Sudhir Agarwal, J. - (1.) Heard Sri Prateek Sinha, Advocate for petitioners in Writ Petition No. 35621 of 2000 (hereinafter referred to as the "first writ petition") and for respondents in Writ Petition No. 20823 of 2008 (hereinafter referred to as the "second writ petition") and Sri Nirvikar Gupta, Advocate for respondents in first writ petition and for petitioners in second writ petition.
(2.) Both these writ petitions involve common questions of law and facts, therefore, as requested and agreed by learned counsel forthe parties, the same are being decided by this common judgment under the Rules of the Court.
(3.) The first writ petition is directed against the judgment and order dated 03.08.2000 passed by Rent Control and Eviction Officer, Kanpur Nagar (hereinafter referred to as the "RCEO") allowing application of respondent-landlord under Section 16(1 )(b) of UP. Urban Buildings (Regulation of Letting, Rent and Eviction) Act, 1972 (hereinafter referred to as the "Act, 1972") and declaring vacancy in the accommodation in question, i.e., a portion of House No. 86/127 situated at Rai Purwa, Kanpur.;