PROVASH CHANDRA DALUI & ANR. vs BISWANATH BANERJEE & ANR.

The Supreme Court ruled that the appellants, who were initially granted a lease for 10 years with options for extension, did not become thika tenants under the Calcutta Thika Tenancy Act, 1949, as they failed to exercise their option for a further one-year extension. The Court held that the lease was effectively for 20 years, thus falling outside the purview of Section 2(5)(b) of the Act. The Court affirmed the lower courts' decisions, rejecting the appellants' claims of estoppel and waiver based on prior judicial proceedings.