EXECUTIVE OFFICER Vs. P VENUGOPALAM

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The complaint O. P.53/95 District Forum, Guntur was filed by P. Venugopalam, Proprietor, Vishnu Bhavan, Railpet, Guntur against (1) Executive Officer, Sri Anjaneya Swamy Temple, Railpet, Guntur, and (2) Guntur Municipality represented by its Commissioner seeking a direction to the opposite parties to reconnect the water tap connection which was disconnected by the second opposite party on 25.1.1995 on the ground that the property tax has to be paid by the tenant i. e. complainant.

(2.) It is not in dispute that the complainant's father was a lessee of the premises in question from Sri Anjaneya Swamy Temple which is the owner of the property and obtained water tap connection in his own name. Thereafter the complainant continued to be the tenant and it is also not in dispute that the complainant has been regularly paying the water tax due and payable in respect of water connection to the Municipality.

(3.) Alleging that the owner of the property i. e. Executive Officer did not pay the property tax inspite of the demands issued by the Municipality and that under the provisions of the Municipalities Act, the property tax can also be collected from the tenant, and that as the tenant failed to pay the property tax due and payable by the landlord, the Municipality i. e. opposite party No.1 disconnected the tap connection to the tenant. The complaint is filed against both the parties for a direction to restore the water tap connection.