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1970 Supreme(Mad) 154

Madras High Court
KAILASAM
K.N.Ramakrishnan - Appellant
Versus
C.Keral Chand - Respondent
Decided On : 04/09/1970

Advocates:
K. Parasurama Iyer, for Petitioner; V. Sridevan. G. Masilamani and P. A. Deivasignam, for Respondents.

The absence of a proper notice to quit under Section 106 of the Transfer of Property Act does not deprive the Rent Control Court of its jurisdiction to entertain a petition for eviction.

Headnote:

TRANSFER OF PROPERTY ACT - NOTICE TO QUIT - WAIVER - JURISDICTION OF RENT CONTROL COURT - MADRAS BUILDINGS (LEASE AND RENT CONTROL) ACT - INTERPRETATION OF SECTION 106 - EFFECT OF FAILURE TO GIVE PROPER NOTICE.

Fact of the Case:

The petitioner, a tenant under the Madras Buildings (Lease and Rent Control) Act, challenged the eviction order passed against him by the Rent Controller and the appellate court. The main contention was that the notice to quit served by the landlords was not in accordance with Section 106 of the Transfer of Property Act, and therefore, the Rent Control Court lacked jurisdiction to entertain the petition.

Finding of the Court:

The court held that the notice to quit was indeed defective as it did not comply with the requirements of Section 106 of the Transfer of Property Act. However, the court rejected the petitioner's argument that the Rent Control Court lacked jurisdiction due to the defective notice. The court relied on a previous Bench decision which held that the absence of a proper notice under Section 106 does not affect the jurisdiction of the Rent Control Court.

Issues: 1. Whether the notice to quit served by the landlords was in accordance with Section 106 of the Transfer of Property Act? 2. Whether the Rent Control Court lacked jurisdiction to entertain the petition due to the defective notice? 3. Whether the petitioner waived his right to insist on proper notice under Section 106 of the Transfer of Property Act?

Ratio Decidendi: 1. The court interpreted Section 106 of the Transfer of Property Act and held that the notice to quit served by the landlords was defective as it did not comply with the requirements of the section. 2. The court relied on a previous Bench decision and held that the absence of a proper notice under Section 106 does not affect the jurisdiction of the Rent Control Court. 3. The court found that the petitioner had not raised the issue of defective notice in his written statement before the Rent Controller and had not argued it before the appellate court. The court held that the petitioner's conduct amounted to a waiver of his right to insist on proper notice.

Final Decision: The court dismissed the revision petition filed by the petitioner and upheld the eviction order passed against him.

Judgement

ORDER :- The tenant under the Madras Buildings (Lease and Rent Control) Act, is the petitioner in this civil revision petition. He had taken on lease premises No. 49-A Upper Bazar, Ooty, on a rent of Rs. 35 per mensem. On 13-8-1965, the landlords issued a notice to the petitioner-tenant terminating the tenancy and calling upon him to pay Rs. 595 which was the amount due to them as rent. This notice was served on the petitioner-tenant on 18-8-1965. The petitioner-tenant gave a reply on 25-8-1965 in which he denied his liability to pay Rs. 595 and also contended that the notice was not in accordance with the provisions of S. 106 of the Transfer of Property Act On 17-1-1966, the landlords filed a petition for exiction of the petitioner-tenant on various grounds, namely, wilful default etc. "They claimed arrears of rent upto that date, Rs. 770. On 25-2-1966 an ex parte order was passed against the tenant. It was restored on 18-3-1966 and time was granted for filing written statement (counter). The petitioner-tenant filed the same on 4-4-1966. He did not deposit any amount; nor did he raise the question as to lack of proper notices under S. 106 of the Transfer of Property -Act. On 18-4-1966, he paid Rs. 400 when a sum of Rs. 875 was due. On 13-6-1966, the Rent Controller directed the petitioner-tenant to deposit the arrears and posted the petition for being called on 20-6-1966. On 20-6-1966 the counsel reported no instructions and the petition was allowed with costs. On 29-7-1966, the petition was restored to file and the petitioner-tenant paid a sum of Rs. 510 out of Rs. 580 that was due. As already observed, in the written statement before the Rent Controller, the petitioner-tenant did not raise the plea about the defect in notice. The Rent Controller allowed the petition and ordered eviction. The tenant preferred an appeal, C. M. A. 39 of 1966. In the original memorandum of appeal, he did not raise the question about want of notice but filed an additional memorandum of grounds on 24-2-1967 wherein he contended that proper notice under S. 106 of the Transfer of Property Act was not given. There is some dispute between the parties as to whether the question of proper notice was argued before the Subordinate Judge or not. The order of the Subordinate Judge does not refer to the contention that the notice was not in accordance with the provision under S. 106 of the Transfer of Property Act. The Subordinate Judge also upheld the plea of the respondent-landlords and confirmed the order of the Rent Controller directing the eviction of the petitioner-tenant on the ground of wilful default The tenant took up the matter to the District Judge. Before him, the question as to the defect in notice was argued elaborately. The learned Judge found that the notice was not in accordance with S. 106 of the Transfer of Property Act, but from the circumstances of the case inferred that the tenant had waived his right to raise this contention.

2. The petitioner-tenant has taken the matter before this court in civil revision petition. It is contended, that failure to give notice in accordance with the provisions of Sec. 106 of the Transfer of Property Act is fatal to the petitioner as the Rent Controller has no jurisdiction to entertain the petition and in any event, the order for eviction cannot be passed when there is failure to comply with the provisions of S. 106 of the Transfer of Property Act. The petitioner-tenant has also contended that the superstructure belongs to him and, therefore, the proceeding under the Rent Control Act is not competent. The landlords, on the other hand, would contend that the superstructure also belongs to them. As the dispute regarding superstructure has not been pleaded before the trial Court, this question cannot be allowed to be raised at this stage and, therefore, I refrain from dealing with this question.

3. Regarding the question of notice under S. 106 of the Transfer of Property Act, it is common ground t


















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