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2010 Supreme(P&H) 1814

2010(3) LAW HERALD (P&H) 2009
IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA
Before
The Hon’ble Mr. Justice Vinod K. Sharma
RSA No.2578 of 2002
M/s Ram Murti & Sons & Anr.
v.
Punjab Wakf Board & Ors.
{Decided on 28/05/2010}

Advocates:
For the Appellants:Mr.M.L.Sarin Sr.Advocate, Advocate, with Mr.Nitin Sarin, Advocate.
For the Respondents No.1:Mr. S.K. Pipat Sr., Advocate, with Mr. Manoj Kumar, Advocate.
For the Respondent No. 3:Mr. K.S. Dadwal, Advocate.

Headnote:(A) Transfer of Property Act, 1882, S.106--Punjab Wakf Act, 1995, S. 56--Possession--Whether Section 56 of Punjab Wakf Act, could have retrospective effect to determine lease executed in 1978--NO--Held, that provisions of Section 56 of Punjab Wakf Act, were not applicable to lease executed in favour of defendants/appellants in 1978 nor it was governed by Section 56 of Act, but by terms of lease deed as Section 36 of 1954 Act was not enforced. (Para 50 & 55)

       (B) Transfer of Property Act, 1882, S.106--Possession--Whether there was any violation of provisions by Secretary of Board in granting sanction for construction or in alternative whether acts of Secretary stood rectified by necessary implication as defendants were allowed to continue in his possession on payment of enhanced rent--Lease deed in favour of defendants/appellants was not void, as after execution of lease deed defendants/appellants were allowed to raise construction and Board accepted rent at revised rate till 1985 i.e. after expiry of lease period--There was thus, implied consent of Board to lease executed by secretary to Board, action of secretary stood rectified. (Para 50 & 56)

       (C) Transfer of Property Act, 1882, S.106--Possession--It is always open to courts to grant lesser relief than claimed, in facts and circumstances of case--Decree of learned lower appellate court, cannot be said to be bad merely because in a suit for possession along with superstructure, learned lower appellate court had decreed suit for possession by directing defendants/appellants to hand over possession of plot leased out, after removing malba which belonged to defendants/appellants. (Para 50 & 74)

       (D) Transfer of Property Act, 1882, S.106--Possession--Notice--Notice of termination of lease, cannot be said to be bad in law as by raising additional construction over and above shops and stair qua which permission was given, defendants-appellants violated specific terms of lease deed--Furthermore, as per amended law, defendants/appellants could not be allowed to continue even though amended law was not retrospective in operation, but by way of specific term, defendants/appellants had agreed to abide by any change in law--Notice cannot be said to be invalid so as to hold that lease deed continued to subsist--Owner under general law is competent to seek eviction of lessee by issuing notice of termination of lease--Appeal dismissed. (Para 50, 75 & 76)

       

JUDGMENT

Vinod K.Sharma, J.:- This is defendants’ regular second appeal against the judgment and decree dated 16.4.2002 passed by the learned lower appellate court, vide which the suit for possession filed by the plaintiff/respondent stands decreed.

2. The plaintiff Wakf Board filed a suit for possession on the pleadings that the plaintiff was a body corporate and Mohammed Sadiqui being Estate Officer/Principal Officer and being duly authorized to file and verify the pleadings, was competent to file the present suit.

3. The Wakf Board claimed to be owner in possession of the suit property shown in the site plan, as also of superstructure constructed over the suit property. Father of defendant No.2, Ram Murti son of Amin Chand was a licensee in possession of the suit land measuring 450 square yards. After the expiry of licence, defendant No.2 applied for lease of plot in the name of M/s Ram Murti & Sons. The application was accepted and he was given the property on lease w.e.f. 1.1.1978 at the rate of Rs.100/- (Rupees one hundred only) per month Lessee constructed seven shops, and sublet the major portion in unauthorized manner, to defendants No.3 to 9 without permission from the Board. It was claimed that the defendants violated the terms of the lease which resulted in termination of the lease.

4. It was also the case set up by the plaintiff/respondent that defendants No.1 and 2 were liable to vacate the premises, and hand over the possession as they had no right to sublet. It was pleaded that the defendant/appellants have damaged the property whereby the value and utility of the leased property, has been diminished. It was also the case of the plaintiff/respondent, that the claim of the appellant/defendants, that they were lessee in terms of the lease dated 5.1.1980, was not sustainable, as the lease deed was the outcome of fraud and foul play. The Board denied having executed any lease deed in favour of defendants No.1 and 2.The lease deed was said to be illegal and not binding on the plaintiff. The relief claimed was for possession with a consequential relief of permanent injunction, restraining defendants No. 3 to 9 from paying rent to defendants No.1 and 2.

5. Suit was contested by defendants No.1 and 2, wherein stand was taken, that the suit was not filed by a competent person as Mohmmad Sadiqui was not authorized to file or verify the pleadings. The ownership of wakf board was admitted. It was the stand of the defendant/appellants, that the construction was raised by the defendants, on the property leased out by the Board, which was given on lease at the rate of Rs.200/- (Rupees two hundred only) with a permission to raise construction. It was also the case of the defendants that after raising construction, defendants No.1 and 2 sublet the shops constructed by them. It was further the case of the defendants, that after permitting the defendants to raise construction, the rent was increased from Rs.100/- (Rupees one hundred only) to Rs.200/- (Rupees two hundred only), which was paid by the defendants till 1985. The stand of the defendants was, that no permission was required to lease out the shop constructed by the defendant/appellants, as at the time of allowing the construction, permission to sublet was granted. Lease deed dated 5.1.1980 was claimed to be genuine document, sanctity of which stood decided in the earlier proceedings. The officials of the Board had deposed admitting lease, to have been issued by the Board, and the Board was receiving the rent, under the said lease.

6. Defendants No.3 to 9 were said to be tenants under defendants No.1 and 2. Other material averments were also denied.

7. Defendant No.4, filed a separate written statement admitting the ownership of the plaintiff. Stand of defendant No.4 was that defendants No.1 and 2 by misrepresenting their right to sublet, leased out the property to him, though they had no such right. Defendant No.4 claimed to be the tenant under the plaintiff Board and no







































































































































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