Andhra Pradesh High Court
Judges : B.P.JEEVAN REDDY, M.N.RAO
B.Pabbathi Rathnamaiah Chetty - Appellant
Versus
Tenant B.Yalavaluri Ramalingaiah Chetty - Respondent
Decided On : 08-05-86
EVICTION - WILFUL DEFAULT IN PAYMENT OF RENT - DEPOSIT OF RENT INTO COURT - RES JUDICATA - SUBSEQUENT DEFAULT - RIGHT OF LANDLORD TO SEEK EVICTION - A. P. BUILDINGS (LEASE, RENT AND EVICTION) CONTROL ACT, 1960, SECTIONS 10(2)(i), 11(1), 11(4), 11(7).
Fact of the Case:
The petitioner, a tenant, defaulted in paying rent for a period of time. The landlord filed an application for eviction on the ground of wilful default in payment of rent. The Rent Controller dismissed the application, finding that the default was not wilful. The landlord filed a second application for eviction on the ground of wilful default in payment of rent for a subsequent period. The Rent Controller and the appellate court found that there was wilful default and ordered eviction. The tenant filed a revision petition in the High Court.
Finding of the Court:
The High Court held that the landlord was entitled to seek eviction of the tenant for any subsequent default in payment of rent committed by him although he deposited in the earlier proceedings rent into court under Section 11(1) of the Act. The dismissal of the earlier application would not constitute res judicata disentitling the landlord from filing a second application for the period subsequent to the one alleged in the earlier application. The landlord is entitled to file a second application during either the pendency of the first application or after disposal.
Issues: 1. Whether the landlord is entitled to seek eviction of the tenant for any subsequent default in payment of rent committed by him although he deposited in the earlier proceedings rent into court under Section 11(1) of the Act? 2. Whether the dismissal of the earlier application would constitute res judicata disentitling the landlord from filing a second application for the period subsequent to the one alleged in the earlier application? 3. Whether the landlord is entitled to file a second application during either the pendency of the first application or after disposal?
Ratio Decidendi: 1. The deposit of rent into court by the tenant under Section 11(1) of the Act is a necessary pre-condition for the tenant to contest the application brought by the landlord seeking eviction under Section 10. However, the deposit of rent does not preempt the Rent Controller from making an enquiry into the allegation of the tenant's default. 2. The dismissal of the earlier application for eviction on the ground of wilful default does not disentitle the landlord from filing a second application for eviction on the ground of wilful default in respect of a different period but during the pendency of the prior application. 3. The landlord is entitled to file a second application for eviction during either the pendency of the first application or after disposal.
Final Decision: The revision petition was dismissed.
( 1 ) THE Petitioner is the tenant of a residential premises bearing Door no. 11/254 situated in Apparao Street, Madanapalle, owned by the respondent. The respondent-landlord filed an application RCC. No. 2/75 before the Rent controller Madanapalle seeking eviction of the petitioner-tenant on the ground of wilful default in the payment of rent for the period from 30-3-1973 to 27-2-75 and also on the ground of personal requirement. That application was dismissed by the Rent Controller on 1-8-1977 negativing both the pleas raised by the landlord. The appellate court as well as the High Court in revision C. R P No. 3959/79 confirmed the view taken by the Rent Controller. During the pendency of that application the tenant did not deposit into the court regularly the monthly rents due for the period subsequent to the application. However, a lumpsum amount of Rs. 800/- was deposited by him into court towards the rent for the period from February 1975, to november 1975. After the dismissal of that application the landlord filed rcc. No. 10/78 (from out of which the present revision petition arises) before the Rent Controller, Madanapalle contending that there was wilful default on the part of the tenant in the payment of rent during the pendency of the earlier proceedings. That application was opposed by the tenant contending that the order of the Rent Controller dismissing the earlier application constituted resjudicata and the deposit of rents made by him into the court was in accordance with the orders of the court as and when challans were issued by the court deposits were made. The learned Rent Controller considered the question whether or not there was wilful default on the part of the tenant and answered it in favour of the landlord. He took the view that an application for eviction for wilful default in the payment of rent for a period different from the one covered by the earlier application was maintainable. The evidence of the tenant that he sent the monthly rents by money order to the landlord and as the latter refused to receive the money orders, he deposited the entire money in lumpsum into the court on the advice of his advocate, was disbelieved by the learned Rent Controller. On appeal the learned subordinate Judge, Madanapalle, confimred the order of the Rent controller. The aggrieved tenant has preferred the present revision petition.
( 2 ) WHEN the civil revision petition came for hearing before our learned brother Rumanujulu Naidu, J. , on 9-8-1982, he referred the matter for a division Bench taking the view ;"the question raised in the revision petition is of considerable importance and in my opinion requires an authoritative pronouncement from a Division Bench of this court, the question being as to Whether it is open to a landlord to seek eviction of a tenant for the subsequent default in payment of rent committed by him, after availing himself of the benefit *of an order passed under section 11 (4) obviously a mistake for Section 11 (1) of the Andhra Pradesh Buildings (Lease, rent and Eviction) Control Act as no order was made in the previous appln. under Sec. 11 (4) by the court of Rent Controller in the earlier proceeding for eviction instituted by him".
( 3 ) THE A. P. Buildings (Lease, Rent and Eviction) Control Act, 1960, for short the act was enacted with the object of regulating leasing of buildings, the control of rent, and the prevention of unreasonable eviction of tenants. By Section 10 (2) (i) of the Act the landlord can seek eviction of the tenant if the latter has not paid or tendered the rent due by him in respect of the building within fifteen days after the expiry of the time fixed in the agreement of tenancy or in the absence of any such agreement, by the last day of the month next following that for which the rent is payable. The proviso to sub-section 2 of the Section 10 of the Act says that in respect of the matters falling under clause (i), if the Rent Controller is satisfi
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