Judges : PAREED PILLAY
AMMINI - Appellant
Versus
AMMU - Respondent
Case No : C.R.P. No. 1041 of 1983-E
Decided On : 06/20/1986
Advocates Appeared :
N.P. Samuel; P.V. Chandramohan; P.S. Biju; For Petitioners C. P. Damodaran Nair; D. Krishna Prasad; For Respondents
The landlord filed an eviction petition under S.11(2) and S.11(8) of the Kerala Buildings (Lease and Rent Control) Act, 1965. The Rent Controller allowed the petition under S.11(2) and rejected the claim under S.11(8). The appellate authority dismissed the tenant's appeal and allowed the landlord's appeal. The court found that the building in the possession of the tenant is only a portion of the main building, making the petition maintainable under S.11(8). The court also found clear evidence that the landlords required the building for additional accommodation. However, the court remanded the case to the appellate authority for a decision on the comparative hardship aspect as required by the first proviso to S.11(10) of the Act.
Fact of the Case:
The landlord filed an eviction petition under S.11(2) and S.11(8) of the Kerala Buildings (Lease and Rent Control) Act, 1965. The Rent Controller allowed the petition under S.11(2) and rejected the claim under S.11(8). The appellate authority dismissed the tenant's appeal and allowed the landlord's appeal. Pending the revision, both parties died and their legal representatives were impleaded.
Finding of the Court:
The court found that the building in the possession of the tenant is only a portion of the main building, making the petition maintainable under S.11(8). The court also found clear evidence that the landlords required the building for additional accommodation. However, the court remanded the case to the appellate authority for a decision on the comparative hardship aspect as required by the first proviso to S.11(10) of the Act.
Issues: The issues involved the maintainability of the eviction petition under S.11(8) and the requirement for additional accommodation by the landlords.
Ratio Decidendi: The court held that the petition was maintainable under S.11(8) as the building in the possession of the tenant was only a portion of the main building. The court also found clear evidence that the landlords required the building for additional accommodation. However, the court emphasized the need for the appellate authority to consider the comparative hardship aspect as required by the first proviso to S.11(10) of the Act.
Final Decision: The order of the District Court was set aside, and the case was remanded to the Appellate Authority for a decision on the comparative hardship aspect as required by the first proviso to S.11(10) of the Act.
1. Landlord filed eviction petition under S.11 (2) and 11 (8) of the Kerala Buildings (Lease and Rent Control) Act, 1965. The Rent Controller allowed the petition under S.11 (2) and rejected the claim under S.11 (8) of the Act. Tenant filed R.C.A. 52/77 challenging the findings against him and the landlord filed R.C.A. 66/77 challenging the finding under S.11 (8). Appellate authority dismissed R.C.A. 52/77 and allowed R.C.A. 66/77. Tenant filed R.C.R.P 41/77 against the order in R.C.A. 66/77. Pending the revision, tenant and landlord died and their respective legal representatives have been impleaded.
2. The contention of the revision petitioners is that the claim under S.11 (8) cannot be allowed as the building in their possession is separate from the building in the possession of the respondents. There is no force in the above contention as the tenant did not have such a case in his counter statement. In Ext. A2 notice it is stated that the tenant is in possession of the lean-to portion of the main building. In the reply notice Ext. A4 there is no denial of the above assertion. Revision petitioners and their predecessor did not produce any documentary evidence or oral evidence to show that the building in their possession is entirely separate from the building in the possession of the landlord. In para 1 of the petition, it is clearly stated that the building in the possession of the tenant is a portion of the main building. The description of the building in the schedule to the petition also makes the position sufficiently clear that the premises in the possession of the tenant is only a lean-to of the main building. In para 3 of the counter there is implied admission that the premises in the possession of the tenant is a lean-to. There is crystal clear evidence to hold that the building in the possession of the tenant is only a portion of the main building. In view of the above position the petition is perfectly maintainable under S.11 (8) of the Act.
3. There is clear and unassailable evidence in the case to show that the respondents (landlords) require the building for additional accommodation. P.W. 1's evidence would show that he has his wife and five children and they are residing with him in the building. He also stated that his sister's son is residing with him and that be experiences lack of space in the building. P.W.1 stated that he has no other building. Admittedly, apart from the landlord, his wife and five children are occupying the premises bearing No. 324/ 111 of Ayyanthole Panchayat. P.W.1's evidence would show that one of his sons is married and his daughter-in-law is also residing with him. He deposed that another son is about to get married. P.W. 1's evidence in this regard is not even attempted to be shattered in cross-examination. Evidence of P.W.1 sufficiently establishes that there are only three rooms including the kitchen in his occupation. The appellate authority has rightly held that it is only reasonable that the son of the landlord who is already married and another son who is about to be married need separate rooms to live peacefully with their better halves and that will necessarily require additional accommodation. The above finding has been rightly affirmed by the learned District Judge. Counsel for the revision petitioners could not point out any factor or circumstance to persuade me to come to a different finding from that of the appellate authority as well as the District Judge.
4. Counsel for the revision petitioners argued that even if the bonafide requirement of the landlord has been established, that alone would not be sufficient to grant eviction under S.11(8) of the Act as the court has to necessarily consider the first proviso to S.11(10) of the Act and as that has not been done by the courts below, eviction cannot be granted under S.11(8) of the Act. First proviso to S.11(10) of the Act reads:
"Provided that, in the case of an application made under sub-s.(8), the Rent Con
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