JUDGMENT

Ruma Pal, J.-This is an appeal filed by tenants against an order passed by the High Court at Madras upholding the decision of the Rent Controller ordering the eviction of the appellants under the Tamil Nadu Buildings (Lease and Control Act) Act, 1960 (herinafter referred to as the Act ).

2. The appellants have assailed the decision of the High Court primarily on three grounds:

(i) that the suit premises belongs to a religious charitable Trust and, therefore, the provisions of the Act were not applicable to the suit premises, and

(ii) that there was no relationship of tenants and landlord between the appellants and the respondent and

(iii) the denial of the respondent s title by the appellants was bona fide and as such the Rent Controller had no jurisdiction to try or determine the suit.

3. Before considering the submissions of the parties, the background in which the issues before us arise needs to be stated.

4. In 1900, one Mandi Venkata Naicker endowed his property in Trust for religious and charitable purposes by a registered deed dated 7th September 1900. A supplementary deed was executed by the said Venkata Naicker on 12th April 1911 transferring further properties t