Mumbai police order first eviction under Maharashtra Rent Control Act | Mumbai News

City police have completed their first eviction under the Maharashtra Rent Control Act, returning a flat to its owners.

MUMBAI: City police have decided their first eviction case under the Maharashtra Rent Control Act, 1999, and handed over “vacant and peaceful” possession of a Santacruz East flat to its owners, Prakash Digambar Deodhar and Prabha Prakash Deodhar.The owners alleged the occupants failed to vacate the flat at Jay Cooperative Housing Society on Nehru Road after a registered 36-month leave-and-licence agreement expired. Joint commissioner of police (law and order) Manojkumar Sharma said it was the first case brought by police under the new arrangement.After examining the applications, written statements, agreement and other documents, they rejected the tenants’ request to contest the proceedings and allowed the owners’ plea, an officer said.The tenants have been directed to pay compensation at twice the monthly licence fee from Sept 1 until possession was handed over.The state housing department had on July 31 appointed all 15 zonal deputy commissioners of police as competent authorities under the Act.The notification empowers deputy commissioners to hear applications, conduct inquiries, record evidence, issue eviction orders and direct police stations under their command to enforce them. At an April 10 review chaired by chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, govt data showed about 18,553 rent-related cases pending in Mumbai civil courts, many for years. Fadnavis directed the appointment of deputy commissioners as authorised officers and establishment of 100 special courts, including evening courts, to tackle the backlog.Residents seeking to recover homes after leave-and-licence agreements expire may apply to the relevant deputy commissioner with the necessary documents.Applications without a termination-date clause may be rejected, DCP Nimit Goyal said. “Residents seeking to recover homes after leave-and-licence agreements expire may apply to the relevant deputy commissioner with the necessary documents. Applications without a termination-date clause may be rejected,” he added.Tenancy lawyer Divyakant Mehta said small causes courts could instead have been empowered to ensure uniformity and procedural expertise. He warned that orders could vary among the 15 officers unless a standard operating procedure was framed.Advocate Satyan Israni said the state’s move is to bridge the gap in the execution of judicial orders.