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2005 Supreme(Guj) 543

Gujarat High Court
Judgename :R.S.GARG
VALJIBHAI PRAGJIBHAI VITHLANI - Appellant
Versus
TATA CHEMICALS LTD - Respondent
Civil Revision Application 1697 of 1996
Decided On : 08/18/2005

Advocates Appeared: MUKESH H.RATHOD

Headnote:

Tenancy and Land Law – Bombay Rents, Hotels and Lodging House Rates Control Act, 1947 – Article 29 (2) – Revision Petition – Tenant – Eviction – Present revision petition are that plaintiff-respondent filed a suit for eviction of tenant on ground that suit premises, which were let out to tenant at a monthly lease were required by him bona fide for his personal residence and residence of his family – Suit at the first instance was however dismissed by the trial court and the plaintiff took up the matter in appeal. During pendency of appeal, the landlord made an application, seeking amendment in the plaint for adding an additional ground that as the tenant, since after coming into force of the Act and after creation of the tenancy has built a house, which is suitable for his residence, the tenant was required to be evicted. The appellate court allowed the application and after setting the judgment and decree passed by the trial court, remanded the matter back to the trial court with an opportunity to the parties to lead further evidence in the matter – Trial court dismissed the suit – Being aggrieved by the dismissal, the appellant took up the matter in appeal before the learned Joint District Judge, Jamnagar, who, by the judgment and decree, decreed the suit and directed eviction of the tenant. The tenant is now before this Court – Held, petitioner that the newly built premises are lesser in area or are not providing better facilities – His only submission is that as his son is residing in the said house, the tenant cannot be evicted, but in the considered opinion of this Court, when a tenant acquires or builds or has been allotted an accommodation for his residence, then, the burden to prove that it is not suitable would be upon the tenant and in case, he fails to prove that the accommodation built, acquired or allotted to him is not suitable, then, he has to suffer the decree for eviction – No reason to interfere – If the tenant fails to vacate the premises on or before 21st November, 2005, then, cash amount shall be forfeited in favour of the plaintiff and would be paid to him and on a complaint made by the landlord that the tenant as per his undertaking has not vacated the premises, the court shall immediately issue distress warrant – Revision petition dismissed. (Paras 4 and 5)

R. S. GARG, J.

( 1 ) PRESENT is a revision petition under Section 29 (2) of the Bombay Rents, Hotels and Lodging House Rates Control Act, 1947, by the dissatisfied tenant challenging the judgment and decree dated 20. 7. 96 passed in Regular Civil Appeal No. 117 of 1995 by the learned Assistant Judge, Jamnagar, confirming the judgment and decree dated 17th July, 1995, passed in Regular Civil Suit No. 91 of 1987 by the learned Civil Judge (Junior Division), Dwarka, directing eviction of the tenant. The plaintiff-respondent M/s. Tata Chemicals Ltd. , filed the suit, submitting inter alia, that the present defendant was allotted some accommodation for his residence as employee of the company and since after he had been removed from service, he is liable to be evicted. The defendant appeared before the court and raised number of the pleadings on which issues were cast and parties were allowed to lead evidence. After hearing the parties, the learned trial court decreed the suit observing that the plaintiff had successfully proved the ground of Section 13 (1) (f) of the Act. As the appeal proved futile, the plaintiff-tenant is before this Court.

( 2 ) LEARNED counsel for the petitioner submits that the suit was bad for non-joinder of the parties, because, the State Government was a necessary party in the present matter and secondly, no notice under the Rent Act was given to the defendant, but simple notice under Section 106 of the Transfer of Property Act, 1882 was issued to the tenant, no order of eviction could be made.

( 3 ) LEARNED counsel for the respondent-plaintiff has opposed the revision petition. So far as the question of issuing a notice under the Rent Act is concerned, barring a demand notice required to be issued under Section 12 (1) of the Rent Act, notice is not required to be issued to a tenant that a ground has come into existence in favour of the landlord to seek eviction of the tenant. Settled law is that even a notice under Section 106 of the Transfer of Property Act, determining the tenancy of the tenant is not required to be issued. The law is that even if the tenancy is terminated under the Transfer of Property Act, a tenant cannot be evicted unless the landlord makes out a ground under the Rent Act applicable to the parties. The Supreme Court has observed that even if the tenancy is legally determined, the tenant would become statutory tenant and would be entitled to protection under the Rent Act. In view of the aforesaid, the ground relating to non-issuance of the notice under the Bombay Rent Act deserves to and is accordingly rejected.

( 4 ) LEARNED counsel has submitted that the government was a necessary party, because, the suit premises were constructed by the landlord under some scheme of subsidy. The argument is absolutely misconceived. The grant of subsidy is a contract between the government and the company. A subsidy is a support to the person who receives the same. The government, while granting subsidy does not claim any right, title or interest or ownership in the property which is to be built with the help of the subsidy. If that be so, construction made by the company would belong to the company. Even otherwise, a tenant who is inducted by a particular landlord would not be entitled to challenge the title of the landlord during currency of the tenancy. Section 116 of the Indian Evidence Act, 1872 takes care of such situation and forbids a tenant from raising such plea against the landlord.

( 5 ) NO other ground was pressed. The revision deserves to and is accordingly dismissed. Rule is discharged. Interim relief granted earlier is vacated.


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