Lease / Tenancy – Eviction – Arbitration - Arbitrability of the dispute

Rent Act

Lease / Tenancy – Eviction – Arbitration - Arbitrability of the dispute relating to lease/tenancy agreements/deeds when such lease is governed by a Special Act ( rent Act) or by the Transfer of Property Act, 1882

Lease / Tenancy – Eviction – Arbitration - Arbitrability of the dispute relating to lease/tenancy agreements/deeds when such lease is governed by a Special Act ( rent Act) or by the Transfer of Property Act, 1882 – Eviction or tenancy relating to matters governed by special statutes where the tenant enjoys statutory protection against eviction whereunder the Court/Forum is specified and conferred jurisdiction under the statute alone can adjudicate such matters, in such cases the dispute is non-arbitrable - If the special statutes do not apply to the premises/property and the lease/tenancy created thereunder as on the date when the cause of action arises to seek for eviction or such other relief and in such transaction if the parties are governed by an Arbitration Clause; the dispute between the parties is arbitrable - Transfer of Property Act, 1882, Section 114 – Rent Act.#2020 SCeJ 2131

Lease governed by Transfer of Property Act, 1882

If in the arbitration proceedings the landlord has sought for an award of ejectment on the ground that the lease has been forfeited since the tenant has failed to pay the rent and breached the express condition for payment of rent or such other breach and in such proceedings the tenant pays or tenders the rent to the lessor or remedies such other breach, it would be open for the Arbitrator to take note of Section 114, 114A of TP Act and pass appropriate award in the nature as a Court would have considered that aspect while exercising the discretion. #2020 SCeJ 2131 [Para 16]

Lease governed by Special Act/s ( Rent Act)

Disputes arising under the Rent Acts are not arbitrable. This is for the reason that notwithstanding the terms and conditions entered into between the landlord and tenant to regulate the tenancy, if the eviction or tenancy is governed by a special statute, namely, the Rent Act the premises being amenable to the provisions of the Act would also provide statutory protection against eviction and the courts specified in the Act alone will be conferred jurisdiction to order eviction or to resolve such other disputes. In such proceedings under special statutes the issue to be considered by the jurisdictional court is not merely the terms and conditions entered into between the landlord and tenant but also other aspects such as the bonafide requirement, comparative hardship etc. even if the case for eviction is made out. In such circumstance, the Court having jurisdiction alone can advert into all these aspects as a statutory requirement and, therefore, such cases are not arbitrable. As indicated above, the same is not the position in matters relating to the lease/tenancy which are not governed under the special statutes but under the TP Act. #2020 SCeJ 2131