20. [ Disposal of rent deposited under section 17.On any deposit being made under section 17, the Controller shall send in the prescribed manner the copy of the application to the landlord and the amount lying in deposit may, in such manner as may be prescribed, be withdrawn by the landlord on application made in that behalf and if such amount is not withdrawn before the expiration of three years from the date of deposit, it may, in the absence of any order of a Civil Court to the contrary, be repaid to the tenant on his application and on his returning the receipt given by the Controller under section 19 :
Provided that before passing any order for repayment of the amount to the tenant the Controller shall give a notice to the landlord by registered post at the last known address of such landlord and shall also publish the notice in his office and shall not pass any order for repayment until after the expiry of thirty days from the date of issue of such notice by post. The cost of transmission by post of such notice shall be deducted from the amount in deposit in accordance with such procedure as may be prescribed.] [Section 20 substituted by West Bengal Act No. 24 of 1959]
