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1990 Supreme(Ker) 385

Judges : U.L.BHAT,RAMAKRISHNAN
Gracy kutty - Appellant
Versus
Vasudevan - Respondent
Case No : C.R.P.No.2287 of 1990
Decided On : 11/20/1990
Advocates Appeared :
K.N. Narayana Pillai For Petitioner

The second proviso to S.11(4)(iv) of the Act could be invoked at any time, including in the original order of eviction, and does not require a fresh direction from the Rent Control Court after the eviction order.

Headnote:

Rent Control - Eviction - S.11(4)(iv) of Kerala Act 2 of 1965 - Proviso to S.11(4)(iv) - The court discussed the applicability of the first and second provisos to S.11(4)(iv) of the Act, and the jurisdiction of the Rent Control Court in passing orders regarding eviction and reconstruction. The court rejected the contention that the second proviso applies only where the Rent Control Court issues a fresh direction after the eviction order, and held that the second proviso could be invoked at any time, including in the original order of eviction.

Fact of the Case:

The respondent, a tenant, filed a petition seeking penalty and excess rent from the landlord for failure to comply with the order of reconstruction. The landlord challenged the order before the appellate authority, which was dismissed, leading to this revision.

Finding of the Court:

The court declined to interfere and dismissed the revision petition, upholding the order directing the landlord to pay excess rent to the tenant.

Issues: The jurisdiction of the Rent Control Court to pass orders under the provisos to S.11(4)(iv) of the Act, and the applicability of the second proviso to the facts of the case.

Ratio Decidendi: The court held that the second proviso to S.11(4)(iv) could be invoked at any time, including in the original order of eviction, and rejected the contention that it applies only where the Rent Control Court issues a fresh direction after the eviction order.

Final Decision: The court declined to interfere and dismissed the revision petition, upholding the order directing the landlord to pay excess rent to the tenant.

Judgment :-

Bhat, J.

Respondent herein is a tenant occupying a shop room belonging to the revision petitioner. Revision petitioner originally filed RCP 33 of 1975 before the Rent Control Court, Kayamkulam seeking eviction of the tenant from the premises on the ground that the premises is needed for reconstruction under S.11(4)(iv) of the Kerala Act 2 of 1965. The case was transferred to the file of the Rent Control Court, Chengannur because of personal embarrassment of the Rent Controller, Kayamkulam. It was re-numbered as R.C.P. 15 of 1977. The Rent Controller dismissed the eviction petition. However, the appellate authority, in an appeal filed by the land-lord, reversed the decision and allowed eviction on the ground sought for. This order was confirmed by the District Court in revision and by this Court in a second revision, the order of this Court having been passed on 1-4-1980. This Court granted two month's time to the tenant to vacate the premises and directed the land-lord to reconstruct the building within one year from the date of surrender. This Court also held that the tenant has a first option to take a room on fair rent. The premises was surrendered on 2-6-1980. It was not reconstructed within the period of one year allowed by this Court. In January 1981, the tenant filed IA764 of 1981 before the Rent Controller, Kayamkulam under the two provisos to S.11(4) (iv) of the Act praying that penalty may be levied on the landlord for wilful failure to comply with the order of reconstruction and direct the landlord to pay to the tenant the excess rent which the tenant has been constrained to pay for an alternative premises taken by him on rent. The Rent Controller declined to impose the fine under the first proviso, but passed an order directing the land-lord to pay the excess rent which the tenant has been paying under the second proviso, and determined the excess rent as Rs. 210/- per month. The land-lord challenged this order before the appellate authority, who, however, dismissed the appeal. Hence this revision.

2. Learned counsel for the revision petitioner has urged before us only two contentions; firstly that the Rent controller, Kayamkulam has no jurisdiction to pass an order of the nature passed by him and secondly that the second proviso to S.11(4)(iv) of the Act is inapplicable to the facts of the case.

3. Admittedly the disputed premises is situate within the territorial jurisdiction of the Rent Controller, Kayamkulam. The eviction petition RCP 33 of 1975 was filed originally before the Rent Controller, Kayamkulam. It was subsequently transferred to the file of the Rent Controller, Chengannur and the case was re-numbered as RCP 15 of 1977. The Rent Controller originally dismissed the eviction petition, but that was allowed by the appellate authority and the order of the appellate authority was confirmed by the District Court in revision and the High Court in second revision. It is argued by learned counsel for the revision petitioner that since the eviction petition was initially disposed of by the Rent Controller, Chengannur, it is only that court which can pass an order under the two provisos and the Rent Controller, Kayamkulam has no jurisdiction. The first proviso to S.11(4)(iv) of the Act indicates that it is the Rent Control Court which is to impose fine and the reference in the second proviso is also to that court, namely, the Rent Control Court. Ordinarily this would mean that it is the Rent Control Court which has passed the eviction order is to pass the orders contemplated in the provisos. However, many a time it may not be the Rent Control Court which passes the eviction order, as in this case, and it may be the appellate authority or the revisional court which passes the order of eviction. Even in such cases the order contemplated under the provisos is to be passed by the Rent Control Court, at any rate initially. At first blush the contention of the revision petitioner that Rent Control Court, Cheng









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