High Court Of Madhya Pradesh
A. P. Sen, J.
CHHAGANLAL
Versus
PARVATI BAI
Decided On : Apr 09,1969
The High Court has no jurisdiction to interfere with a finding of fact which is an inference drawn from surrounding circumstances as to the bona fide requirement of the landlord. 1965 JLJ 973 (SC) followed.
The question whether the plaintiff has or has not discharged the burden of proving that she genuinely requires the accommodation in suit within the meaning of section 12 (1) (e) is a question of fact. 1964 JLJ 620 followed. [Para 5
(2) Civil P. C., 1908 - O. 9, R. 9 - suit for ejectment of a tenant - dismissed for default - subsequent suit based on a fresh notice to quit - is not barred.
There is no statutory bar against the institution of a fresh suit in respect of a distinctly separate cause of action. Indeed, the rule is inapplicable to a suit for ejectment between landlord and tenant, because each such suit is necessarily based on a different cause of action, namely, the failure of a tenant to vacate the demised premises upon determination of his lease by a notice under section 106 of the Transfer of Property Act, 1882. [Para 8
The dismissal in default of a suit for ejectment brought by a landlord is no bar to a subsequent suit by him against the tenant after a fresh notice to quit. That is so, because the right of reversion of the landlord to the demised premises inheres and subsists as long as the parties stand in the relation of landlord and tenant. [Para 9
(3) Accommodation Control Act, 1961 (M.P.) - S. 12 (1) (e) - landlord requiring ground floor for reasons of health - requirement genuine.
In view of the present state of her health, the plaintiff must have the beneficial enjoyment of the suit premises, which is her property, for her personal residence and that requirement, i.e., residence on the ground floor, is, in these circumstances, undoubtedly a matter of convenience to her. [Para 6
( 1. ) THIS appeal, filed by the defendants, is directed against the judgment and decree of the IV th Additional District Judge, Jabalpur, dated 8th March 1968, affirming the judgment and decree of the IInd Civil judge (Class I), Jabalpur, dated 1st September 1967, decreeing the plaintiff-respondents suit for ejectment under section 12 (l) (e) of the Madhya Pradesh accommodation Control Act, 1961, together with arrears of rent and mesne profits in respect of the accommodation in suit.
( 2. ) THE facts leading to this appeal, shortly stated, are these. The plaintiff Smt. Parvati Bai had purchased the ground floor of House No. 461, uprainganj, Jabalpur, by a registered sale deed dated 5th December 1964 (Ex. P.- l) from one Smt. Shivkurnari Bai. The defendants are tenants in the portion on the ground floor shown in red in the plaint-map on a rent of Rs. 12 /- per month, since before the purchase of that house by the plaintiff; their tenancy commences on the first day of each English calendar month, and the tenancy was, on these very terms, attorned to the plaintiff. Admittedly, the plaintiff has been occupying the first floor of the house which belongs to her daughters. The suit premises had been let out to the defendants for residential purposes and are being used by them for that purpose. The plaintiff sought their eviction under section 12 (1) (e) and (g) of the Act, on the grounds that
(i) she required the premises for the bona fide residence of herself and the other members of her family residing with her; and (ii) the demised portion required essential repairs which could not be carried out without the defendants vacating the premises. She alleged that her residential requirement of the suit premises was a felt need because she was a chronic heart patient and was also a patient of advanced Tuberculosis and was, as such, unable to climb up the stairs to reach the first floor belonging to her daughters with whom she was presently residing, and that she had been advised complete rest and forbidden climbing of steps by her doctors. In other words, the plaintiff pleaded that her condition of health made it absolutely necessary that she resides on the ground floor and, therefore, her requirement was a bona fide need within the meaning of section 12 (1) (e) ibid.
( 3. ) APART from taking various other pleas in denial of the claim with which we are not concerned in this appeal, the defendants mainly resisted the plaintiffs claim for eviction under section 12 (1) (e) of the Act, by denying that she was a patient of heart ailment or was suffering from Tuberculosis, much less of an advanced nature. It was also specifically denied by them that she was either unable to move about or that she had been advised complete rest by her doctors or was unable to climb up and down the stairs. It was further alleged that the plaintiff had been residing in the first floor of the house for the last 7 /8 years and that her claim was utterly false.
( 4. ) BOTH the Courts below have concurrently found that the plaintiff has established heir bona fide requirement of the suit premises for residence of herself and the other members of her family. Admittedly, the plaintiff has no other equally suitable alternative accommodation of her own in the city of Jabalpur which she can utilise for this purpose. In this connection, the learned Additional District Judge states :
"it is immaterial that she is staying in the first floor as a licensee or as a tenant, since that would not alter the position that she has no other accommodation of her own in Jabalpur for her residence. Equally irrelevant for this appeal is the consideration that plaintiff had built some three non-residential rooms adjoining the suit premises on the ground floor and let out those rooms on monthly rental of Rs. 40/ -. Under section 12 (1) (e) of the Madhya pradesh Accommodation Control Act, 1961, all that we have to see is whether on the date of suit plaintiff has no other reasonably sui
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