High Court Of Kerala
C. KURIAKOSE,M.C. HARI RANI
Poolakandi Kumaran - Appellant
Versus
Kulangara Veettil Mathu - Respondent
RC Rev.No.234 of 2006
Decided On : 01/22/2009
Kerala Buildings (Lease and Rent Control) Act, 1965 - Sections 11(1), 11(3) - Whether non-obstante clause in S.11(1) operates only against landlords - Whether parties can enter into a contract that tenant will be evicted only on the ground of arrears of rent or on the ground of sub-letting - Law if insists that available building should be exactly identical to and should have all the conveniences which the building sought to be evicted is enjoying - Held, Suitability of alternate building for the purpose of second proviso to S.11(3), the availability of which is to be enquired, is to be decided with reference to the building wherefrom the tenant is sought to be evicted - Law does not insist that the available building should be exactly identical to and should have all the conveniences which the building sought to be evicted is enjoying - To insist for an exactly identical building will be to insist for the impossible - "suitable" in the context of the 2nd ingredient of 2nd proviso to S.11(3) means only reasonably suitable - R.C.R Dismissed.
Pius C. Kuriakose, J.
The tenant, who has suffered order of eviction concurrently on the ground mentioned under Sections 11(3) of the Kerala Buildings (Lease & Rent Control) Act, 1965 (Act 2 of 1965) (hereinafter referred to as the Act )at the hands of the Rent Control Court and the Appellate Authority, has filed this revision petition under Section 20 of the Act. Though the landlady invoked the ground under Section 11 (4)(iii) also, the said ground does not survive any longer since rent control appeal or revision petition were filed by the landlady against the order declining eviction under that ground. The landlords case in the context of the ground under Section 11(3) was that she requires the petition schedule building bona fide for occupation by her dependent son Sukumaran, so that Sri.Sukumaran can conduct a stationary business therein. It was also averred by the landlady that neither she nor Sukumaran possess any building of their own as to disentitle them to order of eviction under Section 11(3) of the Act. The case was resisted by the revision petitioner/tenant. The bona fides of the need and the claim were disputed. The revision petitioner also claimed protection of the second proviso to Section 11(3) of the Act. The Rent Control Court on an evaluation of the evidence, which consisted of the documents Exts.A1 to A8 and oral evidence of PW1/the de facto claimant, son of the landlady and the counter evidence which consisted of Exts.B1 to B20 and oral testimonies of Rws.1 to 4, apart from Exts.C1 to C3 commissioners reports and plans would hold that the need of the landlady is bona fide and that the tenant has not been successful in establishing that he satisfies either of the ingredients of the second proviso to Section 11(3) of the Act. Accordingly, order of eviction was passed under Section 11(3) of the Act. The Rent Control Appellate Authority would re-appraise the evidence and concur with all the conclusions of the Rent Control Court and dismiss the appeal.
We have heard the submissions of Mr.B.Krishnan, learned counsel for the revision petitioner and Mr.T.Krishnanunni, learned senior counsel for the respondent/landlady. Mr.Krishnan drew our attention to the 5th paragraph of the rent control petition wherein it is averred by the landlady that her son Sukumaran, the de facto claimant, was in possession of another shop room belonging to one Muhammed Haji and that in view of an order of eviction passed against him under Section 11(3) of the Act in favour of Sri. Haji, Sukumaran surrendered possession of that room to Sri.Haji and hence Sri.Sukumaran is without any building other than the petition schedule building for conduct of business. It is further averred that the landlady thus became compelled to file the rent control petition for eviction of the petition schedule building. Mr.Krishnan argued that the above averment in paragraph 5 of the rent control petition is a false and dishonest one. He would draw our attention to Ext.B11 statement filed by Sri Muhammed Haji, Sukumarans landlord in O.S.No.6/2004. He also referred to the finding of the Rent Control Court in paragraph 35 of its judgment wherein it is found that actual surrender of Muhammed Hajis room by Sukumaran was only on 5-7-2004. Mr.Krishnan submitted that the said finding has not been challenged by anybody and therefore , it is clear that the statement in paragraph 5 of the Rent Control Petition, which was filed on 15-7-2004 is a false one. According to Mr.Krishnan, the authorities under the Rent Control Act are governed by the principles of equity, justice and good conscience and, therefore, the landlady, who came to the Rent Control Court stating an absolutely false case, is not entitled for relief. In this context, Mr.Krishnan also referred to the cross examination of PW1. Mr.Krishnan would further submit that on the terms of the lease deed, Ext.B1, there is a clear contract between the parties that the tenant will be evicted only on the gro
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