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1986 Supreme(Bom) 249

IN THE HIGH COURT OF BOMBAY
Sharad Manohar, J.
Ratanlal Gulabji Bhati.... Appellant.
Versus
Himmatlal Hukumaji Parihar.... Respondent.
Second Appeal No. 356 of 1986, converted from W.P. No. 2255 of 1986, decided on 8-9-1986.
Advocates appeared :
N.S. Manudhane with J.C. Rajani, for the appellant.
M.A. Rane, for the respondent.

Headnote:Section 5 (4-A)-Licensee-If the person was mere conductor, not in possession of the suit premises, the question of being excepted from the category would not arise.

       Each of the persons who is sough to be protected or sought not to be protected as per the definition of "licensee" is one who is in actual possession of the suit premises. In fact what is protected is the possession of some categories of licensees. The possession of some other categories of licensees is not sought to be protected. If the person was a mere conductor, not in possession of the suit premises, the question of his being excepted from the category would not arise, because on Mr. Manudhanes own showing he would not be in possession. If a licensee is given the same right as is given to the tenant for protection of possession, it would be implicit that a person who is sought to be protected is in possession and when an exception is carved in the section, the person falling in the excepted category must also be in possession of the premises. The statutory contemplation is that possession of some licensee is protected and possession of some other categories of licensees is not protected. It is a well-known rule of interpretation that the words take colour and meaning from the adjacent words and expressions. Since the categories of licensees sought to be protected is of those who are in possession, it must follow that the person who is conducting the business who is sought not to be protected is also in possession.

       Section 5 (4-A)-Licensee-A was given business for conducting-He was Inducted into suit premises only for conducting business-Conducting of business was dominant object-Handing over of possession of suit premises was more or less, an incidental thing-Held A was a person who falls in categories excepted from definition of word licensee finding place in defining Section 5 (4-A).

       Section 28-Applicability of-Jurisdiction of Civil Court--Snit on title for possession from tresspasser-Suit not relating to dispute between landlord and tenant-Also not for relief arising out of Rent Act-Held-No question of applicability of Section 28.

       Section 29-A-Jurisdiction of Civil Court Suit filed by plaintiff an title for possession from trespasser-Defendant was only licensee having no title to suit premises-His license stood revoked validly-Held -Such suit not being a dispute between landlord and tenant, perfectly competent in Civil Court.

JUDGMENT - SHARAD MANOHAR, J.:---By my earlier order dated 18th August, 1986. I had directed the appointment of Receiver in respect of the suit premises and the Receiver was directed to take possession of the suit premises from the defendant and to remain in possession of the same until further orders. There is no dispute that the order has been complied with, at least, substantially. There is some dispute as to whether the possession of all parts of the suit premises have been taken or not. The plaintiff's contention is that a portion of the premises still remains in possession of the defendant in spite of the order of appointment of Receive passed by me. I will deal with that contention in this judgment a little later. At present, I am delivering the final judgment and I am passing this final order in the Second Appeal.

2. The facts relevant to the appeal have been already set out by me in my said earlier order dated 18th August, 1986 and I direct that the said order should form part of this judgment. I may also mention here that in fact the order was passed after fully hearing not only Mr. Rane but also Mr. Rajani on all points raised by him in support of the appeal. I passed the said order before the judgment, because I had noticed the deceptive and somewhat fraudulent methods adopted by the defendant for the purpose of defeating the plaintiff's claim. The said conduct of the defendant gave a distinct impression that he was not a man who would allow execution proceedings to take place without further thwarting them by any means fear foul, mostly foul. It was in the peculiar circumstance that I ordered the Receiver to be appointed for taking possession of the suit property so that the decree would not be defeated in the execution proceeding. After the order was complied with and the Receiver took possession (at least of the substantial portion of the suit premises) and at the time when I was about to deliver the said judgment Mr. Manudhane, the learned Counsel, applied to the Court for hearing him on behalf of the appellant/defendant. By was of courtesy to him, I allowed him to advance his arguments and all that I am required to do in this judgment is to deal with those arguments. I may repeat that this was only a concession given to the learned Counsel by way of courtesy.

3. Mr. N.S. Manudhane has urged three points in support of the Second Appeal, which are as follows :---

(i) that ordinary Court has no jurisdiction to entertain the plaintiff's instant suit, having regard to the provisions of section 28 of the Rent Act;

(ii) that the defendant is a protected licensee within the contemplation of section 15-A of the Rent Act; and

(iii) that no case is made out by the plaintiff in his pleadings of revocation of licence at the expiry of the 1st period of 11 months.

I may state at this stage itself that so far as the 3rd point is concerned, Mr. Manudhane need not have laboured on the said point, because I have not accepted and do not propose to accept the view taken by the District Court to the effect that immediately at the expiration of the 1st period of 11 months mentioned in the Agreement (Exh. 28), the licence granted by the plaintiff to the defendant came to an end ipso facto by the efflux of time.

I find no difficulty in accepting Mr. Manudhane's contention that the defendant continued to be a lawful licensees of the plaintiff even on 1-2-1973 when some licensees of certain categories got such protection under the Rent Act as was previously availed of by the tenants. Question, how ever, is as to whether the defendant falls in one of these categories of the licensees, who are given protection by the relevant amendment of the Rent Act. In my earlier order dated 18th August, 1986, I have observed, at the end of Para 11 thereof that a licensee who has taken any business in the premises for conducting is not a protected licensee within the contemplation of section 5(4-A) of the Rent Act. Mr. Rajani, who appeared at that ti




































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