IN THE COURT OF THE XXI JUNIOR CIVIL JUDGE:
CITY CIVIL COURT: HYDERABAD
Dated: This the 27 th day of April, 2015
PRESENT: Smt. J.MAITHREYI., LL.M.,
XXI JUNIOR CIVIL JUDGE
O.S.No. 958 OF 2009
Between:
Smt. Mohini Devnani, W/o. Late Sri S.Kotumal, aged : 69 years, Occ : Household, resident of
H.No. 3-5-694/1, Himayathnagar, Hyderabad.
...Plaintiff
AND
M/s. BK Thati & Associates, represented by its, proprietor Sri Balakrishna, T R/o. 4-1-938/22/A/1,
II Floor, New Marketing Complex, Tilak Road, Abids.
Hyderabad - 500001.
…..Defendant
This suit is coming for final hearing before me in the presence of Sri Vishnu Grover, Advocate for the plaintiff and of Sri P.S.Sai
Baba, Advocate for the Defendant and the matter having stood over for consideration till this day this Court delivered the following:-
J U D G M E N T
This suit is filed under order VII Rule 1 to 6 R/w. Sec. 26 of Civil Procedure Code, with a prayer to pass a decree directing the defendant to vacate and hand over the peaceful possession of the suit schedule property and direct the defendant to future damages @
Rs.10,000/- per month from 1.1.2009 till the date of delivery of possession.
2. The brief averments of the case as per plaint is that the plaintiff is the absolute owner and land lord of premises bearing
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municipal no.4-1-938/22/A/1, Second Floor, new marketing
Complex, Tilak Road, Abids, Hyderabad and the same was let out to the defendant. After expiry of the period of lease the lease was renewed on 1.3.2007 on monthly basis and the rent fixed at
Rs.4000/- per month exclusive of water and electricity consumption charges and the payment of municipal taxes. The rent is to be increased by 10% for every completed period of two years. The tenancy is commencing from 1st of month to the end of the month and the rent is payable by 5th of each month in advance. At the time of said renewal of lease it was agreed that the defendant shall keep a refundable deposit of Rs.50,000/- with the plaintiff for due performance of terms and conditions, the same was to be refunded at the time of vacating the premises subject to adjustment of arrears of rent and damages if any but the defendant has deposited only a sum of Rs.50,000/- and agreed deposit the balance by June 2008 but did not do so. Under the terms of lease the defendant agreed not to make any alterations in the existing structures or amenities of the building as well as the fittings and also not to use any space in the building other than the tenant premises. The plaintiff is an old lady and her son Mr.Vasudev K Dev Rani has been looking and maintaining the affairs of suit schedule property.
3.The defendant had unauthorizedly got fixed an additional tap connection from the over head tank to the balcony of the tenanted premises and started keeping the material of the defendant on the terrace of the said premises causing inconvenience to other to go
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through the stair case. The son of the plaintiff Mr.Vasudev
K.Devarani has been in occupation of the first floor of the same building and the acts of the defendant have been causing inconvenience to the son of the defendant. The defendant has deposited the balance amount of Rs.25000/- in spite of repeated demands. Further the defendant has not been producing the receipt for payment of electricity consumption charges and payment of municipal taxes. Further the son of the plaintiff herein who is in occupation of the first floor of the same building intends to shift his accommodation into the second floor now in occupation of the defendant which is convenient for the business of the son of the plaintiff.
4.The Defendant has not deposited the balance amount of
Rs. 25,000/- inspite of repeated demands. Further, the Defendant has not been producing the receipt for payment of electricity consumption charges and payment of municipal taxes. Further, the son of Plaintiff who is in occupation of 1st floor of the same building intends to shift his accommodation into the 2nd floor now which is in occupation of Defendant. The Defendant has changed the structures unauthorizedly so that the Plaintiff got issued a notice dt.1-12-2008 terminating the lease by end of the month of
December, 2008 and directed the Defendant to handover vacant possession of Suit Schedule Property by paying all arrears, charges, and taxes due in respect of Suit Schedule Property. The Defendant had received the said notice on 3-12-2008 but gave a reply with
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untenable facts and grounds. The allegation in reply notice that the Defendant has spend about Rs. 3 lakhs for his necessary interiors and that he has spent about Rs. 17,000/- for repairs to the sanitary pipes is denied by the Plaintiff. The Defendant has taken a wrong plea that the Plaintiff is not in the habit of issuing receipts for the rent paid. There is no written lease deed and the claim of the Defendant about the existence of a written lease is equally not true and in any case there is no lease deed with proper stamp duty and registration ., hence the lease deed is not admissible in law. The lease has been terminated u/s 106 of T.P. Act. The
Defendant has received the same so the Defendant has no right to continue his possession in the suit property.
5.If the premises let out to any other person, it would easily fetch a rent of Rs. 10,000/- p.m. The Defendant is in illegal occupation of suit property so he is liable to pay damages @ Rs. 10,000/- per month with effect from 1-1-2009. Hence, he prays the court to direct the Defendant to deliver the possession and to pay future damages.
6. On the other hand, the Defendant has filed his written statement for the facts as follows:
7.The Defendant denied all the averments made in the plaint and submits that the Plaintiff is the owner of suit premises and he let out the premises on 1-12-1994, the lease deed was executed on 18- 11-1994. The lease was renewed on 1-3-2007 in writing and the rent amount payable for the month is Rs. 4,000/- exclusive of water and
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electricity consumption charges and the payment of municipal tax.
In the lease deed it is mentioned that the deposit amount will be refunded after deducting any arrears of rent, maintenance charges, and municipal taxes etc., but no where it is mentioned that the
Plaintiff is entitled to deduct any amount towards the damages.
8.It was agreed that the Defendant shall keep a refundable deposit of Rs. 50,000/- with the Plaintiff for due performance of terms and conditions of lease and the same was to be refunded at the time of vacating the premises subject to adjustment of arrears of rent, damages, etc., if any. But the Defendant has deposited only a sum of Rs. 50,000/- and agreed to deposit the balance amount is denied. As per the terms of lease deed, a sum of Rs. 10,000/- was paid at the time of execution of a earlier lease deed ie., on 18-11- 1994 and the Defendant had paid a further sum of Rs. 15,000/- on the date of executing the subsequent lease deed on 1-3-2007. In total the Plaintiff herein had received a sum of Rs. 25,000/- out of the agreed amount of Rs. 50,000/-. The Defendant has agreed to pay the balance amount within a period of 2 years from the date of execution of lease deed. The lease deed was executed on 1-3-2007 so the balance amount should be paid on or before 1-3-2009, due to typographical mistake it is wrongly mentioned as June, 2008.
9.Originally, Manasa Associates had obtained the 2nd floor of the premises bearing No. 4-1-938/22/A/1, New Marketing Complex,
Tilak Road, Hyderabad on 18-11-1994 on lease and to that effect a rental Agreement was executed in between the parties.
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Subsequently, the said lease was renewed on 1-3-2007d in favour of
B.K. Thapi and Associates, which is the changed name of Manasa
Associates. At the time of renewing the tenancy period on 1-3-2007, it is mutually agreed that after payment of deposit amount of Rs.
15,000/-, the Plaintiff had agreed to provide three phase current supply to the said property. As the Plaintiff failed to provide three phase supply so the Defendant could not pay the balance amount deposit of Rs. 25,000/-. The allegations that the Defendant had unauthorizedly got fixed additional tap connection and using that terrace area and causing inconvenience to others are denied by the
Defendant. After taking permission from the Plaintiff the Defendant has arranged a tap in the balcony of the premises. The Plaintiff's son keeps open the office in the 1st floor only once in a week ie., on
Monday and the office working hours are free from 11.30 A.M. to 1
P.M. , and on the remaining days , the office will be closed. The
Defendant has handed over the municipal tax receipts to the
Plaintiff immediately after making the payment of municipal taxes.
the Plaintiff has taken a false plea that his son is intended to shift the office to the suit premises .
10.The Plaintiff is not in the need of premises for his personal use.
The Plaintiff has no right to terminate the tenancy. The Defendant has not committed any default in paying the monthly rent amounts.
The Defendant has paid the rent amount up to December, 2008 thereafter, his sent the rent amount through Money Order as the
Plaintiff refused to take the amount. Even though, the Plaintiff
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refused to receive the amount. The Defendant has sent the rent amounts for 3 months ie., August to October, 2008 by money order but the Plaintiff refused to receive the same. Thereafter, he accepted the rents for the dd5 months ie., from August to December, 2008 through two cheques. The Plaintiff is not in the habit of issuing receipts. After renewal of lease Agreement the Defendant has spent amount of Rs. 3 lakhs for office interiors and after seeing the interiors , the Plaintiff is asking the Defendant to vacate the premises only with a view to compel the Defendant to enhance the rent amount. The Plaintiff never bothered to maintain the premises so the defendants spent an amount of Rs. 17,000/- for the repairs of sanitary pipes. The Defendant also attended the flooring work at the entrance of the ground floor to the office by spending his amounts.
The Defendant regularly paying the rent amounts without committing any default, but whereas the Plaintiff is not at all cooperating to receive the rent amounts from the Defendant. As per clause d20 of lease deed, the lessor shall give 3 months prior notice to lessee to vacate the premises. The Plaintiff has issued only one month notice so it is not in accordance with the lease deed. The
Plaintiff is not entitled to claim Rs. 10,000/- per month as damages as the rent does not fetch to Rs. 10,000/-. The Defendant is in possession of premises under lease deed so there is no question of demanding the payment of Rs. 10,000/- per month and asking him to vacate and handover the premises to the Plaintiff, does not arise.
There is no cause of action . Hence, prays the court to dismiss this
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suit.
11.Basing on the above pleadings , this court has framed the following Issues.
Issues
1) Whether the Plaintiff is entitled to get evicted the Defendant and to recover the possession of Suit Schedule Property ?
2)Whether Quit Notice u/s 106 of T.P. Act issued by Plaintiff is valid ?
3)Whether the Plaintiff is entitled to damages at the rate of Rs.
10,000/- per month from 1-1-2009 till handing over vacant possession by Defendant ?
4) To what relief is Plaintiff entitled to the facts and circumstances of the case
12.At the time of Trial, the Plaintiff examined her self as pw1 and
Ex.A1 to A4 are got marked. PW2 also examined on behalf of
Plaintiff. On the other hand, the Defendant examined himself as
DW1. No documents are marked.
13.After Hearing the arguments of both sides today the matter stood for Judgment.
14. Issue No.1 and 2:
Admittedly, the Plaintiff is the owner and land lady of the premises bearing M.No. 4-1-938/22/A/1, 2 nd Floor, New Marketing complex, Tilak Road, Abids, Hyderabad. The premises was let out to
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the Defendant on 1-12-1994, a lease deed was executed on 18-11- 1994. Subsequently, the lease was renewed on 1-3-2007 in writing and the rent amount payable per month is of Rs. 4,000/- exclusive of water and electricity consumption charges and the payment of municipal taxes. There is no dispute with regard to jural relationship of land lord and tenant and the quantum of rent. It appears that the dispute is with regard to payment of advance amount, the Plaintiff contended that the Defendant is under obligation to keep a refundable deposit of Rs. 50,000/- with the
Plaintiff and it should be adjusted towards arrears of rent, damages, etc., but the Defendant has deposited a sum of Rs. 15,000/- and failed to deposit the balance amount. The contention of the
Defendant is that as per the lease deed he had already paid a sum of
Rs. 10,000/- on 18-11-1994 further he paid a sum of Rs. 15,000/- on the date of executing subsequent lease deed ie., on 1-3-2007 in total he paid an amount of Rs. 25,000/- out of the agreed advance amount of Rs. 50,000/-. The contention of defendant is that , it is mutually agreed if the Defendant deposits an amount of 15,000/- the Plaintiff had agreed to provide three phase current supply to the property. As the Plaintiff failed to provide three phase supply so that the Defendant could not pay the balance amount. The plaintiff has denied the same.
15.The Defendant has not filed the lease deed before this court.
No doubt, the Defendant has entered into the suit premises under lease deed and both parties are relying on the terms and conditions
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mentioned in the lease deed but the lease deed is not duly stamped and it is not registered, the Defendant failed to pay requisite stamp duty though the document was sent to the Registrar for collection of
Stamp Duty, the lease deed is not marked before the court. When the parties alleges that the Agreement is oral the matter would be different but in the instant case, the parties are stating that there is a written document but they have not chosen to get mark the document therefore, the parties are not supposed to rely on the terms and conditions mentioned in the document this court cannot consider the terms and conditions of lease deed. There may be an
Agreement to deposit advance amount of Rs. 50,000/- but there is no single document to show that the Defendant has deposited Rs.
25,000/- with the Plaintiff. However, in cross examination of PW1, she agreed that the Defendant has deposited a sum of Rs.10,000/- and of Rs. 15,000/- so the presumption is that the Defendant has deposited an amount of Rs. 25,000/-. As the plaintiff admitted the receiving of advance amount of Rs.25000/- so this advance amount can be adjusted in arrears of rent and any damages to the suit property due to the activities of defendant.
16.The Plaintiff contention is that the Defendant is under obligation to not to change the structures in the suit premises and he cannot utilize the remaining portion except the lease premises.
The Defendant has a erected a tap connection in the balcony of the premises and he started to utilize the balcony area and the terrace area which is against the terms and conditions of lease deed . The
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contention of Defendant he had taken the tap connection with the permission of the Plaintiff and he had every right to use the open place of balcony. In the cross examination of DW1 he deposed that he is utilizing the open place of balcony as well as the stair case and denied that he is utilizing the terrace area. There is no lease deed
before the court to say that whether the Defendant has breached the
terms of conditions or not ?. However, the Plaintiff has not issued any Notice to the Defendant when he had taken the tap connection and he is utilizing the other area other than the suit premises.
Therefore, this court is of view that the Defendant might have obtained the Tap connection with the consent of land lord only. The stair case and terrace area comes under common area as per section 9 of AP. Apartment Act. So the tenant cannot be restrained from utilizing the common area however, the Plaintiff failed to place any such material before the court to show that obtaining of Tap connection and using of the other area would have caused any damage to the property or diminished the value of the property. The
Tap connection will increase the value of the property and it is useful for the subsequent residents also it cannot be said that it caused inconvenience to the Plaintiff. Further it appears that the balcony is entirely separated from the rented portion. It appears that his balcony area is very much attached to the rented portion so the defendant cannot be restrained from utilizing this area. In the cross examination of PW1 she deposed that she is not aware of the affairs of the premises , her son used to look after the matter so she
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cannot say whether she received the rents for 5 months period from
August, to December, 2008. She is also deposing that she is not aware whether they are issuing any receipts or not , acknowledging monthly rent amounts to the Defendants. Further, she pleaded ignorance that whether her son attended the repairs of sanitary pipes. It clearly shows that the original plaintiff is not aware of the transactions and she is not able to say whether the Defendant paid the rent or not ?. The son of Plaintiff was examined as PW 2 , he reiterated the averments of the plaint. In the cross examination he deposed that the Defendant has deposited the advance amount of
Rs. 25,000/-. He denied the suggestion that there is an Agreement to receive the amount of Rs. 25,000/- if the Plaintiff provides three phase power supply to the premises as she failed to provide it so the
Defendant has not paid the remaining amount. He denied the suggestion that he is not in the need of suit premises. The Evidence of PW2 shows that the Defendant has paid an advance amount of
Rs. 25,000/-. The PW2 in the cross deposed that the Defendant has to pay the property tax but he had not paid his property tax and he verified the records in the municipality. The Defendant denied it but he failed to produce any tax receipt before the court to show that he had paid the property tax as per the Agreement. Further, the PW2 had denied the suggestion that he is not having the habit of maintaining the premises so that the Defendant has spent the amount for sanitary repairs. In the cross examination of DW1 he admitted that as per the agreement the lesee shall attend all such
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electrical fittings and repairing that may be required at his own cost.
It indicates that whatever the repairs attended by the defendant, is attended by him as per his requirement on his own cost for which the plaintiff is not responsible to pay any of it.
17.In the light of above discussion this court is of view that though there is a dispute with regard to payment of advance amount of Rs.50,000/- but as admitted by both parties the defendant has paid the advance amount of Rs.25,000/- so it is refundable advance amount, the defendant can claim of it at the time of vacating the premises, at the same time if there is any arrears of rent or damage to the property the plaintiff can adjust the amount from this advance amount. Further the plaintiff has taken the plea that the defendant is a willful defaulter and not paying the rents regularly but in the cross examination of PW1 and PW2 they admitted that the defendant send the rent amount twice by money order but the plaintiff refuse to take the rent. Further the defendant has given a specific suggestion that he send the rents for 5 months through chits and the PW2 has received the cheques. It shows that the defendant is not intended to avoid the payment of rents moreover in the cross examination of DW1 there is no suggestion that the defendant is due of rents for any particular period simply they have given suggestion that as per the agreement the rent should be paid in advance and the defendant has not paid the rent for the month of
April 2015, it is a running month so it cannot be say that the defendant is due of rents. It is not a material that the defendant is
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regularly paying the rents and he had not damaged the properties and not breached the terms of agreement. When the lease is for month to month as per the Transfer of Property Act the landlord is having every right to terminate the tenancy by issuing legal notice u/s. 106 of T.P.Act.
18. The defendant counsel contended that as per the lease agreement the plaintiff has to issue 3 months notice but in the present suit he had issued only 15 days prior notice therefore the notice is not valid. Further the defendant counsel relied on a provision 106 of T.P.Act in which it mentioned that “in the absence of the contract or local law, usage to the contract, a lease of immovable property.....”, he contended that when there is an agreement then the lease should be terminated as per the agreement when there is no such agreement then section 106 T.P.Act should be followed and 15 days notice is enough. In the instant case, as per agreement 3 months prior notice should be given.
19.As already stated above, the lease agreement is not marked due to insufficiency of stamp duty so there is no terms and conditions before the court. Though in the legal notice the defendant was directed to vacate the premises within 30 days and in the lease agreement there is a stipulatin for 3 months this court is of view that the parties entered into lease agreement only for 11 months in the year 1994 after completion of lease period they have entered into fresh agreement in the year 2007 i.e., only for 11 months subsequently they have not entered into any lease agreement
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therefore the lease period should be treated as month to month then as per section 106 of T.P.Act 15 days prior notice is enough for seeking the relief of eviction. In the instant case, the plaintiff has legally issued the notice directing the defendant to vacate the premises within 30 days due to the lapse of lease period mention in the lease deed, the defendant cannot insist the plaintiff to issue 3 months prior notice.
20. The transfer of property Act provides the subject of lease from
Sec. 105 to Sec.114 A when we read over the provision of Sec.105 to
Sec.114 A it seems that only Sec.106, Sec.111 of T.P Act are relevant which deals with termination of lease. Under Section 111 of T.P Act.
A lease of immovable property determines a) by efflux of time limited thereby—-....--Section 106 of T.P Act provides—--
a) where such time is limited conditionally on the happening of some event by the happening of such even:
b) Where the interest of the lessor in the property terminate on or his power to dispose of the same extends only to, the happening of any event by the happening of such even;
c) in case the interest of the lessee and the lessor in the whole of the property becomes vested at the same time in one person in the same right;
d) by express surrender, that is to say, in case the lessee yields up his interest under the lease to the lessor by mutual agreement between them .
e) by implied surrender.
f) by forfeiture, that is to say, (1) in case the lessee breaks an express condition which provides that, on breach thereof, the
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lessor may re-enter (XXX) or (2) in case the lessee renounces his character as such be setting up a title in a third person or by claiming title in himself (3) the lessee is adjudicated an insolvent and the lease provides that the lessor may re-enter on the happening of such event): and in (any of these cases) the lessor or his transferee (gives notice in writing to the lessee of his intention to determine the lease;
g) on the expiration of the notice, to determine the lease, or to quit, of intention to quit, the property leased, duly given by one party to the other.
"In the absence of a contract or local law or usage to the contrary, a lease of immovable property for agricultural or manufacturing purposes shall be deemed to be a lease from year to year, terminable , on the party of either lesser or lessee, by six months notice expiring with the end of a year of the tenancy, and a lease of immovable property for any other purpose shall be deemed to be a lease from month to month, terminable on the part of either lesser or lessee, by 15 days notice expiring with the end of a month of a tenancy.
21.Every notice under this section must be in writing signed by or on behalf of the person giving it, and either be sent by post to the party who is intended to be bound by it or be tendered or delivered personally to such party, or to one of his family or servants at his residence or if such tender or delivery is not practicable affixed to a conspicuous part of the property".
22.The above provisions reads together it is clear that when there is a relation of landlord and tenant and the tenancy is subsisting, then the landlord can determine the tenancy for any of the grounds mentioned in Sec.111. Apart from Sec.111, the landlord can determine the tenancy by issuing notice under Section 106 of T.P
Act. A notice to quit is necessary under this section before a suit for
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ejectment can be brought only where the defendant is a tenant of plaintiff. The contents of legal notice shows that plaintiff has clearly expressed an intention that he did not wish the tenant to continue in possession of premises after the expiry of period of one month or on the date of which according to defendant , the tenancy month ends. The language which has been used does unmistakeably evince an intention on the part of landlord not to continue the tenancy of defendant. Further the notice does specifically mentioned the specific date when the tenant would vacate the premises. Once the lease is terminated under Ex.A1 the plaintiff is entitled to the recovery of possession of suit premises. So the plaintiff is entitled to the relief of eviction as the lease is terminated under Ex.A1.
Accordingly issue no.1 and 2 are answered.
23. Issue no.3
The plaintiff has asked this court to direct the defendant to pay the damages @ Rs.10,000/- per month from 1.1.2009 till handing over vacant possession. The record shows the rent for the premises is of Rs.4000/- as on the date of filing of the suit. But now the plaintiff is asking this court to award the damages @
Rs.10,000/- per month and plaintiff has taken a specific plea that in that particular area the rent fetch an amount of Rs.10,000/-. No material produced before the court to show that in that area the rent fetch to Rs.10,000/- therefore proper enquiry should be conducted hence this court has not awarded any damages and the plaintiff is directed to file separate application under order 20 rule 12 CPC for
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past and future damages. Accordingly issue no.3 is answered.
24. Issue no.4
In the result, this suit is decreed with cost and the defendant is directed to vacate and hand over the premises to the plaintiff with in three months from the date of this order. Further this Court is hereby directs the plaintiff to file separate application Under Order 20 Rule 12 C.P.C for past and future damages.
Typed to my dictation, corrected and pronounced by me in the open Court this the 27th day of April, 2015.
sd/-
Smt. J.Maithreyi
XXI JUNIOR CIVIL JUDGE
CITY CIVIL COURT: HYDERABAD.
APPENDIX OF EVIDENCE
WITNESSES EXAMINED
FOR PLAINTIFF: FOR DEFENDANT:
PW1 : Smt. Mohini DevnaniDW1 : T.Balakrishna
PW2 : Vasudev K Devnani
DOCUMENTS MARKED FOR PLAINTIFF
Ex A1 : Copy of legal notice dt.1.12.2008
Ex.A2 : Original postal receipt dt.1.12.2008
Ex.A3 : Postal acknowledgment dt.3.12.2008
Ex.A4 : Reply notice dt.29.12.2008
DOCUMENTS MARKED FOR DEFENDANT : Nil
sd/-
Smt. J.Maithreyi
XXI JUNIOR CIVIL JUDGE
CITY CIVIL COURT: HYDERABAD.