ORDER

Certain premises situated in the township of Gurgaon, Haryana were held by the respondents on tenancy from the appellants under the Deed of Lease dated 1.4.1996. The rent of the tenancy premises, payable with effect from 1.4.1996, was Rs.63,087.50 per month, in addition to maintenance charges of Rs. 40,000/- per month. On 27.3.1998, the appellants filed a suit for recovery of rent and ejectment of the respondents alleging the respondents to be in arrears with effect from 1.5.1996. On 2.5.1998 the defendants/respondents and their counsel failed to appear in the trial court and, therefore, the trial court directed the suit to proceed ex-parte against the defendants. On 29.5.1998 the defendants moved an application under Order 9 Rule 7 of the CPC praying for setting aside of the ex-parte order on the ground that their counsel was prevented from appearing in the court on account of having met with an accident. On 9.9.1999 the trial court allowed the defendants application recording the finding that the counsel for the defendants had good and sufficient cause for previous non-appearance in the court and that the non-appearance of defendants and their counsel on 2.5.1998 was not int