SHILLONG, Sep 15: The High Court of Meghalaya has ordered a stay on the new rates of rents levied by the Shillong Cantonment Board (SCB) on existing and expired leases till the next date of hearing.
The Shillong Cantonment Lease Holders’ Association had approached the High Court, through their counsel, seeking stay on the notice issued by the Board to increase the prevailing standard table of rents in respect of the existing and expired leases.
Senior counsel KN Choudhury, assisted by S Sen, submitted on behalf of the petitioner that the exponential rise in the standard table of rents as levied by the Board has compelled the petitioner to approach the court.
The senior counsel drew the attention of the court to the chart prepared, which indicates that the land rent for the property shown therein has risen exponentially, and submitted that fixation of the standard table of rents is wrong as it has been computed on the value of the land as provided by the district collector, on the market value thereof and the same should be suspended.
Senior counsel SP Mahanta, assisted by M Lyngdoh, vehemently opposed the prayer for stay, arguing that the standard table of rents has been computed on the market value and not on the rental value of land.
“Be that as it may, before looking into the entirety of the matter, prima facie, it appears that some interim protection is called at this stage. Accordingly, it is directed that the operation of the impugned demand notices issued by the respondent No. 4 (Cantonment Board) and the prevailing standard table of rents shall be kept in abeyance till the next date,” Justice HS Thangkhiew said in his order.
The petitioner’s association was permitted to file an additional affidavit to bring on record the chart, which has been produced before the court.
Meanwhile, general secretary of the Association Bipen Pradhan said that the land rent charged by Shillong Cantonment Board was exorbitant and arbitrary in nature, and in many cases the land rent has been revised on numerous occasions.
Pradhan also lauded the High Court for providing relief to the lease holders from the exorbitant rate of rent and added that the association will ensure that the matter reaches its logical conclusion.
