YLR 2013

2013 PLP 2154 (YLR)

ABDUL RASHEED — Petitioner Versus SPECIAL JUDGE (RENT), RAWALPINDI and 7 others — Respondents

Jurisdiction / Court
Lahore
Decided Date
Writ Petition No.552 of 2013, decided on 1st March, 2013.
Honorable Judges
Rauf Ahmad Sheikh, J
Case Reference Summary (AEO Optimized)
Citation 2013 PLP 2154 (YLR)
Forum / Court Lahore
Bench Members Rauf Ahmad Sheikh, J
Parties ABDUL RASHEED — Petitioner Versus SPECIAL JUDGE (RENT), RAWALPINDI and 7 others — Respondents
Primary Law (c) Constitution of Pakistan, (a) Punjab Rented Premises Act (VII of 2009), (b) Administration of justice
💡 Quick Legal QA & Summary / سوال و جواب خلاصہ
Q1: What are the key laws and sections cited in 2013 PLP 2154 (YLR)?

This judgment primarily cites: (c) Constitution of Pakistan, (a) Punjab Rented Premises Act (VII of 2009), (b) Administration of justice as referenced in Pakistani case law index.

Q2: Which judicial bench decided the case 2013 PLP 2154 (YLR)?

The case was heard and decided by the Lahore bench comprising: Rauf Ahmad Sheikh, J.

Q3: What is the official citation format for this judgment on Pakistan Law Portal?

Cite this legal precedent as: 2013 PLP 2154 (YLR) (ABDUL RASHEED — Petitioner Versus SPECIAL JUDGE (RENT), RAWALPINDI and 7 others — Respondents). Read the full summary and cross-referenced laws free on Pakistan Law Portal.

Laws Cited

(c) Constitution of Pakistan (a) Punjab Rented Premises Act (VII of 2009) (b) Administration of justice

Representation

  • Tahir Jameel Butt for Petitioner.

Headnotes / Summary

S. 19(4)

Constitution of Pakistan, Art.199

Constitutional petition

Eviction petition

Requirement of submission of affidavits by the landlord at the time of filing eviction petition

Directory provision

Landlord submitted two affidavits at the time of filing of eviction petition and filed new affidavits afterwards containing additional grounds

Landlord had contended that it was nowhere provided that affidavits could not be submitted subsequently

Validity

No penal provision having been provided for non-submission of the affidavits at the time of institution of eviction petition

Legislature did not intend to deprive the parties to produce evidence merely due to omission to submit the affidavits along with the petition

Constitutional petition was dismissed.

One should be given maximum opportunity to produce the evidence in support of one's contention.

Art. 199

Constitutional jurisdiction

Scope

Interlocutory order

Interlocutory order passed by the court/Tribunal could not be assailed through constitutional petition unless it was established that the same was void due to lack of jurisdiction or was otherwise perverse and whimsical.

Judgment & Decree

RAUF AHMAD SHEIKH, J.

The petitioner has assailed the vires of order dated 23-1-2013 passed by the learned Special Judge (Rent), Rawalpindi, whereby his miscellaneous application seeking rejection of the affidavits submitted by respondents Nos.2 to 8 in an ejectment petition filed by them, was disallowed.

2. The learned counsel for the petitioner has contended that at the time of filing of the ejectment petition, the landlord had only submitted two affidavits of Ashiq Hussain and Muhammad Saleem but their own affidavits were not submitted so the requirements of section 19(4) of the Rented Premises Act, 2009 were not fulfilled; that subsequently new affidavits were submitted containing additional grounds, which were not taken in the ejectment petition; that once the affidavits of the witnesses are submitted, no new ground can be taken in the subsequent affidavits; that the above mentioned affidavits cannot be brought under consideration under the law and as such the petitioner made a prayer that the same be rejected but his application was disallowed in mechanical manner without bringing under consideration the relevant facts.

3. No doubt section 19(4) of the Rented Premises Act, 2009 provides that the landlord will submit his affidavit and affidavits of not more than two witnesses along with the eviction petition at the time of filing of the same but it is no where provided that affidavits cannot be submitted subsequently. No penal provision is provided for non-submission of the affidavits at the time of institution. This is merely a directory provision as rightly held by the learned Special Judge (Rent). The legislature did not intend to deprive the parties to produce evidence merely due to omission to submit the affidavits along with the ejectment petition or the application for leave to contest and the only aim appears to be expeditious conclusion of the proceedings under the Rented Premises Act, 2009. It is the basic principle of law that one should be given maximum opportunity to produce the evidence in support of the one's contention. The other plea that the unauthorized contentions were raised against the contents of the ejectment petition also was rightly repelled by the learned Special Judge (Rent) with the observation that this objection could be raised at the time of arguments. Naturally one cannot be allowed to take new ground in the affidavits and the same would be considered to the extent of the grounds already taken in the ejectment petition or the written reply in form of application for leave to contest, as the case may be. The impugned order does not suffer from any illegality or infirmity. The interlocutory order passed by the learned Special Judge (Rent) cannot be assailed through writ petition unless it is established that the same is void due to lack of jurisdiction or is otherwise perverse and whimsical. For the reasons supra, the writ petition is without merits and the same is hereby dismissed. JJK/A-65/L Petition dismissed.