HIGH COURT OF ALLAHABAD
J.C. Gupta, J.
Dinesh Kumar - Appellants
Versus
IInd A D J Aligarh - Respondents
Decided on : Oct 16, 1997
UP RENT CONTROL ACT - SECTION 10(5)(D), 12, 14, 16, 17(1), 18, 20, 21, 31, 34(8), 41 - ALLOTMENT OF NON-RESIDENTIAL BUILDING - UNAUTHORISED OCCUPANT - CONSIDERATION OF APPLICATION - INTERPRETATION OF RULE 10(5)(D) - WRIT PETITION - ARTICLE 226 OF THE CONSTITUTION - SCOPE AND APPLICABILITY - UNAUTHORISED OCCUPANT'S RIGHT TO APPLY FOR ALLOTMENT - LANDLORD'S CONSENT - REJECTION OF APPLICATION BASED ON UNAUTHORISED OCCUPANCY - LEGALITY - JUDICIAL REVIEW - DISCRETIONARY RELIEF - EQUITABLE CONSIDERATIONS - VOID TENANCY - CIRCUMVENTION OF ACT'S PROVISIONS - APPLICABILITY OF RULE 10(5)(D) - SCOPE OF JUDICIAL INTERVENTION - FRESH CONSIDERATION OF ALLOTMENT APPLICATIONS - DIRECTIONS TO RENT CONTROL AND EVICTION OFFICER.
Fact of the Case:
Petitioners challenged the order declaring vacancy and the allotment order in favor of respondent No. 3, as well as the dismissal of their revision petitions. Petitioner Dinesh Kumar claimed tenancy rights from 1-6-76 with the landlord's consent, arguing that his occupation was regularized under Section 14 of the Act. However, the Courts found that he was not a tenant before the relevant date, 15-7-76, and his occupation was unauthorized. The Rent Control and Eviction Officer rejected the petitioners' allotment applications, citing Rule 10(5)(d), which bars allotment to unauthorized occupants. The revisional Court upheld this decision, applying Rule 11, which pertains to residential buildings.
Finding of the Court:
The Court held that the revisional Court erred in applying Rule 11, which is specific to residential buildings, to the allotment of a non-residential building. It emphasized that Rule 10(5)(d) does not apply to occupants with the landlord's consent and that there is no absolute bar against considering allotment applications from unauthorized occupants. The Court found that the Rent Control and Eviction Officer erred in rejecting the petitioners' applications solely on the ground of unauthorized occupancy without considering their merits.
Issues: 1. Whether the revisional Court erred in applying Rule 11, meant for residential buildings, to the allotment of a non-residential building? 2. Whether Rule 10(5)(d) bars allotment to unauthorized occupants, even with the landlord's consent? 3. Whether there is an absolute legal bar against considering allotment applications from unauthorized occupants? 4. Whether the Rent Control and Eviction Officer erred in rejecting the petitioners' applications solely on the ground of unauthorized occupancy without considering their merits?
Ratio Decidendi: 1. Rule 11, which pertains to residential buildings, cannot be applied to the allotment of non-residential buildings. Rule 10(5)(d) does not apply to occupants with the landlord's consent. There is no absolute legal bar against considering allotment applications from unauthorized occupants. The Rent Control and Eviction Officer erred in rejecting the petitioners' applications solely on the ground of unauthorized occupancy without considering their merits.
Final Decision: The Court partly allowed the writ petitions. It upheld the order declaring vacancy but quashed the allotment order and the revisional Court's order affirming it. The Rent Control and Eviction Officer was directed to reconsider the allotment applications in accordance with the law and the Court's observations, within six weeks.
J. C. Gupta, J.
1. Both these writ petitions have been filed against the order of the Rent Control and Eviction Officer dated 14-9-78 declaring the accommodation in question vacant and the order dated 19-11-81 allotting the shop in question in favour of respondent No. 3 as well as the, order dated 1 -4-82 passed by the IInd Additional District Judge, Aligarh dismissing the revision filed by the petitioners.
2. THE dispute relates to shop No. 123-A Madar Gate, Aligarh, which was under the tenancy of one Gulab Chandra Jain, Dr. R. K. Parashar, respondent No. 3 and one Gopal Krishna applied before the Rent Control and Eviction Officer, respondent No. 2 for allotment of the aforesaid shop alleging that a vacancy has accrued, as the shop was in unauthorised occupation of the petitioners without any order of allotment in their favour. Petitioner Dinesh Kumar contested the said proceedings alleging that he was in occupation of the shop since 1-6-76 as the tenant with the consent of the landlord and his occupation stood regularised under Section 14 of the UP. Act No. 13 of 1972, (hereinafter referred to as the Act). Respondent No. 2 however, found no force in the objection of the petitioner and vide order dated 4-9-78 notified vacancy. Petitioner Dinesh Kumar as well as the petitioner of the connected writ petition Chandra Pal Varshney, who is the father of Dinesh Kumar, also moved applications for allotment of the shop. By the order dated 19-11-81 the disputed shop has been allotted in favour of respondent No. 3. Revisions filed by the petitioners under Section 18 of the Act have also been dismissed by respondent No. 1.
Before this Court learned Counsel for the petitioners firstly challenged the order declaring vacancy by contending that since the evidence on record proved that petitioner Dinesh Kumar was in occupation of the shop in question since before the date of commencement of the Act i.e. 15-7-76, the occupation of the petitioner became regularised under Section 14 of the Act, as such the shop could not be declared vacant. On perusal of the record no substance is, however, found in this submission of the learned Counsel. On appraisal of material and the evidence on record categorical findings of fact have been arrived at by both the Courts below that the petitioner Dinesh Kumar was not in occupation as a tenant before the relevant date i.e. 15-7-76, therefore, he was not entitled to get the benefit of the provisions of Section 14 of the Act and since the occupation of the petitioner Dinesh Kumar was without an order of allotment in his favour, a deemed vacancy occurred under Section 12 of the Act. These findings of fact could not be shown to be erroneous in law. It is worth while to mention here that an application was moved under Section 10 (6) of the Act for permission to admit Baldeo Prasad and Dinesh Kumar as partners with Gulab Chandra Jain, which was dismissed by the order dated 9-11-76. Dinesh Kumar was never treated as a sole tenant of the shop in question even by the landlord before 15-7-76. The question of tenancy has been gone into by both the Courts below in detail and concurrent findings of fact have been recorded that the occupation of Dinesh Kumar was unauthorised and the shop in question was vacant in the eye of law and was open for allotment. Since there was no application of the landlord for release, the question for allotment arose before the Rent Control and Eviction Officer. There were four applicants before the said authority namely, Dr. R. K. Parashar, respondent No. 3, Chandra Pal Varshney (petitioner of connected writ petition), Dinesh Kumar (petitioner of the present writ petition) and Gopal Krishan Sharma. The Rent Control and Eviction Officer considered the applications and thereafter passed the impugned order of allotment in favour of respondent No. 3.
3. THE main ground on which the validity of the impugned order is challenged, is that petitioner's application for allotment has been ille
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