LAJWANTI Versus ABDUL GHAFOOR
This matter concerns an ejectment application filed by landlords against a tenant, Poorandas, under the West Pakistan Urban Rent Restriction Ordinance, 1959. Following the dismissal of the application by the Rent Controller and the subsequent death of the tenant, the landlords filed an appeal in the High Court. During the appellate proceedings, the landlords sought to implead the remaining legal heirs of the deceased tenant, which was allowed. The petitioners challenged this, arguing that the amendment to Section 15 of the Ordinance, which removed the reference to the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908, precluded the application of provisions like Order I, Rule 10, thereby rendering the appeal against the newly impleaded heirs time-barred. The Supreme Court granted leave to appeal specifically to examine whether the procedural provisions of the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908, are applicable to appellate proceedings under the Ordinance following the 1980 amendment. The Court held that the legal question regarding the applicability of the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908, to rent appeals requires further examination and stayed the eviction pending the final hearing.
- Does the amendment to Section 15 of the West Pakistan Urban Rent Restriction Ordinance, 1959, exclude the application of the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908, to appellate proceedings?
- Can legal representatives be impleaded in a rent appeal after the period of limitation has expired?
- Section 13, West Pakistan Urban Rent Restriction Ordinance, 1959
- Section 15, West Pakistan Urban Rent Restriction Ordinance, 1959
- Section 16, West Pakistan Urban Rent Restriction Ordinance, 1959
- Section 13(3)(ii)(b), West Pakistan Urban Rent Restriction Ordinance, 1959
- Section 96, Code of Civil Procedure, 1908
- Section 103, Code of Civil Procedure, 1908
- Order I Rule 10, Code of Civil Procedure, 1908
- Baluchistan Urban Rent Restriction (Amendment) Ordinance 1960
ORDER
S.A. NUSRAT, J.‑ ‑The dipute in this petition relates to shop bearing No.l‑25/8, Shahra‑e‑Iqbal, Quetta. The shop in question was rented out by the respondents/ landlords to Poorandas, the predecessor‑in‑interest of the appellants, in 1974. The respondents made an application for ejectment of Poorandas under section 13 of the West Pakistan Urban Rent Restriction Ordinance, 1959 on the ground that the premises were required for the sons of respondent No‑1 namely Abdul Qayyum and Abdul Qadir. The application was contested by Poorandas and was dismissed by the learned Rent Controller on 13‑6‑1984. Poorandas died on 6‑7‑1984. The respondents challenged the Order of the Rent Controller by filing appeal under section 15 of the Ordinance in the High Court on 29‑7‑1984. The said appeal was filed against petitioners Nos.l and 2 alone. Alongwith the memo of appeal the respondents also moved an application requesting that the petitioners No. 1 and 2 may be directed to disclose the names of the other legal representatives of the deceased Poorandas, so that they may be joined as parties. The names of the other heirs d of deceased Poorandas, namely petitioners No.3 to 11 were disclosed by the first two petitioners on 5‑11‑1984. An amended memo of appeal was thereupon filed by the respondents on 10‑11‑1984 joining the petitioners No.3 to 11 as co‑respondents. The appeal was allowed by the learned High Court as per impugned judgment dated 7‑12‑1985 and hence this petition.
2. The learned counsel for the petitioners invited our attention to section 15 of the Ordinance which was amended by Baluchistan Urban Rent Restriction (Amendment) Ordinance 1960 w.e.f. 9‑3‑1980. Section 15 of the Ordinance before it was amended, contained an Explanation which read as follows:‑
"An appeal under this subsection shall be heard and determined as an appeal from an original decree under section 96 of the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 if it is from an order of Controller and as an appeal from the appellate order under section 103 of the Code if it is from an order of the Appellate Authority and the provisions of Part VI and of the First Schedule to the said Code relating to appeals shall, with such modifications as the context may require, apply to such proceedings."
However, such explanation is not contained in the amended section 15 of the Ordinance. It was, therefore, contended by the learned counsel that the application of the provisions of the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908, save as provided in section 16 of the Ordinance, stand specifically excluded for all practical purposes, including the provision of Order I, rule 10, CIvil Procedure Code. It was then contended that the respondents' appeal against the petitioners No.3 to 11 had become barred by time when they were impleaded on 10‑11‑1984. The petitioners No.3 to 11 had thus acquired a vested right of not being proceeded against in the matter and in any case the judgment of the High Court was not executable against the petitioners.
3. It was further contended that the findings of the Rent Controller on the issue of bona fide requirement were not specifically adverted to and set aside by the learned High Court. Lastly, it was contended that the respondents had other commercial premises in their possession within the same urban area and as such the provision of section 13(3)(ii)(b) was not satisfied and this aspect of the case was not considered by the learned High Court.
4. After hearing the learned counsel for the petitioners and the learned counsel for the caveator, leave is, however, granted to examine the first above‑noted contention alone. Security Rs.500. The appeal will be heard on the same record. The petitioners will not be evicted from the disputed premises till the hearing of the appeal provided rent is regularly deposited in terms of the order of the Rent Controller passed in the case.
S.Q./L‑4/S ?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? Leave to appeal granted.
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