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Supreme Court of India

Satish Chander Aggarwal (D) by Lrs. v. Shyam Lal Om Prakash, Arhti and Anr.

[2017] 3 S.C.R. 7112017 INSC 278
Decided30-03-2017
BenchKurian Joseph
Case typeCivil Appeal
SubjectConstitutional Law
ResultAppeal(s) allowed
CNRESCR010004072017
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Judgment

CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION: I. A. No. 5 of 2017 in Civil Appeal No. 1464 of2010. From the Judgment and Order dated 15.02.2006 of the High Com1 of Judicature at Allahabad in WP No. 8498/88. A. K. Ganguli, Sr. Adv., Mahesh Srivastava, Vaibhav M. "Srivastava, P. N. Puri, Sanjay Bansal, Ajay Choudhary, Advs. for the . Appellants. Arun Aggarwal, Taranjeet Singh, Gaurav Aggarwal, Advs. for the Re~pondents. The Judgment of the Court was delivered by KURIAN, J.

1The original owner-landlord/Mr. Satish Chander · Aggarwal (who is no more) filed an application for eviction in the year 1975 on tiµ: ground of bona fide requirement for expansion of family business in the name and style ofM/s. Roop Krishna Traders.

2The Rent Controller dismissed the petition. The First Appellate Authority reversed the fo1ding and granted eviction, on a finding that the premises was required for the business of the landlord. It is on record that the First Appellate Authority had undertaken a spot inspection so as to satisfy himself as to the bona fide need of the landlord.

3The aggrieved tenant carried the matter before the High Cou11 in a petition under Article 226 of the Constitution of India. In the .meanwhile Mr. Satish Chander Aggarwal died on 04.07.2005. The death occurred after the order passed by the Rent Controller as well as the First Appellate Authodty.

4The High Court, taking note of the fact that the original landlord has expired, declined to go into the question of bona fide requirement. According to the High Court, the bona f!de requirement of the father is one thing and the bona fide requirement of the son and daughter, who have been continuing the business of the father, is a distinct cam~e of SATISH CHANDER AGGARWAL (D) BY LRS. v. SHYAM LAL OM PRAKASH, ARHTI [KURIAN, J.] action and the same need to be separately established. Therefore, granting liberty to the surviving legal heirs to pursue the eviction in accordance with law, the writ petition was allowed setting aside the order passed by the First Appellate Authority. Aggrieved the uppeal.

5Heard Mr.A.K. Ganguli, learned senior counsel and Mr. Smtjay Bansal, learned counsel, appearing for the appellants and Mr. Arun Aggarwal, learned counsel appearing for Respondent Nos. I and 2.

6The crucial question is;whether the bona fide requirement, as established by the original landlord/Mr. Satish Chander Agg~rwal, would meet the requirement under Section 2l(a) of the U.P. Urban Building Act as far as surviving legal heirs are concerned. It is not in dispute that the business that had been carried on by Late Mr. Satish Chander Aggarwal is being continued by his legal heirs. It is a family business. lf that be so, the requirement, as established and which has been upheld by the Appellate Authority after conducting even a spot inspection, in our view, satisfies the requirements of bona fide need of the landlord. No doubt, in a given case the bona fide requirement of the origfoal landlord and that of the surviving legal heirs may vary. But in the case before us, since it is family business and since the landlord has established the requirement of the premises for the family business, we are of the view that it is not necessary to relegate the legal heirs for another round of litigation for eviction.

7In that view of the matter, the order passed by the High Court is set aside and the appeal is allowed. The order passed by the First Appellate Authority for eviction is restored. I.A .. No.5 of 2017 also stands disposed of.

8Learned counsel for the respondents submit that they are no more interested in keeping the premises, in view of the order passed as above, and hence it will be open to the appellants to take physical possession of the premises. The above submission' is recorded. '·t:, 9 Pending applications, if any, shall stand disposed of. I 0. There shall be no orders as to costs. Ankit Gyan Appeal allowed.