S. M. Mahendru and Company etc. v. State of Tamil Nadu and Anr.
Case brief
What is this about?
Supreme Court of India, December 12, 1984; Coram: V. D. Tulzapurkar, R. S. Pathak and Sabyasachi Mukharji JJ. (judgment delivered by Tulzapurkar J.). W. P. Nos. 893 & 967 of 1979 and W. P. No. 295 of 1980 under Art. 32. Subjects: Article 14 equality; rational classification; nexus test; rent-control exemption; sec. 29 Tamil Nadu Buildings (Lease and Rent Control) Act 1960 (Tamil Nadu Act 18 of 1960); Notification No. II (2) H.O. 6060/76 dated 21-11-1976; co-operative societies as landlords; rack-renting; unreasonable eviction; ss. 4 and 62 Tamil Nadu Co-operative Societies Act 1961; Rules 14 and 46; sec. 106 Transfer of Property Act; Baburao Shantaram More v. The Bombay Housing Board [1954] SCR 572 (distinguished). Result: writ petitions dismissed; interim orders vacated; no order as to costs.
What did the court decide?
Statutory restrictions on distribution of profits by co-operative societies (ss. 4 and 62, Tamil Nadu Co-operative Societies Act 1961, and Rule 46 of the Rules) keep the profit motive at a reasonable level and differentiate co-operative societies from commercial bodies, justifying the assumption that no co-operative society will indulge in rack-renting or unreasonable eviction; the exemption of their buildings is therefore a legitimate exercise of the power under sec. 29, in conformity with the guidance afforded by the preamble and provisions of the Act.