Section 33 — Procedure of Rent Court and Rent Tribunal.

33. Procedure of Rent Court and Rend Tribunal, -(1) Subject to any rules
that may be made under this Act, the Rent Court and the Rent Tribunal
shall not be bound by the procedure laid down by the Code of Civil
Procedure, 1908 (Act 5 of 1908)but shall be guided by the principle of
natural justice and shall have power to regulate their own procedure, and
the Rent Court shall follow the following procedure, namely –

                (a) the landlord or tenant may file an application (including
                electronic filing) before the Rent Court accompanied by
                affidavits and documents, if any;
                (b) the Rent Court then shall issue notice to the opposite
                party, (including electronic means)accompanied by copies of
                application, affidavits and documents;

                (c) the opposite party shall file a reply (including electronic
                means)accompanied by affidavits and documents, if any,
                after serving a copy of the same to the applicant;




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                (d) the applicant may file a rejoinder,(including electronic
                filing)if any, after serving the copy to the opposite party;
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                (e) the Rent Court shall then fix a date of hearing and may
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                hold such summary inquiry as it deems necessary.
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      (2) In every case, before the Rent Court and the Rent Tribunal, the
evidence of a witness shall be given by affidavit. However, the Rent Court
and the Rent Tribunal, where it appears to it that it is necessary in the
interest of justice to call a witness for examination or cross-examination,
such witness can be produced and may order attendance for examination or
cross-examination of such a witness.

     Provided that the Rent Court or the Rent Tribunal may appoint an
Advocate commissioner to examine and cross-examine any witness before it.

      (3) The service of notices by the Rent Court or Rent Tribunal may be
by registered post or through electronic mode or by any other manner as
may be prescribed.

      (4) Every application or appeal, so far as possible shall be in the model
forms as may be prescribed.

      (5) The Rent Court shall not ordinarily allow more than three
adjournments at the request of a party throughout the proceedings and in
case it decides to do so, it shall record the reasons for the same in writing
and order the party requesting adjournment to pay three times the current
minimum wages payable to a skilled worker.

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      (6) (a) All applications under clause (a), (b), (c), (e), (f) and (h) of sub-
section (2) of Section 21 shall be decided within 90 days of filing of
application to the Rent Court.

      (b) Applications under clauses (d) and (g) of sub-section (2) and sub-
section (3) of Section 21 shall be decided within 30 days of filing of
application to the Rent Court.