MUMBAI, January 22: The Sena-BJP government today vowed to protect the 30 lakh tenants in the metropolis by not allowing any increase in house rents. Chief Minister Manohar Joshi told reporters that tenants' rights will be protected in the new legislation that will replace the Rent Control Act after its expiry on March 31.The Supreme Court in an order issued on December 19 last year had set March 31, 1998 as the expiry date for the Act. The state government has now filed a review petition before the SC seeking a review of the order by a larger bench and also more time to formulate a new legislation. Tracing the history of the Rent Control Act of 1940, Joshi said following recommendations of the high-level V K Tembe Committee, the state government had decided to amend the act on July 27, 1993. Accordingly, a comprehensive bill was introduced in both the houses of the state legislature. Subsequently, it was referred to Joint Select Committee of both the houses of the state legislature. ``I am sure the
committee will complete the task before it and we will be able to introduce the new legislation in the budget session of the state legislature commencing from March 16. I think we will be able to bring in the new legislation before March 31, 1998, the day on which the existing Rent Control Act will expire,'' Joshi added. He said officials appearing before the committee have been specifically instructed to present their views in such a manner so that the interests of the tenants are protected.
The December 19 SC order, widely interpreted in the media as defreezing of rents, had led to fears of a multi-fold increase in the rents. Joshi today alleged that the panic was created by the opposition with an eye of the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections. He said that it was, in fact, the Congress which had submitted to the court its willingness to hike rents after a section of property owners challenged the provisions of the Rent Control Act.
``There is absolutely no proposal before my government to hike the existingrents by 16 times, as has been reported in a section of the press. I am assuring the tenants that their legal rights will remain unaffected and even the rights of their legal heirs will not change,'' Joshi added.
Joshi also flatly denied the allegation that the counsel for the state government, Deepak Nargolkar , had failed to present the case before the Supreme Court in an effective manner.
``I have gone through the verdict of the apex court very carefully. Nargolkar has assured the court that the model law on rent control will be taken into consideration while framing the new legislation. There was nothing wrong in the statement of our lawyer,'' Joshi said.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
