( 1 ) THESE two appeals are at the instance of the defendants and they arise out of a suit for eviction on the grounds of default in payment of rent, subletting of the suit premises and reasonable requirement of the plaintiff of the suit premises for his own use and occupation.

( 2 ) THE case of the plaintiff is that the plaintiff is the owner of premises No. 15, Zakaria Street, Calcutta. The defendant No. 1 had been a monthly tenant under the plaintiff in respect of twelve rooms numbered as rooms Nos. 10 to 21 in the first floor of the said premises at a monthly rent of Rs. 190/- payable according to the English Calendar month. The defendant No. 1 has renumbered the said rooms as rooms Nos. 10 to 14, 15 and 15-A to 20. The tenancy of the defendant No. 1 was terminated by a notice to quit dated February 20, 1967. It is alleged that the defendant No. 1 has sublet and/or transferred the suit premises to the defendants Nos. 2 to 5 who had given notices under Section 16 (2) of the West Bengal Premises Tenancy Act, 1956. The plaintiff, however, contends that the said notices were not legal and valid notices. It is further alleged that after the passing of the West Benga