The law of adverse possession is contained in the Indian Limitation Act. Article 65, Schedule 1 of the Limitation Act prescribes a limitation of 12 years for a suit for possession of immovable property or any interest therein based on title. Article 64 governs suits for possession based on possessory right. It is important to note that in respect of land belonging to the State such limitation vide Article 112 Schedule "A" of the Limitation Act is 30 years and the starting point of limitation is the same in the case of the suit by a private person which is to be counted from the point of time "when the possession becomes adverse to the real owner". The starting point of limitation Under Article 64 of Article 65 r/w Article 112 shall also be read with section 27 of the Limitation Act which bears heading --"Extinguishment of right to property". It lays down: At the determination of the period hereby limited to any person for instituting the suit within the period of limitation comes to an end, but the right based on title or possession, as the case may be, will be extinguished. Thus, the section 27 of the Limitation Act assists the person in possession to acquire prescriptive title by adverse possession. The said section is also an exception to the well accepted rule that limitation bars only the remedy and does not extinguish the title. It lays down a rule of substantive law by declaring that after the lapse of the period, the title ceases to exist and not merely the remedy. It further means that since the person who had a right to possession has allowed his right to be extinguished by his inaction, he cannot
