Procedure of Rent Court and Rent Tribunal

Procedure of Rent Court and Rent Tribunal:

1. (1) Every application or appeal made to the Rent Court or Rent Tribunal shall be dealt with as expeditiously as possible and shall be disposed of, within a period of sixty days from the date of service of notice of application or appeal: Provided that where any such application or appeal could not be disposed of within the said period of sixty days, the Rent Court or Rent Tribunal shall record its reasons in writing for not disposing of the application or appeal within that period.
2. (2) The Rent Court and the Rent Tribunal shall not be bound by the procedure laid down by the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908, but shall be guided by the principles of natural justice and subject to the other provisions of this Act and of any rules made thereunder, and shall have powers to regulate their own procedure.
3. (3) The Rent Court and the Rent Tribunal shall have the same powers as are vested in a Civil Court under the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 in respect of the following matters:
   • (a) summoning and enforcing the attendance of any person and examining him on oath;
   • (b) requiring the discovery and production of documents;
   • (c) issuing commissions for the examination of witnesses or documents;
   • (d) issuing commission for local inspection;
   • (e) dismissing an application for default or deciding it ex-parte;
   • (f) setting aside any order of dismissal of any application for default or any order passed by it ex-parte;
   • (g) bringing legal representatives on record; and
   • (h) any other matter which may be prescribed.
4. (4) Any proceedings before the Rent Court or Rent Tribunal shall be deemed to be a judicial proceeding within the meaning of sections 193 and 228, and for the purpose of section 196, of the Indian Penal Code, 1860, and the Rent Court and the Rent Tribunal shall be deemed to be a Civil Court for the purposes of section 195 and Chapter XXVI of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973.
5. (5) The Rent Court and Rent Tribunal may pass such interlocutory orders as may be required to meet the ends of justice during the pendency of any dispute or other proceeding before it.
6. (6) The Rent Court and Rent Tribunal may direct payment of costs in respect of any proceedings before it.
7. (7) Any person may appear before the Rent Court or Rent Tribunal through an advocate or any other person as may be prescribed.