Jurisdictional facts and finality clauses bar collateral civil challenge to an eviction order based on alleged rent default.

A tribunal's finding on the preliminary fact of non-payment of rent, where a statute authorises it to decide that jurisdictional fact, provides appeal, and makes the order final, cannot be collaterally challenged in a civil suit merely because the finding may be wrong. Such a determination is treated as within jurisdiction, not void for lack of jurisdiction, and the finality clause bars indirect impeachment in civil proceedings. The eviction order was therefore not open to civil challenge on that ground, and the High Court decree was set aside while the dismissal of the suit below was restored.

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Issues: Whether the Controller's finding of non-payment of rent, made under a statute that empowered him to determine the preliminary facts on which eviction depended and made his order final subject to appeal, could be questioned in a civil suit.

Analysis: The Act constituted a self-contained scheme for eviction, empowered the Controller to inquire into and decide whether non-payment of rent existed, provided for appeal to the Commissioner, and declared the resulting decision final and not liable to be questioned in any court. Where a statute entrusts an inferior tribunal with authority to determine the existence of the facts on which its jurisdiction depends, that determination is itself within jurisdiction. Even if the tribunal may have erred in deciding those facts, its decision cannot be collaterally impeached in a civil court.

Conclusion: The Controller's order of eviction was not open to challenge in a civil suit merely on the ground that the finding of non-payment of rent was wrong.

Final Conclusion: The appeal succeeded, the High Court's decree was set aside, and the dismissal of the suit by the courts below was restored.

Ratio Decidendi: When a statute expressly confers on an inferior tribunal the power to determine both the preliminary facts on which jurisdiction depends and the substantive relief, with a finality clause, its erroneous decision on those facts is not void for want of jurisdiction and is not liable to collateral attack.

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