AIR 1975 SUPREME COURT 1750 ::1975 2 SCC 408 ::1975 (1) All LR 457 ::1975 RenCJ 500 ::1975 RenCR 556 ::1976 (1) SCR 273 ::1976 (1) SCJ 358

Supreme Court Of India

(From: Madras)*

Hon'ble Judge(s): A. Alagiriswami, P. K. Goswami, N. L. Untwalia , JJJ

(A) Tamil Nadu Buildings (Lease and Rent Control) Act (18 of 1960) , S.2(6), S.14(1)(b)— Whether Holder of life interest can apply under Section 14 (1) (b). Order of Madras High Court dated 9-8-1973 in C. R. Nos. 1470 to 1472 of 1973, Reversed. The inclusive definition of landlord in Section 2 (6) would clearly take in its sweep the landlord who holds a life interest in the premises and who admittedly has been on his own right under the Deed of Settlement as a trustee receiving rents of the premises from the tenants. A controversy that may arise between a landlord and others, who are not his tenants under the Act, is outside the ken of this Act. Even a possible dispute, imaginary or real, between the landlord and the remainder men cannot affect adjudication of the claim of the landlord against his tenants under the provisions of the Act. It will also not affect the efficacy of the nature of the plea of bona fide on the part of the landlord, if otherwise so. Such questions are, therefore, irrelevant in a litigation between the landlord and tenants when a suit for eviction is instituted by the former on any of the grounds available to him under the Act. The landlord who is the holder of life interest in the property, is thus entitled to evict the tenants under Sec. 14 (1) (b) of the Act on the ground that the building is bona fide required by th....