High Court Kerala High Court

K.P.V.Selvaraj vs Madhavan Pillai on 19 August, 2010

Kerala High Court
K.P.V.Selvaraj vs Madhavan Pillai on 19 August, 2010
       

  

  

 
 
  IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM

RCRev..No. 259 of 2010()



1. K.P.V.SELVARAJ
                      ...  Petitioner

                        Vs

1. MADHAVAN PILLAI
                       ...       Respondent

                For Petitioner  :SRI.R.S.KALKURA

                For Respondent  : No Appearance

The Hon'ble MR. Justice PIUS C.KURIAKOSE
The Hon'ble MR. Justice C.K.ABDUL REHIM

 Dated :19/08/2010

 O R D E R
         PIUS C.KURIAKOSE & C.K.ABDUL REHIM, JJ.
                      ------------------------
                     R.C.R.No. 259 OF 2010
                      ------------------------

             Dated this the 19th day of August, 2010

                            O R D E R

Pius C.Kuriakose, J.

Under challenge in this revision filed by the tenant under

Section 20 is the judgment of the Rent Control Appellate

Authority confirming the order of eviction passed against the

revision petitioner on the ground of cessation of occupation under

Section 11 (4)(v) of Act 2 of 1965. The allegation of the landlord

was that the tenant ceased to occupy the building continuously

for more than two years preceding the date of the Rent Control

Petition. The tenant’s defence was that he was laid up and

therefore, he would not conduct business. The evidence in the

case consisted of Exts.A1 rent chit, Ext. C1 commission report,

oral evidence of witnesses PWs 1 & 2 and CPW1 who was none

other than the tenant. The Rent Control Court found that the

tenant was unsuccessful in establishing that his cessation of

occupation of the building was due to reasons stated in his

counter. That Court ordered eviction.

RCR.No. 259/2010 2

2. The Appellate Authority reappraised the evidence and

concurred with the findings of the Rent Control Court.

Accordingly, the Appellate Authority dismissed the appeal and

confirmed the order of eviction.

3. In this revision under Section 20 various grounds are

raised assailing the judgment of the Rent Control Appellate

Authority and Sri. R.S.Kalkura, learned counsel for the revision

petitioner, addressed arguments before us on the basis of those

grounds. When Mr.Kalkura’s attention was drawn to the

reasonableness of the finding concurrently entered by the

statutory authorities that the tenant has ceased to occupy the

building continuously for about two years, Mr.Kalkura said that

during the pendency of the RCP the tenant has recommenced his

business and the business, which is carried on in the petition

schedule building, accounts for the only source of livelihood for

the tenant.

4. We have considered the submissions of Sri.Kalkura. We

have scanned the judgment of the Rent Control Appellate

Authority also. We do not find any illegality, irregularity or

impropriety as envisaged by Section 20 of Act of 1965 vitiating

RCR.No. 259/2010 3

the findings entered concurrently by the statutory authorities.

We do not find any warrant for interference. Ordinarily we

would not have been inclined to grant much time to the tenant

who is being evicted on the ground of cessation of occupation.

However, in view of the fervent appeal of Mr.Kalkura that at

least one year’s time be granted to the revision petitioner for

surrendering the premises as he has restarted his business, we

feel that the question of granting time can be considered with

notice to the respondent landlord.

The result of the above discussions is that RCR is

dismissed in limine.

PIUS C.KURIAKOSE,JUDGE

C.K.ABDUL REHIM , JUDGE
dpk