IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB & HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH Civil Revision No.6371 of 2007 (O&M) Date of Decision : 20.10.2009 Sultan and others .....Petitioners versus Murti Shri Surya Narain Ji Maharaj and others .....Respondents CORAM : HON'BLE MR.JUSTICE SURYA KANT. Present : Mr.G.S.Gandhi, Advocate, for the petitioners. Mr.Surinder Avinash Sharma, Advocate, for respondent No.1. Mr.P.S.Chauhan, Advocate, for respondent No.1-E Mr.R.P.Daaria, Advocate, for respondent Nos.2 to 10. -.- 1. Whether Reporters of Local papers may be allowed to see the judgment? 2. To be referred to the Reporters or not? 3. Whether the judgment should be reported in the Digest? --- ORDER Surya Kant, J. (Oral) [1] This revision petition is preferred by the tenants whose appeal against the ex-parte eviction order has been dismissed by the Appellate Authority, Narnaul, vide the impugned judgment dated 3.11.2007 being not maintainable. [2] Shorn of the details, suffice it to notice that the respondent- landlord filed an eviction petition against the petitioner-tenants on the ground of non-payment of rent. The petitioners were proceeded against ex- parte, resulting into an ex-parte eviction order dated 8.6.1998. They moved C.R. No.6371 of 2007 (O&M) 2 an application under Order 9 Rule 13 CPC to recall the ex-pate order dated 9.8.1998, but that application has been dismissed by the Rent Controller, Narnaul vide order dated 2.3.2005. [3] Aggrieved, the petitioners approach this Court in Civil Revision No.1510 of 2005 which was dismissed on 21.11.2006 holding that the impugned order was appealable. [4] The petitioners went in appeal, but their appeal has been dismissed by the Appellate Authority, Narnaul vide the impugned judgment dated 3.11.2007 after holding that the same is not maintainable. [5] The Appellate Authority, Narnaul, has taken the aforesaid view on the assumption that the petitioners challenged only the order dated 2.3.2005 whereby the Rent Controller, Narnaul has dismissed their application under Order 9 Rule 13 CPC, without challenging the ex-parte eviction order dated 8.6.1998. No appeal is maintainable against an order rejecting the application under Order 9 Rule 13 CPC. [6] Be that as it may, in sum and substances, the petitioners were aggrieved at the ex-parte proceedings held against them which culminated into passing an ex-parte eviction order. [7] Counsel for the petitioner-tenants agrees that besides the order rejecting their application under Order 9 Rule 13 CPC, the petitioners would formally challenge the ex-parte eviction order dated 8.6.1998 also. [8] That being so, the appeal preferred by the petitioners would undoubtedly be maintainable under the Rent Act. C.R. No.6371 of 2007 (O&M) 3 [9] For the reasons aforestated, this revision petition is allowed to the extent that the impugned order dated 3.11.2007 passed by the Appellate Authority, Narnaul, is set-aside; the petitioners may challenge the ex-parte eviction order also before the Appellate Authority, Narnaul, who shall then hear and decide the petitioners' appeal against the eviction order on merits and while considering their appeal, shall also examine the validity of the order dated 2.3.2005 whereby the application under Order 9 Rule 13 CPC moved by the petitioners, has been dismissed. In other words, the Appellate Authority, Narnaul shall pass a composite order after considering the contention of both the parties in support or against the above mentioned ex-parte-eviction order, as well as dismissal of the application under Order 9 Rule 13 CPC. The matter is accordingly remitted to the Appellate Authority, Narnaul and the parties are directed to appear before the Appellate Authority, Narnaul, on 23.11.2009. Since the matter is quite old one, the Appellate Authority, Narnaul, is directed to decide the appeal of the petitioners as early as possible, but not later than six months. Till the appeal is decided by the Appellate Authority, Narnaul, dispossession of the petitioners shall remain stayed subject to payment of arrears of rent, if any, and future rent by 10th of every calendar month. Dasti. 20-10-2009 (SURYA KANT) Mohinder JUDGE