SupremeToday Landscape Ad
Back
Next
Judicial Analysis Court Copy Headnote Facts Arguments Court observation
Listen Audio Icon Pause Audio Icon
judgment-img

2012 Supreme(Mad) 3954

HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS
R.S. RAMANATHAN, J.
Mrs. Sulochana
Versus
Smt. R. Pangajam & Others
C.R.P.(NPD)No.5166 of 2011 and M.P.No.1 of 2011
Decided On : 27-09-2012

Advocates Appeared:
For the Petitioner:J. Raja Kalifullah, Advocate.
For the Respondents:R. Bharath Kumar, Advocate.

Headnote:(a). Tamil Nadu Buildings (Lease and Rent Control) Act, 1960, Section 10(2)(i) - Eviction on grounds of wilful default in payment of Rent- Tenant had stopped paying the rent and did not pay any rent in a lumpsum amount even during the pendency of the proceedings- Considering the default to be wilful the lower courts rightly decreed the suit

       (b). Tamil Nadu Buildings (Lease and Rent Control) Act, 1960, Section 23 - Jurisdiction of Appellate Authority – Scope of Eviction ordered on ground of denial of title- That no evidence was lead before the Rent controller related to title in the property and therefore eviction order passed on the grounds of wilful non payment of rent was right and the Order passed by the appellate on additional ground of denial of title is not sustainable.

JUDGMENT

Tenant is the revision petitioner.

2. The landlords/respondents filed petition for eviction on the ground of wilful default in payment of rent, for owner's occupation and for demolition and reconstruction. The learned Rent Controller ordered eviction on the ground of wilful default and dismissed the petition on the ground of owner's occupation and demolition and reconstruction. The learned Rent Control Appellate Authority confirmed the order of eviction on the ground of wilful default and also ordered eviction on the ground of denial of title. Aggrieved by the same, this revision is filed.

3. Mr.Raja Kalifulla, learned counsel appearing for the revision petitioner submitted that the learned Rent Control Appellate Authority erred in ordering eviction on the ground of denial of title when eviction was not sought for on that ground and no evidence was let in to that effect during the trial and in the absence of any pleading, the learned Rent Control Appellate Authority ought not to have framed issue to that effect and ordered eviction and therefore, the order of eviction on the ground of wilful denial of title is bad and is also against the judgment of the Honourable Supreme Court in J.J.LAL (P) LTD. v. M.R.MURALI ((2002) 3 SCC 98). He further submitted that the authorities below, without properly appreciating the case of the respondents and also the defence taken by the revision petitioner, erred in holding that the revision petitioner committed wilful default in payment of rent. He further submitted that the authorities below, having found that the revision petitioner did not commit wilful default as alleged in the petition and the landlords/respondents herein failed to prove that rents were paid to them and also after having held that the rent is only Rs.100/= per month and not Rs.200/=, ought not to have ordered eviction on the ground of wilful default.

4. On the other hand, the learned counsel for the respondent Mr.Bharath Kumar submitted that the conduct of the tenant from the filing of the petition and even earlier to that was to the effect that the respondents are not the landlords and they are not entitled to collect rent, even after notice was issued by the landlords calling upon the revision petitioner to pay the rent and considering all these aspects, the courts below have rightly ordered eviction on the ground of wilful default. He further submitted that the revision petitioner, having admitted that she is the tenant of the premises, cannot deny the title of the landlords even after receipt of notice from the landlords and the conduct of the tenant in filing application under section 9(3) of the Act by impleading the respondents herein as landlords would also prove that the revision petitioner was aware that the respondents are the landlords and she wilfully denied the title of the landlords and did not pay the rent even during the pendency of the proceedings and when the denial was wilful, even though no pleading was taken in the petition filed by the landlords during the pendency of the proceedings, that can be a ground for eviction and the conduct of the tenant in not paying the rent even during the pendency of the proceedings would also make the default wilful and relied upon the judgment in METTUPALAYAM MUNICIPALITY v. SHANMUGAM (1999 (3) MLJ 691), AMMAL PILLAI v. M/S.VARADARAJULU (1997 (1) MLJ 626) and SURENDIRAKUMAR v. BALAJI SINGH (1998 (3) MLJ 475) in support of his contention. He further submitted that the contention of the revision petitioner/tenant that there was no relationship of landlord and tenant between the parties and she was a tenant under the previous owner and she has not attorned tenancy in favour of the respondents herein cannot also be accepted having regard to the judgment in NATARAJAN v MANIMEGALAI ((2008) 1 MLJ 963).

5. The learned counsel for the revision petitioner submitted that though the respondents herein issued a notice calling upon the revision petitioner to pay the rent,












Click Here to Read the rest of this document

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
Judicial Analysis

SupremeToday

SupremeToday Portrait Ad
supreme today icon
logo-black

An indispensable Tool for Legal Professionals, Endorsed by Various High Court and Judicial Officers

Please visit our Training & Support
Center or Contact Us for assistance

qr

Scan Me!

India’s Legal research and Law Firm App, Download now!

For Daily Legal Updates, Join us on :

whatsapp-icon Back to top