GAUHATI HIGH COURT
J.N.Sarma, J.
Rupchand Daftry -Appellant
Versus
Ashim Ranjan Modak -Respondent
Civil Revision No. 123 of 1995
Decided On : 08-02-2000
Rent Control Act - Ejectment - Assam Urban Areas Rent Control Act, 1972, Section 5(4) - The court discussed the validity of rent deposit, default in rent payment, bonafide requirement, and subletting under the Assam Urban Areas Rent Control Act, 1972.
Fact of the Case:
The tenant filed a revision application after the suit for ejectment under the Assam Urban Areas Rent Control Act, 1972 was dismissed by the trial court but allowed by the district judge based on findings of default in rent payment and subletting.
Finding of the Court:
The court found that the tenant was in default of rent payment and had sublet the premises, leading to the allowance of the appeal and the decree of eviction.
Issues: The issues involved default in rent payment, bonafide requirement, and subletting under the Assam Urban Areas Rent Control Act, 1972.
Ratio Decidendi: The court relied on the findings of fact regarding rent payment and subletting, as well as the interpretation of Section 5(4) of the Assam Urban Areas Rent Control Act, 1972.
Final Decision: The revision application was rejected, and a decree for eviction was allowed with a six-month stay period for the tenant to vacate the premises.
(i) Default in the payment of rent for the month of Phalgun and Chaitra.
(ii) Bonafide requirement of the plaintiff.
(iii) Subletting by the defendant to other persons. .
2. The learned trial Court on consideration of the materials on record dismissed the suit holding that there w as no default in the payment of rent and the plaintiff also failed to establish the plea of bonafide requirement as well as the plea of subletting.
3. There was an appeal being Title Appeal No.3 of 1988 and the learned
District Judge at Karimganj on consideration of the materials on record came to the following finding:
(i) That according to the Ext I, the rent was payable within 1st day of current month and as such the deposit of rent made in the Court vide Exts II and IIA are beyond the period prescribed by the section 5 (4) of the Assam Urban Areas Rent Control Act, 1972.
(ii) That before the deposit of rent in the Court for the month of Falgoon and Chaitra, the rent was never offered by the defendant-tenant to the plaintiff. It was the plea of the defendant that the rent was offered by one of his employees Sri R. Ch. Das but Sri R. Ch. Das was not examined to substantiate the claim of the offer of rent. So, the learned District Judge held that as there was no offer before the deposit of rent that deposit of rent under section 5(4) of the Act is not valid and tenant is defaulter as per the Act.
(iii) Regarding bonafide requirement it was found by the learned District Judge that the plaintiff failed to establish the same.
(iv) Regarding subletting it was found by the learned Judge as follows:
“I have already discussed above that defendant Nos 2 to 4 are not the partners of the firm Messrs Santi Store and they are running their own business namely Santi Readymade Store and Ladies Corner in 2 rooms of the suit premises and they are also paying rent separately to the defendant No. 1. So, it is clear that defendant Nos 2 to 4 are sub-tenants under defendant No. 1 in respect of 2 rooms of the suit premises.”
4. Regarding defendant Nos 5 and 6 the learned Judge found that they have occupied verandah portion of the premises to run their tailoring business but it was not established that the rent was paid by these defendants to the defendant No.1. Be that as it may, as it found that there was subletting by defendant No. 1 to the defendant Nos 2 to 4 the learned Judge decided this plea in favour of the plaintiff/appellant. Having arrived at the finding that the defendant No.l was defaulter in the payment of rent and there was subletting the appeal was allowed a and the suit was decreed. Hence, this revision application.
5. I have heard Sri RP Sarma, learned Advocate for the petitioner and Mr. N. Chakraborty, learned Advocate for the respondents/opposite parties. Sri Chakraborty rightly urges that under section 5 (4) of the Assam Urban Areas Rent Control Act, 1972 the rent becomes due after the end of the month and as such the Ext 1 the contract made to make payment of rent on the 1st day of current month cannot be deemed to be a valid contract. It is not necessary to decide that aspect of the matter inasmuch as the question of default in this particular case can be determined/decided on the basis of the other findings arrived at by the learned District Judge. It is the finding of fact arrived at by the learned District Judge that there was no tender of rent before the deposit was made in the Court.
6. The law hi this point has been settled by the decision of the Apex Court reported in 1995 (Supp) (3) SCC 44 (Rameswarlal Choudhury vs. Ram Niranjan Mow). The Supreme Court has decided regarding the validity of the deposit under this Act. The Supreme Court in this case pointed out
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