Section 21. Landlord to intimate to tenant date of completion and tenant’s right to occupy premises in new building.

(1) The landlord shall, not less than three months before the date on which the erection of the new building or, completion as the case may be, new floor or floors is likely to be completed, intimate to the tenant, the date on which the said erection shall be completed. On the said date, the tenant shall be entitled to occupy the premises assigned to him by the landlord. (2) (a) If the tenant fails to occupy the premises within a period of one month from the date on which he is entitled to occupy it under sub-section (1), the tenant’s right to occupy the said premises under the said sub-section shall terminate; and the landlord shall be entitled to recover from the tenant a sum equal to three times the amount of the monthly standard rent in respect of the premises. (b) If the landlord fails, without reasonable excuse, to comply with the provisions of sub-section (1) or to place the tenant in occupation of the premises he shall, without prejudice to his liability to place the tenant in vacant possession of the premises on conviction, be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three months or with fine which may extend to five thousand rupees or with both.