People's Democracy

THE CPI(M)’s Delhi state committee has expressed its opposition to the Delhi High Court’s order striking down some provisions of the Rent Control Act. These are precisely the provisions that prevent landlords from charging more than the fixed standard rent. In one stroke, the court has thus removed whatever little legal protection the tenants enjoyed and rendered them vulnerable to the rapacious greed of the landlords.

A very large proportion of the working population in Delhi --- industrial workers, artisans, employees, etc --- lives in rented accommodation. Most of them are salary earners who spend a large part of their earnings on paying rents. Contrary to the court’s presumptions, an increase in salaries in money terms has not led to any improvement in their living standards, with inflation eating away into their real wages. The court’s order paves the way for an unrestricted loot of the tenants.

The CPI(M) has demanded that the central government immediately intervene to overturn this anti-people verdict of the Delhi High Court. (INN)