Rameshwar Nanakram Prajapal v. Sundrabai Keru Ghadage
2012-06-18
S.S.SHINDE
body2012
DigiLaw.ai
Judgment : 1. This writ petition takes exception to the judgment and order dated 11th December, 1991 passed by the 2nd Additional District Judge, Jalgaon in Civil Appeal No. 304 of 1984. 2. The petitioner herein is the original defendant in Regular Civil Suit No. 64 of 1981 filed by the respondent herein in the Court of the Joint Civil Judge, Junior Division, Jalgaon for possession of the suit premises under the Bombay Rents, Hotel and Lodging House Rates Control Act, 1947 (For short, "Bombay Rent Act"). 3. The plaintiff i.e. respondent herein filed civil suit with the contention that, she is the owner of the premises bearing Municipal House No. 267A (CTS No. 2504) situated at Jalgaon and the defendant – petitioner herein, as tenant, is occupying one room of 10’ x 10’ of the said building on the monthly rent of Rs.35/-. The respondent herein i.e. original plaintiff stated in the said suit that, she is residing in tenanted premises and there are six persons in the family of the plaintiff. The petitioner herein contested the said suit. The trial Court by the judgment and order dated 26th April, 1984 dismissed Regular Civil Suit No. 64 of 1981. Being aggrieved, the respondent herein i.e. original plaintiff filed Regular Civil Appeal No. 304 of 1984 before the 2nd Additional District Judge, Jalgaon and the 2nd Additional District Judge, Jalgaon by its judgment and order dated 11th December, 1991 allowed the appeal filed by the original plaintiff-landlord. Hence this writ petition. 4. The learned Counsel appearing for the petitioner submits that, the trial Court after considering the evidence on record on comparative hardship, reached to the conclusion that, the premises which are occupied by the plaintiff –original landlord are more convenient to her since there is facility of electricity, water etc. It is submitted that, the husband of the plaintiff-respondent constructed structure of the said premises and the original plaintiff alongwith family members are residing there. Those findings are recorded by the trial Court. It is submitted that, the trial Court has considered the comparative hardship since the salary of the petitioner at the relevant time was Rs. 450/- p.m. only. There were seven family members.
Those findings are recorded by the trial Court. It is submitted that, the trial Court has considered the comparative hardship since the salary of the petitioner at the relevant time was Rs. 450/- p.m. only. There were seven family members. Therefore, according to the learned Counsel for the petitioner, the trial Court has recorded findings that, the premises 10’ x 10’ which are occupied by the original plaintiff are sufficient, secondly, the said structure is constructed by husband of the original plaintiff and thirdly, on comparative hardship, the trial Court has held in favour of the petitioner and therefore, there was no occasion for the lower appellate Court to interfere in the findings recorded by the trial Court. The learned Counsel invited my attention to the findings recorded by the lower appellate Court on comparative hardship and also on the point of requirement of the suit premises for bonafide need and personal use and submitted that, though the notice was issued by the plaintiff's landlord mentioning the size of the premises occupied by them is 24' x 5', the lower appellate Court has wrongly recorded the size of the premises as 10' x 10'. It is further submitted that, the lower appellate Court has not taken into consideration the salary of the petitioner and also the financial condition of the respondent and reached to the erroneous conclusion that, the landlord will suffer more hardship. Therefore, according to the learned Counsel for the petitioner, the writ petition deserves to be allowed. 5. On the other hand, the learned Counsel appearing for the respondent i.e. original plaintiff placed his reliance upon the reasons recorded by the lower appellate Court and submitted that, the lower appellate Court has recorded the correct findings of facts and therefore, this Court may not interfere in the writ jurisdiction. It is submitted that, it is not for the tenant or the Court to dictate the terms to the landlord about what is bonafide requirement of the landlord. The learned Counsel in support of his contention placed reliance upon the reported judgment of the Supreme Court in the case of PrativaDevi vs. T.V. Krishnan reported in 1987 DGLS (Soft.) 321. Therefore, the Counsel for the original plaintiff would submit that, this writ petition may be dismissed.
The learned Counsel in support of his contention placed reliance upon the reported judgment of the Supreme Court in the case of PrativaDevi vs. T.V. Krishnan reported in 1987 DGLS (Soft.) 321. Therefore, the Counsel for the original plaintiff would submit that, this writ petition may be dismissed. It is submitted by the Counsel for the original plaintiff respondent herein that, at the relevant time, when the appeal was filed, there were six family members. Out of six family members, one son of the original plaintiff got married and other two sons were about to marry. Therefore, looking to the size of the family, the lower appellate Court has rightly recorded the findings that, the premises are required for the residential purpose. Therefore, this Court may not interfere in the impugned judgment and order. 6. I have given due consideration to the rival submissions. Upon careful perusal of the judgment and order passed by the trial Court, it appears that, the trial Court has recorded following findings. Firstly, the premises which are in possession of the original plaintiff, though rented, is sufficient for residential purpose. Secondly, the husband of the original plaintiff constructed the structure and therefore, the said premises since constructed by the plaintiff's husband with facilities of electricity, water etc., are sufficient for the use and occupation of the plaintiff. Thirdly, the income of the petitioner was roughly around Rs. 450/- per month and there are seven family members and on the contrary, the income of the family members of the plaintiff is higher than that of the petitioner. 7. The important aspect which was considered by the lower appellate Court is about the size of the family of the plaintiff. At the relevant time, it is undisputed position that, in the plaintiff's family, there were six members. It has come on the record that, one son of the plaintiff got married. It is also not in dispute that, other two sons were about to marry. Therefore, the lower appellate Court taking into consideration the size of the family of the plaintiff, reached to the conclusion that, rented premises which are occupied by the original plaintiff are not sufficient for their use and occupation. The lower appellate Court has also considered the comparative hardship.
Therefore, the lower appellate Court taking into consideration the size of the family of the plaintiff, reached to the conclusion that, rented premises which are occupied by the original plaintiff are not sufficient for their use and occupation. The lower appellate Court has also considered the comparative hardship. The lower appellate Court has considered that, with the size of family of the plaintiff, it is not possible for the plaintiff to continue to reside in 10' x 10' size premises. Therefore, the lower appellate Court taking into consideration the actual need of the plaintiff, has recorded the findings that, the suit premises are required for personal use and occupation of the plaintiff and her family members. 8. It appears that, the trial Court has not considered that, the premises belongs to the original plaintiff and so far bonafide requirement is concerned, it is for the landlord to consider what is his bonafide requirement. Secondly and rightly so, the lower appellate Court has considered the comparative hardship taking into consideration the size of the family of the landlord. The lower appellate Court has also considered that, it is not the case of the original tenant that accommodation is not available on rent. In the facts of this case, the lower appellate Court taking into consideration the size of the family of the original plaintiff-landlord, has recorded the findings of facts that, the suit premises are required for the original plaintiff-landlord for residential purpose. I find considerable force in the arguments of the Counsel appearing for the original plaintiff-landlord that, it is not for the tenant or for the Court to dictate what is bonafide requirement of the landlord. The Hon'ble Supreme Court had occasion to consider the said point in the case of PrativaDevi (supra) and held that ; "it is well settled law that the landlord is the best Judge of his residential requirement and has a complete freedom in the matter. It is no concern of the Courts to indicate to the landlord how and in what manner he should live or to prescribe for him a residential standard of there own. The High Court was not justified in giving such a gratuitous advice to her which was uncalled for. There is no law which deprives the landlord of the beneficial enjoyment of his property. The judgment of the High Court, therefore, set aside.
The High Court was not justified in giving such a gratuitous advice to her which was uncalled for. There is no law which deprives the landlord of the beneficial enjoyment of his property. The judgment of the High Court, therefore, set aside. The High Court should not have interfered under Section 25B(8) on reappraisal of evidence." (emphasis supplied). 9. Therefore, in the facts and circumstances of this case and in view of the fact that, the findings recorded by the lower appellate Court are in consonance with the evidence brought on record, there is no perversity as such in those findings, no case is made out to interfere in those findings of facts recorded by the lower appellate Court, which is the last Court on facts, the writ petition is devoid of any merits, same stands dismissed. 10. If any amount is deposited towards the rent in the Registry of this Court, the respondent-landlord will be entitled to withdraw the same. 11. Rule stands discharged. Interim relief, if any, stands vacated. Record and Proceedings, if any, be sent back to the concerned Court, forthwith.