Mumbai Police's first eviction order issued under Rent Control Act after DCPs named competent authorities

Mumbai Police has passed its first eviction order under the Maharashtra Rent Control Act, 1999. The order was issued by the competent authority appointed for cases in which tenants continue to occupy flats after their leave-and-licence agreements have ended.

Mumbai Police issued a press note on Thursday. According to it, the state government's housing department, by a notification dated July 31, 2026, appointed all 15 divisional DCPs of the Mumbai Police Commissionerate as competent authorities for their respective areas.

The first order was passed by the DCP of Mumbai's Western Region-9 division, who is the competent authority. The case concerns a residential flat in Jai Co-operative Housing Society Limited on Nehru Road in Santacruz East.

The applicants are Prakash Digambar Devdhar and Prabha Prakash Devdhar. They approached the authority and said that the 36-month registered leave-and-licence agreement had ended. Despite this, the people living in the flat allegedly did not hand over vacant and peaceful possession.

The application was filed on October 16, 2026. The authority examined the applications, written submissions, the registered agreement and other relevant documents. A hearing was then held in accordance with the provisions of the Act.

After the hearing, the authority rejected the respondents' application seeking leave to contest the eviction proceedings. The applicants' eviction application was allowed. The occupants were directed to hand over vacant and peaceful possession of the flat, along with the keys, to the applicants.

The order also requires compensation equal to twice the monthly licence fee for the period the flat remained in unauthorised occupation after the agreement ended. This is in line with the provisions of the Act.

Mumbai Police said that making the divisional DCPs competent authorities gives people a legal route to regain possession after a registered leave-and-licence agreement ends.

People who are having difficulty taking possession of their residential premises after such agreements end can apply, with the necessary documents, to the concerned DCP and competent authority under the provisions of the Maharashtra Rent Control Act, 1999.

According to the police, the aim of the initiative is to ensure effective enforcement of the law. It is also meant to give relief to landlords who are having trouble recovering possession from people who stay on after the agreement has ended.