IMPORTANT POINTS
(1) Court cannot ignore subsequent events which are germane to controversy, while deciding Review Petition.
(2) With death of both partners and not having any clause permitting continuation of partnership by legal heirs, non-residential tenanted premises is deemed to be vacant in law as tenant is deemed to have ceased to occupy building.

JUDGMENT :

HEMANT GUPTA, J.

1. The challenge in the present appeal is to an order passed by the High Court of Uttarakhand in Review Application No. 105/2008 on 23.04.2008 wherein the factum of death of Pradeep Kumar, the successor-in-interest of Tika Ram - the tenant, was not considered. The argument of the appellant was that the partnership between Pradeep Kumar and Subhash Chand, Respondent No. 4 herein has come to an end automatically on the death of Pradeep Kumar on 21.05.2004. Therefore, tenancy also has come to an end in view of Section 12 (2) of U.P. Urban Buildings (Regulation of Letting, Rent and Eviction) Act, 1972¹ [hereinafter referred to as the “Act”]. It may be stated that during the pendency of the present appeal, Subhash Chand, another partner, who was allowed to enter into partnership with Pradeep Kumar by the District Magistrate also died on 25.6.2014.

2. The legal heirs of Pradeep Kumar and Subhash Chand were served with notice in the Special Leave Petition which led to the present Civil Appeal. An application was filed by the appellant to implead the legal heirs of Subhash Chand namely, Amit Goyal son of late Shri Subhash Chand and Smt. Swati Goyal daughter of Shri Subhash Chand. Notice of the said I.A. Nos. 23917, 23920 and 23921 of 2019 was ordered to be issued on 26.02.2020. As per the office report, notice was issued to the proposed legal heirs of the deceased Respondent No. 4. The service was effected on the proposed legal heirs as per tracking report of the postal authorities. It is thereafter, on 28.07.2021, the application for substitution of the legal heirs of Respondent No. 4 was allowed. But none has put an appearance on behalf of the legal heirs of Respondent No. 4.

3. Brief facts leading to the present appeal are that an application was filed by Pradeep Kumar in July 1982 before the Court of Rent Control and Eviction Officer, Dehradun, the District Magistrate, in terms of the Act. In such application, Pradeep Kumar, the successor-in-interest of tenant Tika Ram averred that Subhash Chand was a divorcee and had no children and was willing to devote full time in the said proposed business of sale of milk, curd, ghee and butter. The application was however opposed by the landlord. It was inter-alia averred that after death of Tika Ram, he had left behind 8 legal heirs who were joint tenants in the disputed property. It was stated that Subhash Chand was a sub-tenant and that he was involved in demolition, changing the structure and making furniture for last two months. Shri Pradeep Kumar has put such person in possession of the property. It is also averred that Subhash Chand has been doing the business of milk products in Dehradun and that the application has been filed in order to only cover the sub-tenancy. It was argued that Pradeep Kumar had put such person in possession of the shop who was not a member of their family and thus property would be deemed to be vacant under Section 12(2) of the Act. However, the District Magistrate permitted Subhash Chand to be inducted as a partner on 15.11.1982. It was thereafter, on 19.11.1982, a written partnership deed was signed between Pradeep Kumar and Subhash Chand, a copy of which is annexed herewith as P-4. Clause 6 of the said Partnership Deed states that all provisions of the Partnership Act would be applicable.

4. The landlord challenged the order passed by the District Magistrate before the learned District Judge. Such revision petition was dismissed on 12.12.1983. Further challenge before the High Court through Writ Petition also remained unsuccessful vide order dated 10.10.2007. The appellant challenged the said order by way of Special Leave Petition before this Court but the same was dismissed on 10.01.2008. It is thereafter, the appellant filed an application for review before the High Court inter-alia on the ground that pursuant to the death of the tenant, Pradeep Kumar i.e. one of the partners of the firm, the partnership does not survive in view of