2005 Supreme(All) 2013
IN THE HIGH COURT OF ALLAHABAD
S. U. KHAN
KUBRA BEGUM - Appellant
Versus
IIIRD ADDL. DIST. JUDGE, MORADABAD - Respondents
C. M. W. P. 242 Of 1987
Decided On : 10/21/2005
Bushra Maryam, Rafat Raza Khan
The main legal point established in the judgment is that the relationship of landlord and tenant must be proved through evidence of payment of rent or a registered lease deed, and the court may grant liberty to file a suit for possession on the basis of title if the alleged tenancy relationship is not proved.
Headnote:
Landlord and Tenant - Ejectment - Alleged tenancy relationship not proved - Liberty granted to file suit for possession on the basis of title
Fact of the Case:
The plaintiff claimed that the defendant was a tenant in a disputed accommodation, while the defendant denied being a tenant and asserted his right to reside in the accommodation.
Finding of the Court:
The court found that the alleged rent note was unregistered and no payment of rent was proved, thus the relationship of landlord and tenant was not established. The court also noted the improbability of a landlord-tenant relationship due to the close relationship of the parties.
Issues: The main issue was whether the defendant was a tenant in the disputed accommodation and whether the plaintiff had the right to eject the defendant.
Ratio Decidendi: The court held that without evidence of payment of rent or a registered lease deed, the relationship of landlord and tenant could not be established. The court also noted the improbability of a landlord-tenant relationship due to the close relationship of the parties.
Final Decision: The court dismissed the writ petition and granted the plaintiff the liberty to file a suit for possession before a regular civil court on the basis of title against the legal representative of the defendant.
( 2 ) I do not find any error in the finding of the revisional court. Under Section 107 transfer of Property Act tenancy can be created either through a registered lease deed or through delivery of possession and payment of rent if it is for less than a year. Absolutely no payment of rent at any point of time having been proved and alleged lease deed being unregistered, there was no evidence of creation of relationship of landlord and tenant. Apart from it in the sale deed dated 16. 12. 1963 executed by Chotey in favour of plaintiff petitioner copy of which is Annexure-3 to the writ petition there is no mention that Bhoorey is tenant in the said property. Similarly in the document of delivery of possession by the Amin of the said portion dated 26. 2. 1966 there is no mention that only formal possession was delivered to the plaintiff. Copy of dakhalnama is Annexure-4 to the writ petition which states that actual complete possession was delivered by the Amin over the property in dispute to Kubara Begum Plaintiff-petitioner. In the said dakhalnama also there is absolutely no mention that there was any tenant in the said portion. In view of this it cannot be said that relationship of landlord and tenant in between plaintiff and defendant stood proved.
( 3 ) EVEN otherwise in view of very close relationship of the parties theory of landlord-tenant relationship becomes improbable.
( 4 ) HOWEVER, in my opinion revisional court while dismissing the suit should have granted liberty to file regular suit on the basis of title or should have directed for return of plaint under Section 23 of Provisional small Causes Courts Act. In my opinion the matter is quite old hence no useful purposes will be served directing return of plaint at this stage.
( 5 ) ACCORDINGLY, while dismissing the writ petition it is directed that plaintiff-petitioner is at liberty to file suit for possession before regular civil court on the basis of title against legal representative of respondent no. 3. Subj