IN THE HIGH COURT OF CALCUTTA
ASHIS KUMAR CHAKRABORTY, J.
Ashwin Desai - Petitioner
Versus
Bijay Kumar Manish Kumar HUF - Opposite party
C.O. No. 3352 of 2016
Decided On : 15-11-2016
ORDER 7 RULE 11 - REJECTION OF PLAINT - LEASE - TRANSFER OF PROPERTY ACT, 1882 - WEST BENGAL PREMISES TENANCY ACT, 1997 - APPLICABILITY - GROUNDS FOR REJECTION - MAINTAINABILITY OF SECOND APPLICATION - RES JUDICATA - INTERPRETATION OF COURT ORDERS - REJECTION OF PLAINT - SUFFICIENCY OF CAUSE OF ACTION - SUMMARY SUIT - APPLICATION UNDER ORDER 7 RULE 11 - STAGE OF FILING - APPLICABILITY OF LIMITATION ACT, 1963 - ARTICLE 59 - DELAY IN FILING - COSTS - REJECTION OF PLAINT - SUFFICIENCY OF CAUSE OF ACTION - SUMMARY SUIT - APPLICATION UNDER ORDER 7 RULE 11 - STAGE OF FILING - APPLICABILITY OF LIMITATION ACT, 1963 - ARTICLE 59 - DELAY IN FILING - COSTS
Fact of the Case:
Plaintiff filed a suit for eviction of defendant from the suit property on the ground of forfeiture of lease under the Transfer of Property Act, 1882. Defendant contended that the suit was not maintainable as the tenancy was governed by the West Bengal Premises Tenancy Act, 1997, and no notice under Section 6(4) of the Act had been served. The trial court rejected the defendant's application for rejection of the plaint, holding that the second application was not maintainable after rejection of the first application.
Finding of the Court:
The High Court held that the plaint did not disclose any cause of action against the defendant as the tenancy was governed by the West Bengal Premises Tenancy Act, 1997, and no notice under Section 6(4) of the Act had been served. The court also held that the second application for rejection of the plaint was maintainable as the grounds urged in the second application were different from those urged in the first application.
Issues: 1. Whether the tenancy was governed by the Transfer of Property Act, 1882 or the West Bengal Premises Tenancy Act, 1997? 2. Whether the suit was maintainable without a notice under Section 6(4) of the West Bengal Premises Tenancy Act, 1997? 3. Whether the second application for rejection of the plaint was maintainable after rejection of the first application?
Ratio Decidendi: 1. The court held that the tenancy was governed by the West Bengal Premises Tenancy Act, 1997, as the lease was registered before the commencement of the Act and the monthly rent was less than Rs. 10,000. 2. The court held that the suit was not maintainable without a notice under Section 6(4) of the West Bengal Premises Tenancy Act, 1997. 3. The court held that the second application for rejection of the plaint was maintainable as the grounds urged in the second application were different from those urged in the first application.
Final Decision: The High Court allowed the revision petition, set aside the impugned order, and rejected the plaint in the suit. The court directed the defendant to pay costs of Rs. 20,000 to the plaintiff.
Ashis Kumar Chakraborty, J.
This revisional application is directed against the order dated August 18, 2016 passed by the learned Judge, 11th Bench, City Civil Court at Calcutta in Title Suit No. 2453 of 2007 (hereinafter called as "the said suit"). By the impugned order the learned Court below dismissed the application filed by the petitioner under Order 7, Rule 11 of the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 (hereinafter called as "the Code") praying for, rejection of the plaint filed by the plaintiff opposite party, in the said suit.
2. In September, 2007 the plaintiff opposite party a HUF, represented by its karta filed the said suit before the learned Court below claiming, inter alia, a decree for eviction of the defendant petitioner from the suit property described hereinafter.
3. In the plaint filed in the said suit, it is the case of the plaintiff opposite party that M/s. Nanjee Shamjee and Company (hereinafter referred to as "the said company") was the owner of the Premises No. 10A, Rabindra Sarani, Kolkata-700001. By an indenture of lease dated November 20, 1992 the said company granted a lease in respect of all that the common passage, measuring about 800 square feet of the said Premises No. 10A, Rabindra Sarani, Kolkata-700001, (hereinafter referred to as "the suit property") to the defendant for a period of 99 years, commencing from November 01, 1992, for car parking, at a monthly rent of Rs. 50/-, payable according to English calendar. By a deed of conveyance dated August 30, 1996 the said company transferred the entirety of the said Premises No. 10A, Rabindra Sarani, Kolkata-700001 to the plaintiff opposite party. Thus, the plaintiff became the owner of the suit property, the defendant became the lessee in respect of the suit property under the plaintiff and the said indenture of lease dated November 20, 1992 became binding upon the parties to the suit. The plaintiff claimed that clause 4(a) the said indenture of lease dated November 20, 1992 expressly provided that in default of payment of monthly lease rent for a period of three months, the lease would be terminated by giving one month notice to lessee by the lessor and if the arrear rent is paid by the lessee with interest, at the rate of 2% per month, within one month from the date of receipt of such notice, the default will be waived but in case of non-payment of arrear rent with interest at the rate of 2%, per month the lessor is entitled to determine the lease and to re-enter and take possession of the demised premises. According to the plaintiff, the defendant defaulted in payment of lease rent in respect of the suit property for more than three months, in spite of demand the defendant failed to pay the arrear rent together with interest at the rate of 2%, per month and, as such, the defendant's lease in respect of the suit property was forfeited as per Clause 4(a) of the said indenture of lease dated November 20, 1992. The plaintiff further claimed that the defendant has lost all protections under the relevant provisions of the Transfer of Property Act and is liable to be evicted.
4. The defendant petitioner has been contesting the said suit. He first filed an application under Order 7, Rule 11 read with Section 151 of the Code praying for, rejection of the plaint filed in the said suit alleging that the plaintiff opposite party filed the suit, claiming his eviction from the suit property on the ground of forfeiture of the said lease without serving a notice under section 114A of the Transfer of Property Act, 1882 (hereinafter called as "the Act of 1882"). The said application was rejected by the learned Court below. The defendant petitioner challenged the said order of rejection before this Court in revision, being C.O. 1095 of 2015. However, by an order dated March 31, 2015 a learned Single Judge of this Court rejected the said revisional application. The said order was passed by the learned Single Judge on the observation and findings recorded in C.O.
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