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2008 Supreme(SC) 848

2008(4) Supreme 360
SUPREME COURT OF INDIA
(From Calcutta High Court)
Tarun Chatterjee, J.
M/s. K.B.Saha & Sons Pvt. Ltd. — Appellant
versus
M/s. Development Consultant Ltd. — Respondent
Civil Appeal Nos. 5659-5660 of 2002
Decided on : 12-05-2008

IMPORTANT POINTS
If a document is inadmissible for non-registration, all its terms are inadmissible.
To use a document for the purpose of proving an important clause in the lease is not using it as a collateral purpose.
An unregistered document executed by both parties can be used as an evidence of collateral purpose.

Headnote:(a) Registration Act – Section 49 – If a document is inadmissible for non-registration, all its terms are inadmissible including the one dealing with landlord’s permission to his tenant to sub-let. (Paras 19 and 21)

        AIR 1989 SC 1806 – Relied upon.

        AIR 1995 SC 1142 – Distinguished.

        (b) Registration Act – Section 49, Proviso – To use a document for the purpose of proving an important clause in the lease is not using it as a collateral purpose – Such unregistered document can however be used as an evidence of collateral purpose – Well settled that unregistered lease executed by both the parties can be looked into for collateral purposes that is for any purpose other than that of creating, declaring, assigning, limiting or extinguishing a right to immovable property. (Paras 19 and 20)

        AIR 1932 Cal 83(2); AIR 1980 Allahabad 180 – Cited with approval.

        AIR 1989 SC 1806; AIR 1991 SC 747; 1969 (1) UJ 86 (SC) – Relied upon.

        (c) Registration Act – Section 49, Proviso – A collateral transaction must be independent of, or divisible from, the transaction to effect which the law required registration. (Para 21)

        (d) Transfer of Property Act – Section 108(O) – Change of user – Instantly, the purpose of lease was for residential use by officer of the tenant – Allotting the same to another officer is not change of user. (Paras 24 and 29)

        AIR 1993 SC 2646; AIR 2000 SC 1122 – Distinguished.

       Facts of the case :

        1. M/s. K.B. Saha & Sons Pvt. Ltd. (“the appellant”) was the owner of Premises No. 28/8, Gariahat Road, within Police Station Lake in the district of South 24 Parganas (“the suit property”).

        2. By a memorandum dated 30th of March, 1976, the respondent became a tenant in respect of a flat, in the suit property (“the suit premises”) for the residential accommodation of a particular officer Mr. Keshab Das and members of his family and for no other purpose.

        3. By a letter dated 6th of March, 1992, the respondent informed the appellant that Mr. Keshab Das had vacated the suit premises and that it wanted to make repairs and to allot the same to another employee to which the appellant objected on the ground that the respondent had no right to allot the suit premises to another employee and, therefore, must surrender the same once vacated by Mr. Keshab Das. The respondent refused.

        4. In this backdrop, Title Suit No. 19/92 was filed by the appellant. Assistant District Judge passed an order of injunction restraining the respondent from allowing any other person except Mr. Das to occupy the suit premises. This interim order was made final.

        5. The appellant served a notice under on the respondent under Section 13(6) of the West Bengal Premises Tenancy Act, 1956 asking them to vacate the suit premises.

        6. On failure of the respondent to vacate the suit premises as desired in the notice, another suit was filed by the appellant being Title Suit No. 39/95 praying for ejectment of the respondent from the suit premises.

        7. By a common judgment dated 11th of November, 1998, the suits of the appellant were dismissed.

        8. Two appeals were filed in the High Court which were dismissed.

       Findings of the Court :

        There is no change of user. The Appellant is not entitled to a decree of eviction.

       Result : Appeal dismissed.

JUDGMENT

Tarun Chatterjee, J. —

1. These two appeals are directed against the common final judgment and order dated 18th of May, 2001 of the High Court of Calcutta passed in F.A. Nos. 39-40 of 1999 affirming the judgment and decree dated 11th of November, 1998 passed by the Asstt. District Judge, 9th Court at Alipore, South 24 Parganas whereby the two suits namely, Title Suit No 19/92 and 39/92 filed at the instance of the appellant were dismissed.

2. The facts leading to the filing of these two appeals are narrated in a nutshell as follows :

M/s. K.B. Saha & Sons Pvt. Ltd. (in short “the appellant”) brought Title Suit No. 19/92 before the 9th Court of the Asstt. District Judge, Alipore, South 24 Parganas against M/s. Development Consultants Ltd. (in short “the respondent”) alleging, inter alia, that the appellant was the owner of Premises No. 28/8, Gariahat Road, within Police Station Lake in the district of South 24 Parganas (hereinafter called “the suit property”). By a memorandum dated 30th of March, 1976, the respondent became a tenant in respect of a flat, as fully described in Schedule-A of the plaint, in the suit property (hereinafter called “the suit premises”) for the residential accommodation of a particular officer Mr. Keshab Das and members of his family and for no other purpose. The monthly rent was fixed at Rs. 1100/-, which included the rent of fixtures, fittings and parking place payable in advance by 5th of the current month for which the rent became due. The monthly rent and other charges were increased to Rs. 1210/- from September, 1985. The appellant alleged that the memorandum dated 30th of March, 1976 specifically provided that if the respondent intended to use the suit premises for any purpose other than providing residential accommodation to its named officer Mr. Keshab Das and members of his family, the respondent would have to seek a written consent from the appellant bringing the change of purpose by a notice.

3. By a letter dated 6th of March, 1992, the respondent informed the appellant that Mr. Keshab Das had vacated the suit premises and that it wanted to make repairs and to allot the same to another employee to which the appellant objected and replied by a letter dated 12th of March, 1992 that the respondent had no right to allot the suit premises to another employee and, therefore, must surrender the same once vacated by Mr. Keshab Das. However, the appellant was informed by the respondent that they would not surrender the suit premises and shall carry out the repair work in it. In this backdrop, the aforesaid Title Suit No. 19/92 was filed by the appellant for declaration and permanent injunction that as per the terms of the Memorandum of Agreement dated 30th of March, 1976, the respondent had no right to allot the suit premises to any other employee after the same was vacated by Mr. Keshab Das and members of his family. By an interim order passed on 13th of March, 1992 in the aforesaid suit, the Assistant District Judge, 9th Court at Alipore had passed an order of injunction restraining the respondent from allowing any other person except Mr. Das to occupy the suit premises. This interim order was made final on 2nd of September, 1992. On 18th of March, 1995, a notice under Section 13(6) of the West Bengal Premises Tenancy Act, 1956 (in short “the Act”) was served on the respondent asking them to vacate the suit premises and on failure of the respondent to vacate the suit premises as desired in the notice, another suit was filed by the appellant being Title Suit No. 39/95 praying for ejectment of the respondent from the suit premises. The aforesaid suit was brought by the appellant with similar allegations as contained in Title Suit No. 19/92 and it was alleged, inter alia, that although the respondent was bound to vacate the suit premises after Mr. Das had vacated the same, yet the respondent had not vacated the suit premises and, therefore, the appellant was constrained to file the aforesaid










































































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