Fri Jul 04 00:01:01 UTC 2025: **Summary:**

The Delhi High Court has criticized the Delhi Rent Control Act as outdated and prone to misuse, causing financial hardship to landlords while wealthy tenants exploit the system by paying minimal rent for decades. The court overturned a ruling by the Additional Rent Controller (ARC) that had denied the eviction petition of landlords who sought to reclaim their property from long-term tenants paying meager rents, ruling in favor of the landlords, stating their intentions for the property should not be discounted.

**News Article:**

**Delhi High Court Slams Rent Control Act as Outdated, Favors Landlords in Eviction Case**

**New Delhi, July 4, 2025** – The Delhi High Court has delivered a scathing critique of the Delhi Rent Control Act, labeling it an “anachronistic piece of legislation” that is routinely misused by affluent tenants to the detriment of landlords. Justice Anup Jairam Bhambani made the remarks while hearing petitions related to a property dispute in Sadar Bazar, where tenants had been occupying the premises for over 50 years while paying a nominal rent of ₹40 per month.

The case involved landlords seeking to evict tenants who operate restaurants in London, with plans to expand their business in India using the property. The Additional Rent Controller (ARC) had previously dismissed the eviction petition, arguing the landlords did not need the space for their “subsistence or survival.”

However, the High Court overturned the ARC’s decision, stating the landlords’ business plans should not be disregarded based on the ARC’s assessment of the property’s suitability for a restaurant. The court sided with the landlords, allowing them to evict the tenants.

“This court is compelled to record that…cases abound where very well-off tenants enjoying financial prosperity persist in unjustly occupying premises for decades on-end, paying pittance for rent, while in the process their landlords are forced into impecunious and desperate circumstances,” Justice Bhambani stated in the ruling.

The High Court’s strong words highlight growing concerns about the fairness and relevance of the Delhi Rent Control Act in a rapidly changing economic landscape. The ruling may set a precedent for future cases involving similar disputes between landlords and long-term tenants in Delhi.

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