ZADBA Vs. MAHARASHTRA REVENUE TRIBUNAL

JUDGEMENT

(1.) THE land is dispute in this case was leased to the petitioner for the year 1958059. On 15. 4. 1959, opponent No. 4 (hereinafter referred to as the opponent gave a notice to the petitioner, terminating his tenancy with effect from 30-4-1959. On 22-4-1959, the opponent made an application for obtaining possession of the land under section 39 of the Bombay Tenancy and Agricultural Lands (Vidurbha Region and Kutch Area) Act, 1958. The order was confirmed in appeal by the Sub Divisional Officer and in revision by the Revenue Tribunal.

(2.) MR. Manohar, who appears on behalf of the petitioner, has raised two points. He has first urged that the application for possession was premature, as it was made by the opponent even before the petitioner's tenancy had been terminated. It is, however, conceded that the opponent could have made an application for possession after 30-4-1959. No prejudice has, therefore, been caused to the petitioner by the application made by the opponent being entertained before 30-4-1959.

(3.) THE next point, which Mr. Manohar has raised, is that the notice given to the petitioner terminating his tenancy is not valid. Sub-section (I) of section 39, under which the opponent had made his application, is in the following terms : (I) Notwithstanding anything contained in section 9, 19 or 38 but subject to the provisions of sub-section (z) a landlord who holds an area not exceeding a family holding, may terminate such tenancy created by him not earlier than the first day or April 1957 as could have been terminated but for the provisions of the Bombay Vidarbha Region Agricultural Tenants (Protection from Eviction and Amendment of Tenancy Laws) Ordinance, 1957 or the Bombay Vidarbha Region Agricultural Tenants (Protection from Eviction and Amendment of Tenancy laws) Act, 1959, by giving to the tenant a notice in writing and making an application for possession as provided in sub-section (2) of section 36 within one year from the date of the commencement of the Bombay Tenancy and Agricultural Lands (Vidarbha Region and Kutch Area) (Amendment) Act, 1960 if he bone fide requires the land for cultivating it personally. " the Ordinance referred to in this sub-section was repealed by the Bombay Vidarbha Region Agricultural Tenants (Protection from Eviction and Amendment of Tenancy Laws) Act, 1957. The latter Act was repealed by section 132 of the Tenancy Act, which came into force on 30th December 1958. The act as it originally stood specified 31st March 1959 as the last date for making an application under the said sub-section (I) of section 39. This date was extended upto 30th September 1959 by section 2 of the Bombay Tenancy and Agricultural Lands (Vidarbha Region and Kutch Area)n Amendment) Act, 1959 (Act XXX of 1959), which came into force on 4-5-1959. The words "within one year from the date of the commencement of the Bombay Tenancy and Agricultural Lands (Vidarbha Region and Kutch Area) (Amendment) Act 1960" were substituted for the words, and figures "before the 30th day of September 1959" by section 9 of the Bombay Tenancy and Agricultural Lands (Vidarbha Region and Kutch Area) (Amendment) Act, 1960, which came into force on 28-1-1961.