SATPAL CHOPRA Vs. STATE OF PUNJAB

JUDGEMENT

(1.) SAT Paul Chopra petitioner by means of this petition under Articles 226 and 227 of the Constitution of India has assailed the order dated 7th December 1963 of the District Magistrate Amritsar, whereby he requisitioned the house in dispute situated in Majitha, district Amritsar, under section 29 of the Defence of India Act, 1962.

(2.) ACCORDING to the allegations of the petitioner, the house in dispute belongs to captain Bimal Kumar Jain. The petitioner took it on rent in 1947 from Bimal kumar, who was then a minor, through his mother. There was some dispute with regard to the rent of the house and its fair rent was fixed under the East Punjab urban Rent Restriction Act at Rs. 14/- per mensem. An application was also filed for the ejectment of the petitioner but it was dismissed. The petitioner claims that captain Bimal Kumar having failed to get the petitioner ejected in the proceedings under the East Punjab Urban Rent Restriction Act, the provisions of the Defence of india Act could not be pressed into service for getting the house vacated from the petitioner. The impugned order for the requisition of the house is stated to be illegal and mala fide.

(3.) THE petition has been resisted by the State of Punjab and the District magistrate, Amritsar, who have been impleaded as respondents in the petition, and a written statement has been filed on behalf of the District Magistrate. According to the District Magistrate, Mrs. Pushpa Jain, wife of Captain Bimal kumar Jain, approached Government stating that since her marriage her husband had been posted on field duties at non-family stations and overseas with the united Nations Emergency Forces, and she had no place to stay as her husband's house in Majitha was occupied by the present petitioner. She accordingly, prayed that the house might be got vacated for her residence. A similar petition was also received from Captain Bimal Kumar. An enquiry into the matter was got conducted through the Secretary Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen's Board who, after visiting the spot, reported that the petitioner owned house No. 138 in Ward No. 3, at Majitha, besides a building site opposite to that house. It was further reported that the petitioner had in his possession another spacious house belonging to his widowed mother-in-law of whom the petitioner's wife was the only child Mrs. Pushpa Jain on account of being without any accommodation was forced to live with her parents in lucknow. The secretary of the District Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen's Board, accordingly, recommended that the wife of Captain Bimal Kumar should be assisted in getting possession of the house to keep up the morale of military officers serving outside the country. The District Magistrate sent for the petitioner and explained to him the facts of the case. The petitioner then promised to look out for an alternative accommodation and to vacate the house. When the petitioner failed to keep his promise, the district Magistrate sent letter dated 11th October 1963 to the petitioner. The petitioner sent reply stating that he was making efforts to purchase a house and would vacate the house in dispute thereafter. The District Magistrate thereupon became convinced that the petitioner was putting off the matter on one excuse or the other and, in the circumstances, the District Magistrate considered it to be a fit case to requisition the house in the interest of affording have essential amenities to the family of a serving officer so as to secure peace of mind of a serving officer which is absolutely necessary for the efficient conduct of military operations and for securing the Defence of India. The house was accordingly, requisitioned and its possession was delivered to Mrs. Pushpa Jain on 13th February 1963.