R. JAYARAJAN Vs. TRAVANCORE DEVASWOM BOARD

JUDGEMENT

(1.) ALL these writ petitions are filed by the occupants of various shop rooms in the Devaswom Shopping Complex at Erumeli under the Travancore Devaswom Board. The case of the petitioners appears to be that they have been in occupation of the shop room for a long time and the action taken by the Board by issuing Ext.P3 asking them to vacate the buildings and for conducting auction the right to occupy the building is not correct. They are challenging the same on various grounds.

(2.) PURSUANT to the order passed by this court, the learned Ombudsman has initially submitted Report No.186/2013. After considering various aspects, the learned Ombudsman has reported that if the tenants are allowed to continue they are willing to increase the rent by 75%. The Travancore Devaswom Board thereafter filed a statement stating that the tenants should agree for payment of enhanced rent at 100% from the present rent and they should be further directed to deposit Rs. 1 lakh as deposit for each room.

(3.) WE heard the learned counsel for the petitioners and the learned standing counsel for the Board.