PISHORI LAL Vs. SH. THAKUR JI, THAKURDWARA SUNAMI
LAWS(P&H)-2008-4-37
HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA
Decided on April 23,2008

PISHORI LAL Appellant
VERSUS
Sh. Thakur Ji, Thakurdwara Sunami Respondents

JUDGEMENT

RANJIT SINGH,J - (1.) THIS order will dispose of the above-noted Civil Revision No. 2789 of 1984 (Pishori Lal v. Sh. Thakur Ji, Thakurdwara Sunami Gate, Patiala and others) and Regular Second Appeal No. 644 of 1993 (Shri Thakur Ji, Thakur Dwara Sunami Gate, Patiala and another v. Municipal Committee, Patiala and another), which was ordered to be heard alongwith this revision petition vide order dated 3.3.2004.
(2.) THE revision is of an old vintage and has now reached its turn for hearing. The order impugned is the one passed by Appellate Authority, Patiala, up- holding the order dated 30.4.1982 passed by Rent Controller, Patiala. Petitioner, Pishori Lal, took on rent the land comprised in Khasra No. 313 min and 314 min situated outside Sunami Gate, Patiala, at the rate of Rs. 80/- per month from a religious Institution, named, Shri Thakur Ji, Thakur Dwara, Sunami Gate, Patiala (respondent No. 1). The property was taken on rent through Mohatmim Jagan Nath. The rent deed was executed and is dated 14.7.1975. Though, the petitioner was only allowed to construct one shed and one Kacha room for his residence and office purposes, but contrary to the terms of the rent note, he had constructed 13 shops on the rented land. It is claimed that the petitioner has, thus, materially impaired its value and utility of the rented premises. Grievance further is that the petitioner has sub-let these shops in favour of respondent Nos. 3 to 16. Respondent Nos. 17 to 20 were subsequently inducted as sub-tenants during the pendency of the ejectment application. It is also pleaded that the petitioner is in arrears of rent since August, 1977 and, thus, petition for eviction was filed on the grounds of sub-letting, impairing the value of the property and arrears of rent. Only the petitioner had contested the rent petition. The remaining respondents absented after putting in appearance on some dates and subsequently were proceeded ex parte. The petitioner did not dispute the tenancy but pleaded that he was inducted as a tenant in the year 1971 and the rent deeds were executed every year upto 1977. The petitioner further pleaded that the respondent-landlord had with- held these rent deeds and that in the rent deeds dated 30.4.1976 and 7.10.1977, the petitioner had been permitted to raise construction on the rented land at his own cost. The petitioner also claims that he was authorised to make construction in terms of the contract of tenancy and even to sub-let the same. He has accordingly pleaded that there is no case of either material impairment or sub-letting etc. Respondent Nos. 3, 5, 8, 12, 13 and 20 had filed written statements but pleaded ignorance about the relationship of landlord and tenant between the petitioner and respondent No. 1. Respondent Nos. 11, 15 and 16, however, filed reply to the application, supporting the plea taken by the petitioner, pleading that they had taken shops on rent from the petitioner with the consent of respondent No. 1. The Rent Controller framed the following issues :- "1. Whether respondent No. 1 has materially impaired the value and utility of the rented land ? OPA 2. Whether respondent No. 1 has further sub-let the premises with the consent of the application ? OPR 3. Relief."
(3.) THE issue of impairing the value and utility of the land was decided against respondent No. 1-landlord by the Rent Controller. However, it was found that the landlord had never given a written permission to the petitioner to construct to sublet the same and, thus, the issue was decided against the petitioner, directing his ejectment. The Appellate Court has up-held the finding of the Rent Controller, thus, leading to filing of the present revision petition.;


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