Achariya Educational Trust Ltd, v. A.V.Ravikumar

ORDER This Civil Revision Petition has been filed, under Article 227 of the Constitution of India, seeking to strike off R.L.T.O.P. No. 249 of 2025 pending on the file of XIII Judge, Court of Small Causes, Chennai.

¶2The petitioner is the tenant and he is the respondent in the R.L.T.O.P. No. 249 of 2025 pending on the file of XIII Judge, Court of Small Causes, Chennai. The respondent herein is the landlord.

¶3According to the petitioner, R.L.T.O.P. No. 249 of 2025 is not maintainable since the petitioner, being an educational trust, is a notified institution and is exempted from the provisions of Tamil Nadu Regulation of Rights and Responsibilities of Landlords and Tenants Act, 2017.

¶4The petitioner had already filed an application before the Rent Court, raising a preliminary issue that R.L.T.O.P. No. 249 of 2025 is not maintainable against the petitioner. The said application was returned by the Rent Court on the ground that there is no provision available under the Act, 2017 for raising any preliminary issue.

¶5Aggrieved by the same, this Civil Revision Petition has been filed under Article 227 of the Constitution of India to strike off R.L.T.O.P. No. 249 of 2025 pending on the file of the XIII Judge, Court of Small Causes, Chennai.

¶6Under the provisions of the Tamil Nadu Regulation of Rights and Responsibilities of Landlords and Tenants Act, 2017, the proceedings initiated by the landlord against the tenant is a summary proceedings. The said legislation was legislated only for early disposal of landlord-tenant disputes.

¶7The Act, 2017 stipulates that the proceedings of the nature instituted by the respondent will have to be disposed of within a period of three months. When the Act stipulates early disposal of landlord-tenant disputes, the question of entertaining a petition filed under Article 227 of the Constitution of India by this Court, seeking to strike off R.L.T.O.P. No. 249 of 2025 pending on the file of the XIII Judge, Court of Small Causes, Chennai, does not arise.

¶8Instead of contesting the maintainability of R.L.T.O.P. No. 249 of 2025 before the Rent Court, the petitioner has unnecessarily filed this petition under Article 227 of the Constitution of India on the ground that the R.L.T.O.P. No. 249 of 2025 filed against the petitioner by the respondent is not maintainable since the petitioner claims that they are exempted from the applicability of the Tamil Nadu Regulation of Rights and Responsibilities of Landlords and Tenants Act, 2017, as according to them, there are a notified institution.

¶9The very same contention has already been raised by the petitioner through their counter filed before the XIII Judge, Court of Small Causes, Chennai, in R.L.T.O.P. No. 249 of 2025. Therefore, the question of entertaining this Civil Revision Petition under Article 227 of the Constitution of India, that too when the Act, 2017 makes it clear that the proceedings before the Rent Court is a summary proceedings and has to be disposed of within the time stipulated under the Act, does not arise.

¶10The only limited relief that can be granted in this Civil Revision Petition is to direct the Rent Court to dispose of R.L.T.O.P. No. 249 of 2025 within a time frame to be fixed by this Court.

¶11After giving due consideration to the contentions of the petitioner that R.L.T.O.P. No. 249 of 2025 is not maintainable against them, as according to the petitioner, being a charitable trust, they are exempted from the provisions of the Tamil Nadu Regulation of Rights and Responsibilities of Landlords and Tenants Act, 2017, without expressing any opinion on the merits of the petitioner's contentions raised before this Court, this Civil Revision Petition is disposed of by directing the XIII Judge, Court of Small Causes, Chennai, to dispose of R.L.T.O.P. No. 249 of 2025 within a period of three months from the date of receipt of a copy of this order. No Costs. Consequently, connected miscellaneous petition is closed. 22-07-2026 Index:Yes/No Speaking/Non-speaking order Internet:Yes ab To The XIII Judge, Court of Small Causes Court, Chennai. ABDUL QUDDHOSE J. ab and CMP No. 18739 of 2026 22-07-2026

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS DATED: 22-07-2026 CORAM THE HONOURABLE MR JUSTICE ABDUL QUDDHOSE and CMP No. 18739 of 2026 1. Achariya Educational Trust Ltd, rep by its Managing Trustee, J.Arawindhan Plot No.33, 80 Feet Road, Kamarajar Nagar, Sathya Garden, Saligramam, Chennai 600 093 Petitioner(s) Vs 1. A.V.Ravikumar S/o.Publipatta Variath Solapani Warrier, Door No.25, Jaganathar Temple, 15th Cross Street, Teddykuppam road, Kanathur, ECR, Chennai 603 112. Respondent(s) PRAYER Civil Revision Petition filed under Article 227 of the Constitution of India to Strike off the RLTOP No.249 of 2025 on the file XIII Judge, Court of Small Causes, Chennai proceedings as not maintainable. For Petitioner(s): Mr.G.Paramasivam For Respondent(s): Notice dispensed with