Section 4 of the Sindh Rented Premises Ordinance details with the Controllers. (1) Government may appoint one or more Controllers in any district and if more than one Controller is appointed in the same district Government shall define the local limits within which each of such Controllers shall exercise jurisdiction;
Provided that the Controllers working immediately before coming into force of this Ordinance shall continue to exercise their respective territorial jurisdiction until it has been altered, by Government.
(2) No person shall be appointed as a Controller unless he has worked or, has been working, as a Civil Judge or First Class Magistrate, for not less than three years.
(3) Government may authorize the District Judge or Deputy Commissioner, to transfer cases from one Controller to another within the District.
Section 5 of the Sindh Rented Premises Ordinance details with theAgreement between landlord and tenant. (1) The agreement by which a landlord lets out any premises to a tenant shall be in writing and if such agreement is not compulsorily registrable under any law for the time being in force, it shall be attested by, signed by, and sealed with the seal of, the Controller within whose jurisdiction the premises is situate or, any Civil Judge or First Class Magistrate.
(2) Where any agreement by which a landlord lets out any premises to a tenant is compulsorily registrable under any law for the time being in force, a certified copy of the registered deed and where the agreement is not so registrable, the original deed duly attested under subsection (1), shall be produced and accepted in proof of the relationship of the landlord and tenant;
Provided that nothing in this section shall affect any agreement between the landlord and tenant immediately before coming into force of this Ordinance.
Section 8. of the Sindh Rented Premises Ordinance details with theFair rent. (1) The Controller shall, on application by the tenant or landlord determine fair rent of the premises after taking into consideration the following factors: —-
(a) the rent of similar premises situated in the similar circumstances, in the same or adjoining locality.
(b) the rise in cost of construction and repair charges.
(c) the imposition of new taxes, if any, after commencement of the tenancy; and
(d) the annual value of the premises, if any, on which property tax is levied.
(2) Where any addition to or, improvement in, any premises has been made or any tax, or other public charge has been levied, enhanced, reduced or withdraw in respect thereof, or any fixtures such as lifts or electric or other fittings have been provided thereon subsequent to the determination of the fair rent of such premises, the fair rent shall, notwithstanding the pro¬visions of section 9 be determined or, as the case may be, revised after taking such changes into consideration.
Section 11 of the Sindh Rented Premises Ordinance details with the Discontinuance of amenities and services. (1) No landlord shall dis¬continue or cause to be discontinued any service such as electricity, gas or water, except with the previous consent of the tenant or in compliance with the requisition of the concerned authority or after obtaining the direction of the Controller in this behalf.
(2) Where the landlord has discontinued or caused, to be discontinued any service in contravention of subsection (1), the tenant may make an appli¬cation to the Controller for restoration thereof.
(3) Where the Controller is, after making such inquiry as he deems fit, satisfied that the service has been discontinued without sufficient cause, he shall make an order directing the landlord to have the service restored within such period as may be specified in the order.
(4) Where the landlord has failed to comply with the order of the Con¬troller made under subsection (3), the Controller may take necessary steps to get the service restored and recover the costs of such restoration from the landlord.
(5) Where the landlord has contravened the provisions of subsection (1), he shall be punished with simple imprisonment for a period not exceeding six months or with fine or with both.
Section 13 of the Sindh Rented Premises Ordinance details with the Eviction. No tenant shall be evicted from the premises in his posses¬sion except in accordance with the provisions of this Ordinance.
Section 14 of the Sindh Rented Premises Ordinance details with the Delivery of vacant possession. (1) Notwithstanding anything con¬tained in this Ordinance or any other law for the being in force, the landlord of a building who is a widow, or a minor whose both parents are dead or a salaried employee due to retire within the next six months or has retired or a person who is due to attain the age of sixty years within the next six months or has attained the age of sixty years, may, by notice in writing, inform the tenant that be or she need, the building for personal use and require him to deliver vacant possession of the building within such time as may be specified in the notice, not being earlier than two months from the receipt thereof;
Provided that nothing in this subsection shall apply where more than six months have elapsed since the landlord has retired or attained the age of sixty years or, as the case may be, has become widow or orphan.
(2) Delivery of vacant possession. The landlord shall not be entitled to avail the benefit of subsection (1) if he is in occupation of a building owned by him in any locality.
(3) Where the tenant has failed to deliver the possession of the building under . subsection (1), the Controller shall, on application by the landlord in this behalf, order eviction of the tenant from the building in a summary manner, by using such force as may be necessary.
(4) Where the landlord, who has obtained the possession of the building under this section, relates the building to any person other than the previous tenant or puts it to a use other than personal use within one year of such possession, he shall be punishable with fine which shall not exceed one year’s rent of the building payable immediately before the possession was so obtained.
Irfan Mir Halepota, Advocate Supreme Court of Pakistan.
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