GIFT IS ABSOLUTE TRANSFER OF PROPERTY

Gift Under Transfer Of Property Act, 1882

Transfer of property is an act of conveyance of property between living persons, in present or future. It is defined under section 5 of the transfer of property act. Transfer of a property can be done through various ways such as Gift, Sale, Exchange, etc. and is covered under the act of 1882. Rights transferred can be absolute or partial like, in gift right transferred is an absolute right and in a lease it is partial.

What is a gift?

A Gift is generally regarded as a transfer of ownership of a property where the sender willingly brings into effect such transfer without any compensation or consideration in monetary value. It may be in the form of moveable or immoveable property and the parties may be two living persons or the transfer may take place only after the death of the transferor. When the transfer takes place between two living people it is called inter vivos, and when it takes place after the death of the transferor it is known as testamentary. Testamentary transfers do not fall under the scope of Section 5 of the Transfer of Property Act, and thus, only inter vivos transfers are referred to as gifts under this Act.

If the essential elements of the gift are not implemented properly it may become revoked or void by law. There are many provisions pertaining to the gifts. All such provisions, for example, types of property which may be gifted, modes of making such gift, competent transferor, suspension and revocation of gift, etc.

Parties to a gift transfer

Donor 

The donor must be a competent person, i.e., he must have the capacity as well as the right to make the gift. If the donor has the capacity to contract then he is deemed to have the capacity to make the gift. This implies that at the time of making a gift, the donor must be of the age of majority and must have a sound mind. Registered societies, firms, and institutions are referred to as juristic persons, and they are also competent to make gifts. Gift by a minor or insane person is void. Besides capacity, the donor must also have the right to make a gift. The right of the donor is determined by his ownership rights in the property at the time of the transfer because gift means the transfer of the ownership.

Donee

Donee does not need to be competent to contract. He may be any person in existence at the date of making the gift. A gift made to an insane person, or a minor, or even to a child existing in the mother’s womb is valid subject to its lawful acceptance by a competent person on his/her behalf. Juristic persons such as firms, institutions, or companies are deemed as competent donee and gift made to them is valid. However, the donee must be an ascertainable person. The gift made to the general public is void. If ascertainable, the donee may be two or more persons.

Essential elements

There are the following five essentials of a valid gift:

1. Transfer of ownership

2. Existing property

3. Transfer without consideration

4. Voluntary transfer with free consent

5. Acceptance of the gift

Conclusion 

To constitute a transfer as a gift it must follow the provisions of the Transfer of Property Act. This Act extensively defines the gift itself and the circumstances of the transfer of such a gift. The gift, being a transfer of the ownership rights, must be in possession and ownership of the transferee and must be existing at the time of making the transfer. The transferor must be competent to make such transfer but the transferee may be any person. In case the transferee is incompetent to contract, the acceptance of gift must be ratified by a competent person on his/her behalf. Gift of future property is void. Partial acceptance of prosperous gifts and rejection of onerous gifts is not valid either. The acceptance of a gift entails the acceptance of the benefits as well as the liabilities coupled with such a gift. A gift may be revoked only by a mutual agreement on a condition by the donor and the donee, or by rescinding the contract pertaining to such gift. The Donations mortis causa and Hiba are the only two kinds of gifts which do not follow the provisions of the Transfer of Property Act.