Rajasthan High Court
Sen Actg., C.J. & Jain, J.
Prem Lal - Appellant
Versus
Jadav Chand - Respondents
D.B. Civil Revision No. 459 of 1976
Decided On : May 12, 1977
The entire scheme and structure of the Act leads to the irresistible conclusion that section 13 (1) places a bar on the Court. The Court is not competent to pass a decree for possession either in invitum or with consent of the parties or on a ground which is de hors the Act. The existence of one or more of the grounds mentioned in section 13 (1) is a sine qua non to the exercise of jurisdiction by the court. What constitutes the cause of action is the termination of the tenancy by service of a notice under section 106 of the Transfer of Property Act. The grounds but make it possible to get the relief of ejectment. No doubt, the plaintiff has to allege the existence of one or more of the grounds specified in section 13(1) and has the burden of proving that such grounds exist, but the existence of the grounds is not a part of the cause of action. If any of such grounds exists, the tenant is not entitled to any protection from eviction. The Court has, therefore, to see if any of the grounds exists, as in that event, the suit would be maintainable. Thus, section 13 (1) of the Act is nothing but a procedural restriction and does not create a substantive right. The effect of allowing the amendment will not alter the nature and character of the suit, nor will it cause any prejudice to the defendant. It still remains a suit based on the original cause of action i. e , on determination of the jural relationship of the landlord and the tenant. There is no question of taking away from the defendant any legal right which has accrued to him by lapse of time, nor does the amendment introduce a totally different, new and inconsistent case. Section 13 (1) of the Rajasthan Premises (Control of Rent ana Eviction) Act, 1950 is only a procedural restriction and does not create a substantive right The landlord sets out the "grounds of ejectment" in the plaint, not because they constitute his cause of action, but in anticipation of the tenant claiming the protection provided in sec. 13(1) of the Act, to show that conditions have arisen which have taken away the protection of the tenant and removed the impediment in the way of the landlord recovering possession. In our opinion, the grounds mentioned in sec. 13(1) of the Act, therefore, do not constitute a necessary part of the cause of action for eviction of the tenant from an accommodation. The decisions of Jagat Narayan J., in Rajeshwar Dayal vs. Padam Kumar Kothari, supra, and Kedar Nath vs. Panadevi supra, must be over-ruled and we accordingly over-rule. (Paras 9,10, 27, 30 & 31)
2. The parties stand in the relationship of landlord and tenant. On 13-7-1972, the plaintiff brought the suit for eviction of the defendant under section 13 (l)(h) of the Act i.e. on the ground of his penonal necessity alleging that he requires the suit premises, which is a shop, reasonably and bona fide for his own use and occupation. On the date of the suit, the defendant was in arrears of rent, but the ground mentioned in clause (a) thereof was not available to the plaintiff, inasmuch as he was not in arrears with the rent for a period of six months. The defendant filed his written statement contesting the plaintiffs claim and pleaded that the alleged necessity was not the bona fide requirement, but was just a pretence to secure his eviction. But before the suit could be fixed for evidence, the plaintiff on 2-4-1976 i.e. after about 4 years of the institution of the suit, made an application under Order 6 Rule 17 seeking to amend the plaint with a view to incorporate an additional ground under section 13 (l)(a), alleging that the defendant had neither paid, nor tendered the amount of rent for more than 6 months. That application of his has been allowed by the learned trial Judge by the order in revision. At the hearing, it was urged that the learned trial Judge was bound to follow the decisions of Jagat Narayan J., in Rajeshwar Dayal vs. Padam Kumar Kothari, (supra.) and Kedarnath vs. Panadevi supra, holding that no such amendment can be allowed. After hearing the parties at length, I felt that these decisions require reconsideration and, therefore, the matter has been placed before a larger Bench.
3. The decisions of Jagat Narayan J., in Rajeshwar Dayal vs. Padam Kumar Kothari, (supra) and Kedarnath vs. Panadevi (supra) proceed on the assumption that the existence of one or more of the grounds mentioned in section 13 (1) of the Act, constitutes a necessary part of the cause of action for eviction of a tenant from an accommodation and, therefore, where such a ground comes into existence after the institution of a suit on one or more of the grounds mentioned in section 13 (1) of the Act, the plaintiff cannot be permitted to amend the plaint to introduce such a ground.
4. The learned Judge was of the view that the Court has no power either under section 153 or under Order 6 Rule 17 to allow an amendment of the plaintiff so as to include a cause of action which had not accrued on the date of the suit. In reaching that conclusion, the learned Single Judge has relied upon the decisions of Privy Council in Mashwe Mya vs. Maung Mo Hnaung (3), Doorga Prasad vs. The Secretary of State (4) and Kanda vs. Waghu (5).
5. With due deference to the learned Judge, we are constrained to observe that his decision proceeds on a complete misreading of the decisions in Ma Shwe Mya vs. Maung Mo Hnaung, (supra) Doorga Prasad vs. The Secretary of State,(supra), and Kanda vs. Waghu, supra. He proceeds on a wrong premise in assuming that the incorporation of a new ground for eviction in a suit brought by the landlord under section 13 (1) of the Act due to subsequent events, canno
(7) Nagindas Ramdas vs. Dalpatram Ichharam alias Brijram (AIR 1974 SC 471)
(8) Murlidhar vs. State of Uttar Pradesh (AIR 1974 SC 1924)
(9) Bhaiya Punjalal Bhagwanddin vs. Dave Bhagwat prasad Prabhu prasad (AIR 1963 SC 120)
(10) M/s Raval and co. vs. K. G. Ramchandran (AIR 1974 SC 818)
(21) A. K. Gupta and Sons vs. Damodar Valley Corporation (AIR 1967 SC 96)
(17) Pasupuleti Venkateswarlu vs. The Motor & General Traders (1975 1 SCC 770)
(18) Shri Rattan Lal vs. Shri Vardesh Chander (1976 2 SCC 103)
(1) Rajeshwar Dayal vs. Padam Kumar Kothari (1969 RLW 546)
(3) Mashwe Mya vs. Maung Mo Hnaung (AIR 1922 PC 249)
(4) Doorga Prasad vs. The Secretary of State (AIR 1945 PC 62)
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