Act No. 03 of 1926
06th September, 1926
Amended by the U.P. Act no. II of 19312 Amended by the U.P. Act no. VII of 19343 Amended by the U.P. Act no VII of 19374 Amended by the U.P. Act no. XII of 19395 Partially repealed by U.P. Act no. XVII of 1939 Adapted and modified by the Government of India (Adaptation of India Laws) Order, 1937 Adapted and modified by the Adaptation of Laws Order, 1950 (Received the assent of the Governor on August 19, 1926, and of the Governor General on August 31, 1926, and was published6 under section 81 of the Government of India Act on September 6, 1926.) An Act to consolidate and amend the law relating to agricultural tenancies and certain other matters in Agra. Whereas it is expedient to consolidate and amend the law relating to agricultural tenancies and certain other matters in Agra; and whereas the Governor General has given his previous sanction to the passing of this Act as required by sub-section (3) of section 80A of the Government of, India Act; It is hereby enacted as follows: 1. For S.O.R., see Gaz., 1925, Pt. VIII, p. 679; for R.S. Com., see ibid, 1926, Pt. VIII pp. 229--317,; for discussion, see L.C. Pro., d. Dec. 15, 1925, in Vol. XXVI, p. 151, d. March 29 and 30, 1926, in Vol. XXIX, pp. 309--364 and 372--397, respectively, and d. June 28, 1926 and July 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 24, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30 and 31, 1926, in Vol. XXX, pp. 124--125, 162--195, 224-270, 274--332, 338--393, 396--450, 452--506, 510--563, 566--620, 624-675, 694--757/780--836, 858-909, 927--980, 994--1010, 1012--1070 and 1073--1085, respectively. 2. For S.O.R., see Gaz., 1931, Pt. VIII, p. 868; for discussion, see L.C. Pro. d. Dec. 17, 1931, in Vol. LII, pp. 363--372; for publication, see Gaz. 1932, Pt. VII, p. I. The Act remained in force for one year only. 3. For S.O.R., see Gaz., 1934, Pt. VIII, p. 28; for discussion, see L.C. Pro. d. Feb. 20 and 21, 1934, in Vol. LXI, pp. 252 and 292--312 respectively; for publication, see Gaz., 1934, Pt. VIII, p. 37. The Act came into force on Dec. 29, 1934, see not no. 3049/IA--515-1933, d. Dec. 24, 1934, in Gaz., 1934, Pt. I. p. 1351. 4. For S.O.R., see Gaz., Extra, d. Sep. 4, 1937, p. 2; for discussion, see L.A. Pro. d. Sep. 7, 1937, in Vol. I, pp. 370-375 and L.C. Pro. d. Sep. 9 and 11, 1937, and Oct. 2, 1937, in Vol I, pp. 239, 310--311 and 507-508, respectively; for publication, see Gaz., 1937, Pt. VII, p. 45. 5. For S.O.R., see Gaz., 1939. Pt. VII, p. 103; for discussion, see L.A. Pro. d. May 10 and 11 and July 19, 1939, in Vol. XVIII, pp. 290, 310-311 and 315--318 and Vol. XIX, pp. 560--567, respectively, and L.C. Pro. d. May 19, 256 and 27 and Aug. 21, 1939, in Vol. V, pp. 46, 395--407, 423 and Vol. VI, pp. 50--57, respectively; for publication, see Gaz., 1939, Pt. VII-A, pp. 45-46. 6. See Gaz. Extra d. Sept. 6, 1926, pp. 1--50.
(1) This Act may be called the Agra Tenancy Act, 1926.
Local extent.
(2) It extends to the province of Agra
Provided that the (State Government)
Provided also that no provision of this Act which is inconsistent with the provisions of the Pargana of Kaswar Raja Act, 1915, shall apply to the pargana of Kaswar Raja in the district of Benares; and
Commencement.
(3) It shall come into force on such date
(1) The Agra Tenancy Act, 1901, is hereby repealed.
(2) When this Act or any portion thereof is extended to any of the areas excepted in the first Schedule, so much of any Act or Regulation in force therein as is inconsistent with this Act or the portion thereof so extended, as the case may be, shall be thereby repealed.
In this Act, unless there is something repugnant in the subject or context,--
When used with reference to a thekadar rent means the amount payable by the thekadar to his lessor under the terms of the theka.
A share of the timber or its value deliverable or payable to the landholder by local custom on a sale of trees by a grove-holder is rent;
"tenant" includes a grove-holder, but does not include a mortgagee of proprietary rights, a rent-free grantee or, save as otherwise expressly provided by this Act, a thekadar;
and "landlord" means the proprietor of a mahal or of a share or specific plot therein.
Explanation--Where the word "landholder" is used with reference to a thekadar it means the person to whom the thekadar's rent is payable;
but does not include--
Explanation I--The word "trees" does not include tea plants, rose bushes, betel plants, plantains and papitas, or any mere shrubs, bushes, plants or climbers.
Explanation II--The word "trees" includes fruit-bearing trees such as mango or jackfruit, which occupy the land for a long 'period; but does not include trees, such as guavas or peaches, which occupy the land for comparatively short periods.
"Sir" means--
Provided, first, that the area of sir which may be acquired by a landlord or permanent tenure-holder under sub-clause (e) when added to the area which is already the sir of the landlord or permanent tenure-holder under sub-clauses (a) (b), (c), and (d) shall not exceed in the aggregate the following scale:
| If the cultivated area in the mahal owned by the landlord or held by the permanent tenure-holder is not more than thirty acres. | Fifty per cent of such area. |
|---|---|
| If such area is more than thirty but not more than six hundred acres. | As above on thirty acres and fifteen per cent, on the balance. |
| If such area is more than six hundred acres. | As above on six hundred acres and ten per cent. on the balance. |
Where the landlords of a mahal do not own specific areas in severalty, the cultivated area owned by each landlord in the mahal shall, for the purposes of the scale, be deemed to be such portion of the total cultivated area of the mahal as is proportionate to the extent of his proprietary right in the mahal:
Provided, secondly, that a landlord or permanent tenure-holder who exchanges sir for tenants' or other land, whether voluntarily or under the order of a court, shall acquire the same right in the land which he receives as he had in the land which he gives in exchange.
"Sir right" means the sum of all special rights conferred on sir-holders by this Act and by the United Provinces Land Revenue Act, 1901, and includes the right to exclusive possession of the sir against co-sharers of the Mr-holder in the proprietary right, subject to a liability to account for profits.
On the death of sir holder his sir right shall devolve on the person who succeeds to his proprietary interest in the sir.
Explanation--For the purposes of this section the words "proprietary interest" shall be deemed to include the interest of a permanent tenure-holder.
Sir right is not transferable except--
Sir shall cease to be sir--
Provided, first, that if an ex-proprietary tenant regains his proprietary right in the land held by him as ex-proprietary tenant, such land shall again become his sir:
Provided, secondly, that if the right of occupancy conferred in sir under section 17 is extinguished, and the landlord or permanent tenure-holder has not in the meantime transferred his right in the lands, such land shall again become his sir or the sir of his heir, as the case may be.
(1) Every agreement which purports, or would operate, to restrict a tenant from enforcing or exercising any right conferred on or secured to him by this Act is void to that extent.
(2) In particular, and without prejudice to the generality of the provisions of sub-section (1), an agreement between a land-holder and a tenant is void if and in so far as it purports--
(3) Where land not previously cultivated has been or is hereafter let by a landholder to a tenant either after being reclaimed by or at the expense of the landholder, or for the purpose of being reclaimed by the tenant, nothing in this section shall be construed to affect the conditions of any contract relating to that land until fourteen years have elapsed from the date on which the land was first brought under cultivation:
Provided that where land has remained uncultivated during a period of seven years, it shall, for the purposes of this sub-section, be deemed to have not been previously cultivated.
Save as otherwise expressly provided by this Act, and save as otherwise provided by the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 in the case of proceeding governed by that Code, anything which is by this Act required or permitted to be done by a landholder, may be done by an agent of the landholder authorized by him in this behalf; and process served on, or notice given to, such agent shall be as effectual for all purposes as if the same had been served on, or given to, the landholder in person; and all the provisions of this Act relating to the service of process on, or the giving of notice to, a party shall be applicable to the service of process on, or the giving of notice to, such agent.
There shall be, for the purposes of this Act, the following classes of tenants, namely:
(1) When any permanent and transferable interest in land in a district or portion of a district which is permanently settled has been held, otherwise than under terminable lease, by any person intermediate between the landlord and the occupants, from the time of the permanent settlement, at the same rate of rent, such person shall have a right to hold such interest at that rate.
(2) Such person shall be called a permanent tenure-holder.
(1) When any land in a district or portion of a district which is permanently settled has been held by a tenant from the time of the permanent settlement at the same rate of rent, such tenant shall have a right of occupancy at that rate.
(2) Such tenant shall be called a fixed-rate tenant.
(1) In those districts or portions of districts in which a revision of records has taken place since the first day of January, 1875, every entry made in the revision recording a person as a permanent tenure-holder, or fixed-rate tenant, or otherwise, shall, in the absence of a judicial decision to the contrary in proceedings instituted before the first day of January, 1902, be, as between landlord and tenant, conclusive proof that such 'person was at the date of such revision permanent tenure-holder, or a fixed-rate tenant, or not, as the case may be.
Presumption from holding at same rate for twenty years.
(2) In those districts or portions of districts in which no revision of records has taken place since the first day of January, 1875, if in any suit or proceeding an issue arises whether a person is a permanent tenure-holder or fixed-rate tenant and it is proved that he has held any land at the same rate of rent for twenty years next before the institution of the suit or proceeding, it shall be presumed, unless the contrary is proved, that he has field such land at the same rate of rent since the permanent settlement:
Provided that if here after a revision of records takes place in any such district or portion of a district the provisions of this sub-section shall cease to operate, and those of sub-section (1) shall become operative therein.
(1) Every landlord whose proprietary rights in a mahal or in any portion thereof, whether in any share therein, or in any specific area thereof, are transferred either by foreclosure or sale in execution of a decree or order of a Civil or Revenue Court, or by voluntary alienation otherwise than (a) by gift, or (b) by exchange between co-sharers in the mahal, shall become a tenant with a right in occuncy of his sir, and in the land which he has cultivated continuously for ten years at the date of the transfer, and shall be entitled to hold the same at a rent which shall, subject to the provisions of section 49, be two annas in the rupee less than the rate prescribed for occupancy tenants in section 59.
(2) If a part only of the share of a landlord in a mahal or in any portion thereof is so transferred, such landlord shall become a tenant with a right of occupancy in so much of his sir and of the land which he has cultivated continuously for ten years at the date of the transfer as appertains or corresponds to such part of his share.
(3) Where there are two or more co-sharers in sir and one of them becomes an ex-proprietary tenant in it under this section, his previous share in it shall be divided off by the officer empowered to fix the rent of the holding under section 36 of the United Provinces Land Revenue Act, 1901, and his interest as ex-proprietary tenant shall be limited to such share.
(4) Every such tenant, and every tenant who is at the commencement of this Act an ex-proprietary tenant under the provisions of the Agra Tenancy Act, 1901, or is or becomes an ex-proprietary tenant under other enactment for the time being in force, shall be called an ex-proprietary tenant, and, save as otherwise expressly provided, shall have all the rights and be subject to all the liabilities conferred and imposed upon occupancy tenant by this Act.
(5) A mortgage shall be deemed to be a transfer within the meaning of this section when it has the effect of transferring proprietary possession of the mortgaged property from the mortgagor, but not otherwise. In the former case the right conferred by this section shall come into existence from the date on which possession is transferred.
(6) Nothing in this section shall confer a right of occupancy in any land transferred for any public or private purpose inconsistent with the existence of a right of cultivation therein.
(7) For the purposes of this section permanent tenure-holders shall be considered to have proprietary rights.
(8) For the purposes of sub-section (1) the use of land as a grove-land shall not be deemed cultivation.
(1) Except as provided in sub-sections (2), (3) and (4) no sale of sir or agreement, relinquishment or other transaction having the effect of a surrender or relinquishment of exproprietary rights, executed or carried out within six months immediately preceding or succeeding a transfer of proprietary rights, shall affect or detract from the rights created by section 14.
(2) Where a landlord or permanent tenure-holder who under the provisions of section 14 has become or would become on a transfer a tenant with a right of occupancy in his sir or in the land which he has cultivated continuously for ten years at the date of the transfer, desires within six months immediately preceding or succeeding such a transfer, to enter into a transaction having the effect of a surrender or relinquishment of exproprietary rights, he shall apply to the assistant collector in charge of the sub-division, and, if such assistant collector is satisfied that the applicant does not wholly or mainly depend on agriculture for his livelihood, or that the land transferred is Self-acquired or has been acquired within the twenty years last preceding, he shall sanction such application.
(3) If the assistant collector incharge of the sub-division is not so satisfied, he shall inquire whether there are other reasonable grounds for sanctioning the transaction, and if be finds that such grounds exist, he may sanction the application.
(4) An appeal shall lie against an order rejecting an application under sub-sections (2) and (3) to the collector.
(5) Where the court sanctions an application under the provisions of sub-sections (2), (3) or (4), the applicant shall not become or shall cease to be an ex-proprietary tenant, as the case may be, in the sir or other land in respect of which the application is sanctioned, and the order sanctioning the application shall not be questioned, and civil court.
Notwithstanding anything in this section, where the property transferred by means of a mortgage of the kind specified in sub-section (5) of section 14 consists wholly of a specific area or sir the mortgagor may by simultaneous agreement in writing waive his ex-proprietary rights, and in that case the mortgaged land shall, if the mortgagor regains within twelve years of the date of the transfer possession thereof on redemption of the mortgage, resume the character of sir. In such land, statutory rights shall not accrue for twelve years from the date of the transfer.
Every tenant, who at the commencement of this Act has acquired a right of occupancy under the Agra Tenancy Act, 1901
every person on whom a right of occupancy is conferred in accordance with the provisions of section 17 of this Act,
and every person (except in Bundelkhand) who is at or after the commencement of this Act a tenant of Government estates other than nazul land,
shall be called an occupancy tenant and shall have all the rights and be subject to all the liabilities conferred and imposed on occupancy tenants by this Act.
(1) The following persons shall be competent to confer a right of occupancy:
Provided that, if the minor has a father or a brother as his natural guardian, the written consent of the natural guardian shall be deemed sufficient;
(2) A right of occupancy may be conferred--
(3) Notwithstanding anything in the foregoing sub-sections, a right of occupancy shall not be conferred in grove-land or pasture-land, or upon a corporation, math or other artificial person.
(4) A right of occupancy may be conferred for valuable consideration or gifted, provided that such a right shall not be conferred in land under the superintendence of the court of wards except for valuable consideration, and that the court of wards shall not delegate its powers to confer such rights.
(5) A right of occupancy shall be conferred by registered instrument only.
(6) Notwithstanding the provisions of section 50, the initial rent payable by a tenant upon conferment on him of a right of occupancy shall be the rent which is agreed upon between him and his landlord.
(1) A person on whom a right of occupancy has been conferred under the provisions of section 17 may present an application to be recorded as an occupancy tenant to the court of the assistant collector in charge of the sub-division, and shall verify such application in presence of the court.
(2) Subject to the provisions of sub-sections (3) and (4), the court, after giving notice to the person who is alleged to have conferred the right of occupancy and satisfying itself that such a right has been conferred in accordance with the provisions of section 17, shall cause the applicant to be recorded as an occupancy tenant in the annual registers maintained under section 33 of the United Provinces Land Revenue Act, 1901
(3) When in proceedings under this section a question arises whether the person purporting to have conferred the right of occupancy was competent to do so, the court shall, if a question of proprietary right is in dispute and has not already been determined by a court of competent jurisdiction, require by an order in writing the party whose name is not recorded as proprietor of the land in the annual registers maintained under section 33 of the United Provinces Land Revenue Act, 1901
(4) Where an order has been passed under sub-section (3), if the party whose name is not recorded in the aforesaid annual registers fails to comply with it, the court of the assistant collector in charge of the sub-division shall decide such question of proprietary right against him. If such party institutes a suit in compliance with the order, the court of the assistant collector in charge of the sub-division shall dispose of the application pending before it under sub-section (2) in accordance with the final decision of the Civil court of first instance or appeal, as the case may be, upon such question of proprietary right.
(5) Where the court of the assistant collector in charge of the sub-division rejects an application under this section, it may (after taking into consideration the decision of the Civil court, if any) award to the applicant such damages (including the return of the consideration, if any, paid by the applicant to the person purporting to have conferred the right of occupancy) as it may deem just.
(6) The court of the assistant collector in charge of the sub-division or the Civil court may either of its own motion or on the application of any person, direct that any person be made a party to the proceedings, but nothing in this section shall debar a person who has not been a party to such proceedings from establishing any right in any Civil or Revenue court.
(7) An appeal against an order of the court of the assistant collector in charge of the sub-division under this section shall lie to the commissioner; provided that if a question of proprietary right has been in issue between parties claiming such right in the court of first instance and is in issue in the appeal, the appeal shall lie to the court which has jurisdiction to hear appeals from the court in which the question of proprietary right was decided.
(8) Notwithstanding anything in section 14, where a landlord or permanent tenure-holder has conferred a right of occupancy under section 17 in land which is his sir, the following consequences shall ensue if the right of occupancy is still subsisting at the time of a transfer which under the provisions of section 14 would ordinarily cause the accrual of exproprietary rights:
Subject to the provisions of sub-section (3) of section 8, every person who--
shall be called a statutory tenant, and subject to the provisions of this Act, shall be entitled to a life-tenancy of his holding:
Provided, first, that no statutory rights shall accrue in favour of a sub-tenant and that no sub-tenant shall be deemed a statutory tenant:
Provided, secondly, that no statutory right shall accrue in any land acquired or held for a public purpose or a work of public utility, and in particular, and without prejudice to the generality of this proviso, statutory right shall not accrue in--
Provided, thirdly, that no statutory right shall accrue in--
(1) The heir of a statutory tenant is the person entitled to succeed to the tenancy under the provisions of section 24 or 25.
(2) Such heir or in the event of his death successive heirs under section 24 or section 25 shall be entitled to retain possession of the holding of the deceased statutory tenant for a period of five years from the latter's death, or if the deceased tenant held a lease at the time of his death of which the unexpired portion is longer than five-years, until the expiry of the period of the lease:
Provided that (1) if (a) he has been admitted in writing by his landholder as a statutory tenant, or (b) no proceedings have been taken by his landholder to eject him within three years after the expiry of the period specified in sub-section (2) he shall be considered to have been admitted to the holding within the meaning of section 19(b) and shall be deemed to be a statutory tenant;
(2) Where there are two or more co-tenants of statutory tenancy, the heir of a deceased co-tenant shall be entitled to continue in possession of the land or interest of the deceased co-tenant till five years have expired from the death of the last surviving co-tenant;
(3) when there are two or more co-tenants of a statutory tenancy, the period of three years specified in proviso (1) (b) shall not be deemed to have expired for the heir of any co-tenant till it has expired for the heir of the last surviving co-tenant.
All tenants other than permanent tenure-holders, fixed-rate Non-occupancy tenants tenants, ex-proprietary tenants, occupancy tenants, statutory tenants or heirs of a statutory tenant are non-occupancy tenants.
The interest of a permanent tenure-holder and of a fixed-rate tenant is both heritable and transferable.
(1) The interest of an ex-proprietary tenant, of an occupancy tenant, of a non-occupancy tenant, and of a statutory tenant to the extent provided by section 20 is heritable, but is not transferable either in execution of a decree of a Civil or Revenue court or otherwise except in accordance with the provisions of this Act.
(2) Nothing in the foregoing provisions of this section shall render it illegal for a tenant--
Provided that no person shall be deemed to be a co-tenant, notwithstanding that he may have shared in the cultivation of the holding, unless he was a Co-tenant from the commencement of the tenancy or has become such by succession or has been specifically recognized as such in writing by the landholder;
When a male ex-proprietary tenant, occupancy tenant, statutory tenant or non-occupancy tenant dies, his interest in the holding shall devolve in accordance with the order of succession given below:
Order of succession
Provided that no such daughter's son or collateral relative shall be entitled to inherit, who did not share in the cultivation of the holding at the time of the tenant's death.
(1) When a female ex-proprietary, occupancy or non-occupancy tenant who has inherited an interest in a holding under section 24, or the female heir of a statutory tenant dies or surrenders, or abandons such interest, or in the case of a widow of class II in section 24, re-marries, such interest shall, notwithstanding anything contained in section 35, devolve upon the nearest surviving heir of the last male tenant such heir being ascertained in accordance with section 24.
(2) When any female ex-proprietary, occupancy or non-occupancy tenant other than one subject to the provisions of sub-section (1) dies, her interest in the holding shall devolve--
(3) When a female statutory tenant dies, her interest in the holding subject to the limitation of section 20, shall devolve as in sub-section (2) of this section.
No person shall be deemed to have an interest in an ex-proprietary, occupancy, statutory or non-occupancy tenancy merely by reason of being joint in estate with any person with whom a contract of tenancy has been made, or who has succeeded to the interest of a tenant, or who has become a tenant by operation of law or otherwise; and except in the case of widows or a co-tenant who dies leaving no heir entitled to succeed under section 24, no interest in any ex-proprietary, occupancy, statutory or non-occupancy tenancy shall pass by survivorship. Where the persons possessing such interest are joint in estate, they shall be deemed for purposes of succession to be tenants in common.
No tenant other than a permanent tenure-holder or fixed-rate tenant shall sub-let the whole or any portion of his holding in consideration of a sum of money paid in advance or of a debtor or other obligation, whether reserving or not reserving rent to be paid periodically:
Provided that nothing in his section shall be held to bar stipulation that the sub-tenant shall pay (a) to a tenant with a right of occupancy, not more than two years' rent in advance, (b) to any other tenant, not more than one year's rent in advance.
Subject to the provisions of section 27, a tenant may sub-let the whole or any portion of his holding under the restrictions imposed by this Act:
Provided that no such sub-letting shall in any way relieve the tenant of any of his liabilities to his landholder save with the landholder's written consent.
(1) No ex-proprietary or occupancy tenant shall, except with the written consent of the landholder, sub-let the whole or any portion of his holding for a term exceeding five years or within five years of any portion of such holding being held by a subtenant.
(2) A statutory tenant shall not, except with the written consent of the landholder, sub-let the whole or any portion of his holding for a term exceeding three years or within three years of any portion of such holding being held by a sub-tenant.
(3) The heir of a statutory tenant shall have the same right to sublet as a statutory tenant:
Provided that the period of a sub-lease given by an heir of a statutory tenant shall not extend beyond the termination of the period for which such heir is entitled to hold as tenant.
(4) A sub-lease for a term exceeding one year, or from year to year shall be made by a registered instrument only.
(5) No non-occupancy tenant shall, except with the written consent of the landholder, sub-let the whole or any portion of his holding for a term exceeding one year or within a year of any portion of such holding being held by a sub-tenant.
(6) A female, a minor, a lunatic, an idiot, a person incapable by reason of blindness of practising agriculture, or a person in the military service of (the Government)
Provided that this sub-section shall not apply in the case of a joint tenancy unless all the joint tenants are of one or more of the descriptions specified.
(7) A sub-lease which would be invalid but for the provisions of sub-section (6) shall not remain in force for more than five years after the lessor either dies or ceases to come within any of the descriptions given therein.
(8) All sub-leases shall terminate with the term of settlement.
No sub-tenant shall sub-let otherwise than with the written consent of his landholder.
When a tenant has sub-let, the successor-in-interest of such tenant shall be bound by the terms of the sublease, in so far as they are consistent with the conditions of his tenancy and the provisions of this Act.
(1) Except as otherwise provided in sub-sections (2) and (3) the extinction of the interest of a tenant whose interest is not transferable shall operate to extinguish the interest of any tenant holding under him:
Provided that the landholder may at his option allow the interest of the sub-tenant to continue, and all covenants previously binding and enforceable as between the tenant and the sub-tenant shall thereupon be binding and enforceable as between the landholder and the sub-tenant.
(2) Where, at the time of the extinction by surrender or abandonment of the interest in a holding of a tenant whose interest is not transferable, there is in existence a valid sub-lease or mortgage of the whole or of a portion of the holding executed before the first day of January, 1902, all covenants binding and enforceable as between the tenant and the sub-tenant of mortgagee, as the case may be, shall, subject to sub-section (4), be binding and enforceable as between the tenant's landholder and the sub-tenant or mortgagee for the remainder of the term of the sub-lease or mortgage, or for the lifetime of the tenant or for ten years, whichever period may be the shortest.
(3) Where, at the time of the extinction by surrender or abandonment, or by death without any heir entitled to inherit such interest, of the interest in a holding of a tenant whose interest is not transferable, there is in existence a valid sub-lease of the whole or of a portion of the holding, executed on or after the first day of January, 1902, all covenants binding and enforceable as between the tenant and the sub-tenant shall, subject to sub-section (4), be binding and enforceable as between the tenant's landholder and the sub-tenant for the remainder of the term of the sub-leases or for years, whichever period may be the shorter.
(4) In the cases referred to in sub-sections (1) to (3) if the rent payable by the sub-tenant is less than that hitherto payable by the tenant the sub-tenant shall have the option of vacating the holding, but shall, if he continues in possession, be liable to pay rent at the rate hitherto payable by the tenant.
(5) Nothing in this section shall have the effect of limiting the right of the landholder to have the rent of any holding enhanced under the provisions of Chapter V of this Act or to set aside any sub-lease voidable under the provisions of sub-section (2) of section 34.
When the interest of a sub-tenant is extinguished with the extinction of the interest of the tenant from whom he holds or by the expiry of the term of settlement, he shall vacate his holding accordingly, but shall have in respect of the removal of standing crops and other products of the earth the same rights as the tenant would have upon ejectment in accordance with the provisions of this Act.
(1) Every transfer, other than a sub-lease, made by a tenant in contravention of the provisions of this Act, and every sub-lease made by a tenant in contravention of the provisions of section 27, shall be void.
(2) Every sub-lease made by a tenant in contravention of the provisions of this Act, other than a sub-lease which is void under sub-section (1) shall be voidable at the option of the landholder.
(1) The interest of a tenant shall be extinguished--
(2) Subject to the provisions of section 16 of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894 (Act I of 1894), the extinction of the interest of a tenant having a transferable interest shall not of itself affect the rights of any transferee from such tenant under a valid transfer but after the transfer all covenants binding and enforceable as between the landlord and the tenant shall be binding and enforceable as between the landlord and the transferee.
Where a tenant acquires or succeeds to the entire proprietary right in his holding, the tenancy is extinguished:
Provided that if the transaction by which the proprietary right was acquired is afterwards set aside by order of a competent court, or if such a right is lost in consequence of the exercise of a right of pre-emption, the tenancy shall revive.
A division of a holding of distribution of the rent payable in respect of a holding or any portion thereof, or such division and distribution shall be effected only (a) by agreement between the co-tenants, or (b) by the decree in a suit instituted under this section by one or more of the co-tenants against the others:
Provided that such division or distribution shall not be binding on landholder unless be agrees thereto in writing.
A tenant who has a right of occupancy in any land shall have a right of occupancy in any other land which he may receive from the landlord or permanent tenure-holder in exchange therefor and shall thereupon cease to have a right of occupancy in the land so given by him in exchange:
Provided that, notwithstanding anything in this section, a right of occupancy shall not accrue in land in which a right of occupancy could not be conferred under section 17(3).
(1) If two tenants of the same class other than tenants of sir or sub-tenants agree to exchange land owned by the same landlord with his written consent or owned by different landlords with the written consent of the latter, the tenants may apply to the court to give effect to the exchange.
(2) On exchange the tenants shall have the same rights in the land received in exchange as they had in the land given in exchange.
(1) A landlord may apply to the collector to acquire for him land held by an ex-proprietary or occupancy tenant for the purpose of farming on improved lines; and the collector shall, if he is satisfied that reasonable grounds exist, order the acquisition of the land applied for, or part thereof, and shall at the same time award the tenant the compensation to which he is entitled under sub-section (2) of this section and shall thereupon order the ejectment of the tenant from the land acquired.
(2) The collector before passing an order of ejectment under sub-section (1) of this section hall award to the tenant land with similar advantages in the same village, or, with the consent of the tenant, in another village, but to such extent as such land is not available, the collector shall award monetary compensation amounting to six times the annual rental value of the land acquired, calculated at the rates prescribed for statutory tenants in sub-section (3)(b) or sub-section (4) of section 59. Such compensation shall be in addition to the amount of compensation, if any, due for improvement.
(1) A landlord or a permanent, tenure-holder may apply to the collector to acquire for him land held by a statutory tenant or the heir of a statutory tenant for any of the following purposes, namely--
(2) The collector shall, if he is satisfied that reasonable grounds exist, order the acquisition of the land applied for or part thereof, and shall at the same time award to the tenant the compensation to which he is entitled under sub-section (3) of this section, and shall thereupon order the ejectment of the tenant from the land acquired:
Provided that acquisition shall not be ordered for the purposes specified in (c) or (d) of sub-section (1) of this section, when suitable land not included in any holding is available.
(3) The collector, before passing an order of ejectment under sub-section (2) of this section, shall award to the tenant monetary compensation which shall not exceed four times the annual rental value of the land acquired, estimated at the rates prescribed for statutory tenants in sub-section (3)(b) or sub-section (4) of section 59. Such compensation shall be in addition to the amount of compensation, if any, due for improvements.
(1) When a tenant has been ejected under section 40 or section 41, "he shall be entitled--
(2) If the person for whom the land was acquired--
the dispossessed tenant may apply to the collector--
in case (a) of this sub-section, on the expiry of the period of two years.
in case (b) of this sub-section, as soon as the land is used for any other purpose,
in case (c) of this sub-section, as soon as the land is let to another person,
to reinstate him in the land from which he was dispossessed:
Provided that he has not been admitted by the person for whom the land was acquired to the occupation of other land under any written agreement, whereby he has waived his right under this sub-section;
(3) The collector on receiving an application under sub-section (2) of this section shall, if the conditions specified in (a), (b) or (c) of sub-section (2) of this section are fulfilled, reinstate the dispossessed tenant in the land acquired with the same rights and at the same rate of rent as at the date of his dispossession, on condition that such tenant restores to the person for whom the land was acquired the land or money or both awarded to him by way of compensation:
Provided that, so far as such compensation was money, the tenant shall be entitled to deduct by way of compensation for dispossession such amount as the collector may determine.
Provided, further, that the amount so deducted shall not exceed the annual rent payable on the land acquired for each year of the period of dispossession.
A tenant on being admitted to the occupation of and is liable to pay such rent as may be agreed upon between him and his landholder.
A person taking or retaining possession of a plot or plots of land without the consent of the landholder and in contravention of the provisions of this Act shall be liable to ejectment on the suit of the landholder and also to pay damages which may extend to for times the annual rental value at the rates applicable to statutory tenants under section 59.
Whenever any person has been admitted to the occupation of land, or permitted to retain possession of land by anyone having a right to admit or permit him with the intention that a contract of tenancy should thereby be effected/but without any rent being fixed, either he or the person so admitting or permitting him may at any time during the period of his occupation or within three years after the expiry of such period sue to have rent fixed thereon.
In a suit under section 45 the rent shall be decreed at the rate payable in the previous year, or if no rent was payable in the previous year, at the appropriate rate specified in section 59.
The rent or rate of rent payable by a tenant shall be presumed to be the rent or rate of rent previously payable by him until a registered agreement, or a decree or order of a court, is proved varying the same.
A tenant from whom any sum or produce is exacted by his landholder in excess of the amount recoverable from him as an arrear of rent under this Act, or any other enactment for the time being in force, shall be entitled to recover from the landholder such compensation not exceeding double the amount, or double the value of the produce, so exacted as the court thinks fit to decree, in addition to the amount or value of the produce so exacted.
When a court has to determine the rent of a tenant, if it is proved that by local custom or practice--
the rent shall be fixed with reference to such custom or practice but in no case at an amount less than the revenue payable in respect of his holding, with an addition of twenty per cent thereon.
(1) The rent of a fixed-rate tenant, an ex-proprietary tenant, an occupancy, tenant, a statutory tenant or an heir of a statutory tenant may be enhanced or abated only--
(2) The rent of such tenant shall not be enhanced by more than one-fourth of his existing rent subject to the condition that the rent fixed shall in no case be less than half the annual rental value at the circle or village rates which are applicable under section 59 to that class of tenant.
This sub-section shall not apply to decrees or orders of a Revenue court for enhancement of rent on account of an increase in area.
The rent of a fixed-rate tenant shall be liable to enhancement only on the ground that the area of the land in such tenant's holding has been increased by alluvion or by the tenant's encroachment.
The rent of a fixed-rate tenant shall be liable to abatement only on the ground that the area of the land in his holding has been diminished by diluvion or by taking up of land' for a public purpose or for a work of public utility.
Except as otherwise provided in the Northern India Canal and Drainage Act, 1873, or any other enactment for the time being in force the rent of an ex-proprietary, occupancy or statutory tenant or heir of a statutory tenant shall be liable to enhancement on one or more of the following grounds and no others:
Except as otherwise provided in the Northern India Canal and Drainage Act, 1873, or any other enactment for the time being in force, the rent of an ex-proprietary, occupancy or statutory tenant or of an heir of a statutory tenant shall be liable to abatement on one or more or the following grounds and no others:
A roster year is an agricultural year fixed by the (State Government)
(1) The (State Government)
Provided that the (State Government)
(2) In every local area in which the settlement of the revenue is liable to periodical revision the (State Government)
(3) Every roster year fixed under sub-section (1) and sub-section (2) for an area in which the settlement of the revenue is liable to periodical revision shall be so fixed that the last roster year during the term of the settlement shall coincide, as nearly as conveniently may be, with the last year of such term.
(4) The interval between two roster years in the same tract shall be twenty years.
(1) In every roster year the (State Government)
Provided that for any cogent reason such as a calamity seriously affecting a local area, or an insufficiency of officers qualified for the purpose, the (State Government)
Provided also that if a local area is under settlement, the settlement officer or assistant settlement officer shall perform the duties of the special officer appointed under this sub-section:
Provided also that the special officer or officers may be empowered by the (State Government)
(2) If the local area has been divided into circles by a settlement officer or an assistant settlement officer, the special officer shall propose such rates for each such circle and for each separate class of soil demarcated by the settlement officer or the assistant settlement officer, unless with the previous sanction of the Board the circle and classification of soils are revised.
Explanation--Every circle and soil classification made before the commencement of this Act with the approval of the Board by the assistant collector in respect of any local area in the Benares district shall be deemed for the purpose of sub-section (2) to have been made by a settlement officer.
(3) If no soil classification has previously been made by a settlement officer or an assistant settlement officer, the special officer shall make circles and classify the soils in the manner prescribed for settlement officers by rules made under the United Provinces Land Revenue Act, 1901,
(4) The rates proposed by the special officer for statutory tenants shall be based on genuine, adequate and stable rents which are paid by substantial tenants who depend for their livelihood on the produce of their holdings and can be paid without hardship over a series of years, due regard being had to movements in prices and rents and the letting value of land.
(5) In proposing rates for occupancy tenants the special officer shall have regard not only to the movements in prices and rents and the letting value of land but also to the existing level of occupancy rents, distinguishing between holding is of old and those of recent standing.
(6) The special officer shall record with reference to section 49 the extent to which caste is taken into account in determining the rent payable by tenants and the extent to which any class of persons hold on favourable rates of rent, whether for the local area as a whole or for particular villages or mahals comprised in, it.
(7) The special officer shall also record for each village whether the fair and equitable rates proposed by him are applicable without modification, or to what extent they require modification either for the village as a whole or for a specified area or class of soil within it.
(1) The special officer shall publish, in such manner as may be prescribed, the proposals and records made by him under section 57 and shall receive and consider any objections which may be made to them.
(2) When such objections, if any, have been considered and disposed of according to the prescribed procedure, the special officer shall submit the proposals and records made by him after such modification, if any, as he may think fit to the Board, or, if the (State Government)
(3) On receipt of the proposals and records submitted by a special officer under sub-section (2) the Board or the commissioner may direct further inquiry into any of the matters contained therein.
(1) The rates and records confirmed or modified under section 58 shall be deemed to be sanctioned rates and records until the next roster year or until the local area is brought under settlement and rent-rates selected by the settlement officer have been sanctioned by the Board under section 63 of the United Provinces Land Revenue Act, 1901 (U.P. Act III of 1901).
(2) The rent-rates for occupancy tenants sanctioned by the Board either before or after the commencement of this Act under section 63 of the United Provinces Land Revenue Act, 1901 (U.P. Act III of 1901), for the purposes of a settlement in a local area shall be deemed to be sanctioned rates for the purposes of this Act until the commencement of the first roster year occurring after the settlement came or comes into force:
Provided that, if the settlement came into force before the commencement of this Act, such rates shall not be deemed to be sanctioned rates for the purposes of any suit instituted more than ten years after the settlement came into force.
Explanation--The sanction of the rent-rates referred to in this sub-section shall be deemed to include sanction of the findings and the recorded opinions, if any, of the settlement officer or assistant settlement officer, in respect of any of the matters referred to in clauses (6) and (7) of section 57, subject to any modification made by the Board or the commissioner.
(3) (a) If the rent-rates referred to in sub-section (2) do not distinguish between occupancy and non-occupancy or statutory tenants, such rates shall be deemed to have been sanctioned for occupancy tenants.
(b) If the rent-rates referred to in sub-section (2) distinguish between occupancy and non-occupancy or statutory tenants, the rates sanctioned for either non-occupancy or statutory tenants shall be deemed to have sanctioned for statutory tenants and for the heirs of statutory tenants.
(4) In every suit for proceeding in which a court has to determine the fair and equitable rate of rent payable by a tenant, and there are no rent-rates which shall be deemed to be the sanctioned rates under sub-sections (1) to (3) of this section the court shall determine such rate after local inspection at the rate generally payable by tenants of the same class for land of the same class or classes of soil.
An occupancy tenant or an ex-proprietary tenant or a statutory tenant or the heir of a statutory tenant whose rent has heretofore been paid in kind, or on the estimated value of a person of the crop, or by rates varying with the crop, or partly in one of such ways, and partly in another or other of such ways, or the landholder or such tenant may sue for the commutation of such rent to a fixed money rent.
(1) Any suit for enhancement, abatement or commutation of rent may be instituted in any year not earlier than the first day of July nor later than the thirtieth day of September:
(Provided that in any permanently settled mahal of the Benares Division or the Azamgarh District a suit for abatement or commutation of rent may also be instituted between the thirtieth day of September, 1937, and the first day of July, 1938.)
(2) Notwithstanding anything in this section while a local area is under settlement, no suit for enhancement, abatement or commutation of rent shall be maintainable under this Act until the time for making applications to the settlement officer under section 87 of the United Provinces Land Revenue Act, 1901, has passed.
(3) If a special officer has been appointed to a district or local area for the determination of fair and equitable rates and has been empowered under section 57 to decide suits for enhancement, abatement or commutation of rent, such suits may be instituted in his court within such period as may be fixed by him with the sanction of the Board.
(1) A suit for enhancement, abatement or commutation of rent may be instituted against or by any number of ex-proprietary, occupancy or statutory tenants or of heirs of statutory tenants collectively:
Provided that all such tenants are tenants of the same landholder, and all the holdings in respect of which the suit is instituted are situated in the same mahal and village.
(2) No decree shall be passed in any such suit affecting the interests of any person, unless the court is satisfied that he has had an opportunity of appearing and being heard.
(3) The decree shall specify the extent to which each of the tenants is affected thereby.
In decreeing an enhancement of the rent of an ex-proprietary, occupancy or statutory tenant으로 heir of a statutory tenant, if the enhancement is not less than one-fourth of the rent, and if the court considers that the immediate enforcement of the decree to its full extent will be attended with hardship to the tenant, the court may direct that the enhancement shall take effect by yearly increments extending over any number of years not exceeding three.
(1) In all suits for enhancement or commutation of rent the court shall determine the rents in accordance with the sanctioned rates and records, unless for special reasons to be recorded the court sees reason to depart from them.
(2) In suits for commutation of rent the court shall also consider any plea to the effect that commutation is undesirable in view of the exceptional liability of the holding to damage by wild animals, flooding or like cause, or exceptional fluctuations in the portion of the holding actually cultivated or its produce, and may dismiss the suit on such' ground.
In suits for ab atement of rent on the grounds mentioned in section 54(b) and (c), the court shall ordinarily decree the abatement with reference to the existing rent and the extent ' of the decrease in the productive powers or the area of the holding:
Provided that, notwithstanding anything in the section, the rent so fixed by abatement shall not be less than the valuation of the holding made at assessment of the revenue for the purpose of calculating the assets.
(1) Every decree or registered agreement for enhancement of rent shall take effect from the commencement of the agricultural year next following that in which the suit was instituted or the agreement was registered:
Provided that where under the provisions of this Act such rent is not liable to enahancement till the end of a period which expires subsequently to the commencement of such next following agricultural year, the decree or agreement shall take effect from the commencement of the agricultural year in which the rent will be liable to enahancement.
(2) Every decree or registered agreement for abatement of rent shall take effect from the commencement of the agricultural year in which the suit was instituted or the agreement made, unless in the case of a decree the court for some reason to the recorded direct, or unless in the case of a registered agreement the agreement provides that it shall take effect from some later date.
(1) Except as otherwise provided in the Northern India Canal and Drainage Act, 1873 (Act VIII of 1873), when the rent of a tenant of the classes mentioned in sub-section (1) of section 50 has been agreed upon, fixed enhanced or abated under this Act or the Agra Tenancy Act, 1901 (U.P. Act. III of 1901), or the United Provinces Land Revenue Act, 1901, it shall not be liable to enhancement or abatement until or unless--
(2) Where the rent has been varied merely on the ground of an increase or decrease in area such variation shall not be considered in computing the periods mentioned in sub-section (1) (a) of this section.
An ex-proprietary, occupancy or statutory tenant or heir of a statutory tenant who is sued for enhancement of rent may plead that he has construct ed an improvement which continues to benefit his holding. In such case, if the improvement is one which the tenant was entitled to make, the court shall, in fixing the rent, make such deduction from the enhancement claimed as fairly represents in its opinion the increase in letting value due to the improvement:
Provided that in no case shall such deduction be made if the improvement was completed more than thirty years before the commencement of the suit.
The rent of a non-occupancy tenant, not being a tenant of sir or a sub-tenant, may be enhanced by agreement between such tenant and his landholder on the following conditions:
Notwithstanding anything contained in clause (b) of section 69 a suit shall lie--
(1) Notwithstanding anything hereinbefore contained, any lease granted or engagement entered into by any landlord fixing the rent of land for any period exceeding the term for which his revenue has been settled shall be voidable on the expiry of the settlement--