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

2023 Supreme(P&H) 2751

IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH
ARUN MONGA, J.
Firoza Begum & Anr. – Petitioners
Versus
Mohd. Saeed & Anr. – Respondents
CR NO. 2973 of 2022 (O&M)
Decided On : 01-05-2023

Advocates Appeared:
Mr. M.S. Yadav, Advocate; For the Petitioners
None; For the Respondents

Headnote:(A) East Punjab Urban Rent Restriction Act, 1949 - Section 13 - The Court analyzed the petitioners’ application under Order 1, Rule 10 CPC for adding them as necessary parties in a rent petition for ejectment. The Court emphasized the need to avoid prejudice to the owners' rights of ownership amid ongoing title disputes. (Paras 1-9)

(B) Principles of Jurisdiction - The court reiterated that ownership disputes should be settled in appropriate civil proceedings, emphasizing that a party cannot be compelled to join litigation voluntarily if no relief is sought against them in the current proceedings. (Paras 8-9)

Facts of the case:
Respondent No.1 filed a rent petition for eviction against respondent No.2, claiming a right to the property through an oral partition. The petitioners, however, claimed ownership and sought to be added as parties, contending they were in possession of the property after a claimed termination of tenancy by the tenant. The Rent Controller dismissed their application.

Findings of Court:
The court ruled that despite the ongoing ownership dispute, to ensure justice and equity, the petitioners' application to join the proceedings was allowed to protect their ownership rights without altering the fundamentally separate nature of the rent proceedings.

Issues: The main issues pertained to the ownership rights of the petitioners versus the claims of the respondents and whether the petitioners could join the rent proceedings despite the ongoing ownership dispute.

Ratio Decidendi: The court reasoned that while ownership issues are not within the scope of rent proceedings, allowing intervention protects the petitioners’ interests without undermining the jurisdiction of civil courts to resolve ownership disputes.

Result: Petitioners allowed to join proceedings as parties.

Table of Content
1. background of ownership dispute and tenancy (Para 1 , 2)
2. argument regarding material failure by ld. rent controller (Para 3)
3. court's observations on ownership and legal proceedings (Para 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8)
4. impleadment of petitioners to balance equities (Para 9)
5. conclusion on the disposition of the case (Para 10 , 11)

JUDGMENT

Arun Monga, J. (Oral)

Revisionists seek setting aside of an order dated 19.05.2022 (Annexure P-3) passed by Ld. Rent Controller, Malerkotla, whereby their application under Order 1, Rule 10 CPC for adding/substituting them as necessary party in petition under Section 13 of East Punjab Urban Rent Restriction Act, 1949 (for short 'the Act, 1949'), was dismissed.

2. Succinct facts first, as pleaded in the petition herein.

2.1. Respondent No.1-Mohd. Saeed has filed a rent petition under Section 13 of the Act, 1949 seeking ejectment of respondent No.2-Ramesh Singla from the shop in question situated at Mohalla Nishat Colony, Malerkotla. Respondent No.1 pleads that an oral partition and family settlement took place between his late father Shabbir Ahmad and Mohd. Shahid in the month of February, 2019. As per settlement shop in dispute along with remaining part of the building came into the share of Shabbir Ahmad. A written agreement was also executed on 15.03.2019, whereby it was settled Shabbir Ahmad will be entitled to receive the rent of the shop in dispute. Unfortunately, Shabbir Ahmad died on 15.04.2019. Respondent No. 2 Ramesh Singla is thus stated to be a tenant of shop in dispute on a monthly rent of Rs. 1,680/- per month on the basis of oral partition and family settlement.

2.2. Petitioners herein, claim that they are real owners and also in possession of the shop in question as the tenancy was surrendered on 01.10.2019 and vacant possession was also handed over to them. They plead that respondent No.1 has filed the rent petition by concealing these crucial facts from Ld. Rent Controller. Therefore, petitioners filed an application under Order 1, Rule 10 CPC read with section 151 CPC for adding/substituting the petitioners in the abovesaid rent petition. Notwithstanding their claim, Ld. Rent Controller vide its impugned order dated 19.05.2022 (Annexure P-3) dismissed the application filed by present petitioners.

3. Learned counsel argues that Ld. Rent Controller failed to consider material aspect of the case that, admittedly, respondent Nos. 1 & 2 have no concern with the suit property. Furthermore, the suit property is the part of one building measuring 151-1/4 sq. yds. He would further argue that Ld. Rent Controller has failed to consider that, as has been pleaded in para-3 of the application for impleadment, that petitioner No.1 Firoza Begum and one Farzana, wife of Mohd. Salim, had originally purchased entire property measuring 151-1/4 sq. yds. vide registered sale deed dated 09.11.2000 (Annexure P-4), which also includes the shop in question. Thereafter, on 20.06.2013, the abovesaid Farzana orally gifted away one-half share in favour of petitioner No.1 as per Mohammedan Law regarding which memorandum of oral gift (Annexure P-5) was also executed on 24.07.2013. Resultantly, petitioner No.1 became absolute exclusive owner in possession of the entire property measuring 151-1/4 sq. yds. He would further states that petitioner No.1 later sold half share of the property measuring 151-1/4 sq. yds. to the petitioner no.2 vide registered sale deed dated 03.06.2014 (Annexure P-6). Petitioners are thus co-owners in possession of the entire property measuring 151-1/4 sq. yards including shop in question.

4. None appears on behalf of respondents, despite service.

5. Heard.

6. Perusal of impugned order itself reflects that there is a dispute inter se the petitioners and respondent no.1 with regard to title of the premises in question. Respondent No.1 claims that he is the landlord while the petitioners herein claim that they are current owners in possession of the demised premises.

7

Click Here to Read the rest of this document
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
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 telegram-icon
whatsapp-icon Back to top