The Mumbai Police have passed their first eviction order under the Maharashtra Rent Control Act, 1999, following the appointment of Deputy Commissioners of Police (DCPs) as competent authorities to deal with cases involving tenants overstaying after the expiry of leave-and-licence agreements.
According to a press note issued by the Mumbai Police on Thursday, the Maharashtra government’s Housing Department, through a notification dated July 31, 2026, appointed all 15 divisional DCPs under the Mumbai Police Commissionerate as competent authorities within their respective jurisdictions.
The order was passed by the DCP and competent authority of Mumbai’s West Region-9 division in a case involving a residential flat in Jai Co-operative Housing Society Limited on Nehru Road in Santacruz East.
The applicants, Prakash Digambar Devdhar and Prabha Prakash Devdhar, had approached the authority after the occupants allegedly failed to hand over vacant and peaceful possession of their flat despite the expiry of a registered leave-and-licence agreement for 36 months.
The application was filed on October 16, 2026. After examining the applications, written submissions, registered agreement and other relevant documents, the competent authority conducted a hearing in accordance with the provisions of the Act.
The authority subsequently rejected the respondents’ application seeking permission to contest the eviction proceedings and allowed the applicants’ eviction application. It also directed the occupants to hand over vacant and peaceful possession of the premises to the applicants, along with the keys.
The order further provides for payment of compensation at twice the monthly licence fee for the period of unauthorised occupation after the agreement’s expiry, in accordance with the Act.
Residents can approach jurisdictional DCP
The Mumbai Police said the appointment of divisional DCPs as competent authorities provides residents with a legal mechanism to recover possession of their premises after registered leave-and-licence agreements expire.
Citizens facing difficulties in getting possession of their residential premises after the expiry of such agreements can submit an application, along with the necessary documents, to the DCP and competent authority concerned, as per the applicable provisions of the Maharashtra Rent Control Act, 1999.
The police said the initiative is aimed at ensuring effective implementation of the law and providing relief to property owners facing difficulties in recovering possession from occupants who continue to stay after their agreements have expired.
