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1999 Supreme(Raj) 229

Rajasthan High Court
Honble SHIVARAJ V. PATIL, C.J. & S.C. MITTAL, J.
Khem Chand - Appellant
Versus
State of Rajasthan and another - Respondents
D.B. Civil Writ Petition No. 1193 of 1997
Decided On : March 30, 1999

Advocates Appeared:
D.S. Shishodia, Sr. Advocate with Manish Shishodia, for Petitioner S.M. Mehta, Advocate General assisted by S. Bhandawat, for State of Rajasthan Vijay Agarwal, for Respondent no.2

Headnote:Rajasthan Premises (Control of Rent and Eviction) Act, 1950, Section 6(2) – Fixation of standard rent – The position of determining monthly rent in this provision was; (i) The first proviso to sub-section (2) to Section 6 states that the rent shall not exceed the rent which was settled after the Ist day of January 1965 – This rent, as called `basic rent and was not to exceed as was when the premises were first let out on the first day of January, 1962 – Thus it meant that the rent was pegged down to these dates – The enormous multifold increase of rents was not considered – There is universal escalation of rentals and any ceiling imposed will be totally artificial and irrelevant – After the Supreme Court judgment this controversy was taken to be concluded – Kerala High Court judgment was also relied – Held – Provisions of Sub-section (2) of Section 6 were struck down as ultra vires and unconstitutional. (Para 14)Editors note : 1. An eminent legal luminary, has further elaborated on this, aspect by stating that, `the words or standard rent appearing in sub-section (3) afterthe words `the prevailing rent and before the words `for similar premises should now be considered as non-est. (Non-est = Irrelevant in the context/fujFkZd). 2. For the convenience of our readers, the aforesaid Supreme Court judgment is published in Supreme Court Section at page RLW 1999(2) SC 254. And similarly the important paras of the Kerala High Court judgment viz., paras Nos. 17, 22 to 24 are re-produced in the end of this Rajasthan High Court judgment.

       

Honble PATIL, CJ.–Heard the learned counsel for the parties.

(2). In D.B. Civil Writ Petition No. 1193/1997, the petitioner has questioned the validity of Section 6(2) of the Rajasthan Premises (Control of Rent & Eviction) Act, 1950 (for short `the Act) and has sought for quashing the said provisions as unconstitutional and void. He has further sought permission to increase the rent as per the prevailing market rate and any other appropriate writ, order or direction as deemed fit.

(3). In S.B. Civil Revision Petition No. 986/96, the following points are referred to the Larger Bench for decision:-

(1) Whether a learned Single Judge of this Court sitting in revisional jurisdiction can declare provision of an enactment to be ultra vires the Constitution?

(2) Whether the provisions of Sub Section 2 of Section 6 of the Act can be taken to have been impliedly declared ultra vires as necessary effect of the decision of the Supreme Court in Malpe Vishwanath Ach- arya vs. State of Maharashtra (1). and other cases cited by the learned Single Judge in Firm Khetsi Das Sheoji Rams case?

(4). Thus, in substance, the principal question that arises for consideration is as to the constitutional validity of Sub Section (2) of Section 6 of the Act.

(5). Shri D.S. Shishodia, the learned Senior Advocate for the petitioner in D.B. Civil Writ Petition No. 1193/1997 submitted that similar provisions in different Rent Control Acts of different States are struck down as ultra vires the Constitution. He cited the following decisions in support of his case:-

``(1) Firm Khetsi Dass Sheoji Ram, Sardarshahar and others vs. Mohani Devi and another (2).

(2) Issac Ninan vs. State of Kerala (3).

(6). He further submitted that the controversy raised in the writ petition can be taken as concluded by the pronouncement of the Apex Court in Malpe Vishwanath Acharya and others vs. State of Maharashtra and another (4).

(7). The learned Advocate General for the respondent No. 1 State of Rajasthan and the learned counsel for the respondent No. 2 in the writ petition did not dispute the legal position in regard to Section 6(2) of the Act. The learned Advocate General only added that the State is interested and keen to bring a suitable legislation in this regard on the basis of the model law. May be it may bring such legislation within about six months.

(8). Since the constitutional validity of Sub Section (2) of Section 6 of the Act is questioned in these cases, we think it appropriate to extract the said provisions. Sub Section (2) of Section 6 of the Act reads:

``6. Fixation of standard rent-

(1) ......................

(2) The Court shall, after holding such summary inquiry as it may consider just and necessary, determine the standard rent for such premises and shall, in doing so, act according to the following principles, namely-

(a) Where the premises are let for residential purpose or for the pur- poses of the public hospital, aushadhalaya or dawakhana, a recognized educational institution, a public library or reading room or any orphange the standard rent shall not exceed the basic rent increased by fifty per cent thereof; and

(b) Where the premises are let for any other purposes, the standard rent shall not exceed two and a half time the basic rent thereof:

Provided that where the premises have been (first) let after the first day of January, (1965) the standard rent shall not exceed the basic rent thereof:

Provided further that where the fair rent or standard rent for any premises has been determined or redetermined (by any Court under this Act or) by any authority under any law or order repealed by Section 30 before the commencement of the Rajasthan Premises (Control of Rent and Eviction Amendment) Ordinance, 1975 and the amount of such fair rent or standard rent is the same as would be determinable as standard rent by the Court under this Section, the fair rent or standard rent previously determined or redetermined, shall not be disturbed.

Explanation – For the purposes of this S




































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