HAMEEDIA HARDWARE STORES, REPRESENTED BY ITS PARTNER S. PEE vs B. MOHAN LAL SOWCAR

The Supreme Court held that under Section 10(3)(a)(iii) of the Tamil Nadu Buildings (Lease and Rent Control) Act, 1960, a landlord is not required to prove that his requirement for eviction is bona fide when seeking eviction from a non-residential building. The Court clarified that the Act aims to regulate letting and prevent unreasonable eviction, thus the bona fides of the landlord's requirement do not arise in such cases. The Court allowed the appeal, overturning the High Court's decision that had favored the tenant.