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2009 Supreme(All) 567

HIGH COURT OF ALLAHABAD
V.K.Shukla
MOHD HANEEF
Versus
SUNIL TULI
Decided On : 18 February 2009
Civil Revision No. 19 of 2009

Advocates Appeared:
A.C.TIWARI, A.K.Srivastava, J.H.Khan, M.D.Singh Shekar, SUSHIL PANDEY, W.H.KHAN,

Headnote:

Jurisdiction - Landlord-Tenant Dispute - Bengal, Agra and Assam Civil Courts Act, 1887, U. P. Civil Laws (Amendment) Act, 1991 - Section 15, Section 25 - The court discussed the jurisdiction of the District Judges and Additional District Judges to act as Judge Small Cause Court irrespective of the valuation of the suit, and the impact of the amendment in Section 15 by U. P. Civil Laws Amendment Act, 1991, on the jurisdiction. The court held that the enhancement of pecuniary jurisdiction from Rs. 5,000 to Rs. 25,000 under Section 15 does not affect the jurisdiction of the District Judges and Additional District Judges to act as Judge Small Cause Court, and the provisions of Section 15 and Section 25 can be read harmoniously.

Fact of the Case:

The case involved a dispute between a landlord and a tenant over eviction and arrears of rent for a shop. The landlord filed a suit seeking eviction and arrears of rent, which was decreed by the Judge Small Cause Court. The tenant filed a revision against the judgment and order.

Finding of the Court:

The court found that the District Judges and Additional District Judges are empowered to exercise jurisdiction of Judge Small Cause Court for unlimited pecuniary jurisdiction, and the enhancement of pecuniary jurisdiction under Section 15 does not affect their jurisdiction. The court also found that the tenant's dispute over the landlord's conduct did not disentitle the landlord from seeking relief, as the landlord-tenant relationship was admitted and the suit was rightly decreed.

Issues: The issues involved the jurisdiction of the District Judges and Additional District Judges to act as Judge Small Cause Court, the impact of the amendment in Section 15 by U. P. Civil Laws Amendment Act, 1991, and the tenant's dispute over the landlord's conduct disentitling the landlord from seeking relief.

Ratio Decidendi: The court held that the enhancement of pecuniary jurisdiction under Section 15 does not affect the jurisdiction of the District Judges and Additional District Judges to act as Judge Small Cause Court, and the provisions of Section 15 and Section 25 can be read harmoniously. The court also held that the tenant's dispute over the landlord's conduct did not disentitle the landlord from seeking relief, as the landlord-tenant relationship was admitted and the suit was rightly decreed.

Final Decision: The revision was dismissed, and the revisionist was accorded six months time to vacate the premises in question and hand over its peaceful vacant possession to the opposite party, subject to certain conditions.

V. K. SHUKLA, J.

Present rent revision is directed against the judgment and order dated 2. 12. 2008 passed by Additional District Judge, Court No. 10/judge Small Cause Court, Kanpur Nagar, whereby Small Cause Case No. 21 of 2006 (Sunil Tuli v. Mohd. Haneef) seeking eviction and arrears of rent filed by landlord, has been decreed against the revisionist and further direction to hand over the peaceful possession of shop in House No. 25/16, situated in Karanchikarkhana, Sagar Market, Kanpur Nagar on the ground floor, to the landlord.

2. Brief background of the case is that the revisionist is tenant of the aforesaid shop. The premises in question was purchased by Sunil Tuli from its erstwhile owner Amar Nath Gupta vide sale deed dated 15. 6. 2005. The case of the revisionist has been that after the said purchase had materialized, Sunil Tuli started making all sorts of obstructions in the peaceful possession, and in this background Original Suit No. 1120 of 2005 had been filed in the Court of Civil Judge (Junior Division), Kanpur Nagar. During the pendency of the aforesaid proceeding, notice was sent mentioning therein that rent was due with effect from 15. 6. 2005 to February, 2006, and the rate of rent was described at Rs. 5000/- per month. After the said notice had been received, revisionist gave reply to the said notice dated 20. 2. 2006 on 23. 2. 2006.

Thereafter another notice was given on 12. 3. 2006, and as demand made was not complied with, the landlord filed suit as aforesaid, claiming damages for a sum of Rs. 1,25,950/ -. In the said proceeding so undertaken, revisionist filed written statement contending therein that entire amount had been deposited, and there were no arrears of rent. In the said JSCC suit after exchange of pleadings and after evidence was led, Judge Small Cause Court proceeded to decree the suit. At this juncture, present revision has been filed.

3. Amendment application has also been filed, the amendment prayed for has been allowed, and the grounds mentioned therein are treated as part of the grounds mentioned in the memo of revision.

4. Sri W. H. Khan, Senior Advocate, assisted by Sri J. H. Khan, Advocate, contended with vehemence that-

(i) entire proceedings undertaken by Additional District Judge as Judge Small Cause Court is totally without jurisdiction, as valuation of suit was Rs. 1,25,950, and the Judge Small Cause Court under. the U. P. Civil Laws (Amendment) Act, 1991 (U. P. Act No. 17 of 1991) was competent to try the suit up to the valuation of Rs. 25. 000/- only, as no corresponding amendment has been made under Bengal, Agra and Assam Act, 1887; and latter Act will prevail the same being Special Act vis-a-vis Bengal, Agra and Assam Civil Courts Act, which is general Act, as such entire proceedings are without jurisdiction and nullity;

(ii) the plaintiff has taken self contradictory stand and has not accepted the revisionist as tenant, then the suit was not at all maintainable before the Judge Small Cause Court and could not have been decreed, in the way and manner in which it has been done, and in this background also proceedings are without jurisdiction.

5. Countering the said submission, Sri M. D. Singh Shekhar, Senior Advocate, assisted by Sri Anil Kumar Srivastava, Advocate, contended with vehemence that-

(i) the provisions of U. P. Act No. 17 of 1991 merely raises pecuniary jurisdiction of Judge Small Cause Court from Rs. 5000/- to Rs. 25,000/- in respect of the suits filed by lessor against lessee before Judge Small Causes, whereas pecuniary jurisdiction of the District Judges and Additional District Judges while working as Judge Small Cause Court irrespective of the valuation continues to remain intact, and is not at all affected by U. P. Act No. 17 of 1991, as such argument advanced is unsustainable.

(ii) In the present case at no point of time issue of jurisdiction was ever raised before the Court below by revisionist, as such in view of Section 21 (2) of the Code of Civil Procedure, s









































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