In Brief
A landlord appealed against a high court order dismissing his suit to evict a tenant for rent default. The tenant argued he had paid the provisional rent (Rs. 150/month) fixed by the trial court, though he admitted the agreed rent was Rs. 250/month. The Supreme Court held that once a court fixes provisional rent during a dispute, a tenant pays only that amount and cannot be evicted for not paying a higher agreed rate. However, a tenant loses eviction protection if they fail to make regular monthly deposits as required by the rent control statute. Here, the tenant paid rent only three times over eleven years and deposited arrears only later, failing to comply with statutory requirements. The Court allowed the appeal and ordered the tenant's eviction.
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