consent of himself
and the beneficiary, or, where there are more beneficiaries than one, all the
beneficiaries being competent to contract; or
(f)
by the executive order
of the Director, if any of the trustee:
(i)
is convicted by a court
in criminal case; or
(ii)
fails to fulfill any of
the duty or obligation required under this Act; or
(iii)
has been punished under
section 18; or
(g)
by the Court to which a
petition for his discharge is presented under this Act.
87. Petition to be discharged from trust.− Notwithstanding the
provisions of section 23, every trustee
may apply by petition to a Civil Court of original jurisdiction to be
discharged from his office; and, if the Court finds that there is sufficient
reason for such discharge, it may discharge him accordingly, and direct his
costs to be paid out of the trust-property, but, where there is no such reason,
the Court shall not discharge him, unless a proper person can be found to take
his place.
88. Appointment of new trustees on death, etc.− (1) Whenever any person appointed a trustee disclaims, of any trustee,
either original or substituted, dies, or is for a continuous period of six
months absent from Pakistan, or leaves Pakistan for the purpose of residing
abroad, or is declared an insolvent, or desires to be discharged from the
trust, or refuses or becomes, in the opinion of a Civil Court of original
jurisdiction, unfit or personally incapable to act in the trust, or accepts an
inconsistent trust, a new trustee may be appointed in his place by:
(a)
the person nominated
for that purpose by the instrument or trust (if any); or
(b)
if there be no such
person, or no such person able and willing to act, the author of the trust if
he be alive and competent to contract, or the surviving or continuing trustee
or trustee for the time being, or legal representative of the last surviving
and continuing trustee, or (with the consent of the Court) the retiring
trustee, if they all retire simultaneously, or (with the like consent) the last
retiring trustee.
(2) Every appointment under subsection (1)
shall be in writing under the hand of the person making it.
(3) On an appointment of new trustee the
number of trustees may be increased.
(4) The Official Trustee may, with his
consent and by the order of the Court, be appointed under this section, in any
case in which only one trustee is to be appointed and such trustee is to be
sole trustee.
(5) The provisions of this section relative
to a trustee who is a dead include the case of a person nominated trustee in a
will but dying before the testator, and those relative to a continuing trustee
shall include refusing or retiring trustee if willing to act in the execution
of the power.
89. Appointment by Court of new trustees.− (1) Whenever
any vacancy or disqualification occurs
and it is found impracticable to appoint a new trustee under section 88, the
beneficiary may, without instituting a suit, apply by petition to a Civil Court
of original jurisdiction for the appointment of a trustee or a new trustee, and
the Court may appoint a trustee or a new trustee accordingly.
(2) In appointing new trustees, the Court
shall have regard:
(a)
to the wishes of the
author of the trust as expressed in or to be inferred from the instrument of
trust;
(b)
to the wishes of the person,
if any, empowered to appoint new trustees;
(c)
to the question whether
the appointment will promote or impede the execution of the trust; and
(d)
where there are more
beneficiaries than one, to the interests of all such beneficiaries.
90. Vesting of trust-property in new trustees.− Whenever any new
trustee is appointed under section
88 or section 89, all the trust-property for the time being vested in the
surviving or continuing trustees or trustee, or in the legal representative of
any trustee, shall become vested in such new trustee, either solely or jointly
with the surviving or continuing trustees or trustee as the case may require
and every trustee appointed by a
Court, either before or after the passing of this Act, shall have the same
powers, authorities and discretions, and shall in all respects act, as if he
had been originally nominated a trustee by the author of the trust.
91. Survival of trust.− On the death or
discharge of one of several co-trustees,
the trust survives and the trust-property passes to the others, unless the
instrument of trust expressly declares otherwise.
CHAPTER IX
EXTINCTION OF TRUSTS
92. Trust how extinguished.− A trust is
extinguished:
(a)
when its purpose is
completely fulfilled; or
(b)
when the Director
considers and has sufficient reasons to believe that the activities of the
trust are included in clause (b) of section 17 of this Act and records reasons
in the order to extinct the trust; or
(c)
when the fulfillment of
its purpose becomes impossible by destruction of the trust-property or
otherwise; or
[17][(cc) when it fails to comply with the
requirements contained in section 15 and 15-A of this Act;]
(d)
when the trust, being
revocable, is expressly revoked.
Provided that reasonable defense opportunity has been
given to the trust in case of clause (c) above and the trust has the right of
appeal to the Department.
93. Revocation of trust.− (1) A trust created by will may be revoked at the pleasure of the testator.
(2) A trust otherwise created can be revoked
only:
(a)
by the consent of all
the beneficiaries competent to contract; or
(b)
in exercise of a power
of revocation expressly reserved to the author where the trust has been
declared by non-testamentary instrument or by word of mouth; or
(c)
at the pleasure of the
author where the trust is for the payment of the debts of the author and has
not been communicated to the creditors.
Illustration
A conveys property to B
in trust to sell the same and pay out of the proceeds the claims of A's
creditors. A reserves no power of revocation. If no communication has been made to the creditors, A may revoke the trust. But if the
creditors are parties to the arrangement, the trust cannot be revoked without
their consent.
94. Revocation not to defeat what trustees
have duly done.− No trust shall be revoked by the author so as to defeat
or prejudice what the trustees may have duly done in execution of the trust.
CHAPTER X
CERTAIN OBLIGATIONS IN
THE NATURE OF TRUSTS
95. Where it does not appear that transferor
intended to dispose of beneficial interest.− Where the owner of
property transfers or bequeaths and it cannot be inferred consistently with the attendant circumstances that he
intended to dispose of the beneficial interest therein, the transferee or
legatee shall hold such property for the benefit of the owner or his legal
representative.
96. Transfer to one for consideration paid by
another.− Where property is transferred to one person for a
consideration paid or provided by another person, and it appears that such
other person did not intend to pay or provide such consideration for the
benefit of the transferee, the transferee shall hold the property for the benefit
of the person paying or providing the consideration.
Explanation: Nothing in this
section shall affect the provisions of the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 (V
of 1908).
97. Trust incapable of execution or executed without
exhausting trust-property.− Where a trust is incapable of being executed, or where
the trust is completely executed
without exhausting the trust-property, the trustee, in the absence of a
direction to the contrary, shall hold the trust-property, or so much thereof as
is unexhausted, for the benefit of the author of the trust or his legal
representative.
98. Transfer for illegal purpose.− Where the owner of
property transfers it to another for
an illegal purpose and such purpose is not carried into execution, or the
transferor is not as guilty as the transferee, or the effect of permitting the
transferee to retain the property might be to defeat the provisions of any law,
the transferee shall hold the property for the benefit of the transferor.
99. Bequest for illegal purpose or of which
revocation is prevented by coercion.− (1) Where a testator
bequeaths certain property upon
trust and the purpose of the trust appears on the face of the will to be
unlawful, or during the testator's life-time the legatee agrees with him to
apply the property for an unlawful purpose, the legatee shall hold the property
for the benefit of the testator's legal representative.
(2) Where property is bequeathed and the revocation of the bequest is prevented by
coercion, the legatee shall hold the property for the benefit of the testator's
legal representative.
100. Transfer
pursuant to rescindable contract.− Where property is transferred in pursuance of a contract which is liable to rescission or induced
by fraud or mistake, the transferee shall, on receiving notice to that effect,
hold the property for the benefit of the transferor, subject to repayment by
the latter of the consideration actually paid.
101. Debtor
becoming creditor's representative.− Where a debtor becomes the executor or other legal representative of his creditor, he shall
hold the debt for the benefit of the persons interested therein.
102. Advantage
gained by fiduciary.− Where a trustee, executor, partner, agent, director of a company, legal advisor,
or other person bound in a fiduciary character to protect the interests of
another person, by availing himself of his character, gains for himself any
pecuniary advantage, or where any person so bound enters into any dealings under
circumstances in which his own interests are, or may be, adverse to those of
such other person and thereby gains for himself a pecuniary advantage, he shall
hold for the benefit of such other person the advantage so gained.
103. Advantage gained by exercise of undue
influence.− Where, by the exercise of undue influence, any
advantage is gained in derogation of the interests of another, the person
gaining such advantage without consideration, or with notice that such
influence has been exercised, shall hold the advantage for the benefit of the
person whose interests have been so prejudiced.
104. Advantage gained by qualified owner.− Where a tenant for
life, co-owner, mortgagee or other
qualified owner of any property, by availing himself of his position as such
gains an advantage in derogation of the rights of the other persons interested
in the property, or where any such owner, as representing all persons
interested in such property, gains any advantage, he shall hold, for the
benefit of all persons so interested, the advantage so gained, but subject to
repayment by such persons of their due share of the expenses properly incurred,
and to an indemnity by the same persons against liabilities properly
contracted, in gaining such advantage.
105. Property acquired
with notice of existing contract.− Where a person acquires
property with notice that another person has entered into an existing contract
affecting that property, of which specific performance could be enforced, the
former shall hold the property for the benefit of the latter to the extent
necessary to give effect to the contract.
106. Purchase by person contracting to buy
property to be held on trust.− Where a person contracts to buy property to be held on
trust for certain beneficiaries and buys the property accordingly, he shall
hold the property for their benefit to the extent necessary to give effect to
the contract.
107. Advantage
secretly gained by one of several compounding creditors.− Where creditors
compound the debts due to them, and one of such creditors, by a secret
arrangement with the debtor, gains an undue advantage over his co-creditors, he
shall hold for the benefit of such creditors the advantage so gained.
108. Constructive trusts in cases not expressly
provided for.− In any case not coming within the scope of any of the
preceding sections, where there is no trust, but the person having possession
of property has not the whole beneficial interest therein, he shall hold the
property for the benefit of the persons having such interest, or the residue
thereof, as the case may be, to the extent necessary to satisfy their just
demands.
109. Obligator's
duties, liabilities and disabilities.− The person holding property in accordance with any of the
preceding sections of this Chapter shall, so far as may be, perform the same
duties, and is subject so far as may be, to the same liabilities and
disabilities, as if he were a trustee of the property for the person for whose benefit
he holds it;
(a)
where he rightfully
cultivates the property or employs it in trade or business, he shall be
entitled to reasonable remuneration for his trouble, skill and loss of time in
such cultivation or employment; and
(b)
where he holds the
property by virtue of a contract with a person for whose benefit he holds it,
or with any one through whom such person claims, he may, without the permission
of the Court, buy or become lessee or mortgagee of the property or any part
thereof.
110. Saving of rights of bona fide purchasers.− Nothing contained in
this Chapter shall impair the rights
of transferees in good faith for consideration, or create an obligation in
evasion of any law for the time being in force.
CHAPTER XI
Miscellaneous
111. Power to make rules.− The
Government may make rules for carrying out the purposes of this Act within
sixty days from the date of commencement of this Act.
112. Repeal and saving.− (1) The Trusts
Act, 1882 (II of 1882) is hereby repealed.
(2) Notwithstanding the repeal of the
Trusts Act, 1882 (II of 1882), anything done, actions taken, rules made
or notifications issued under the repealed Act, so far as they are not
inconsistent with the provisions of this Act, shall be deemed to have been
made, done or taken under this Act and shall have effect accordingly.
(3) Any document referring to the repealed
Act shall be construed as referring to corresponding provisions of this Act.
(4) All the trusts registered in the Punjab
under the repealed Act shall be freshly registered under this Act within a
period of six months of the commencement of this Act.
[1]This Act was passed by the Punjab Assembly
on 02 September 2020; assented to by the Governor of the Punjab on 08 September
2020; and was published in the Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary), dated 10
September 2020; pages 1035-52.
[2]Substituted for the words “a natural”, by
the Punjab Trusts (Amendment) Act 2022 (XLIII of 2022).
[3]Substituted for the words “a natural”, by
the Punjab Trusts (Amendment) Act 2022 (XLIII of 2022).
[4]Inserted by the Punjab Trusts (Amendment)
Act 2022 (XLIII of 2022).
[5] The word “and” omitted by the Punjab Trusts
(Amendment) Act 2022 (XLIII of 2022).
[6]Substituted for the full-stop by the Punjab
Trusts (Amendment) Act 2022 (XLIII of 2022).
[7]Inserted by the Punjab Trusts (Amendment)
Act 2022 (XLIII of 2022).
[8]Substituted for the words “a natural”, by
the Punjab Trusts (Amendment) Act 2022 (XLIII of 2022).
[9]The word “natural”, omitted by the Punjab
Trusts (Amendment) Act 2022 (XLIII of 2022).
[10]The following omitted by the Punjab Trusts
(Amendment) Act 2022 (XLIII of 2022):
“Explanation: A legal person shall not be a beneficiary under
this Act.”
[11]The word “natural”, omitted by the Punjab
Trusts (Amendment) Act 2022 (XLIII of 2022).
[12]The following omitted by the Punjab Trusts
(Amendment) Act 2022 (XLIII of 2022):
“Explanation: A legal person shall not be a trustee under this
Act.”
[13]Substituted by the Punjab Trusts (Amendment)
Act 2022 (XLIII of 2022), for the following:
“15. Trusts to be registered.− No trust shall be functional unless it is
registered with the Director under this Act in such manner as may be
prescribed.”
[14]Inserted by the Punjab Trusts (Amendment)
Act 2022 (XLIII of 2022).
[15]Substituted by the Punjab Trusts (Amendment)
Act 2022 (XLIII of 2022), for the following:
“(1) The Director and the Assistant Commissioner
concerned shall maintain a register of trusts in such manner as may be
prescribed.”
[16]Substituted for the word “determine” by the
Punjab Trusts (Amendment) Act 2022 (XLIII of 2022).
[17]Inserted by the Punjab Trusts (Amendment)
Act 2022 (XLIII of 2022).