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1984 Supreme(Pat) 128

PATNA HIGH COURT
Prabha Shankar Mishra and . JJ.
Krishna Prasad
Versus
Daha Devi
Civil Revision Case No. 3 of 1984 ;
Decided On : APRIL 2, 1984

Headnote:Bihar building (Lease, Rent & Eviction) Control Act, 1983-Sec 14 (3) & (4)-Bihar and Orissa General Clauses Act, Sec 31-Suit for eviction on the ground of personal necessity or expiry of fixed period special procedure laid down-Issue of summons by ordinary process and simultaneously by registered post is essential-It is not necessary that service report of summon by both method must be received before proceeding to try the suit-Publication of notice in the official Gazette or local newspapers is at the discretion of the court-Registered letter with prepaid postal charges and properly addressed containing the document returned with endorsement of refusal raises the presumption of valid service of summons.-Court can, in absence of the tenant, proceed to decide the suit exparte. (Paras 3, 5 & 6)

Judgment

P. S. Mishra, J.

1. Defendants faced with the decree of eviction from a building to-which the Bihar Building (Lease, Rent and Eviction) Control Act, 1983 (hereinafter referred to as the Act) applies, have moved this Court in revision in Civil Revision No.3 of 1984 against the judgment and decree of eviction and in Civil Revision No.2010 of 1983 against the order refusing to set aside the ex pane decree under Order IX, Rule 13 of the Civil Procedure code. Plaintiffs opposite party filed the suit for eviction of the defendants-tenants from a shop situate in holding No.540, ward No.3 in the town of biharsharif, oh the ground of bona fide requirement for the occupation by the sons of plaintiff No.2 opposite parties No.2, a ground covered by Sec.11 (l) (c) of the Act. A suit numbered as Title Suit No.35 of 1983 of the court of Munsif at Biharsharif was entertained in accordance with the special procedure prescribed in this behalf under Sec.14 of the Act. The learned Munsif on 18th April, 1983 ordered for the issuance of summons for service by ordinary process through nazarat as also by registered post with acknowledgment due addressed to the tenants. There is nothing on the record to show whether the summons issued by ordinary process were served upon the tenants or not. But the summonses sent by registered post were returned unserved with the endorsement "refused". On 14th June, 1983, the learned Munsif adjourned the suit for 21st July, 1983 with a view to granting "to the tenants further time for appearance. On 21st July, 1983, however, when he found that the tenants had not appeared he excepted the plaintiffs prayer for ex parte hearing and accordingly passed an order. Plaintiffs adduced their evidence in due course and the suit was finally disposal of on ,18th August, 1983. The learned Munsif ordered that the tenants would hand over vacant possession of the suit premises to the plaintiffs by 30th September, 1983 failing which the plaintiffs would be entitled to get vacant possession of the suit premises from the defendants through the agency of law at the cost of the defendants and also ordered that the defendants would be liable to pay rent at the rate of Rs.42 - per month until vacant possession was delivered to the plaintiffs. Tenants however, filed an application under Order IX, Rule 13 of the Civil Procedure Code on 1st November, 1983 before the learned Munsif stating that on 27th October, 1983 they learnt about the ex parte judgment and decree from one Fahim Mian and after inspecting the records and coming to know about the proceedings and the allegations they filed the said application. The application under Order. IX, Rule 13 of the code of Civil Procedure (hereinafter referred to as the Code) was, however, rejected by the learned Munsif on the ground that the same was not maintainable. Learned Munsif also decided the issue on the question of the service of notice and held that the post-man deposed to the effect that he contacted all the four tenants individually, but they declined to acknowledge the registered letter containing the notice and refusal in such circumstance, constituted a valid service. Petitioners filed two separate civil revision applications, one against the order refusing to set aside the ex parte decree and the other against the decree itself in view of the provisions under Sec.14 (8) of the Act.

2. Before considering the contentions raised on behalf of the parties i may indicate that in the Act some special provisions have been incorporated for disposal of cases covered by the grounds of eviction under Sec.11 (1) (c)and 11 (1) (e) of the Act. These provisions are incorporated in Sec.14 of the act. Sec.13 of the Act has given overriding effect to the provisions under section 14 saying that the provisions of Sec.14 or any rule made there under shall have effect notwithstanding any thing inconsistent therewith contained elsewhere in the Act or in any other law for the time being in force. Sec.1

















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