SupremeToday Landscape Ad
Back
Next
Judicial Analysis Court Copy Headnote Facts Arguments Court observation
Listen Audio Icon Pause Audio Icon
judgment-img

1974 Supreme(Del) 68

High Court Of Delhi
PREM SHIL MALHAN - Appellant
Versus
R.P.CHAWLA - Respondent
SECOND APPEAL 226 of 1972
Decided On : 03/20/1974

Advocates Appeared:
C.L.Sachdev, Chand Kumar, D.N.Abbi, K.K.Mehra, S.L.Bhatia, Som Nath Katyal

The requirement of the landlord's father, brothers, and sisters cannot be considered as his own requirement under Section 14 (1) (e) of the Rent Control Act unless the members of the family are dependent on the landlord.

Headnote:

RENT CONTROL ACT - SECTION 14 (1) (E) - REQUIREMENT FOR OCCUPATION - INTERPRETATION - DEPENDENCY - OWNERSHIP OF PREMISES - JOINT HINDU FAMILY - EXTENDED MEANING OF 'HIMSELF' - APPLICABILITY.

Fact of the Case:

Landlord filed eviction petition against tenants under Section 14 (1) (e) of the Rent Control Act, claiming requirement for his family members. The Rent Controller allowed the petition against one tenant but dismissed it against the others, holding that the need for father, brother, and sister was not bona fide. The Tribunal dismissed the appeals filed by the landlord. The landlord filed appeals in the High Court.

Finding of the Court:

The High Court held that the landlord was the sole owner of the premises and that the requirement of his father, brothers, and sisters could not be considered as his own requirement under Section 14 (1) (e) of the Act. The Court also held that the members of the family were not dependent on the landlord and, therefore, the eviction could not be granted on the ground of dependency.

Issues: 1. Whether the premises were owned by the landlord or the Joint Hindu Family? 2. Whether the requirement of the landlord's father, brothers, and sisters could be considered as his own requirement under Section 14 (1) (e) of the Act? 3. Whether the members of the family were dependent on the landlord?

Ratio Decidendi: 1. The Court held that the landlord was the sole owner of the premises based on the sale deed, the landlord's statement, and the dismissal of the landlord's application to lead additional evidence on the point of the premises being owned by the Joint Hindu Family. 2. The Court held that the requirement of the landlord's father, brothers, and sisters could not be considered as his own requirement under Section 14 (1) (e) of the Act because the members of the family were not dependent on the landlord. 3. The Court held that the members of the family were not dependent on the landlord based on the fact that there was no evidence that the landlord contributed to their upkeep or that they were financially, health-wise, or morally dependent on him.

Final Decision: The High Court dismissed the landlord's appeals and affirmed the findings of the court below. The Court allowed the eviction petition against one tenant but dismissed the petitions against the other tenants.

Rajinder Sachar

( 1 ) [petitioner bought suit property on 22. 12. 61. It was in the occupation of 4 respondents and one Gurdas Ram as tenants. He sued the tenants U/s 14 (1) (e) claiming requirement for his family members of 11. Shri P. K. Bahri, ARC, allowed petition against Gurdas but dismissed same against Abbi and Chawla holding that need for father, brother and sister was not bona fide. Similarly Sh. K. B. Andley. ARC, dismissed petitions against Katyal and Chand Kaur. 5 appeals were taken to Tribunal which were dismissed. Landlord alone filed appeals in High Court. Katyal gave possession during pendency of appeal. ] SAO 223/72, 225/72 and 226/72 were adjudged thus :- SAO 223 of 1972. The respondents to this appeal are the legal representatives of the original tenant Om Parkash Chawla. Even before the Tribunal, Om Parkash Chawla had died, so his legal representatives had been brought on record by the order of Tribunal dated 23rd of July, 1970. It was so urged by Shri Bhatia, the counsel for the respondent, that the appeal against Om Parkash Chawla was barred by time before the Rent Control Tribunal and, therefore, the present appeal by the appellant automatically is not maintainable It appears that the attorney of the appellant filed one application for obtaining certified copies in all the three cases, namely, Abbi, Om Parkash Chawla and Gurdas Ram. However, on 19th September, 1970 he was told that only one copy can be supplied on one application and he immediately filed two other applications for obtaining the certified copies of the order relating to the case of Om Parkash as well as of Gurdas Ram. The applications for copy were, however, returned to him on 13th February, 1970 on the ground that the file has been sent to the Rent Control Tribunal. He on 16th February, 1970 (14th and 15th being holidays) filed an application for obtaining a certified copy before the Rent Control Tribunal and filed them on 11th March, 1970 i. e. the day the certified copies were made available to him. On these facts the Tribunal has taken the view, and in my view rightly, that the delay in filing the certified copy was due to the fact that the appellant-landlord under a bonafide mistake filed one application for obtaining a certified copy. There is thus sufficient cause for condoning the delay. The Tribunal has exercised its discretion in condoning the delay in filing the appeal against Chawla and I see nothing illegal or capricious in the exercise of that discretion. I would, therefore, bold that the appeal before the Tribunal was filed in time.

( 2 ) THE next question is whether a valid notice terminating the tenancy of Om Parkash Chawla was issued to him. AW 3/1 dated 1st December, 1967 is the notice sent to Om Parkash whereby his tenancy was terminated by the end of December 1967. Actually a reply to the above AW 3/5 dated 28th December, 1967 was sent by Chawla s counsel. Notice is thus valid and proper. I would, therefore, agree with the Rent Control Tribunal that the tenancy of Om Parkash Chawla was duly terminated. It was on the basis of this finding of the Rent Control Tribunal that the tenancy of Chawla had been validly terminated that Shri Mehra made his further argument that in the present case it was not necessary even to consider whether the landlord required these premises bonafide, or not because the legal representative of Om Parkash Chawla could not in any case resist the eviction application on the ground that O. P. Chawla was a statutory tenant and had only personal right to remain in possession and no rights accrue to his legal representatives as they were incapable of inheriting any estate and relied on Jagdish Chander Chatterjee and ors. V. Sh. Sri Kishan of 1972 Rent Control Report 675. In that case the ejectment application brought by the landlord on the ground that he required the house bonafide was allowed by the Munsif who decreed the suit for ejectment. The tenants appeal was, however, allowed by the District





Click Here to Read the rest of this document

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
SupremeToday Portrait Ad
supreme today icon
logo-black

An indispensable Tool for Legal Professionals, Endorsed by Various High Court and Judicial Officers

Please visit our Training & Support
Center or Contact Us for assistance

qr

Scan Me!

India’s Legal research and Law Firm App, Download now!

For Daily Legal Updates, Join us on :

whatsapp-icon Back to top