2001 Supreme(Raj) 1295
Rajasthan High Court
Honble SUNIL KUMAR GARG, J.
Satya Narayan - Appellant
Versus
Ram Prasan and Ors. - Respondents
S.B. Civil Second Appeal No. 38 of 1983
Decided On : December 12, 2001
R. Chouhan, for Appellant R.S. Saluja, for Respondents
Headnote:Rajasthan Premises (Control of Rent and Eviction) Act, 1950, Sec. 13(1)(h) – Principle of estoppel – Suit for eviction after 1-1/2 year of increasing rent and getting executed fresh rent deed – Default in payment of rent and bonafide need – Decreed – Held – When increase in rent is marginal, the presumption of ulterior motive cannot be inferred – Increase was from Rs.12/- to 21/- p.m. from 1.4.74 to 6.9.75 – Not affect adversely bonafide need – Only substantial increase in rent can affect it adversely – Principle of estoppel would not be applicable when statutory rights and liabilities are involved – It cannot impede right of appeal and particularly constitutional remedy. (Paras 7 & 8)
It does not carry any weight as the principle of estoppel has no application when the statutory rights and liabilities are involved. It cannot impede right of any party and the right of the plaintiff-respondent to get his shop on any of the grounds mentioned in Sec. 13 of the Act of 1950 does not extenuate merely because the rent was increased from Rs. 12/- p.m. to Rs. 21/- p.m. with effect from 1.4.1974. (Para 8)
(2). It arises in the following circumstances:-
One Ram Prasan (hereinafter referred to as the plaintiff- respondent) filed a suit for eviction and arrears of rent against Jagdish Prasad (hereinafter referred to as the original defendant) in the Court of Munsiff. Shahpura District Bhilwara on 6.9.1975 stating inter-alia that on 1.4.1974, the shop in question mentioned in para No. 1 of the plaint was given by the plaintiff-respondent to the original defendant on monthly rent of Rs. 21/- for 11 months and the rent deed (Ex.1) was also got executed. it was further stated in the plaint that since 1.07.1974 upto the date of filing of the suit, rent had become due and thus, the original defendant had committed default in making payment of rent for more then six months and, therefore, he was liable to be evicted from the shop in question on the ground of default in making payment of rent under Sec. 13(1)(a) of the Act of 1950.
The further case of the plaintiff-respondent is that he was the Government servant and he had retired and after his retirement, he intended to do business of Kirana in the shop in question and since his son Sushil Kumar had just passed B.Com., therefore, they both would do business in the shop in question. Thus, the need of the plaintiff-respondent for the shop in question was reasonable and bonafide. A notice for vacating the shop in question was also given by the plaintiff respondent to the original defendant and, thereafter, the present suit was filed.
The suit of the plaintiff-respondent was contested by the original defendant by filing a written statement on 30.10.1975. In the written statement, it was averred by the original defendant that he was always ready ad willing to pay the rent, but it was plaintiff-respondent, who did not take the rent from him and, therefore, he had not committed any default in making payment of rent. So far as the need of the plaintiff-respondent for the shop in question is concerned, it was averred by the original defendant that there was no need and the suit was filed by the plaintiff- respondent only to harass him. Hence, it was prayed that the suit filed by the plaintiff-respondent be dismissed.
On the pleadings of the parties, the learned Munsiff, Shahpura framed the following issues on 14.4.1977:-
On behalf of the plaintiff-respondent, five witnesses were produced in the trial court and original defendant Jagdish Prasad himself appeared as DW1 and no further evidence was led by him in the trial court.
It may be stated here that during the proceedings of the suit in the trial court the defence of the original defendant against eviction was struck down by the trail court vide order dated 19.4.1979 and appeal against that order was dismissed, as not pressed.
After recording evidence of the parties, the learned Munsiff, Shahpura District Bhilwara through his judgment and decree dated 17.12.1979 decreed the suit of the plaintiff-respondent for eviction of the original defendant from the shop in question. The learned Munsiff decided the issues in the following manner:-
(1) That the learned Munsiff while deciding the issue No. 1 in favour of the plaintiff-respondent came to the conclusion that the need on the plaintiff-respondent for the shop in question was reasonable and bonafide one.
(2) That