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2011 Supreme(Mad) 268

2011 (1) LW 927
High Court of Judicature at Madras
G. RAJASURIA
Shanmugam
Versus
Hema
S.A.No.609 of 2010 & M.P.No.1 of 2010
Decided on : 20-01-2011

Advocates Appeared:
For the Appellant:S. Sounthar, Advocate.
For the Respondent:M.V. Venkataseshan, Advocate.

Validity of termination notice and the requirement of substantial question of law for entertaining a second appeal.

Headnote:

Eviction - Termination Notice - Section 106 of the TP Act - [2006(5)SCC545, 2008(4)SCALE300] - The court upheld the validity of the termination notice, stating that even though the boundaries were not properly specified, the door number of the structure was clearly mentioned, making the notice valid. The court also dismissed the claim of an oral sale agreement due to lack of evidence, emphasizing that findings of fact cannot be appealed. The second appeal was dismissed, granting the defendant six months to vacate the premises and pay monthly damages.

Fact of the Case:

The plaintiff filed a suit seeking eviction and damages for use and occupation of the premises by the defendant. The trial court decreed the suit, and the defendant filed an appeal, challenging the judgments of both courts below.

Finding of the Court:

The court upheld the validity of the termination notice and dismissed the claim of an oral sale agreement due to lack of evidence. The second appeal was dismissed, granting the defendant six months to vacate the premises and pay monthly damages.

Issues: Validity of termination notice, entitlement of the plaintiff to maintain the suit, existence of a sale agreement between the defendant and the plaintiff's vendor, and substantial question of law for entertaining the second appeal.

Ratio Decidendi: The termination notice was deemed valid as the door number of the structure was clearly mentioned, and the claim of an oral sale agreement was dismissed due to lack of evidence. Findings of fact cannot be appealed.

Final Decision: The second appeal was dismissed, granting the defendant six months to vacate the premises and pay monthly damages.

JUDGMENT :-

1. This second appeal is focussed by the defendant, animadverting upon the judgement and decree dated 29.01.2010 passed by the learned Additional Subordinate Judge, Mayiladuthurai in A.S.No.2 of 2008 confirming the judgment and decree dated 28.11.2007 passed by the learned Principal District Munsif, Sirkali in O.S.No.245 of 2002.

2. The parties are referred to here under according to their litigative status and ranking before the trial Court.

3. Heard both sides.

4. The facts giving rise to the filing of this second appeal would run thus:

a) The plaintiff filed the suit O.S.No.245 of 2002 seeking the relief of eviction and for assessment of damages for use and occupation of the premises by the defendant.

b) Written statement was filed by the defendant resisting the suit.

c) Whereupon issues were framed. On the side of the plaintiff, the husband of the plaintiff- one Ravichandran examined himself as P.W 1 and Exs.A1 to A5 were marked. The defendant/Shanmugam examined himself as D.W.1 and Exs.B1 and B2 were marked.

d) Ultimately the trial court decreed the suit. Being aggrieved by and dissatisfied with the same, appeal was filed by the defendant for nothing but to be dismissed confirming the judgment and decree of the trial court.

5. Challenging and impugning the judgments of both the courts below, this second appeal has been focussed on various grounds inter alia to the effect that the plaintiff issued notice specifying wrong description of the property and accordingly, if viewed that termination notice cannot be taken as a valid one and it ought to have been taken as non-est in the eye of law, which they failed to do so.

6. The one other point urged in the second appeal is that both the courts below fell into error in not upholding the contention of the defendant that there was oral sale agreement emerged between the vendor of the plaintiff and the defendant herein.

7. Accordingly, suggesting the following substantial questions of law in the memorandum of appeal, this second appeal has been filed.

a. Whether the suit is liable to be dismissed for want of proper notice to quit under Section 106 of the TP Act ?

b. Whether the respondent/plaintiff is entitled to maintain the suit when there is no attornment of tenancy in her favour?

c. Whether the appellant could be treated as a tenant after sale agreement between him and vendor of respondent? Whether the tenancy arrangement is not superseded by sale agreement between appellant and vendor of respondent Kumar?

(extracted as such)

8. I would like to re-collect and call-up the following decisions of the Hon'ble Apex Court

(i) (2006) 5 Supreme Court Cases 545 – HERO VINOTH (MINOR) VS. SESHAMMAL.

(ii) 2008(4) SCALE 300 – KASHMIR SINGH VS. HARNAM SINGH AND ANOTHER,

which would exemplify and demonstrate that unless there is a substantial question of law is involved in the matter, the question of entertaining the second appeal would not arise. Hence, it has to be seen as to whether there is any scope for formulating substantial question of law within the meaning of Section 100 of the Code of Civil

Procedure.

9. The learned counsel for the appellant/defendant would contend that the description of the property is vague as vagueness could be and no head or tail out of it could be made and in such a case, it should be treated as non-est in the eye of law.

10. Whereas the learned counsel for the respondent/plaintiff by way of torpedoing and pulverising the argument as put forth on the side of the appellant/defendant would contend that the door number of the premises is found spelt out in the notice and it is not the case of the defendant that he has been in occupation of some other premises other than the one over which the plaintiff is claiming right as owner and correspondingly as a landlord, who stepped into the shoes of his vendor.

11. At this juncture, I would like to recollect and call-up the following maxim -

"id certum est quod certum reddi potest -That is certain which can be ma









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