KONDETI SURYANARAYANA & ORS vs PINNINTHI SESHAGIRI RAO

The Supreme Court held that under Section 12 of the A.P. Building (Lease, Rent & Eviction) Control Act, 1960, a landlord must not only demonstrate a bona fide requirement for demolition but also undertake to reconstruct the building for the tenant's re-entry. The Court clarified that the interpretation of 'and' in sub-clause (b) of sub-section (1) should not be read as disjunctive, as this would undermine the Act's purpose of preventing unreasonable eviction. The Court dismissed the landlord's claim for eviction, affirming the tenants' rights under the Act.