Andhra Pradesh High Court
Judges : A.SEETHARAM REDDY
PALICHETTY LATCHANNA ALIAS LAXMANRAO - Appellant
Versus
GIDUTHURI APPA RAO - Respondent
Decided On : 06-08-82
EVICTION - WILFUL DEFAULT - BONAFIDE REQUIREMENT - PLEADING - INTERPRETATION - REVISION - INTERFERENCE WITH CONCURRENT FINDINGS - RENT CONTROL ACT, 1960 (A. P. ), SECTIONS 10 (3) (A) (III) (A), 10 (3) (A) (III) (B), 10 (3) (C), 22.
Fact of the Case:
The landlord filed two petitions for eviction under Section 10 (3) (b) (iii) and Section 10 (2) (i) of the A. P. Buildings (Lease, Rent and Eviction) Control Act, 1960, on the grounds of wilful default and bonafide requirement of the schedule premises for the proposed commencement of his business.
Finding of the Court:
The Rent Controller and the Appellate Court held that though the wilful default was not established, the bonafides on the part of the landlord for the proposal to commence his business was established and therefore eviction was ordered.
Issues: 1. Whether the landlord had established the ground of wilful default? 2. Whether the landlord had established the bonafide requirement of the premises for the proposed commencement of his business? 3. Whether the pleading of the landlord was sufficient to comply with the provisions of Section 10 (3) (a) (iii) (b) of the Act? 4. Whether the High Court could interfere with the concurrent findings of the Tribunals below in revision?
Ratio Decidendi: 1. The landlord failed to establish the ground of wilful default as there was no evidence to support the allegation. 2. The landlord failed to establish the bonafide requirement of the premises for the proposed commencement of his business as the pleading was insufficient and did not comply with the provisions of Section 10 (3) (a) (iii) (b) of the Act. 3. The pleading of the landlord was insufficient to comply with the provisions of Section 10 (3) (a) (iii) (b) of the Act as it did not specify the particular business which the landlord proposed to commence in the premises and did not furnish all the particulars with reference to the ingredients of Section 10 (3) (a) (iii) (b). 4. The High Court could interfere with the concurrent findings of the Tribunals below in revision as the findings were tainted with unreasonableness and would lead to miscarriage of justice.
Final Decision: The orders under Revisions were set aside, the eviction petitions were dismissed, and the revision petitions were allowed.
( 1 ) THE Revisionists herein are the tenants. The Respondent- landlord filed two petitions for eviction, R. C. Nos. 2 and 3 of 1976 on the grounds of wilful default and bonafide requirement of the schedule premises for the proposed commencement of his business. The eviction petitions have been filed under Section 10 (3) (b) (iii) and Section 10 (2) (i) of the A. P. Buildings (Lease, Rent and Eviction) Control Act, (hereinafter referred to as the Act ). R. C. No. 2/76 briefly states : The petitioner (landlord) purchased the building Door Nos. 2/48, 2/49 and 2/50 on the westetfrside oftheg. N. T. Road in Tagarapuvalasa under a registered sale-deed dated 26-6-69. Actual possession was given in so far as D. No. 2/50 is concerned and symbolic possession in respect of D. Nos. 2/48 and 2/49 which were occupied by the two tenants, who are the two revisionists herein, was given. After the purchase the tenants assured to pay the rents to the petitioner. The petitioner purchased the building for the purposes of his business and therefore a notice was caused to be issued on 1-6-69 to vacate the building. Since it was not vacated the petitioner (landlord) filed a suit O. S. No. 140/69 which was decreed and the appeal was dismissed. But however during the pendency of the appeal, Tagarapuvalasa was included in the Bheemunipatnam Municipality and therefore the provisions of the Rent Control Act were made applicable. Consequently the decree obtained in the suit could not be executed. Since the respondents (tenants) did not give any notice to the petitioner as to what he should do with the rents and after the disposal of the suit when the petitioner was about to take action against the respondents under the rent Control Act, the respondents-tenants filed an application under section 8 of the Rent Control Act for allowing them to deposit the rents into Court, which was allowed. This was with a view to get over the question of wilful default. The petitioner however submits that the respondent committed wilful default as they did not pay the rents wilfully. It is also stated that the schedule building is necessary for him for the purposes of his business and therefore the respondents are liable to be evicted.
( 2 ) IN the counter it is stated that contrary to the agreement at the time of the purchase of the building between the petitioner and the respondents, the petitioner with a view to harass the respondents did not receive the rents and when the rents were sent by Money Order they were refused to be accepted and hence they had to file an application under section 8, which was allowed. It is further stated that the landlord is having a medical stores in his own building situated by the main road and the said building is sufficiently big enough for his business and the petition schedule premises is at a far off distance to the said medical shop and is not Suitable for expansion of the landlord s business. The allegation of wilful default is denied and there is no bonafide requirement of the petitioner to commence his business and therefore the petitions should be dismissed.
( 3 ) THE Rent Controller on an appreciation of evidence and in the light of the pleadings held that though the wilful default has not been established, the bonafides on the part of the landlord for the proposal to commence his business is established and therefore eviction was ordered. The Appellate Court likewise confirmed. Hence these revisions,
( 4 ) THE learned Advocate General for the tenants contended that there was nothing in the pleading to show that there was any bonafide proposal to commene the business. It is only a bald plea that the schedule premises is required "for his business" which is not sufficient to attract successfully the provisions enacted in Section 10 (3) (a) (iii) (b) of the Act. Secondly, both the Courts below have erred in concluding that it is open to the landlord to choose the premises that would be convenient for his busin
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