Anna John Chakola Alias Suma John Chaola & Anr. vs Mathew Paul & Ors.

Soumen Sen, C. J.

Heard Mr. Kandampully Rahul, learned counsel for the petitioners.

The rent control proceedings were initiated in the year 2018. In the year 2021, an application was filed by the respondents seeking to frame the issue regarding title of landlord and of landlord tenant relationship.

It is submitted on behalf of the petitioners that, due to an oversight, the said application was not listed, and it has only recently been listed for consideration by the Rent Control Court.

The matter has not progressed much after its institution and the trial has not yet commenced.

We take note of the dictum laid down by this Court in Irvin John Jayarajan and Others v. Madhavi alias Narayani Amma and Others^{11.2022 (7) KHC 1}, wherein all Rent Control Courts were directed to dispose of Rent Control Petitions within a period of three months. The e-Courts status produced along with the O.P.(R.C.) reveals that the R.C.P. was instituted as early as in the year 2018 and that the matter has been adjourned from time to time.

Taking note of the dictum laid down in Irvin John Jayarajan (supra) and the fact that the rent control petition has been pending since 2018, we dispose of this petition by directing the Rent Control Court, Ernakulam, to dispose of R.C.P. No. 68 of 2018, preferably within a period of six months from today, without granting any adjournment unless unavoidable.

In view of the nature of the order passed, we do not propose to issue notice to the respondents. However, this order shall be communicated to the respondents for information.