Andhra Pradesh High Court
Judges : T.NARSINGA RAO
T.Venkatakrishna Reddy - Appellant
Versus
T.K.Sreedhar - Respondent
Decided On : 07-05-79
AP BUILDINGS (LEASE, RENT AND EVICTION) CONTROL ACT, 1960 - SECTION 10 (III) (C) - ADDITIONAL ACCOMMODATION - LANDLORD IN OCCUPATION OF A PORTION OF A BUILDING CAN EVICT TENANT FROM ANOTHER PORTION FOR HIS OWN ACCOMMODATION - DEFINITION OF BUILDING IN SECTION 2 (III) IS ONLY FOR LIMITED PURPOSES.
Fact of the Case:
The landlord filed a petition for eviction of the tenant from the upstairs portion of the premises, claiming that it was required for the residential purpose of his family members. The tenant resisted the petition on the ground that the requirement was not a bonafide one and that the landlord did not reside in the building covered by door No. 143/a.
Finding of the Court:
The Rent Controller and the Appellate Authority found that the requirement of the landlord was a bonafide one and ordered the eviction of the tenant. The High Court upheld the findings of the lower courts.
Issues: Whether the landlord can be said to be in possession of 143/a building so as to entitle him to seek additional accommodation under Section 10 (Mi) (c).
Ratio Decidendi: The definition of building in Section 2 (iii) of the Act is only for limited purposes. A part of the building means physically and structurally a portion of a building and it will not cease to be so because of the definition of the word building . Considering section 10 (iii) (c), it was held that the plain meaning of the section is that a land-lord in occupation of a portion or a block of a building can, for his own accommodation evict the tenant in occupation of another portion or the block.
Final Decision: The revision petition was dismissed and the tenant was granted 4 months time to surrender the possession.
( 1 ) THIS revision petition by the tenant is directed against the Rent control Appellate Authority (Sub-Judge, Tirupathi) directing the eviction of the tenant from the petition schedul. 3d premises. The case of the respondents herein was that they are the owners of the premises bearing no. 143 and that the front portion of this building was converted into a shop and that the revision petitioner herein took the said shop portion, assigned door No. 143/a, and one upstairs room in the adjoining portion, which is assigned door No. 143, on a monthly rent of Rs. 20/ -. Later on, the revision petitioner is said to have committed default in payment of rent and that as the landlords required additional accommodation for their residential purpose, they laid a petition through their guardian in h. R. C. No. 19/69, but that was dismissed. As against the said dismissal, c. M. A. No. 8/70 was filed, which was allowed. The revision petitioner herein filed C. R. P. No. 1003/70 on the file of the High Court of judicature. Pending the revision petition, the parties were said to have entered into a compromise, wherein the tenant agreed to raise the rent to rs. 40/- per month and also undertook to vacate the premises on expiry of 3 years ie. , on or before 30-9-73. It is now alleged that the revision petitioner viz. , tenant failed to vacate the same, after the expiry of the stipulated period and that upstair portion is required for residential purposes of the petitioners as the 2nd and 3rd petitioners are said to be studying M. Sc. and B. Sc. respectively in Tirupati University and that their parents are also living with them. The residential accommodation covered by door No. 143 is said to be insufficient. They thus wanted to acquire the upstair portion by way of additional accommodation. They further alleged that only a wall separates the portions 143 and 143/a and that by removing the intervening wall, the portion covered by door No. 143/a is to be converted into a big hall for the purpose of sufficient accommodation for the family. The tenant resisted the petition on the ground that the requirement is not a bonafide one and that one of the petitioners is not residing at Tirupati and had been living at Hyderabad and the petitioners 2 and 3 have also completed their respective courses in M. Sc. , and b. Sc. It is also averred that the provisions of law under which the petition is laid are not at all applicable, in the sense that the landlord does not reside in the building covered by door No. 143/a. In support of this petition, the 2nd petitioner has been examined himself as P. W. 1. The respondent examined himself and another witness in support of his contention that the requirement was not a bonafide one. On a consideration of the entire material placed before him, the learned Rent Controller held that the accommodation in the occupation of the petitioners is meagre and not sufficient for them and therefore he directed the eviction of the tenant from the upstairs portion. He also found that by conversion of the front shop, more accommodation would be available, by removing the wall that separates both the portions. He thus held the requirement was a bonafide one and ordered the eviction of the tenant. On appeal,these findings are confirmed by the Appellate Authority. Hence this revision.
( 2 ) IT is now contended that admittedly, the petitioners 2 and 3 have completed their education and that the 3rd petitioner is now living at Hyderabad and therefore no additional accomodation is required even with regard to the residential portion covered by Door No. 143 The evidence of P. W. 1 has been believed by both the Courts below There is a concurrent finding on this aspect and I do not see any impropriety so far as this finding is concerned. It is seen that according to the evidence of P. W. 1, his parents and even his grand-mother is living with them even according to R. W. 2, the accommodation available is that of only a hall
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