High Court Kerala High Court

National Insurance Co.Ltd vs Murugan R on 15 September, 2010

Kerala High Court
National Insurance Co.Ltd vs Murugan R on 15 September, 2010
       

  

  

 
 
  IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM

RCRev..No. 277 of 2010()



1. NATIONAL INSURANCE CO.LTD
                      ...  Petitioner

                        Vs

1. MURUGAN R.
                       ...       Respondent

                For Petitioner  :SRI.RAJAN P.KALIYATH

                For Respondent  :SRI.R.S.KALKURA,FOR CAVEATOR

The Hon'ble MR. Justice PIUS C.KURIAKOSE
The Hon'ble MR. Justice P.S.GOPINATHAN

 Dated :15/09/2010

 O R D E R
          PIUS C.KURIAKOSE & P.S.GOPINATHAN, JJ.
                      ------------------------
                     R.C.R.No. 277 OF 2010
                      ------------------------

          Dated this the 15th day of September, 2010

                            O R D E R

Pius C.Kuriakose, J.

Under challenge in this revision filed under Section 20 of Act

2 of 1965 is the judgment of the Rent Control Appellate Authority

confirming the eviction order passed against the revision

petitioner on the ground of additional accommodation under sub

section (8) of Section 11. In this revision various grounds have

been raised assailing the judgment of the Appellate Authority and

Sri.Rajan P.Kaliyath, learned counsel for the revision petitioner,

addressed us on the basis of all those grounds. Our attention

was drawn to Ext.B1 letter under which the landlord has agreed

for renewal of the lease in 2006 on condition that the tenant pays

a higher rent. According to the learned counsel, if as a matter

of fact, the need for additional accommodation was genuine, the

landlord would not have agreed for renewal. The intention of the

landlord is only to compel the tenant to pay still higher rent.

2. The submissions of Sri.Rajan P.Kaliyath were opposed by

RCR.No.277/2010 2

Sri.R.S.Kalkura, who has lodged a caveat on behalf of the

respondent landlord.

3. We have considered the submissions. We have gone

through the judgment of the Appellate Authority as well as the

order of the Rent Control Court, which was confirmed by the

Appellate Authority. Even though the submissions of Sri.Rajan

P.Kaliyath cannot be said to be totally unattractive, in view of the

settled position that just because the landlord sought for

enhancement of rent, the need projected by him later under sub

section (3) of Section 11 or sub section (8) of Section 11 cannot

be branded as not bona fide, it is difficult to accept the

submission that Ext.B1 is indicative of absence of bona fides.

Moreover, having regard to the contours of our jurisdiction under

Section 20, our enquiry is whether the judgment of the Appellate

Authority, which under the statutory scheme is the final court on

facts, is vitiated by illegality, irregularity or impropriety as

contemplated under Section 20. When that question is asked,

we become oblige to answer the same in the negative. The

revision necessarily has to fail.

4. As a last plea, Sri.Rajan P.Kaliyath, requested that a

RCR.No.277/2010 3

reasonable time be granted to the revision petitioner to

surrender the premises. Considering the above request, even as

we dismiss the RCR confirming the order of eviction, we are

inclined to direct the Execution Court not to order and effect

delivery of the petition schedule building till 31/12/2010. We

order accordingly.

The R.C.R. is dismissed subject to above observations and

directions.

PIUS C.KURIAKOSE,JUDGE

P.S.GOPINATHAN, JUDGE
dpk