Holding

The Court held that the heirs become joint tenants after the original tenant's death, and the admission of a son‑in‑law, who is not a member of the family, creates a deemed vacancy and deemed sub‑letting of the entire premises, justifying eviction under Section 20(2)(e).

Summary

The appellant, Harish Tandon, sought eviction of tenants occupying a shop in Allahabad after the original tenant died and his heirs continued the business. The heirs admitted the original tenant's son‑in‑law as a partner in the firm, which the landlord claimed created a deemed vacancy and deemed sub‑letting under the U.P. Urban Buildings (Regulation of Letting, Rent and Eviction) Act, 1972. The High Court had held that the heirs were tenants in common and that the admission did not amount to deemed vacancy, allowing the tenants to remain. The Supreme Court examined the statutory provisions, held that the heirs succeed as joint tenants and that admitting a non‑family member as a partner triggers the deeming clauses of Section 12(2) and (4), which, together with Section 25’s explanation, deem the whole premises vacant and sub‑let, making eviction permissible under Section 20(2)(e). Consequently, the appeal was allowed, restoring the Rent Controller’s orders and setting aside the High Court’s decision.

Issues considered

Whether the admission of a son‑in‑law as a partner creates a deemed vacancy under Section 12(2) and (4) of the U.P. Urban Buildings Act.
Whether such admission amounts to sub‑letting within the meaning of Explanation (i) to Section 25 of the Act.
Whether the whole premises is deemed vacant and thus subject to eviction under Section 20(2)(e).
Whether the heirs of the deceased tenant are joint tenants or tenants in common for the purposes of the Act.

Legislation cited

U.P. Urban Buildings (Regulation of Letting, Rent and Eviction) Act, 1972s. 12(2), s. 12(4), s. 20(2)(e), s. 25, s. 3(g)

Subjects

tenancydeemed vacancysub‑lettingjoint tenancystatutory interpretationlegal fictionevictionlandlord‑tenant lawU.P. Urban Buildings Act

Judgment

A SHRI HARISH TANDON
__,
v '
~
THE ADDL. DISTRICT MAGISTRATE, ALLAHABAD,
U.P. AND ORS.

JANUARY 5, 1995
B
[P.B. SAWANT, DR. AS. ANAND AND N.P. SINGH, JJ.)
.,._
U.P. Urban Buildings (Regulation of Letting. Rent and Eviction) Act,
1972-Sections 3 (g). 12(2), 12(4), 20(2)(e) and 25-Explanation
c (i)-Deemed vacancy-Non-residential premises-Death of original
tenant-Tenancy rights devolve on heirs of deceased tenant jointly-Admission
of son-in-law of one of the heirs as a parlner in business carried out in tenanted
premises-Tenant deemed to have ceased to occupy the building-{)eemed
vacancy of premises-Deemed sub-letting-Eviction u/s 20(2)(e).

D Interpretation of Statutes-Legal fiction-Deeming statute-Courl to ,>(

examine and ascenain the purpose and persons where fiction to be resorled
to-Full effect to be giverr-Must be carried to its logical conclusion.

A shop was let out to late S by the grandfather of the appellant. He
I
E
started a business in the premises. He died in 1941 leaving behind five ·-
sons. In family partition amongst the sons, the shop in dispute fell to the
share of three sons. The other two sons ceased to have any interest in the
shop. In 1976, a new partnership firm was constituted with the son-in-law
of one of the sons for carrying a textile business in the suit premises. The
appellant filed suit for eviction of the respondent tenants on the ground '>·

F that there was a sub-letting of the premises by induction of the son-in-law
as a partner in the business.

The Rent Controller and Eviction Officer held that there was deemed
vacancy in respect of the said premises and he directed that the said
vacancy be notified. A Writ Application was filed on behalf of the tenants
G which was dismissed as not maintainabl~. The tenants filed a Special Leave
Petition before this Court which was allowed and the High Court was ...
directed to rehear the Writ Petition on merits. The Writ. Petition was
ultimately allowed by the High Court on the finding that after the death
of the original tenant, his sons became tenants in common and not joint
"'
H tenant and for the contravention made by one of the sons of the original
56
TANDON v. ADDL. DIST. MAGISTRATE 57

tenant by inducting his son-in-law as a partner of the firm, it shall not A
result into deemed vacancy of the whole premises under the provision of
""
I
the U.P. Urban Buildings (Regulation of Letting, Rent an Eviction) Act,
1972. The High Court (}Dashed the orders passed by the Rent Controller
declaring a vacancy u/s 12(2) r/ws 12(4) of the Act.

The controversy between the parties was : B

(i) as to whether in the facts and circumstances of the case, there
shall be a deemed vacancy because of sub-sections (2) and (4) of Section
12;

(ii) whether because of explanation (i) of Section 25, it amounts to C
sub-letting within the meaning of Section 20(2)(e);

(iii) even if it was held that because of the induction of the son-in-law
as a partner in the firm which amounted to a sub-letting within the
meaning of section 25 of the Act, whether the whole premises shall be D
deemed to be vacant.

According to the respondent tenants, before it could be held that the
induction of the son-in-law amounted to sub-letting of the premises, a
finding had to be recorded that the object of his in~uction as a partner
was to actually and factually sub-let the premises to him. The respondents E
urged that the expression 'deemed' occurring in sub-sections (2) and (4)
of section 12 as well as in explanation (i) of Section 25 should not be read
as conclusive. It should be read as 'deemed until the contrary was proved'.
They alleged t~at if such strict interpretation was given to sub-section (2)
of Section 12, then similar interpretation should be given to Section
12(1)(b) and Section 12(3) of the Act. It was also submitted that although F
the son-in-law might not be held to be a member of the family within the
meaning of the definition given in Section 3(g) he shall be deemed to be a
member of the family as the expression was generally understood, and by
admitting a son-in-law or daughter-in-law as a partner, it shall not amount
to sub-letting within the meaning of the Act. G
Allowing the appeal, this Court

HELD : 1.1. After the death to the original tenant, subject to any
provision to the contrary, tenancy rights devolve on the heirs of the
deceased tenants jointly. The incidence of the tenancy are the same as H
58 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1995] 1 S.C.R.

A those enjoyed by the original tenant. It is a single tenancy which devolves
~
on the heir and there is no division of the premises or of the rent payable I

therefor and the heirs succeed to the tenancy as joint tenants and for any
breach committed by any of such joint tenants, all the heirs of the original
tenant have to suffer. [72-C]

B 1.2 In the instant case, because of the admission of the son-in-law as
a partner in the business, there had been a deemed vacancy of the premises
within the meaning of sub-sections (2) and (4) of Section 12 of the U.P.
Urban Building (Regulation of Letting, Rent and Eviction) Act, 1972 and
it shall amount to sub-letting within the meaning of section 25, explanation
C (i), which is a ground for eviction u/s 20(2)(e) of the Act. [73-G]

Mohd. Azeem v. District Judge, Aligarh and Ors., [1985] 3 SCR 906,
overruled.

H.C. Pandey v. G.C. Paul, [1989] 3 SCC 77, relied on.
D
1.3 A son-in-law shall not be deemed to be a member of the family
within the definition u/s 3(g) of the Act as there is no scope for interpreting
that expression in a different manner. [73-E]

1.4 The primary object of sub-section (2) of section 12 is to check
E and restrict sub-letting of premises or part there of by the original tenant
by inducting any person who is not a member of the family within the
meaning of the Act as a partner in the business. But, the special feature
of the deeming clause in the said sub-section leaves no scope for investiga-
tion and examination as to whether in the process of inducting such person
as a partner, in fact there has been a sub-letting of the premises. [64-F-G]
F
2. When a statute creates a legal fiction saying that something shall
be deemed to have been done which in fact and truth has not been done,
the Court has to examine and ascertain as to for what purpose and between
what persons such a statutory fiction is to be resorted to. Thereafter, full
G effect has to be given to such statutory fiction and it has to be carried to
its logical end. [65-D]

East End Dwelling Co. Ltd. v. Finbsbury Borough Council, (1952) AC
109 (B), referred to.

H State of Bombay v. Pandurang Vinayak and Ors., AIR (1953) SC
TANDON v. ADDL. DIST. MAGISTRATE [N.P. SINGH, J.] 59

=
244 [1953) SCR 773; M/s. J.K Cotton Spinning and Weaving Mills Ltd. and A
Am: v. Union of India and Ors., [1988) 1 SCR 700=AIR (1988) SC 191
and M. Vennugopal v. The Divisional Manage1; Life Insurance Corporation
=
of India, Machilipattanam, AP andAnr., JT (1994) 1SC281 [1994) 2 SCC
323, relied on.

CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION : Civil Appeal No. 574 of B
1993.

From the Judgment and Order dated 21.9.92 of the Allahabad High
Court in C.M.W.P. No. 14310 of 1981.

P.C. Jain, D.K. Garg and P. Choudhary for the Appellant. c
Prashant Bhushan, Jayant Bhushan, C. Mohan Rao and Ms. Ritu
Gupta for the Respondents.

The Judgment of the Civil was delivered by
D
N.P. SINGH, J. This appeal has been filed agianst an order dated
21.9.1992 passed by the Allahabad High Court on a Writ Petition filed on
behalf of Respondent Nos. 5 to 7. By the impugned order the High Court
has quashed orders dated 13.8.1981 and 18.11.1981 passed by the Rent
Controller declaring a vacancy under Section 12(2) read with Section 12(4)
E
of the U.P. Urban Buildings (Regulation of Letting, Rent and Eviction)
Act, 1972 (hereinafter referred to as 'the Act').

The dispute is in respect of a shop bearing Municipal No. 24-34
situated at Mahatma Gandhi Marg, Civil Lines Market, Allahabad. In the
year 1937, the shop was let out to late Sheobux Roy by the grand father of F
the appellant. The said Sheobux Roy started a business in the name and
style of "Mis. B.N. Rama & Co.". Sheobux Roy died on 3.2.1941 leaving
behind five sons namely Khush Bakht Roy, Sant Bux Roy, Sampat Roy,
Ganpat Roy and Sheopat Roy. In the xear 1943, there was a family partition
amongst the sons of Sheobux Roy and the shop in dispute fell to the share
of Sampat Roy, Ganpat Roy and Sheopat Roy. The other two sons ceased G
to have any interest or concern with the shop in question. Sampat Roy,
Ganpat Roy and Sheopat Roy were car~g on their business in the name
and style of "Mis. B.N. Rama & Co." In the year 1976, Ganpat Roy and his
son Ramesh Roy constituted a new partnership firm with the one Swamp
Kailash, son-in-law of Ganpat Roy under the name and style of "M/s. B.N. H
60 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1995] 1 S.C.R.

A Rama & Co. (Textiles)" for carrying on the business in textile, in the
premises in question. In the year 1979, the appellant filed suit for eviction
of the respondent-tenants (hereinafter referred to as 'the respondents') on
the ground that there was a sub-letting of the premises by induction of
Swarup Kailash, the son-in-law of Ganpat Roy as a partner for carrying on
the business in the shop in dispute.
B
In March 1981, one Ramesh Nath Kapur and Radhey Shyam filed an
application for allotment of the said premises to them on the ground that
there was a deemed vacancy of the premises. The Rent Controller and
Eviction Officer by his order dated 13.8.1981 held that there was a deemed
C vacancy in respect of the said premises and he directed that the said
vacancy be notified. A petition was filed by the respondent on 11.9.1981
making prayer to recall the aforesaid order dated 13.8.1981 and to give
them permission to file objections and to contest the proceedings. That
petition was allowed by the Rent Controller and Eviction Officer by his
D order dated 13.9.1981. The Rent Controller and Eviction Officer by his
order dated 18.11.1981 negatived the contention of the respondents that
there was no deemed vacancy in respect of the premises in question.
Thereafter a· Writ Application was filed on behalf of the respondents
which was dismissed by the High Court saying that it was not maintainable.
The Respondents filed a Special Leave Petition before this Court against
E the aforesaid order of the High Court. This Court allowed thei.r appeal on
29.3.1985 and directed the High Court to rehear the Writ Petition filed by
the respondents on merits. It was further said by this Court that pending
disposal of the writ petition before the High Court, there shall be a stay
of further proceedings in respect of the allotment to the premises in
F question and the respondents shall not be dispossessed from the same.

The Writ Petition, aforesaid, was ultimately allowed by the impugned
order dated 21.9.1992 by the High Court on the finding that after the death
of Sheobux Roy on 3.2.1941, his sons became tenants in common and not
joint tenants. As such for any contravention made by· Ganpat Roy one of
G the sons of Sheobux Roy by inducting his son-in-law as a partner of the
firm shall not result into deemed vacancy of the whole premises under the
provisions of the Act. It is this finding which has been put in issue before,
us.
I
H In order to appreciate the controversy, it is necessary to refer to
r
TANDON v. ADDL. DIST. MAGISTRATE [N.P. SINGH, J.) 61

certain provisions of the Act. Section 3(g) defines 'family' : A
"Section 3(g) - "family", in relation to a landlord or tenant of a
building, means, his or her -

(i) spouse,
B
(ii) male lineal descedants,

(iii) such parents, grandparents and any unmarried or widowed
or divorced or judicially separated daughter or daughter of a male
lineal descendant, as may have been normally residing with him or
her, c
and includes, in relation to a landlord, any female having a legal
right of residence in that building;"

Section 12 of the Act prescribes the conditions under which deemed
vacancy shall occur. The relevant part thereof is as follow : D
Section 12 - "Deemed vacancy of building in certain cases - (1)
a Landlord or tenant of a building shall be deemed to have ceased
to occupy the building or a part thereof if-

( a) he has substantially removed his effects therefrom, or E
(b) he has allowed it to be occupied by any person who is not
a member of his family, or

(c) in the case of a residential building, he as well as members
of his family have taken up residence, not being temporary F
residence, elsewhere.

(2) In the case of non-residential building, where a tenant
carrying on business in the building admits a person who is not a
member of his family as a partner or a new partner, as the case G
may be, the tenant shall be deemed to have ceased to occupy the
building.

(3) In the case of a residential building, if the tenant or any
member of his family builds or otherwise acquires in a vacant state
or gets vacated a residential building in the same city, municipality, H
62 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1995] 1 S.C.R.

A notified area or town area in which the building under tenancy is
situated, he shall be deemed to have ceased to occupy the building
under his tenancy :

Provided that if the tenant or any member of his family had
built any such residential building before the date of commence-
B ment of this Act, then such tenant shall be deemed to have ceased
to occupy the building under his tenancy upon the expiration of a
period of one year from the said date.
+
Explanation - For the purposes of this sub-section -
c (a) a person shall be deemed to have otherwise acquired a
building, if he is occupying a public building for residential pur-
poses as a tenant, allottee or licensee ;

(b) the expression "any member of family", in relation to a
D tenant, shall not include a person who has neither been normally
residing with nor is wholly dependent on such tenant

(4) Any building or part which a landlord or tenant has ceased
E to occupy within the meaning of sub-section (i) or sub-section (2),
or sub-section (3), sub-section (3-A) or sub-section. (3-B), shall for
the purposes of this Chapter, be deemed to be vacant.

In view of sub-section (2) of Section 12, in case of non-residential building,
if the tenant admits a person who is not member of his family as a partner,
F the tenant shall be deemed to have ceased to occupy the building and by
virtue of sub-section (4) of Section 12, such building shall be deemed to be
vacated:

Section 25 enjoins that no tenant shall sub-let the building under his
G tenancy and it also. prescribes as to what shall amount to a deemed
sub-letting.

"25. Prohibition of sub-letting - (1) No tenant shall sub-let the
whole of the building under his tenancy.

H (2) The tenant may with the permission in writing of the
TANDON v. ADDL. DIST. MAGISTRATE [N.P. SINGH, J.] 63

landlord and of the District Magistrate, Sub-let a part of the A
building.

Explanation - For the purposes of this section -

(1) where the tenant ceases, within the meaning of clause (b)
of sub-section (1) of sub-section (2) of Section 12, to occupy the B
building or any part thereof, he shall be deemed to have sub-let
that building or part;

(ii) lodging a person in a hotel or a lodging house shall not
amount to sub-letting."
c
In view of explanation (i) of Section 25, where the tenant is deemed
to have ceased to occupy the building under sub-section (2) of Section 12
aforesaid, he shall be deemed to have sub-let that building or part thereof.
Once a tenant carrying on business in a non-residential building, admits a
person who is not a member of his family as a partner, the said tenant shall D
be deemed to have ceased to occupy the building and by operation of the
explanation (i) of Section 25, it shall deemed that such tenant has sub-let
that building or part thereof, which shall be a ground for eviction of such
tenant because of section 20(2)(e) which specifically say that a suit for
eviction of a tenant from building after determination of his tenancy may
be instituted on the ground "that the tenant has sub-let, in contravention E
of the provisions of Section 25, or as the case may be, of the old Act the
whole or any part of the building".

It may be mentioned that before this Court, there was no dispute in
respect of the facts stated above. It is an admitted position that the p
premises in question were let out to Sheobux Roy who died in the year
1941 leaving behind five sons. Later only three his sons Ganpat Roy,
Sampat Roy and Sheopat Roy carried on their business in the said
premises. It is also admitted that on 19.8.1976, Ganpat Roy inducted his
son-in-law, Swarup Kailash, as one of the partners in the firm "M/s.
B.N.Rama & Co ..(Textiles)" for carrying on the business in textile in the G
disputed premises. The controversy between the parties is in respect of (i)
as to whether in the facts and circumstances of the case, there shall be a
deemed vacancy because of sub-section (2) and sub-section (4) of Section
12; (ii) whether because of explanation (i) of Section 25, it shall amount to
sub-letting within the meaning of Section 20(2)(e) - a ground for eviction H
64 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1995) l S.C.R.

A of the respondents; (iii) even if it is held that because of the induction of
Swamp Kailash as a partner in the firm, which amounted to a sub-letting
within the meaning of Section 25 of the Act, whether the who premises
shall be deemed to be vacant.

It cannot be disputed that a son-in-law shall not be deemed to be a
B member of the family within the definition as given in the Act under
Section 3(g). Section 12(2) says that in case of non-residential building,
where tenant admits a person who is not a member of his family as a
partner, the tenant shall be deemed to have ceased to occupy the building.
By induction of Swarup Kailash, the son-in-law of Ganpat Roy, as a partner
c in the firm, sub-section (2) of Section 12 is attracted.

According to the learned counsel for the respondent tenants, the
object of sub-section (2) is to exclude and restrict the unauthorised induc-
tion of persons as partners in a firm with primary object to pass on the
D tenancy to such persons after their induction. In other words, sub-section
(2) of Section 12 imposes a restriction on the tenant in sub-letting the
premises or part thereof, by the device of inducting any person as a partner
in the business. As such, before it is held that the induction of Swarup
Kailash amounted to sub-letting of the premises, a finding has to be
recorded that the object of inducting Swarup Kailash as a partner of the
E firm was, to actually and factually sub-let the premises to him. His induc-
tion as a partner was a design and device to circumvent the consequence
provided under Section 20(2)(e) - ejectment from the prelnises.

It is true that the primary object of sub-section (2) of Section 12
F appears to be to check and restrict sub-letting of premises or part thereof
by the original tenant by inducting any person who is not a member of the
family within the meaning of the Act as a partner in the business. But the
special feature of sub-section (2) of Section 12 is that there is a deeming
clause in the said sub-section. If the said sub-section had provided that
where a t~nant carrying on business in the building admits a person who
G is not a member of his family as a partner, it shall amount to sub-letting of
the premises, then there was scope for investigation and examination as to
whether, in the process of inducting such person as a partner in the
business - in fact there has been a sub-letting of the premises. But sub-sec-
tion (2) says in clear and unambiguous words that once a person who is
H not a memb~r of the family is admitted as a partner in the business by the
TANDON v. ADDL. DIST. MAGISTRATE [N.P. SINGH, J.] 65

tenant, 'the tenant shall be deemed to have ceased to occupy the building'. A
On behalf of the respondents, it was urged that the expression
'deemed' occurring in sub-sections (2) and (4) of Section 12 as well as in
the explanation (i) of Section 25 should not be read as conclusive. It should
be read as 'deemed until the contrary is proved'. Reference was made to
the cases Gray v. Kerslake, (1957) Vol. II Dominion Law Reports (2nd B
Series) page 225 (at p. 239); Robert Batcheller & Sons, Limited v. Batcheller,
(1945) 1 Chancery Division 169; and Spencer v. Kennedy [1926) 1 Chancery
Division 125, where it was observed that if the word 'deemed' is held to he
conclusive, then it shall amount to imputing to the Legislature the intention
of requiring the Court to hold as a fact something directly contrary to the c
true fact. It was also said that such deemed clauses should be read to mean
as required by the statute, until the contrary is proved.

The role of a provision in a statute creating legal fiction is by now
well settled. When a Statute creates a legal fiction saying that something
shall be deemed to have been done which in fact and truth has not been D
done, the Court has to examine and ascertain as to for what purpose and
between what persons such a statutory fiction is to he resorted to. There-
after full effect has to be given to such statutory fiction and it has to be
carried to its logical conclusion. In the well known case of East and
Dwellings Co. Ltd. v. Finbsbury Borough Council, (1952) A.C. .109(B), Lord
E
Asquith while dealing with the provisions of the Town and County Planning
Act, 1947, observed :

"If you are bidden to treat an imaginary state of affairs as real,
you must surely, unless prohibited from doing so, also imagine as
real the consequences and incidents which, if the putative, state of F
affairs had in fact existed, must inevitably have flowed from or
accompanied it... ... The statute says that you must imagine a certain
state of affairs; it does not say that having done so, you must cause
or permit your imagination to boggle when it comes to the in-
evitable corollaries of that state of affairs."
G
That statement of law in respect of a statutory fiction is being consistently
followed by this Court. Reference in this connection may be made to the
case of State of Bombay v. Pandurang Vinayaka and Others, AIR (1953) SC
244 = [1953] SCR 773. From the facts of that case it shall appear that
Bombay Building (Control on Erection) Ordinance, 1948 which was ap- H
66 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1995] 1 S.C.R.

A plicable to certain areas mentioned in the schedule to it, was extended by
a notification to all the areas in the province in respect of buildings
intended to be used for the purposes of cinemas. T.he Ordinance was
repealed and replaced by an Act which again extended to areas riienfroned
in the schedule with power under sub-section (3) of Section 1 to extend its
operation to other areas. This Court held that the deemed clause in Section
B 15 of the Act read with Section 25 of the Bombay General Clauses Act has
to be given full effect ,and the expression 'enactment' in the Act will cover
the word 'Ordinance' occurring in the notification which had been issued.
In that connection it was said :

c "The corollary thus of declaring the provisions of S.25, Bombay
General Clauses Act, applicable to the repeal of the ordinance and
of deeming that ordinance an enactment is that wherever the word
"ordinance" occurs in the notification that word has to be read as
an enactment."

D In the case of Chief Inspector of Mines and another etc. v. Karam
Chand Thaper etc., AIR (1961) SC 838 = [1962] 1 SCR 9, it was said :

"Were these regulations in force on the alleged date of con-
travention? Certainly, they were, in consequence of the provisions
of S.24 of the General Clauses Act. The fact that these regulations
E
were deemed to be regulations made under the 1952 Act does not
in any way affect the position that they were laws in force on the
alleged date of contravention. The argument that as they were
"regulations" under the 1952 Act in consequence of a deeming
provision, they were not laws in force on the alleged date of
F contravention is entirely misconceived."

In the ·case of Mis J.K Cotton Spinning and Weaving Mills Ltd. and
another v. Union of India and others, AIR (1988) SC 191 = [1988] 1 SCR
700, it was said :
G "It is well settled that a deeming provision is an admission of
the non-existence of the fact deemed. Therefore, in view of the
deeming provisions under Explanations to Rr. 9 and 49, although
the goods which are produced or manufactured at an intermediate
stage and, thereafter, consumed or utilised in the integrated
H process for the manufacture of another commodity is not actually
I

TANDON v. ADDL. DIST. MAGISTRATE [N.P. SINGH, J.] 67

removed shall be construed and regarded as removed. The Legis- A
lature is quite competent to enact a deeming provision for the

I purpose of assuming the existence of a fact which does not really
exist."

Recently in the case of M. Venugopal v. The Divisional Manager, Life
Insurance Corporation of India. Machilipatanam, Andhra Pradesh, & Anr., B
• JT (1994) 1 SC 281 = [1994] 2 SCC 323 after referring to the case of East
.:., End Dwellings Co. Ltd. v. Finsbury Borough Council (supra) it was said that
when one is bidden to treat an imaginary state of affairs as real, he must
surely, unless prohibited from doing so, also imagine as real the consequen-
ces a!1d incidents which, must inevitably have flowed. c
When sub-section (2) of Section 12 provides that whenever a tenant
carrying on business in a building admits a person, who is not a member
of his family as a partner, the tenant shall be deemed to have ceased to
occupy the building, full effect has to be given to the mandate of the
~
,.. Legislature. There is no escape from the conclusion that such tenant has
D
ceased to occupy the building. No discretion is left to the Court to enquire
or investigate as to what was the object of such tenant while inducting a
person as partner who was not the member of his family. It can be said
that the aforesaid statutory provision requires the Court to come to the
conclusion that by the contravention made by the tenant, such tenant has E
ceased to occupy the building. Tlie framers of the Act have not stopped
only at the stage of Section 12(2) but have further provided in Section 25,
Explanation (i) another legal fiction saying that where the tenant ceases to
occupy the building within the meaning of sub-section (2) of Section 12 'he
shall be deemed to have sub-let that building or part'. In view of the three F
deeming clause introduced in sub-section (2) of Section 12, sub-section (4)
of Section 12 and Explanation (i) to Section 25, no scope has been left for
the Courts to examine and consider the facts and circumstances of any
particular case, as to what was the object of admitting a person who is not
the member of the family, as partner and as to whether, in fact, the
premises or part thereof have been sub-let to such person. G
)'
It was then urged that if such strict interpretation is given to sub-sec-
tion (2) of Section 12, then similar interpretation should be given to S~ction
12(1)(b) and to Section 12(3) of the Act which prescribe other conditions
under which the tenant shall be deemed to have ceased to occupy the H
68 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1995] 1 S.C.R.

A building under his tenancy. It was pointed out that sub-section (l)(b) of
Section 12 says that a landlord or tenant of a building shall be deemed to -.!

have ceased to occupy the building or a part thereof if he has allowed it
to be occupied by any person who is not a member of his family . According
to the learned counsel for respondents if the daughter-in-law or son-in-law
of the landlord or tenant comes to reside in the building in occupation of
B such landlord or tenant, then it shall be deemed to have ceased to be in
occupation of such landlord or tenant which shall lead to an absurd result.
Clause (b) of sub-section (1) of Section 12 shall not be applicable to such 1--
occupation by daughter-in-law or son-in-law or even outsider with the
tenant himself. The words 'allowed' and 'occupy' are significant. The
c landlord or the tenant, as the case may be, shall be deemed to have ceased
to occupy the building only if he has allowed it to be occupied by any
person who is not a member of his family. The words "allowed to be
occupied" indicate that the possession of such building has been given to
a person who is not a member of the family. It shall be attracted when any
person who is not a member of the family resides in such building either
D
along with the landlord or the original tenant. If the landlord or the tenant >-\
.,
allows any person, who is not a member of the family within the meaning
of the Act to occupy the premises, with the object that such person shall
occupy such premises in his own rights, in that event, clause (b) of sub-
section (1) of Section 12 shall be attracted.
E
So far as sub-section (3) of Section 12 is concerned, it says that in
case of residential building, if the tenant or any member of his family builds
or otherwise acquires, in a vacant state or gets vacated a residential
building in the same city, municipality, notified area or town area, in which
F the building under tenancy is situate, the tenant "shall be deemed to have
ceased to occupy the building under his tenancy". It has submitted that if
full effect is given to the deeming clause, then in a house where the tenant
was living with his four sons, one of his sons getting any accommodation
in the same city or town, the tenant along with his remaining three sons
have to be evicted which shall lead to an absurd result. Although we are ~

G not concerned in the present case with the scope of sub-section (3) of
Section 12, but in order to appreciate the submission made on behalf of x
the respondents, we may point out that sub-section (3) of Section 12, does
not conceive that if one of the sons living with the tenant, who is not wholly .-
dependent on such tenant, acquires any other residential building in the
H same city or town, then even the original tenant shall be be deemed to have
TANDON v. ADDL. DIST. MAGISTRATE [N.P. SINGH, J.) 69

ceased to occupy the building in question. This is apparent from Explana- A
tion (b) to said sub-section (3) which says :

"the expression "any member of family", in relation to a tenant,
shall not include a person who has neither been normally residing
with nor is wholly dependent on such tenant."
B
In view of the explanation any member of the family mentioned in sub-sec-
tion (3) shall not include a person who has neither been normally residing
> with nor is wholly dependent on such tenant. As such, if a son of the tenant
who is not wholly dependent on such tenant acquires or gets any residential
building in the same city or town, there is no question of the tenant C
deeming to have ceased to occupy the building under sub-section (3) of
Section 12.

The Act with which we are concerned is a Statute which purports to
regulate the relationship between the landlord and the tenant and in many
respects contains provisions for achieving that object which are different D
from the Transfer of Properties Act. As such it was open to the framers
of the Act to look to the interest of the tenant as well as the landlord and
to prescribe conditions under which the tenant can continue to occupy a
building and having contravened any of the conditions prescribed shall be
deemed to have ceased to occupy the building.
E
On the question as to whether any contravention by Ganpat Roy, one
of the heirs of Sheobux Roy, will be a ground for eviction from the whole
premises, the High Court was of the opinion that the death of Sheobux
Roy, his five sons become tenants in common and not joint tenant of the
premises because of which contravention by one of the tenants shall not be F
a ground for eviction, so far the other co-tenants are concerned. It support
of this finding, reliance was placed by the High Court on a judgment of
this Conrt in Mohd. Azeem v. District Judge, Aligarh and Ors., [1985] 3 SCR
906. From the facts of that case it appears that the original tenant had died
in 1969 leaving behind a widow, three sons and a daughter. In connection G
with sub-section (3) of Section 12, after making reference to the Full
Bench Judgment of Allahabad High Court it was said :

"The Full Bench proceeded on the basis that the heirs become
joint tenants and answered the main problem by saying that if any
member of the family of such joint tenants built or acquired a H
j

70 SUPREME COURT REPORTS (1995) 1 S.C.R.

A house in vacant state the tenancy would be deemed to have ceased.
In framing these questions for reference and in answering the·
referred questions, the definition of 'tenant' was lost sight of . All
the heirs as normally reside with the deceased tenant in the
building at the time of his death become tenants. The definition
does not warrant the view that all'the heirs will become a body of
B tenants to give rise to the concept of joint tenancy. Each heir
satisfying the further qualification in s.3(a)(l) of the Act in his own
right becomes a tenant and when we come to s.12(3) of the Act,
the words "the tenant or any member of his family" will refer to
the heir who has become a tenant under the statutory definition
c and members of his family."

However, this Court in the case of H.C. Pandey v. G.C. Paul, (1989)
3 SCC 77, in connection with the same Act said:

"It is now well settled that on the death of the original tenant,
D
.,
subject to any provision to the contrary either negativing or limiting
the succession, the tenancy rights devolve on the heirs of the
"" .

deceased tenant. The incidence of the tenancy are the same as
those enjoyed by the original tenant. It is a single tenancy which
devolves on the heirs. There is no division of the premises or of
E the rent payable therefore. That is the position as between the
landlord and the heirs of the deceased tenant. In other words, the
heiis succeed to the tenancy as joint tenants."

The attention of the learned Judges constituting the Bench in the
F case of H.C. Pandey v. G.C. Paul (supra) was not drawn to the view
expressed in the case of Mohd. Azeem v. District Judge, Aligarh (supra).
There appears to be an apparent conflict between the two judgments. It
was on that account that the present appeal was referred to a Bench of
three Judges. According to us, it is difficult to hold that after the death of
the original tenant his heirs become tenant in common and each one of the
G heirs shall be deemed to be an independent tenant in his own right. This
can be examined with reference to Section 20(2) which contains the ...
grounds on which a tenant can be evicted. Clause (a) of Section 20(2) says
that if the tenant is in arrears of rent for not less than four months, and r

has ~ailed to pay the same to the landlord within one month from the date
H of service upon him of a notice of demand, then that shall be a ground on
TANDON v. ADDL. DIST. MAGISTRATE [N.P. SINGH, J.] 71

which the landlord can institute a suit for eviction. Take a case where the A
original tenant who was paying the rent dies leaving behind four sons. It
need not be pointed out that after the death of the original tenant, his heirs
must be paying the rent jointly through one of his sons. Now if there is a
default as provided in clause (a) of sub-section (2) Section 20 in respect
of the payment of rent, each of the sons will take a stand that he has not
committed such default and it is only the other sons who have failed to pay
B
the rent. If the concept of heirs becoming independent tenants is to be
introduced, there should be a provision under the Act to the effect that·
each of the heirs shall pay the proportionate rent and in default thereto
such heir or heirs alone shall be liable to be evicted. There is no scope for
c
such division of liability to pay the rent which was being paid by the original
tenant, among the heirs as against the landlord what the heirs do interse,
is their concern. Similarly, so far as ground (b) of sub-section (2) of Section
20, which says that if the tenant has wilfully caused or permitted to be
caused substantial damage to the building, then the tenant shall be liable
to be evicted; again, if one of the sons of the original deceased tenant D
, wilfully causes substantial damage to the building, the landlord cannot get
possession of the premises from the heirs of the deceased tenant since the
damage was not caused by all of them. Same will be the position in respect
of clauses (c) which is another ground for eviction, i.e. the tenant has
without the permission in writing of the landlord made or permitted to be
made, any such construction or structural alternation in the building which E
is likely to diminish its value or utility or to disfigure it. Even if the said
ground is established by the landlord, he cannot get possession of the
building in which construction or structural alterations have been made
diminishing its value and utility, unless he establishes that all the heirs of
the deceased tenant had done so. Clause (b) do sub-section (2) of Section
F
20 prescribes another ground for eviction - that if the tenant has without
the consent in writing of the landlord, used it for a pursose other than the
purpose for which he was admitted to the tenancy of the building or has
been convicted under any law for the time being in force of an offence of
using the building or allowing it to be used for illegal or immoral purposes;
the landlord cannot get possession of the building unless he establishes the G
said ground individually against all the heirs. We are of the view that if it
is held that after the death of the original tenant, each of his heirs becomes
independent tenant, then as a corollary it has also to be held that after the
death of the original tenant, the otherwise single tenancy stands split up
H
72 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1995) 1 S.C.R.

A into several tenancies and the landlord can get possession of the building
only if he establishes one or the other ground mentioned in sub-section (2)
of Section 20 against each of the heirs of original tenant. One of the well
settled rules of interpretation of statute is that it should be interpreted in
a manner whi~h does not lead to an absurb situation.
B It appears to us, in the case of H.C. Pandey v. G.C. Paul (supra) it
was rightly said by this Court that after the death of the original tenant,
subject to any provision to the contrary, the tenancy rights devolve on the
heirs of the deceased tenants jointly. The incidence of the tenancy are the
same as those enjoyed by the original tenant. It is a single tenancy which
c devolves on the heirs and there is no division of the premises or of the rent
payable therefor and the heirs succeed to the tenancy as jo~t tenants.

In the case of Smt. Gian Devi Anand v. Jeevan Kumar and others,
[1985] Suppl. SCR 1, the Constitution Bench of this Court in connection
D with Delhi Rent Control Act, 1958 said :

"The heirs of the deceased tenant in the absence of any
provision in the Rent Act to the contrary will step into the position
of the deceased tenant and all the rights and obligations of the
deceased tenant including the protection afforded to the deceased
E tenant under the Act will devolve on the heirs of the deceased
tenant. As the protection afforded by the Rent .Act to a tenant
after determination of the tenancy and to his heirs on the death
of such tenant is a creation of the Act for the benefit of the tenants,
it is open to the Legislature which provides for such protection to
F make appropriate provisions in the Act with regard to the nature
and extent of the benefit and protection to be enjoyed and the
manner in which the same is to be enjoyed. If the Legislature makes
any provision in the Act limiting or restricting the benefit and the
nature of the protection to be enjoyed in a specified manner by
any particular class of heirs of the deceased tenant on any condi-
G tion laid down being fulfilled, the benefit of the protection has
necessarily to be enjoyed on the fulfilment of the condition in the
manner and to the extent stipulated in the Act."

The framers of the Act have clearly expressed their intention in
H Sections 12, 20 and 25 while protecting the tenant from eviction~' except o~
TANDON v. ADDL. DIST. MAGISTRATE [N.P. SINGH, J.] 73

the grounds mentioned in Section 20, that after the death of the original A
tenant his heirs will be deemed to be holding the premises as joint tenants,
and for any breach committed by any of such joint tenants, all the heirs of
the original tenant have to suffer. They cannot take a plea that unless the
grounds for eviction mentioned in sub-section (2) of Section 20 are estab-
lished individually against each one of them, they cannot be evicted from B
the premises in question.

It was then submitted that although Swamp Kailash, the son-in-law
of Ganpat Roy may not be held to be a member of the family within the
meaning of the definition given in Section 3(g), nonetheless he shall be
deemed to be a member of the family as the expression 'family' is generally C
understood, and by admitting a son-in-law or daughter-in-law as a partner,
it shall not amount to sub-letting within the meaning of the Act. It was
pointed out that Section 3 opens with the words "In this Act, unless the
context otherwise requires" and as such the definition of the family should
not be strictly construed as given in Section 3(g) and in the context of the D
present case a wider interpretation to the expression 'family' should be
given so as to include even the sons-in-law and daughters-in-law. In this
connection, reliance was placed on the judgment of this Court in the case
of Pushpa Devi and others v. Milkhi Ram, [1990] 2 SCC 134. As has already
been pointed out that in the Act with which we are concerned, wherever E
the expression 'member of the family' has been used, it is consistent with
the definition of 'family' given in Section 3(g) and there is no scope for
interpreting that expression in a different manner in connection with
sub-section (2) of Section 12 of the Act. Once the finding of the High Court
that after the death of Sheobux Roy, his sons became tenants in common
instead of joint tenants, is reversed for the reasons mentioned above, the
F
result will be that it has to be held that because of the admission of Swarup
Kailash, the son-in-law of Ganpat Roy, as a partner in the business, there
has been a deemed vacancy of the premises within the meaning of sub-sec-
tions (2) and (4) of Section 12 and it shall amount to sub-letting within the
meaning of Section 25, Explanation (i), which is a ground for eviction under G
sub-section 2(e) of Section 20 of the Act. The judgment in Mohd. Azeem's
case, does not lay down the correct law and on the other hand we hold
.... that H.C. Pandey's case (supra) lays down the correct law.

In the result, the appeal is allowed. The judgment of the High Court H
74 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1995] 1 S.C.R.
r
I

A allowing the Writ Petition of the respondent-tenants is set aside and the
orders of the Rent Controller and Eviction Officer are restored. In the
circumstances of the case, there shall be no order as to costs.

However, respondents shall not be evicted from the premises in
question upto 30th June, 1995, if they file usual undertaking before this
B Court within four weeks from today.

AG. Appeal allowed.
~-

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