Chittambalam V Demel – sllr 2004 volume 2 page 097

The case between Chittambalam (Plaintiff) and Demel (Defendant) concerned the exemption of certain premises from the Rent Act (No. 7 of 1972) under section 2(4)(c), specifically whether the premises were occupied by the owner or a tenant as of 1st January 1980. The court determined that occupation, rather than ownership title, on the relevant date is the determinative factor for exemption under the Act. Evidence established that the owner’s mother occupied the premises on 1.1.1980, not the plaintiff herself as owner. The court held that the defendant’s application for leave to appeal did not demonstrate either a substantial loss or present any substantial question of law. Citing relevant statutory provisions and judicial precedents, the court dismissed the application with costs, emphasizi