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Introduction The concept of 'trust' relates to the ancient times. When the properties were dedicated to charitable, pious, religious, social welfare, educational, medical purposes. The Trust laws came to India via English Trust law which stipulates dual ownership of trust property i.e. legal title vests with the trustee while equitable title vests with the beneficiary. On this basis, Indian Trusts Act 1882 was enacted. The Indian Trusts Act, 1882 codifies the law relating to private trusts and private trustees under different subject heads which include Creation of trusts; Duties and liabilities of trustees; Their rights and powers; Their disabilities; The rights and liabilities of the beneficiary; Vacating the office of trustee; The extinction of trusts and; Certain obligations in the nature of trusts. Hindu charitable or religious trusts are mainly governed by the provisions of Hindu Laws which have been passed by several States under Article 25 (2) of the Constitution of India, like, The Bombay Public Trust Act, 1950, Rajasthan Public Trust Act, 1959, Madras Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment Act, 1959 etc. The Wakf Act 1995 regulates muslim Wakfs for public benefit. There are also several States laws for regulating the proper administration of Wakfs in India. There are other trust laws like, Sikh Gurdwara Act, 1925 governing Sikh Gurdwaras. A 'trust' is an obligation annexed to the ownership of property and arising out of a confidence reposed in and accepted by the owner, or declared and accepted by him, for the benefit of another or of another and the owner. The following are the essential elements of a trust :1. The author or the settler of the trust; 2. The trustee; 3. The beneficiary; 4. The trust property or the subject-matter of trust 5. The object of the trust; 6. the instrument of trust. Indian Trust Act In view of a plethora of Trust laws, Indian Trust Act 1882 has been considered desirable to be discussed hereunder and for brevity it is referred hereinafter as "The Trust Act". The Act is divided into the following parts: (i) (ii) preliminary; the creation of trusts;
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Scope of the Act As is clear from the preamble; the Act has no application to public or private, religious or charitable endowment. The Indian Trusts Act is exhaustive in respect of any matter specifically provided for in it, but it is not exhaustive of all matters relating to private trusts. Therefore, in cases covered by the Act, its provisions must be applied but if a case is not covered by it, the Court is entitled to apply rules of English law, as laid down by judicial decisions in that country and which are not inconsistent with the Act, as the rules of justice, equity and good conscience. Definition of Trust The Act defines the term 'trust' in Section 3 as (i) (ii) (iii) (iv) an obligation annexed to the ownership of property and arising out of confidence reposed in and accepted by the owner or declared and accepted by him, for the benefit of another or of another and the owner.
The person who reposes or declares the confidence is called the 'author of the trusts', the person who accepts the confidence is called the 'trustee', the person for whose benefit the confidence is accepted is called the 'beneficiary'; the subject matter of the trust is called 'trust property' or 'trusts money'; the 'beneficial interest' is beneficiary's right against the trustee as owner of the trust property; and the instrument declaring the trust is called the 'instrument of trust'. The word 'trust' in its legal sense has a technical and definite meaning which is very much different from the sense in which this word is used in daily parlance. Trust connotes a legal concept or relationship similarly as other relationships created by law, e.g., Contract, Agency. Trust and Contract Trust in its origin was a form of contract distinctively enforced in equity. A contract creates a trust where it has brought into existence an obligation annexed to the ownership of property for the benefit of a person other than the owner. No technical words are required to create a trust. There is always a fiduciary relationship between trustee and beneficiary, but not between the parties to a contract.
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Difference between Trust and Agency (i) (ii) (iii) An agent has no title to the property. A trustee is the full owner of the trust property. An agent acts on behalf of his principal and is subject to his control. A trustee acts in his own right. An agent is generally not personally liable, a trustee is.
CLASSIFICATION OF TRUSTS (On the basis of the Mode of Creation) Simple and Special Trusts Where the trustee is merely to hold the estate without having any active duties to perform it is called a simple trust. Where, however, the trust has been created for a particular object or purpose there is a special trust. Thus, in a simple trust, the trustee is merely to hold the property for the benefit of the beneficiary and in a special trust; the trustee has duties to perform. Oral and Written Trusts A trust may be declared either orally or through an instrument in writing. However, a trust in relation of movable property can be declared orally by transferring the possession of the property with a direction that the property be held in trust. In regard to a private trust for immovable properties, a written trust deed is prerequisite. Charitable or Religious Trust In order to determine whether a deed of trust is a valid public or charitable trust, it is necessary to see what is the dominant intention of the testator, namely, who are the real objects of his bequest and secondly whether the class indicated as the object of charity forms at least a section of the public. Where the main and paramount intention of the settler was to benefit the members of his family and thereafter the members of his caste who might need assistance from such funds there could be no public or charitable trust created. It is one of the cardinal rules governing execution
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The Act allows creation of a trust for any lawful purposes. What is lawful can be gathered from the provisions of Section 4 of the Act which provides that purpose of a trust is lawful unless it is (a) Forbidden by law, or (b) Is of such a nature which will defeat the provisions of any law, or (c) is fraudulent, or
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Section 5 of the Act lays down the formalities which are to be observed for creation of a trust. It provides that a trust of immovable property can be created by an instrument in writing and registered, signed by the author of the trust or by Will. Trust of movable property requires no writing or registration. The mere transfer of possession coupled with the intention of the parties that such delivery of possession should vest the property in the trustee is sufficient to create a trust. (iii) Creation of a trust
Section 6 lays down provisions for creating a trust. It provides that subject to the provisions of Section 5 a trust is created when the author of the trust indicates with reasonable certainty by any words or acts: (a) an intention on his part to create thereby a trust; (b) the purpose of the trust; (c) the beneficiary, and (d) the trust property; transfer the trust property to the trustee except where a trust is declared by Will or the author of the trust is himself to be the trustee. If a trust is to be valid and enforceable, it is material to ascertain the author of the trust. Next the intention to create a trust, the purpose of the trust, the trust-property and the beneficiaries must be indicated and in such a way that the trust could be administered by the Court if the occasion arose. Certainties of a Trust For creating a trust the author of the trust should indicate with reasonable certainty the following: (1) Certainty in words: The words used to create a trust must be clear and certain so as to explain a clear intention to create a trust. Recommendatory words like "I hope" "I wish" are not sufficient. (2) Certainty in the object of the trust : The beneficiary, for whose benefit the trust is created, must be shown clearly.
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Thus, generally any person competent to contract and competent to deal with the property can create a trust. Who may be a Trustee Every person capable of holding property may be a trustee. But if the trust involves the exercise of discretion, he cannot execute it unless he is competent to contract (Section 10). No one is bound to accept a trust. Acceptance of the trust by a trustee may be express or implied. Illustrations:
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