1998 Supreme(Bom) 127
IN THE HIGH COURT OF BOMBAY
D.K. Deshmukh, J.
Vikrant Engineers others ..... Petitioners.
Versus
Shridhar Bhaskar Paranjape another.... Respondents.
Writ Petition No. 339 of 1987, decided on 26-2-1998.
Advocates appeared :
Anil V. Anturkar, for the petitioners.
Deepak R. More, for the respondents.
Headnote:Sections 18 and 28-Constitution of India, 1950, Articles 226 and 227-Civil Procedure Code, Order II, Rule 2-Construction loan-Grant of lease-Specific performance of contract-Maintainability of suit depends upon relationship of landlord and tenant under Section 28 of Bombay Rent Act-Held-Suit for specific performance of an agreement to grant lease is not covered by the provisions of Section 28 of Act.- The Division Bench of this Court has held that for maintaining a suit under Section 28 of the Bombay Rent Act for a decree of possession existence of relationship of landlord and tenant between plaintiff and tenant is necessary. It has also been held in categorical terms that a suit for specific performance of an agreement to grant lease is not covered by the provisions of Section 28 of the Act.
Sections 28 and 18-Specific performance suit for agreement-Delivery of possession and grant of lease-Landlord and tenant not presence-Held-Small Cause Court has no jurisdiction to proceed with suit being not maintainable.- The appellate Court has held that the courts under the Bombay Rent Act did not have jurisdiction to entertain the suit of the plaintiffs the plaint be returned to the plaintiffs for presentation to the appropriate Court.
2.Shri Anturkar, the learned Counsel appearing for the petitioners urged before me that the suit for specific performance of an agreement to grant lease of the building in favour of the petitioners and/or in the alternative form, to refund of the earnest money, was tenable under section 28 of the Bombay Rent Act. He submitted that a suit for compensation or for refund of the amount advanced would be tenable under section 28 of the Bombay Rent Act, because the suit arises out of provisions of section 18 of the Bombay Rent Act. In the submission of the learned Counsel if it is held that a suit for refund of the consideration is tenable under section 28 of the Act and at the same time if it is held that a suit for lease deed, which also arises out of the same agreement is not tenable under section 28 of the Bombay Rent Act, then it would amount to driving the litigants to two suits, namely, a suit in ordinary Civil Court of general jurisdiction for an executive of a lease deed and the other for compensation or for refund of the earnest money. The learned Counsel by referring to the provisions of Specific Relief Act, pointed out that in a suit for specific performance of a contract, a claim for refund of the earnest money and also a claim for compensation can always be made. By ref