2005 Supreme(Ker) 814
IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA
R. BHASKARAN, K.R. UDAYABHANU, JJ.
John Decruz - Appellant
Vs.
Richard - Respondent
W.P. (C) No.32905 of 2004
Decided On : 09-06-2005
For the Petitioner: E.V. Nayanar.
For the Respondents: V. Ramkumar Nambiar.
Headnote:
Kerala Land Reforms Act, 1964 - Section 125 - Civil Procedure Code, 1908 - Ss. 11 and 47 - Petitioner was respondent in RCP whose application in execution proceedings to recall warrant of delivery on basis that he obtained purchase certificate of premises in meantime, was turned down concurrently by the courts below - Issuance of a writ of certiorari to quash orders is the relief sought for - During pendency of post adjudication proceedings in Rent Control Court, the tenant/writ petitioner had independently initiated proceedings before the Land Tribunal and obtained purchase certificate contending that he is a hutment dweller (kudikidappukaran) - Validity and legitimacy of the above detached and independent proceedings before the Land Tribunal after squarely issue of the right to eject him from the premises was held against him in the Rent Control proceedings is the point put forward for consideration of this Court right now - Held, Supreme Court specifically held that the tenant is expected to raise all pleas available in statute at the relevant time, despite, taking note of the fact that the statute is particularly designed to uplift the weaker sections of the society - Court, in fact, harshly censured the appellant that it is sheer abuse of the process of the court to raise at each successive stages different pleas to protract the proceedings or to drive the party to multiplicity of proceedings - Supreme Court held that the omission thereof does constitute constructive res judicata so as to prevent raising of the same at a later point of time and hence that it must be deemed that the same is waived - Approval of diversionary proceedings to shortchange judicial process aimed at to tire out other side, flouting canons of fairplay would only result in endless litigation and exasperating delays in dispute resolution - Order of Land Tribunal disregarding the findings in rent control proceedings is liable to be discarded and order of the Court below dismissing both E.A upheld - Petition dismissed.
K.R. Udayabhanu, J.
The writ petitioner was the respondent in RCP 345/1999 whose application in the execution proceedings to recall the warrant of delivery on the basis that he obtained purchase certificate of the premises in the meantime, was turned down concurrently by the courts below. The issuance of a writ of certiorari to quash the above orders is the relief sought for. During the pendency of the post adjudication proceedings in the Rent Control Court, the tenant/writ petitioner had independently initiated proceedings before the Land Tribunal and obtained purchase certificate contending that he is a hutment dweller (kudikidappukaran). The validity and legitimacy of the above detached and independent proceedings before the Land Tribunal after squarely the issue of the right to eject him from the premises was held against him in the Rent Control proceedings is the point put forward for consideration of this Court right now. Aside front the above question, the reliance placed by the writ petitioner on the decision of Division Bench of this Court in Abdulrahiman v. Abdulla Haji (1991 (1) KLT 702) that overruled Kamalakshi Amma v. Vijayan (1988 (2) KLT 498) and Kumaran Nair v. Damodaran Nair (1986 KLT 461) calls for the examination of the binding nature of the dicta in Abdulrahiman's case (op.cit) in the light of the state of affairs of the Supreme Court upholding and affirming the ratio of Kamalakshi Amma's case (op.cit) later in appeal in P.K. Vijayan v. Kamalakshi Amma AIR 1994 SC 2145). (Incidentally, the Land Tribunal also relied on the decision in Abdulrahiman's case (supra) to avoid and bypass the orders of the Rent Control Court, Rent Control Appellate Authority and that of the High Court in revision).
2. RCP 345/99 was filed seeking eviction under Ss. 11(4)(ii), 1l(4)(iii) and 11(4)(v) of the Kerala Buildings (Lease and Rent Control) Act also alleging that the rent is in arrears since June 1997. It was contended that the respondent has ceased to occupy the petition schedule building continuously for the last more than two years and that he caused damage to the building on account of neglect, carelessness and non occupation. That he is residing in a separate house and another house that he is having has been let out are facts alleged in support. On the other hand, the respondent (the writ petitioner herein) denied rental arrears and the cause for the deterioration of the state of the building was attributed to the landlord as he failed to effect timely repairs. He contended that he was compelled to shift his residence on account of the above attitude of the landlord and claimed that he is still in possession. The matter was stiffly contested and the Rent Control Court allowed the application under S.11(4)(ii) and 11(4)(v) of the Act. The appeal filed was dismissed at the threshold itself, at the time of admission. In revision, the High Court confirmed the finding under S.11(4)(v). The revision petitioner had raised the contention before the revisional court that his right to purchase kudikidappu right is under adjudication by the Land Tribunal and the Revenue-Inspector who inspected the premises has recommended in his favour. This Court in revision did not entertain the above contention observing that the question of kudikidappu was never raised by the revision petitioner before the Rent Control Court or before the Rent Control Appellate Authority. It is thereafter that the landlord filed E.P.323/2001 for execution of the eviction order and the revision petitioner filed E.A.385/2004 in order to stall the execution proceedings armed with the purchase certificate obtained as per the order of the Land Tribunal pronounced subsequent to the order of the High Court in the rent control proceedings in revision. The Execution Court turned down the application. In revision on the above order, the District Court also declined to interfere.
3. It is the contention of the writ petitioner that the Land Tribunal, Kuthuparamba