In Brief
A landlord of three shop rooms in Kerala sought to evict tenants on multiple grounds including non-payment of rent, bona fide need, and unauthorized sub-letting. The trial court ordered eviction, but the tenant deposited arrears and the High Court limited eviction to only one room where sub-letting was proven. The Supreme Court held that under the Kerala Buildings (Lease and Rent Control) Act, 1965, sub-letting of any portion of a single tenancy entitles the landlord to seek eviction from the entire premises, not merely the sub-let portion. The Court allowed the appeal and granted the respondents six months to vacate all three rooms.
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