Protection of tenants against eviction

(1) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in any other law or contract, no order or decree for the recovery of possession of any premises shall be made by any court or Rent Authority in favour of the landlord against any tenant, save as provided in sub-section (2). (2) The Rent Authority may, on an application made to it in the form specified in Schedule XII to this Act make an order for the recovery of possession of any premises on one or more of the following grounds only, namely:- (a) that the tenant has neither paid nor tendered the whole of the arrears of the rent and other charges payable for three or more consecutive months legally recoverable from him within two months of the date on which a notice in the Form specified in Schedule VII to this Act, of demand for the arrears of such rent and other charges payable and interest at the rate of fifteen per cent, for the period of default has been served on him by the landlord in the manner provided in section 106 of the Transfer of Property Act, 1882: Provided that a tenant shall not be entitled to the benefit of service of notice by the landlord under this clause where having obtained such benefit once in respect of any premises, he again makes a default in the payment of rent and other charges payable in respect of those premises; (b) that the tenant has used the premises for a purpose other than that for which they were let; (c) that the premises were let for use as a residence and, (i) neither the tenant nor any member of his family has been residing therein for a period of six months; Explanation.- For the purposes of this clause and clause (q), "family" means parents, spouse, dependent sons and daughters or such other relatives as are ordinarily living with the tenant and are dependent upon him; (d) that the premises or any part thereof have become unsafe or unfit for human habitation and are required by the landlord for carrying out repairs or reconstruction which cannot be carried out without the premises being vacated: Provided that no order for the recovery of possession under this clause, clause (f), clause (g) and clause (h) shall be made unless the Rent authority is satisfied that the plans and estimates of such repairs or re- construction, as the case may be, have been properly prepared and that the landlord has the necessary means to carry out the said repairs or re- construction: Provided further that if the landlord proposes to change the use of the premises after re-construction, than, he shall so specify in his application for recovery of possession and, after such re-construction, the landlord shall if it is otherwise permissible under law, utilize the built up area equal to the previous area for the original use to the extent required for the purpose of sub-section (i) of section 30 and the rest for any other use; (e) that the premises or any part thereof are required by the landlord for the purpose of immediate demolition ordered by the Government or any local authority or the premises are required by the landlord to carry out any building work at the instance of the Government or local authority in pursuance of any improvement scheme or development scheme and that such building work cannot be carried out without the premises being vacated; (f) that the premises or any part thereof are required by the landlord for carrying out any repairs which cannot be carried out without the premises being vacated; (g) that the premises are required by the landlord for the purpose of building or re-building or making thereto any substantial addition or alteration including construction on the terrace or on the appurtenant land and that such building or re-building or addition or alteration cannot be carried out without the premises being vacated; (h) that the premises consist of not more than two floors and the same are required by the landlord for the purpose of immediate demolition with a view to re-build the same: Provided that where the building of which such premise or premises possession in respect of which has been recovered under clause (d), clause (e), clause (f) or clause (g) forms a part has been re-built to an extent of less than seventy-five per cent, a tenant so dispossessed shall have a right to re-entry at the new terms of tenancy in a premises in the re-built building equivalent in area to the original premises for which he was a tenant; (i) that the tenant, his spouse or a dependent son or daughter ordinarily living with him has, built or acquired vacant possession of or been allotted a residence on hire-purchase basis: Provided that the Rent Authority may in appropriate case allow the tenant to vacate the premises within such period as he may permit but not exceeding three months from the date of passing of orders of eviction or one year from the date of getting possession of premises referred to in sub- section (1) above. (j) that the premises were let to the tenant for use as a residence by reasons of his being in the service or employment of the landlord, and that the tenant has ceased, to be in such service or employment: Provided that no order for the recovery of possession of any premises shall be made on this ground if the Rent Authority is of the opinion that there is any bona fide dispute as to whether the tenant has ceased to be in the service or employment of the landlord; (k) that the tenant has, caused or permitted to be caused substantial damage to or such alteration of the premises as has the effect of changing its identity or diminishing its value. Explanation.- For the purposes of this clause, "substantial damage" shall mean such damage as shall involve an expenditure equivalent to six months' rent or more, of the premises or such less expenditure as the Rent Authority is satisfied, keeping in view, the special nature of damage, justify the same to be treated as substantial damage for carrying out the repairs for such damage: Provided that no order for the recovery of possession of any premises shall be made on the ground specified in this clause, if the tenant, within such time as may be specified in this behalf by the Rent Authority, carries out repairs to the damage caused to the satisfaction of the Rent Authority or pays to the landlord such amount by way of compensation as the Rent Authority may direct; (l) that the tenant or any person residing with the tenant has been convicted of causing nuisance or annoyance to a person living in the neighbourhood of the premises or has been convicted of using or allowing the use of the premises for an immoral or illegal purpose; (m) that the tenant has, used or dealt with the premises in a manner contrary to any condition imposed on the landlord by the Government, while giving him a lease of the land on which the premises are situated: Provided that no order for the recovery of possession of any premises shall be made on this ground if the tenant, within such time, as may be specified in this behalf by the Rent Authority, complies with the condition imposed on the landlord by any of the authority referred to in this clause; (n) that the tenant in his reply having denied the ownership of landlord has failed to prove it or that such denial was not made in a bona fide manner; (o) that the person in occupation of the premises has failed to prove that he is a bona fide tenant; (p) that the tenant after having agreed with or having informed the landlord in writing the date to vacate the premises does not do so on or after the date so agreed or informed; (q) that the premises let for residential or non-residential purposes are required, whether in the same form or after re-construction or re- building, by the landlord for occupation for residential or non-residential purpose for himself or for any member of his family if he is the owner thereof, or for any person for whose benefit the premises are held and that the landlord or such person has no other reasonable suitable accommodation: Provided that where the landlord has acquired the premises by transfer no application for the recovery of possession of such premises shall lie under this clause unless a period of three years has elapsed from the date of the acquisition: Provided further that where an order for the recovery of possession of any premises is made on the ground specified in this clause, the landlord shall be entitled to obtain possession thereof on the expiration of a period of three months from the date of passing of eviction order. Explanation I.- For the purposes of this clause, where the landlord in his application supported by an affidavit submits that the premises are required by him for occupation for himself or for any member of his family dependent on him, the Rent Authority shall presume that the premises are so required.

Explanation II.- For the purposes of this clause of section 21, section 22, section 23 or section 24, an occupation by the landlord of any part of a building of which any premises let out by him forms a part, shall not disentitle him to recover the possession of such premises.

Explanation III.- For the purposes of this clause "owner of the premises" includes a person who has been allotted such premises by the Punjab Housing Development Board or any other local authority by way of an agreement of hire-purchase, lease or sub-lease, even before the full ownership rights accrue to such hire-purchaser, lessee or sub-lessee, as the case may be.

(3) In any proceedings for eviction under clause (d), (e), (f), (g) or (q) of sub-section (2) of this section or section 21 or section 22 or section 23 or section 24, the Rent Authority may allow eviction from only a part of the premises if the landlord is agreeable to the same:

Provided that, in case of such part-eviction, the rent and other charges payable by the tenant shall be decreased in proportion to the part vacated.

(4) No order for the recovery of possession in any proceedings under sub- section (2) shall be binding on any sub-tenant referred to in section 27 who has given notice of his sub-tenancy to the landlord under the provisions of that section, unless the sub-tenant is made a party to the proceedings and the order for eviction is made binding on him.