PUNJAB & HARYANA HIGH COURT
Shamsher Bahadur and R.S.Narula JJ.
Sawaraj Pal
Versus
Janak Raj
Civil Revision No. 344 of 1968,
Decided On : MAY 22, 1968
RENT CONTROL - EVICTION - NOTICE - REQUIREMENT OF SERVICE OF NOTICE UNDER SECTION 106 OF THE TRANSFER OF PROPERTY ACT - APPLICABILITY IN PUNJAB - INTERPRETATION OF SECTION 13(1) OF THE EAST PUNJAB URBAN RENT RESTRICTION ACT, 1949.
Fact of the Case:
The tenant, Swaraj Pal, was ordered to be evicted from a property in Jullundur City under section 13(2)(I) of the East Punjab Urban Rent Restriction Act, 1949 (the Act) for non-payment of rent. The tenant challenged the eviction order, arguing that he had not been served with a proper notice of termination of tenancy as required by section 106 of the Transfer of Property Act.
Finding of the Court:
The court held that the requirement of service of a notice under section 106 of the Transfer of Property Act is not abrogated by the provisions of the Act, even though the statutory provisions of that Act are not applicable to the Punjab State. The court further held that the expression "whether before or after the termination of the tenancy" in section 13(1) of the Act does not enlarge the scope for the field covered by sub-section (2) by falling in which all that happens is that the bar contained in subsection (1) ceased to have effect.
Issues: 1. Whether the requirement of service of a notice under section 106 of the Transfer of Property Act is abrogated by the provisions of the East Punjab Urban Rent Restriction Act, 1949? 2. Whether the expression "whether before or after the termination of the tenancy" in section 13(1) of the Act enlarges the scope for the field covered by sub-section (2)?
Ratio Decidendi: 1. The court held that the requirement of service of a notice under section 106 of the Transfer of Property Act is not abrogated by the provisions of the Act, even though the statutory provisions of that Act are not applicable to the Punjab State. The court reasoned that the Act is a complete code in itself and does not contain any provision abrogating the requirement of the service of such a notice. 2. The court held that the expression "whether before or after the termination of the tenancy" in section 13(1) of the Act does not enlarge the scope for the field covered by sub-section (2) by falling in which all that happens is that the bar contained in subsection (1) ceased to have effect. The court reasoned that the said expression is used to provide against cases of statutory forfeiture of tenancy under the general law in which event, before the termination of the stipulated period of a tenancy, the tenant would be liable to ejectment but for the absolute bar contained in sub-section (2) of that section.
Final Decision: The court allowed the tenant's petition for revision, set aside the orders of the Appellate Authority and the Rent Controller directing the eviction of the tenant, and remanded the case to the Rent Controller for a fresh decision after allowing the parties an opportunity to prove or disprove the service of a proper notice of termination of tenancy.
R.S.Narula, J.
1. This petition for revision of the order of Shri Surinder Singh Appellate Authority under the East Punjab Urban Rent Restriction Act, 1949 (hereinafter called the Act) District Judge Jullundur upholding the order of Shri D.S. Controller. Jullundur dated November 8 1967 directing the eviction of Sawaraj Pal petitioner under section 13 (2) (I) of the Act was admitted to a Division Bench by the order of my Lord the Chief Justice dated April 29, 1968 and was directed to be set down for hearing as the first case on May 6, 1968 as Janak Raj respondent accepted service of notice of the petition at the Motion stage and execution of the order for eviction was stayed till the date of hearing of the revision petition.
2. In order to appreciate all the points that have been urged before us, it appears to be necessary to survey the somewhat lengthy history of this case leading to the filling of this revision petition, though the ultimate points involved in the case do not appear to be at all complicated. The dispute relates to a portion of property No. E Q 253 Jullundur City, which was originally an acquired evacuee property and was purchased in a Government sale by one Gurdial Singh for Rs 25,000/- In execution of an ex parte decree for Rupee 500/- against Gurdial Singh the property was put to auction and was purchased by Janak Raj respondent for Rupee 5,100/-. The ex parte decree against Gurdial Singh was later set aside and ultimately the suit in which the decree had originally been passed was dismissed. Gurdial Singhs application for setting aside the sale in favour of the respondent was rejected by the trial Court and even his first appeal against that order failed. Gurdial Singhs plea was however, successful in his regular second appeal filed in this Court and even a letters patent Appeal preferred against that judgment by Janak Raj was dismissed. This led Janak Raj to prefer a further appeal to the Supreme Court which succeeded. The judgment of their Lordships is reported in Janak Raj v. Gurdial Singh AIR 1967 SC 608. We are not concerned with the merits of the controversy involved in the litigation up to the stage hereinbefore mentioned, but the same is relevant only for two purposes viz, (I) that the pendency of the said litigation is stated to be the reason for the petitioner not having paid arrears of rent to Janak Raj as the petitioner was being pressed for payment of the same even by Singh and (ii) that when Janak Raj took out warrant of possession of the property, the tenant gave in writing undertaking to pay rent to Janak Raj and Swaraj Pal was thereupon allowed to continue as tenant of Janak Raj in the property. Just for the sake of completing the full history of the case, it may be added that in pursuance of certain observations made in the judgment of their Lordships of the Supreme Court, Gurdial Singh filed an application under section 144 of the Code of Civil Procedure for restoration of the property in dispute to him, which application was rejected by the trial Court, his first appeal failed in the District Court, and now his Execution Second Appeal No. 546 of 1968 is still pending in this Court.
3. The respondent to whom I will hereinafter refer as the landlord, gave a notice, of which no copy has been produced, to Swaraj Pal, whom I will hereinafter call the tenant, which was received by the tenant on December 20, 1963 by registered post, vide postal acknowledgement exhibit A. 1. In the absence of any copy of the notice, it is impossible to say anything about it contents. The fact remains that on March 21, 1967, the landlord filed an application for the ejectment of the tenant under section 13 (2) (I) of the Act. The Rent Controller issued notice of the application returnable for April 12, 1967. When the said notice along with a copy of the application for eviction was tendered to the tenant on 31-3-1967 he raised some ill-advised frivolous objection about the spelling of his name in
Login now and unlock free premium legal research
Login to SupremeToday AI and access free legal analysis, AI highlights, and smart tools.
Login
now!
India’s Legal research and Law Firm App, Download now!
Copyright © 2023 Vikas Info Solution Pvt Ltd. All Rights Reserved.