Supreme Court Seeking Action against Landlords Demanding Students, Labourers for Rent during Lockdown

A plea has been filed in the Supreme Court seeking action against the "arbitrary and unlawful action" of landlords demanding rent from students and labourers during the lockdown despite a government order to the contrary.

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) had issued an order on March 29 which stops landlords from demanding rent from students, workers and migrant labourers for a month. Those landlords who force people to vacate their houses will face action, the MHA statement warns.

The order, issued under the Disaster Management Act, had said employers will pay their workers' wages on due dates without any deduction.

The appeal documented by advocate Pawan Prakash Pathak and others, has looked for usage of the house service's March 29 request that no landowner will gather lease from the work class and understudies for a month during COVID-19 period and the individuals who abuse it would be rebuffed. 

"Request is being filled against the discretionary and unlawful activity of landowners in the province of Delhi in the midst of COVID-19 where there is clear guidance gave by the Ministry of Home issues that so as to keep up the lockdown circumstance and lawfulness during COVID-19, request dated March 29, 2020 'limiting all proprietor to constraining works and understudies to abandon their



premises', in the event that they neglect to pay lease during this period," the supplication said. 

The PIL said independent of the MHA request, different proprietors were constraining occupant understudies to pay full lease, bombing which they will be tossed out of premises.

"Many landlords are continuously putting pressure on students to pay their rent and the students are living in constant fear and depressions. They are feeling helpless in this situation as they can't demand money from their parents because their parents are also suffering from financial crisis due to the lockdown. In such a situation one is left with one option i.e opportunity cost of money, either one can pay rent out of same amount or one can buy essential ration and food for family during this period," the plea said.

The petition said that in a situation like this, the students who are staying in rented accommodations have limited resources at their disposal.

"Most of the students stuck are from humble background and they supplement their expenses by working part time -- for instance by taking up tuition. But in situations like this, they are struck in dire straits. If they will not be helped by the government concerned then they have to live in constant fear and depression caused by the financial crisis," the plea said.