law: Maharashtra Rent Control Act, 1999 
  43. Special procedure for disposal of
  
  applications. 
  (1) Every application by a landlord under this
  
  Chapter for the recovery of possession shall be accompanied by such fees as may
  
  be prescribed. The Competent Authority shall deal with the application in
  
  accordance with the procedure laid down in this section.
  (2) The Competent Authority shall issue
  
  summons in relation to every application referred to in sub-section (2) in the
  
  form specified in Schedule Ill.
  (3) (a) The Competent Authority shall, in
  
  addition to, and simultaneously with; the issue of summons for service on the
  
  tenant or licensee, as the case may be, also direct the summons to be served by
  
  registered post, acknowledgement due, addressed to the tenant or the licensee
  
  or agent empowered by such tenant or licensee to accept the service at the
  
  place where the tenant or licensee or such agent actually and voluntarily
  
  resides or carries on business or personally works for gain;
  (b) When an
  
  acknowledgment purporting to be signed by the tenant or licensee or their agent
  
  received by the Competent Authority or the registered article containing the
  
  summons is received back with an endorsement purporting to have been made by a
  
  postal employee to the effect that the tenant or licensee or their agent had
  
  refused to take delivery of the registered article, the Competent Authority may
  
  proceed to hear and decide the application as if there has been a valid service
  
  of summons.
  (4) (a) The tenant or licensee on whom the
  
  summons is duly served in the ordinary way or by registered post in the manner
  
  laid down in sub-section (3) shall not contest the prayer for eviction from the
  
  premises, unless within thirty days of the service of summons on him as
  
  aforesaid, he files an affidavit stating grounds on which he seeks to contest
  
  the application for eviction and obtains leave from the Competent Authority as
  
  hereinafter provided, and in default of his appearance in pursuance of the
  
  summons or his obtaining such leave, the Statement made by the landlord in the
  
  application for eviction shall be deemed to be admitted by the tenant or the
  
  licensee, as the case may be, and the applicant shall be entitled to an order
  
  for eviction on the ground aforesaid,
  (b) The Competent
  
  Authority shall give to the tenant or licensee leave to contest the application
  
  if the affidavit filed by the tenant or licensee discloses such facts as would
  
  disentitle the landlord from obtaining an order for the recovery of possession
  
  of the premises on the ground specified in section 22 or 23 or 24;
  (c) Where leave is granted
  
  to the tenant or licensee to contest the application, the Competent Authority
  
  shall commence the hearing of the application as early as practicable and
  
  shall, as far as possible, proceed with the hearing from day to day, and decide
  
  the same, as far as may be, within six months of the order granting of such
  
  leave to contest the application.
  (5) The Competent Authority shall, while
  
  holding an inquiry in a proceeding to which this Chapter applies, follow the
  
  practice and procedure of a court of small causes, including the recording of
  
  evidence.