Annual letting value must follow the applicable rent control law; the reference question became academic.

For computing annual letting value of a house property, the figure fixed under the applicable rent control law must be adopted where that statute governs the valuation principle. The municipal assessment was treated as the proper basis, and the assessee's self-occupied property was apportioned so that only one-fifth of the determined annual value was taken for the assessee's share. In light of the Supreme Court's ruling that annual letting value must be determined according to the applicable Rent Restriction Act, the proposed reference question no longer raised a live controversy and was treated as academic.

---

---

Issues: Whether, for computing the annual letting value of the assessee's share in the house property, the figure fixed under the relevant rent control law had to be adopted and whether the proposed reference question survived in view of the authoritative ruling on the point.

Analysis: The annual letting value of the property was assessed by the local municipal authority, and the appellate authority applied the relevant provisions of the Uttar Pradesh Urban Building (Regulation, Letting, Rent and Eviction) Act, 1972, including sections 3(k) and 3(f), to hold that the municipal assessment represented the proper basis. The property being self-occupied, only one-fifth of the determined annual value was taken for the assessee's share, resulting in the figure of Rs. 2,400. The question was then considered in the light of the Supreme Court's ruling that annual letting value must be determined according to the principles of the applicable Rent Restriction Act.

Conclusion: The proposed question had become academic, and the reference was not entertained on merits.

---