66. We have not for a moment taken any position different from the
propositions in Ashoka Mktg. [Ashoka Mktg. Ltd. v. Punjab National Bank,
(1990) 4 SCC 406] We are in fact in agreement therewith, and we are not
accepting the submission of Mr Nariman, that only contractual tenancies
were sought to be covered under that judgment, and not statutory
tenancies. Tenancies of both kinds will be covered by that judgment, and
they will be covered under the Public Premises Act for the subjects
specified therein. The only issue is with effect from which date. That aspect
was not canvassed at all before the Constitution Bench, and that is the only
aspect which is being clarified by this judgment. We are only clarifying that
the application of the Public Premises Act will be only from 16-9-1958, or
from such later date when premises concerned become public premises on
the landlord concerned becoming a government company or public
corporation. When the law laid down by the different Benches of this Court
including by the Constitution Benches on retrospectivity is so clear, and so are
the provisions of the Public Premises Act, there is no occasion for this Court to
take any other view. When this judgment is only clarifying and advancing the
proposition laid down in Ashoka Mktg. [Ashoka Mktg. Ltd.v.Punjab National Bank,
(1990) 4 SCC 406] , there is no reason for us to accept the objections raised by Mr
Raval, that the issues raised in this matter should not be decided by this Bench
but ought to be referred to a larger Bench.
66. We have not for a moment taken any position different from the
propositions in Ashoka Mktg. [Ashoka Mktg. Ltd. v. Punjab National Bank,
(1990) 4 SCC 406] We are in fact in agreement therewith, and we are not
accepting the submission of Mr Nariman, that only contractual tenancies
were sought to be covered under that judgment, and not statutory
tenancies. Tenancies of both kinds will be covered by that judgment, and
they will be covered under the Public Premises Act for the subjects
specified therein. The only issue is with effect from which date. That aspect
was not canvassed at all before the Constitution Bench, and that is the only
aspect which is being clarified by this judgment. We are only clarifying that
the application of the Public Premises Act will be only from 16-9-1958, or
from such later date when premises concerned become public premises on
the landlord concerned becoming a government company or public
corporation. When the law laid down by the different Benches of this Court
including by the Constitution Benches on retrospectivity is so clear, and so are
the provisions of the Public Premises Act, there is no occasion for this Court to
take any other view. When this judgment is only clarifying and advancing the
proposition laid down in Ashoka Mktg. [Ashoka Mktg. Ltd.v.Punjab National Bank,
(1990) 4 SCC 406] , there is no reason for us to accept the objections raised by Mr
Raval, that the issues raised in this matter should not be decided by this Bench
but ought to be referred to a larger Bench.
I have
recently in Dr. Shekhar Shah v. Government of Maharashtra dealt
with the said aspect and in the light thereof need to say anything
more is not felt especially as I am here not concerned with any title
dispute but with a dispute as to validity of determination of lease
and on which the judgments in Ashoka Marketing Ltd. supra
applied by the Division Benches of this Court are final."
I have
recently in Dr. Shekhar Shah v. Government of Maharashtra dealt
with the said aspect and in the light thereof need to say anything
more is not felt especially as I am here not concerned with any title
dispute but with a dispute as to validity of determination of lease
and on which the judgments in Ashoka Marketing Ltd. supra
applied by the Division Benches of this Court are final."
Ltd. v. Punjab
National Bank, (1990) 4 SCC 406]. The only
issue is with effect from which date. That
aspect was not canvassed at all before the
Constitution Bench, and that is the only
aspect which is being clarified by this
judgment. (para
(c) However where both Parliamentary statutes are special in nature, there is a third rule which has been resorted to for resolving a situation of inconsistency. The Supreme Court in these circumstances has Page 0550 resolved the inconsistency by reference to the principles and policy underlying the two enactments. [Ashoka Marketing Ltd. v. Punjab National Bank Morgan Securities and Credits Pvt. Ltd. v. Modi Rubber Ltd. (2007) AIR SCW 350.
12. As can be seen from paragraph No.8 of the said Judgment, the
principal contention raised by the Appellant in the said case, right
from the stage of proceeding before the Estate Officer and even before
this Court, was that, his occupation in the premises concerned was
protected under the newly added Section 15-A of the Bombay Rent
Act with effect from 1st February 1973, i.e. prior to the first
Respondent acquiring title over the property from 1st January 1974.
Therefore, he could not be evicted by invoking the provisions of the
Public Premises Act and by treating him as an 'unauthorized
occupant' under that Act. The said contention was rejected by this
Court holding that, the provisions of the Bombay Rent Act were not
applicable to the premises concerned, as the premises were covered
under the Public Premises Act. While arriving at this conclusion, this
Court had relied upon the Judgment of the Constitution Bench of the
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Hon'ble Apex Court in the case of Ashoka Mktg Ltd. Vs. Punjab
National Bank, (1990) 4 SCC 406. In this judgment, the contention
that the provisions of the Public Premises Act cannot be applied to the
premises, which fall within the ambit of the State Rent Control Act,
was rejected. It was, therefore, held by this Court that, the Public
Premises Act became applicable to the premises concerned from 13 th
May 1971 itself i.e. after the date from when the management of the
erstwhile Insurance Company was taken over by the Central
Government and not from the date of merger i.e. from 1 st January
1974.