BABU RAM GOPAL AND OTHERS vs MATHRA DASS

The Supreme Court held that under Section 13(2)(v) of the East Punjab Urban Rent Restriction Act, 1949, a tenant is liable for eviction if they cease to occupy the premises for a continuous period of four months without reasonable cause. The Court clarified that the non-occupation must continue until the date of filing the eviction application. The appeal was allowed, reversing the lower courts' decisions, as the tenant's temporary cessation of occupation did not meet the statutory requirement for eviction.