JUDGMENT
P.R. Gokulakrishnan, O. C. J.
1. The tenant is the petitioner herein. The petition for eviction was filed on the ground that the landlord requires the building for demolition and reconstruction since it is a very old one and its first floor had only a tiled roof. It was averred in the petition that the building is situate in an important commercial centre and on the surroundings, new buildings have been constructed. Both the Courts below have gone into the bona fides of the requirement of the landlord and allowed the petition. Aggrieved by the orders of the courts below, the tenant has preferred the above Civil Revision Petition.
2. Mr. Habiballah Badsha, learned Counsel for the petitioner-tenant submitted that the courts below have not properly considered the bona fides of the landlord in requiring the building for demolition and reconstruction, that the petition itself lacks particulars regarding the reason for demolition and reconstruction and that in any event the petition has to be dismissed since the landlord has not gone into the witness box to substantiate his bona fides in claiming the building for demolition and reconstruction. The Appellate Authority has taken into consideration the age of the building, the resources of the landlord to put up a new construction and the preparation made by the landlord in that regard. As regards the age and condition of the building, the landlord has let in two witnesses to speak about the same. They are P Ws. 1 and 2. P. W. 1 is no one other than the brother of the landlord, while P. W. 2 is a building contractor P. W. No. 1 has stated that the building is at least hundred years old, that there are cracks in the building, that the building is vibrating due to the heavy traffic in that area, that the walls of the building are made up of brick and lime and that the first floor is roofed with tiles. P. W. 2 who is a building contractor has stated that the building is in a bad condition with cracks on the floor and on the walls, that the wooden frames are partially eaten away and have become hollow in certain places and that the building requires demolition and reconstruction. The learned Appellate Authority has also noticed from the evidence of D. Ws. 1 and 2 that the very next building was recently pulled down and a multi-storeyed building has been constructed in that place, that there was a big fire accident in the adjacent building and that this present building got damaged partially due to the said fire accident. Taking into consideration all these aspects of the case, the learned Appellate Authority has held that it is necessary to pull down the building and reconstruct the same and that the landlord has proved that the building in question is old enough and it requires demolition and reconstruction.
3. Mr. Habibullah Badsha brings to my notice the decision of the Supreme Court in Metalware & Co. v. Bansilal . In that case arising out of a petition for eviction on the ground of demolition and reconstruction, the Supreme Court observed that apart from the factor of the landlord being possessed of sufficient means or funds to undertake the project, the Court must have regard to the existing condition of the building, its age and situation and the possibility or otherwise of its being put to more profitable use after reconstruction. The Supreme Court has observed as follows:
All these factors being relevant must enter the verdict of the Rent Controller on the question of the bona fide requirement of the landlord under Section 14(1)(b) …
It is therefore clear to us that the age and condition of the building would certainly be a relevant factor which will have to be taken into account while pronouncing upon the bona fide requirement of the landlord under Section 14(1)(b) of the Act and the same cannot be ignored.
In paragraph 11 of its Judgment, the Supreme Court has further observed as follows:
Having regard to the above discussion, on the construction of Section 14(1)(b) of the Act, particularly in the light of its scheme, we are clearly of the view that the existing condition of the building for from being totally irrelevant is a vital factor which will have to be considered while pronouncing upon the bona fide requirement of the landlord under that provision which has to be done by having regard to ‘all the circumstances’ and since in the instant case all the courts have totally ignored this vital factor, we feel that their conclusion on the question of bona fide requirement of the landlord deserves to be set aside.
I do not think that the facts of that case will apply to the present case. In this case, there, is a clear finding by the courts below that the building is an old one and from the evidence it is clear that it had cracks on the floor and on the walls and the wooden frames are partially eaten away and have become hollow in certain places The Courts below have also assessed the age of the building as 50 to 55 years. The fact that this building got partially damaged due to the fire accident in the adjacent building was also taken into consideration by the courts below. On these facts, there is a definite finding that the building is an old one and it requires demolition and reconstruction. I am therefore of the opinion that the authorities below have applied their mind regarding the existing condition of the building and have correctly come to the conclusion that the building requires demolition and reconstruction. As regards the resources of the landlord to construct the building and the preparation he has made for the construction, I find that the courts below have cogently discussed the evidence on record and have come to the conclusion that the landlord has proved all these factors, The eviction petition in this case was filed as early as in 197? and the petitioner herein has successfully prevented the landlord from taking possession of the building for the purpose of demolition and reconstruction even as late as in 1981. I do not find any illegality, impropriety or irregularity in the orders passed by the courts below, and as such, the civil revision petition is dismissed.
4. Mr. Habibullah Badsha, learned Counsel for the petitioner, submits that the petitioner, is having its business at the premises in question for nearly twenty years, that it is situated in a busy locality at Broadway and that if the petitioner is thrown out of the building, immense loss and hardship would be caused to the petitioner. He submits that some time may be given to the petitioner for vacating the premises. The request seems to be a genuine one on the facts and circum-stances of this case. The petitioner is therefore given ten week’s time from today to hand over vacant possession of the premises to the respondent herein.