The West Pakistan Land- Revenue Act, 1967

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Department: Board of Revenue
Main Category: Acts
Specific Category Name: Land
Year 1967
Promulgation Date: 07-12-1967
Details:

THE WEST PAKISTAN LAND REVENUE ACT, 1967. 
WEST PAKISTAN ACT NO. XVII OF 1967.

[7th December, 1967.]

 

CONTENTS

 


CHAPTER-I

 PRELIMINARY

 

PREAMBLE

 

SECTIONS

 

1.                  Short title, extent and commencement.

2.                  Power to except any area from provisions unsuited thereto.

3.                  Exclusion of certain land from operation of this Act.

4.                  Definitions.

CHAPTER-II

DIVISION AND DISTRICTS.

 

[1][5.       Province to be divided into Divisions.

6.                  Divisions to be divided into District and Districts into Sub- Divisions etc.]

 

CHAPTER-III

APPOINTMENT AND POWERS OF REVENUE OFFICERS.

APPOINTMENT.

7.                  Classes of Revenue Officers.

[2][8.       Appointment of Commissioner and Collector.

9.                  Appointment of Additional Commissioners and Additional             Collectors.]

10.              Assistant Collectors.

11.              Tehsildars, etc.

12.              Certain appointments to be notified.

13.              Superintendence and control of Revenue Officer.

14.              Power to distribute business and withdraw and transfer cases.

15.              Combination of officers.

16.              Conferment of powers of Revenue Officers.

17.              Functions of Revenue Officers.

18.              Retention of powers by Revenue Officers on transfer.

[3][18A.]

 

CHAPTER-IV

PROCEDURE OF REVENUE OFFICERS.

 

19.              Subordination of Revenue Officers.

20.              Powers to make rules as to procedure.

21.              Persons by whom appearance and applications may be made before and to             Revenue Officers.

22.              Powers of Revenue Officers to summon persons to give and produce          documents.

23.              Summons to be in writing signed and sealed.

24.              Mode of service of summons.

25.              Mode of service of notice, order or proclamation, or copy thereof.

26.              Mode of making proclamation.

27.              Inquiries under the Act to be deemed judicial proceedings.

28.              Language of Revenue Offices.

29.              Arrest of defaulter to be made upon warrant.

30.              Powers of Revenue Officers to enter upon any lands or premises for           purpose of measurements, etc.

31.              Place of sittings .

32.              Proceedings held on holidays.

33.              Seals.

34.              Costs.

35.              Penalty.

CHAPTER-V

VILLAGE OFFICERS.

 

36.              Rules regulating appointments, etc., of Village Officers .

37.              Village Officer’s cess.

38.              Restrictions on attachment or assignment of remuneration of Village           Officers.

 

CHAPTER-VI

RECORDS.

 

39.              Record of rights and documents included therein.

40.              Making of special revision of record of rights.

41.              Periodical records.

[4][41A.  Digitized Periodical records.]

42.              Making of that part of periodical records which relates to land owners.

[5][42A.  Report of acquisition of rights.]

43.              Making of that part of periodical record which relates to other persons.

44.              Determination of disputes.

45.              Restriction of variations of entries in records.

46.              Mutation fees.

47.              Obligation to furnish information necessary for the preparation of records.

[6][48.     Penalty.]

49.              Rights of Government in mines and minerals.

50.              Presumption to ownership of forests, quarries and wastelands.

51.              Compensation for infringement of rights of third parties in exercise of a      right of Government.

52.              Presumption in favour of entries in records of rights and periodical records.      

53.              Suit for declaratory decrees by persons aggrieved by an entry in record.

54.              Records of rights and periodical records for groups of estates.

[7][54A.  Power to call for information.]

55.              Powers to make rules respecting records and other matters   connected        therewith.

56.              Assessment of land-revenue.

57.              Basis of assessment.

58.              Limit of assessments.

59.              Notification of intended re-assessment and instructions as to principles of assessment.

60.              Mode of determining assessment.

61.              Announcement of assessment.

62.              Application for reconsideration of assessment.

63.              Confirmation and duration of assessment.

64.              Duration of assessment.

65.              Assessment to remain in force till new assessment takes effect.

66.              Refusal to be liable for assessment and consequences thereof.

67.              Distribution of the assessment of an estate over the holdings comprised      therein.

68.              Application for amendment of the distribution of an assessment.

69.              Appeals from orders under sections 62 and 68.

70.              Special assessment.

71.              Power to make rules.

72.              Procedure to be followed m making Rules.

73.              Power to issue instructions.

 

CHAPTER-VIII

COLLECTIONS OF LAND REVENUE.

 

74.              Liability for payment of land-revenue. 

75.              Security for Payment of Land revenue. 

76.              Orders to regulate payment of land-revenue. 

77.              Rules to regulate collection, remission and suspension of land-revenue.

78.              Cost recoverable as part of arrear.

79.              Certified account to be evidence as to arrear.

80.              Processes for recovery of arrears.

81.              Notice of demand.

82.              Arrest and detention of defaulter.

83.              Distress and sale of movable property and crops.

84.              Transfer of holding.

85.              Attachment of holding.

86.              Annulment of assessment of holding.

87.              Proclamation of attachment or annulment of assessment and consequences             of proclamation.

88.              Sale of holding.

89.              Effect of sale on encumbrances.

90.              Proceedings against other immovable property of defaulter.

91.              Remedies open to person denying his liability for an arrear.

92.              Proclamation of sale.

93.              Indemnity of Revenue Officer with respect to contents of   proclamation.

94.              Publication of proclamation.

95.              Time and conduct of sale.

96.              Power to postpone sale.

97.              Stay of sale.

98.              Deposit by purchaser in case of sale of immovable property.

99.              Consequences of failure to pay deposit.

100.          Time for payment in full.

101.          Procedure in default of payment.

102.          Report of sale to Commissioner.

103.          Application to set aside sale.

104.          Order confirming or setting aside sale.

105.          Refund or deposit of purchase money when sale set aside.

106.          Proclamation after postponement or on re-sale.

107.          On confirmation of sale possession and certificate to be granted to purchaser.

 

108.          Sale of immovable property and perishable articles.

109.          Mode of payment for movable property when sale is concluded on the       spot.

110.          Mode of payment for movable property when sale is subject to        confirmation.

111.          Proceeds of sale.

112.          Claims to be attached movable or immovable property how to be disposed             of.

 

CHAPTER-IX

 

113.          Recovery of certain arrears through Revenue Officers instead of by suit.

114.          Other sum recoverable as arrears of land-revenue.

115.          Application of Chapter VIII to sums recoverable under this             Chapter. 

116.          Revenue survey may be introduced by Board of Revenue in any     part of             Province.

117.          Powers of Revenue Officers to define boundaries.

118.          Surveys for purpose of preparation of records.

119.          Assistance to be given by holders and others in the measurement or             classification of lands.

120.          Professional surveys.

121.          Power of Board of Revenue to make rules for demarcation of boundaries   and erection of boundary marks.

122.          Effect of the settlement of boundary.

123.          Powers to fix boundary between riverain estates.

124.          Effect of fixing boundary between riverain estates.

125.          Application for immediate transfer of rights.

126.          Award of compensation and extinguishments of rights thereby.

127.          Voluntary transfers not affected.

128.          Rights transferred to be liable to all the incidents of tenure of the    estate   to which the transfer is made.

129.          Cost of erection and repair of boundary and survey marks.

130.          Recovery of cost incurred by Government.

131.          Responsibility for the maintenance of boundary and survey marks.

132.          Report of destruction or removal of or injury to boundary or survey marks.

133.          Land measurement or survey to be based on a square system or       rectangulation.

134.          Penalty.

 

CHAPTER-XI

 PARTITIONS.

 

135.          Application for partition.

136.          Restrictions and limitations on partition.

137.          Notice of application for partition.

138.          Addition of parties to application.

139.          Disallowance of partition.

140.          Procedure on admission of application.

141.          Disposal of questions as to title in the property to be divided.

142.          Disposal of other questions.

143.          Administration of property excluded from partition.

144.          Distribution of revenue and rent after partition.

145.          Instrument of partition.

146.          Delivery of possession of property allotted on partition.

147.          Affirmation of partition privately effected.

148.          Power to make rules as to cost of partition.

149.          Re-distribution of land according to custom.

150.          Officers who may be empowered to act under this chapter.

 

 

 

 

 

CHAPTER-XII

ARBITRATION.

 

151.          Power to refer to arbitration. 

152.          Order of reference and contents thereof.

153.          Nomination of arbitrator.

154.          Substitution of arbitrators by parties.

155.          Nomination and substitution of arbitrators by Revenue Officers.

156.          Process for appearance before arbitrators.

157.          Award of arbitrators and presentation thereof.

158.          Procedure on presentation of award.

159.          Effect of award.

160.          Arbitration Act not to apply to arbitration under this Chapter.

 

CHAPTER-XIII

APPEAL, REVIEW AND REVISION.

 

161.          Appeals.

162.          Limitation for appeals.

163.          Review.

164.          Revision.

165.          Stay of proceeding and execution of orders and decrees.

166.          Clerical mistakes etc.

167.          Computation of period Limited under this Chapter.

CHAPTER-XIV

SUPPLEMENTAL PROVISIONS.

REVENUE DEPOSITS.

 

168.          Power to deposit certain sums other than rent.

169.          Procedure in case of deposits.

170.          Orders of Civil and Criminal Courts for execution of process against land, etc.

171.          Preservation of attached produce.

172.          Exclusion of jurisdiction of Civil Courts in matters within the jurisdiction   of Revenue Officers.

173.          Powers to invest officers making records of rights of general re       assessments with powers of Civil Courts.

174.          Control over such officer and appeal from and revision of their decrees       and orders.

175.          Prevention of encroachment upon common lands.

176.          Papers kept by village Officers to be deemed public documents.

177.          Maps and land record open to inspection, etc.

178.          Restriction on Revenue Officers bidding at auctions or engaging in trade.

CHAPTER-XV

MISCELLANEOUS.

 

179.          Effect of finality of orders.

180.          Restriction of appointment of lambardars.

181.          Bar on legal proceedings against Revenue Officers.

182.          Power to make rules.

183.          Rules to be made after previous publication.

184.          Repeals and savings.

            THE SCHEDULE

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE WEST PAKISTAN LAND-REVENUE ACT, 1967. 
WEST PAKISTAN ACT NO. XVII OF 1967. 

                                                                                                            [7th December, 1967.]


[First published, after having received the assent of the Governor of West Pakistan, in the Gazette of West Pakistan (Extraordinary), dated the 7th December, 1967]

 

AN 
ACT


to consolidate and amend the law relating to Land Revenue in the Province of West Pakistan.

 

WHEREAS it is expedient to consolidate and amend the law relating to the making and maintenance of record-of-rights, the assessment and collection of land-revenue, the appointment and functions of Revenue Officers and other matters connected with the Land Revenue administration in the Province of West Pakistan or incidental thereto:

Preamble.

 

It is hereby enacted as follows: —

CHAPTER-I
PRELIMINARY

 

1.         (1)  This Act may be called the West Pakistan Land- Revenue Act, 1967.

 

            (2) It extends to the whole of the [8][Province of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa]

 
            (3)  It or any specified provision thereof shall come into operation in such area or areas and on such date or dates as Government may, by notification, appoint in this behalf.

Short title, extent and commencement.

 

2.        (1) Should the circumstances of any area in which this Act, or any specified provision thereof, has been brought into force be such that, in the opinion of Government, that provision, or any other provision of the Act, is unsuited thereto, Government may, by notification, except that area from the operation of such provisions and thereupon those provisions shall not apply to such area until the notification is rescinded.

Power to except any area from provisions unsuited thereto.

           

            (2) While such exception as aforesaid remains in force, Government may frame rules for the regulation of the matters so excepted. So far as may be, the rules shall be consistent with the provisions of this Act and shall specify the period for which such exception shall remain in force.

3.         (1) Except so far as may be necessary for the record, recovery and administration of village-cess, or for purposes of survey, nothing in this Act applies to land which is occupied as the site of a town or village, and is not assessed to land-revenue.

Exclusion of certain land

from operation

of this Act.

           

            (2) It shall be lawful for the Collector acting under the general or special orders of the Board of Revenue, to determine, for the purposes of this Act, what lands are included within the site of a town or village, and to fix and from time to time to vary the limits of the same, regard being had to all the subsisting right of the landowners.

 

4.         In this Act, unless there is anything repugnant in the subject or context:—

Definitions.

 

            (1) “agricultural year” means the year commencing on the first day of July, or on such other date as the Board of Revenue, with the previous approval of Government, may by notification, appoint for any specified area;

(2) “arrears of land-revenue” means land-revenue which remains unpaid after the date on which it becomes payable;

 

(3) “assessment circle” means a group of estates which in the opinion of the Board of Revenue, to be recorded in an order in writing, are sufficiently homogeneous to admit of a common set of rates being used as a general guide in calculating the land-          revenue to be assessed upon them;

 

(4) “Board of Revenue” means the Board of Revenue established under the West Pakistan Board of Revenue Act, 1957 (West Pakistan Act No. XI of 1957);

 

(5) “boundary mark” means any erection, whether of earth stone, or other material, any hedge, unploughed ridge, or strip of ground, or other object or mark, whether natural or artificial, set up, employed or specified by  a Revenue Officer having authority in that behalf in order to designate the boundary of any division of land;

 

(6) “commencement” shall mean the day on which this Act or any provision thereof, as the case may be comes into operation;

 

(7) “defaulter” means a person liable for an arrear of land revenue, and includes a person who is responsible as surety for payment of the arrear;

 

(8) “encumbrance” means a charge upon or claim against land arising out of a private grant or contract;

 

 

 

(9) “estate” means any area.—

 

(i)           for which a separate record-of-rights has been made; or

 

(ii)         which has been separately assessed to land-revenue; or 

 

(iii)       which the Board of Revenue may, by general rule or special order, declare to be an estate; 


            (10) “holding” means a share or portion of an estate held by one land-owner or jointly by two or more land-owners;

 

            [9][(10A) “irrigated land” means land irrigated by a canal, tubewell, well, jhalar, karez, spring or by any other artificial means of irrigation;

(11) “Kanungo” shall be deemed to include a supervision Tapedar;

(12) “land-lord” means a person under whom a tenant holds land, and to whom the tenant is, or but for a, special contract, would be liable to pay rent for that land, and shall include a lessee of such person, and the predecessors and successor-in-interest of such person;

(13) “land-owner” includes a person to whom a holding has been transferred, or an estate or holding has been let in farm, under this Act, for the recovery of an arrear of land-revenue or of a sum recoverable as such an arrear and any other person who is in possession of an estate or any share or portion thereof, or in the enjoyment of any part of the profits of an estate, but does not include a tenant;

(14) “land-revenue” means land-revenue assessed or assessable under this Act, or under any other law for the time being in force relating to land-revenue, and includes any rates imposed on account of increase in the value of and due to irrigation;

(15) “legal practitioner” means any legal practitioner within the meaning of the Legal Practitioners Act, 1879 (Act No. XVIII of 1879), except a Mukhtar:

(16) “net assets” of an estate or group of estates means the estimated average annual surplus produce of such estate or group of estates remaining after deduction of the ordinary expenses of cultivation as ascertained or estimated.

            Explanation— Ordinary expenses of cultivation include payments, if any, which the land-owner customarily bears, whether in kind or in cash, and whether in whole or in part in respect of— 

 

(a)      water rates.

(b)      maintenance of means of irrigation, 

(c)       Maintenance of embankments 

(d)      supply of seed, 

(e)       supply of manure, 

(f)        improved implements of husbandry, 

(g)      concessions with regard to fodder, 

(h)      special abatements made for fallow or bad harvests, 

(i)        cost of collection of rent. 

(j)        allowance for shortage in collection of rent, 

(k)       interest charges payable in respect of advances made in cash, free of  interest, to tenants for the purpose of cultivation,

(l)        wages or customary dues paid to village auxiliaries whose products or labour are utilized for the purposes of cultivation and harvesting; and the share that would be retainable by a tenant if the land were let to a tenant paying rent, whether in cash or in kind, at the normal rate actually prevalent in the estate or group of estates;

 

            (17) “Patwari” shall be deemed to include a Tapedar and a Special or Additional Tapedar; 

 

            (18) “pay” with its grammatical variations and cognate expressions, includes, when used with reference to rent, deliver and render, with their grammatical variations and cognate expressions;

 

            (19) “prescribed” mean prescribed by rules made under this, Act;

        
            (20) “rates and cesses” means rates and cesses which are primarily payable by land-owners, and include— 

 

(a)      the local rate, if any, payable under any law for the time being in force, and any fee similarly leviable from land-owners for the use of, or benefit derived from, embankments and works for supply or storage of water for agricultural purposes and for the preservation and reclamation of soil and drainage and reclamation of swamps;

(b)      any annual rate chargeable on owners o land under any law for the time being in force for the benefit-derived from drainage works carried on for the public health, or for the improvement of land or for the proper cultivation or irrigation thereof, or for the protection from floods or other accumulations of water, or from erosion by a river:

 

(c)       village officers cess; and

 

(d)      any sum payable on account of village expenses;

 

(21) “rent” means whatever is payable to a land-lord in money or kind by a tenant on account of the use or occupation of land held by him, but shall not include any cess, or other contribution or due or any free personal service;

 

(22) “Revenue Court” means a Court constituted as such under the law relating to tenancy as in force for the time being;

 

(23) “Revenue Officer” means a Revenue Officer having authority under this Act to discharge the function of a Revenue Officer;

[10][(23A.) “Service Delivery Centre” means the Service Delivery Centre establishment by the Board of Revenue to update or amend land records through digitized processes, and provide digitized land records to general public;

(23B.)  “service delivery centre official” means an official, who provides services in the Service Delivery Centre] 

            (24) “survey mark” means any mark set up by the Department of Survey of Pakistan;

            (25) “survey number” or “Khasra number” means a portion of land of which the area, is separately entered under an indicative number in the record-of-rights; 
           

            (26) “tenant” means a person who holds land under another person, and is, or but for a special contract would be, liable to pay rent for that land to that other person, and includes the predecessors and successors-in-interest of such person, but does not include—

(a)      a mortgage of the rights of a land-owner :

 

(b)      a person to whom a holding has been transferred, or an estate or holding has been let in farm, under the provisions of this Act, for the recovery of an arrear of land-revenue or of a sum recoverable as such an arrear; or

 

(c)       a person who takes from Government a lease of unoccupied land for the purpose of subletting it;

            (27) “tenancy” means a parcel of land held by a tenant under one lease or one set of conditions;

            [11][(27-A) “unirrigated land” means land other than irrigated land, and includes land fed by rains, floods, hill torrents and uncultivable or waste land;] 

            (28) “Village Officer means any person appointed under this Act whose duty it is to collect or to supervise the collection of the revenue of an estate, and includes Kanungos, Patwaries, [12][“Service Delivery Centre official,”] Zabits kotars or Tapedars, Peons, Arbabs, Rais and Headmen (Lambardars).


CHAPTER-II 
DIVISIONS AND DISTRICTS.

[13][5.        Province to be divided into Divisions.— There shall be as many Divisions in the Province, with such limits and such areas, as Government may, by notification, direct.]

Province to be divided into Divisions.

[14][6.       Divisions to be divided into Districts and District into Sub-divisions ,etc.— (1) Each Division shall be divided into such Districts, and each District may be divided into such Sub-Divisions or Tehsils as Government may by notification specify and each sub-Division may consist of such Tehsils and sub-Tehsils and having such limits, as Government may by notification, direct.

Divisions to

be divided into Districts and Districts into

Sub-divisions ,etc.

            (2) Government may by notification vary the number and limits of Divisions, Districts, Sub-Divisions, Tehsils and sub-Tehsils in the Province.]

 

 

CHAPTER-III 
APPOINTMENT AND POWERS OF REVENUE OFFICERS 
Appointment

 

7.        (1) There shall be the following classes of Revenue Officers, namely:—

Classes of Revenue officers.

(a)      the Board of Revenue; 

(b)      the [15][Commissioner;]

(c)       the Collector;

[16][(cc) Assistant Commissioner;]

(d)      the Assistant Collector of the first grade;

(e)       the Assistant Collector of the second grade.

            (2) The Deputy Commissioner of the District or the officer performing for the time being functions as such, shall be the Collector thereof.

            [17][(3) The Assistant Commissioner shall be the in charge of the Sub-Division of the District.]

[18][8.     Appointment of Commissioner and Collector.— For each Division there shall be a Commissioner and in each District there shall be a Collector, who shall be appointed by Government, and who shall exercise throughout the Division or District, as the case may be, all the powers, and discharge all the duties of the Commissioner or Collector, as the case may be, under this Act.]

Appointment

of Commissioner and Collector.

 

 

 

[19][9.     Appointment of Additional Commissioners and Additional Collectors.—  Government may appoint in any Division one or more Additional Commissioners or in any District one or more Additional Collectors, who shall exercise throughout the Division or District concerned all or any of the powers and discharge all or any of the duties conferred or imposed on a Commissioner or Collectors, as the case may, by or under this Act, subject to the general supervision and control of the Commissioner of the Division.]

 

Appointment

of Additional Commissioners and Additional Collectors.

10.       (1) Government may appoint to each District as many Assistant Collectors of the first and second grade as it may deem expedient.

Assistant collectors.

            (2) Government, may place the revenue administration of a Sub-Division in a District in the charge of any Assistant Collector of the first grade appointed to that District and confer all or any of the powers of the Collector on such officer under sub-section (1) of section 16. 

            (3)  If any of the powers of a Collector, under this Act are conferred on an Assistant Collector they shall be exercised by him subject to the control of the Collector.

11.      The chief officer entrusted with the local revenue administration of a Tehsil shall be called the Tehsildar (which also includes a Mukhtiarkar), who shall exercise such powers and discharge such duties of an Assistant Collector as may be expressly conferred or imposed on him by or under this Act.

Tehsildars etc.

 

 

 

 

12.       The appointment of all officers under this chapter shall be by notification.

Certain appointments

to be notified.

Administrative Control

13.       (1) The Board of Revenue shall be subject to the control of Government.

(2) The general superintendence and control over all other Revenue Officers shall be vested in, and all such Officers shall be subordinate to, the Board of Revenue.

Superintendence

and control of Revenue officers.

 

(3) Subject to the general control of the Board of Revenue a [20][Commissioner] shall control all other Revenue Officers in his Division.

 

(4) Subject as aforesaid and to the control of the [21][Commissioner], a Collector shall control all other Revenue Officers in his District.

14.      (1) The Board of Revenue may, by written order distribute, in such manner as may be deemed fit, and business cognizable by any Revenue Officer under its control, and by like order, withdraw any case pending before any such Officer.

Power to

distribute business and withdraw and transfer cases.

            (2)  The powers exercisable by the Board of Revenue under sub-section (1) may, by like order and in like manner be exercised by a [22][Commissioner] or Collector in respect of any business cognizable by, or any case pending before, other Revenue Officers under their respective control. 

            (3) Where a case is withdrawn by the Board of Revenue under sub-section (1), the Board may dispose of it itself, or by written order, refer it for disposal to any Revenue Officer; and where a case is withdrawn by a [23][Commissioner] or Collector under sub-section (2) the [24][Commissioner] or Collector, as the case may be, may dispose of it himself, or by like order, refer it to any other Revenue Officer under his control 

            (4)  No order under this section shall empower any Revenue Officer to exercise any powers or deal with any business which would not be competent to exercise or deal with within the local limits of his own jurisdiction.

15.      It shall be lawful for Government to appoint one and the same person, being otherwise competent according to law, to any two or more of the officers provided for in this Chapter.

Combination

of Offices.

16.      (1) Government may, by notification confer on any person all or any of the powers of a [25][Commissioner] or collector under this Act, and may, in like manner, withdraw, such powers.

Conferment powers of Revenue Officers.

            (2) The Board of Revenue may by notification, confer on any person all or any of the powers of an assistant Collector under this Act, and may, in like manner withdraw such powers.

            (3) A person on whom powers are conferred under this section shall exercise those powers within such local limits and in such classes of cases as Government or the Board of Revenue, as the case may be, may direct and, except as otherwise so directed, such person shall, for all purposes connected with the exercise thereof, be deemed to be the [26][Commissioner], Collector or Assistant Collector, as the case may be.

17.      Except where the class of Revenue Officers by whom any function is to be performed is specified in this Act, the Board of Revenue may, by notification, determine the functions to be performed under this Act by any class of Revenue Officers.

Functions of

revenue Officers.

18.      When a Revenue Officer of any class who has, under the provisions of this Act, any powers to be exercised in any local area to another as a Revenue Officer of the same or a higher class, he shall continue to exercise those powers in that other local area unless Government or the Board of Revenue, as the case may be, otherwise directs or has directed

Retention of powers by Revenue Officers on transfer.

[27][18A]

CHAPTER-IV 
PROCEDURE OF REVENUE OFFICERS

 

19.       In all official acts and proceedings, a Revenue Officer shall, in the absence of any express provision of law to the contrary, be subject as to the place, time and manner of performing his functions, to the direction and control of the officer to whom he is subordinate.

Subordination of Revenue Officers.

20.       (1) The Board of Revenue may, with the previous approval of Government make rules, not inconsistent with this Act, for regulating the procedure of Revenue Officers in cases in which a procedure has not been provided for by this Act.

Powers to make rules as to procedure.

            (2) The rules may provide, among other matters, for the mode of enforcing orders of ejectment under this Act from, and delivery of possession of, immovable property and rules providing for those matters may confer on any Revenue Officer all or any of the powers in regard to contempts, resistance, and the like, which a Civil Court may exercise in the execution of a decree whereby it has adjudged ejectment from, or delivery of possession of, such property.

            (3)  Subject to the rules made under this section, a Revenue Officer may refer any case which he is empowered to dispose of under this Act to another Revenue Officer subordinate to him for investigation and report, and may decide the case upon such report after giving the parties concerned an opportunity of being heard.

21.      (1) Appearance before a Revenue Officer, and applications to, and acts to be done before him, under this Act may be made or done—
           

(a)  by the parties themselves; or 

(b)  by their authorised agents or legal practitioners;

Persons by whom appearance and applications may be made before and to Revenue Officers.

 

            Provided that the employment of an authorised agent or legal practitioner shall not excuse the personal attendance of a party to any case in which personal attendance is specially required by an order of the Revenue Officer.


            (2)  The fees of a legal practitioner shall not be allowed as costs in any proceedings before a Revenue Officer under this Act unless that Officer considers, for reasons to be recorded by him in writing, that the fees should be allowed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

22.      (1) A Revenue Officer may summon any parson whose attendance he considers necessary for the purpose of any business before him as a Revenue Officer.


          (2)  A person so summoned shall be bound to appear at the time and place mentioned in the summons in person or, if the summons so allows, by his authorised agent or a legal practitioner;

Powers of Revenue Officers to summon persons to give evidence and produce documents.

            Provided that the exemptions under sections 132 and 133 of the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 (Act No. V of 1908), shall be applicable to requisitions for attendance under this section. 

            (3)  The person attending in obedience to the summons shall be bound to state the truth upon any matter respecting which he is examined or makes statements, and to produce such documents and other things relating to any such matter as the Revenue Officer may require.

23.       Every summons shall be in writing, in duplicate and shall state the purpose for which it is issued, and shall be signed by the Revenue Officer issuing it, and if he has a seal, shall also bear his seal.

Summons to be

in writing signed and sealed.

24.       (1) A summons issued by a Revenue Officer shall if practicable, be served (a) personally on the person to whom it is addressed or, failing him, (b) on his authorised agent or (c) an adult male member of his family usually residing with him.

Mode of service

of summons.

            (2)  If service cannot be effected in the manner provided in sub-section (1) or if acceptance of service is refused, the summons may be served by affixing a copy thereof at the usual or last known place of residence of the person to whom it is addressed or, if that person does not reside in the District in which the Revenue Officer is employed and the case to which the summons relates has reference to land in that District, the summons may be served by—

(a)      sending it by post to the Collector of the District in which that person has his usual residence who shall cause it to be served in accordance with the provisions contained in sub-section (1); and

 

(b)      affixing a copy of the summons on some conspicuous place in or near the estate wherein the land is situate.

            (3)  If the summons relates to a case in which persons having the same interest are so numerous that personal service on all of them is not reasonable practicably it may, if the Revenue Officer so directs, be served by delivery of a copy there of to such of those persons as the Revenue Officer nominates in this behalf, and by proclamation of the contents thereof for the information of the other person interested.

            (4)  A summons may, if the Revenue Officer so directs be served on the person named therein, either in addition to, or in substitution for, any other mode of service by forwarding the summons by registered post to the person concerned.

            (5)  When a summons is forwarded as aforesaid, the revenue Officer may presume that the summons was served at the time when the letter would be delivered in the ordinary course of post.

25.      (1) A notice, order or proclamation, or a copy of any such document, issued by a Revenue Officer for service on any person, shall be served in the manner provided in section 24 for the service of a summons.

Mode of service

of notice, order or proclamation, or copy thereof.

            (2)        No such notice, order or proclamation or copy thereof shall be deemed void on account of any error in the name or designation of any person referred to therein, unless such error has occasioned substantial injustice.

26.       When a proclamation is issued by a Revenue Officer, it shall, in addition to any other mode of publication which may be prescribed by or under this Act, be made by beat of drum or other customary method and by affixing a copy thereof on a conspicuous place in or near the land to which it relates.

Mode of making proclamation.

27.      (1) Every inquiry under this Act shall be deemed to be a “judicial proceeding” within the meaning of sections 193,219 and 228 of the Pakistan Penal Code 1860 (Act No. XLV of 1860) and the Revenue Officer holding an inquiry shall be deemed to be a Court for the purposes of such inquiry.

Inquiries under

the Act to be deemed judicial proceedings.

            (2)  Every hearing and decision in such inquiry shall be in public, and the parties or their authorised agents shall have due notice to attend.

28.       Government may by notification, declare what shall for the purposes of this Act, be deemed to be the language in ordinary use in any specified part of the Province.

Language of Revenue Officers.

 

29.       Whenever it is provided by this Act that a defaulter maybe be arrested, such arrest shall be made upon a warrant issued by the Revenue officer competent to direct such person’s arrest.

 

Arrest of defaulter to be made upon warrant.

 

30.       It shall be lawful for any Revenue Officer, and any person acting, under the orders of a Revenue Officer, at any time to enter, when necessary for the purpose of measurement, demarcation, fixation or inspection of boundaries or boundary marks, classification of soil, or assessment, or for any other purpose connected with the lawful exercise of this office under the provisions of this Act, or any other law for the time being in force relating to land-revenue, upon any lands or premises, whether belonging to Government or to private individuals;

Power of Revenue Officer to enter upon any lands

or premises for purpose of measurements etc.

            Provided that no premises used as human dwelling shall be entered upon except with the consent of the occupier thereof, or without serving on the occupier a notice of not less than seven days in the prescribed form.

 
            Provided further that due regard shall always be paid to the social and religious prejudices of the occupiers. 

 

31        (1) A Revenue Officer, other than an Assistant Collector of the first grade, may exercise his powers under this Act at any place within the limits of his jurisdiction. 

Place of sitting.

            (2) An Assistant Collector of the first grade may exercise his powers at any place within the District in which he is employed.

 

32.       Any proceedings held before a Revenue Officer under this Act on a day notified as a holiday, shall not be invalid by reason of such proceedings having been held on that day.

Proceedings held on holidays.

33.       Government may from time to time by notification, prescribe what Revenue Officers shall use a seal and what size and description of seal shall be used by each of such Officers.

 

Seals.

34.       A Revenue Officer may give and apportion the costs of any proceedings under this Act in any manner he thinks fit.

Costs.

           

            Provided that if he orders that the cost of any such proceedings shall not follow the event, he shall record his reasons for the order.

 

35.       If a person required by summons, notice, order or proclamation proceeding from a Revenue Officer to attend at a certain time and place within the limits of the estate in which he ordinarily resides or in which he holds or cultivates land, fails to comply with the requisition, he shall be liable at the discretion of the Revenue Officer to a fine which may extend to fifty rupees.

Penalty.

 

 

 

 

 

CHAPTER-V
VILLAGE OFFICERS

 

 

36.       The Board of Revenue may, with the previous approval of Government, make rules to regulate the appointment, duties, emoluments, punishment, suspension and removal of Village Officers.

Rules regulating appointments etc, of Village Officers.

 

37.       (1) Government may, by notification, impose on all or any of the estates in the Province, a cess to be called the Village Officers’ cess, at such rate or rates, not exceeding [28][ten] per centum of the land-revenue, as it may think fit, for remunerating Village Officers, other than those who are Government servants.

Village Officers, cess.

 

            (2) The Board of Revenue may, with the previous approval of Government make rules for the collection, control and distribution of the Village Officers’ cess.

38.       (1) The remuneration of a Village Officer mentioned under sub-section (1) of section 37 shall not be liable to attachment in execution of a decree or order of a Civil or Revenue Court.

 

            (2) An assignment of, or charge on, or an agreement to assign or charge, any such remuneration shall be void unless it is authorised by rules made by the Board of Revenue in this behalf.

Restrictions on attachment or assignment of remuneration of village Officers.

CHAPTER-VI 
RECORDS
Records-of-Rights and Periodical Records.

 

39.       (1)  Save as otherwise provided by this Chapter there shall be a record-of-rights for each estate.

 

            (2) The record-of-rights for an estate shall include the following documents, namely:— 

Record of rights and documents included therein.

 

(a)      statements showing, so for as may be practicable—

 

(i)        the persons who are land-owners, tenants or who are entitled to receive any of the rents, profits or produce of the estate or to occupy land therein;

 

(ii)      the nature and extent of the interests of those persons, and the conditions and liabilities attaching thereto; and 

(iii)    the rent, land-revenue, rates, cesses or other payments, due from and to each of those persons and to Government;

 

(b)      a statement of customs respecting rights and liabilities in the estate;

(c)       a map of the estate; and

 

(d)      such other documents as the Board of Revenue may, with the previous approval of Government prescribe.

40.       (1) When it appears to the Board of Revenue that a record-of-rights for an estate does not exist, or that the existing record-of-rights for an estate requires special revision, the Board of Revenue may, by notification, direct that a record-of-rights be made, or that the record-of-rights be specially revised, as the case may be.

Making of special revision of record of rights.

 

            (2)  A notification under sub-section (1) may direct that record-of-rights shall be made or specially revised for all or any of the estates in any local area.

 

(3)  A record-of-rights made or specially revised for an estate under this section shall be deemed to be the record-of-rights for that estate, but shall not affect any presumption in favour of Government which has already arisen from any previous record-of-rights.

 

41.       (1) The Collector shall cause to be prepared by the Patwari of each estate periodically, as the Board of Revenue may direct, an edition of any record-of-rights amended in accordance with the provisions of this Chapter.

Periodical records.

 

(2) Such edition of the record-of-rights shall be called the periodical record for the estate, and shall comprise the statements mentioned in clause (a) of sub-section (2) of section 39, and such other documents, if any, as may be prescribed.

(3)  For the preparation of periodical records, the Collector shall cause to be maintained by the Patwari of each estate a register of mutations in the prescribed form and other prescribed registers, if any.

[29][41A.            Digitized periodical records.— (1) After the commencement of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Land Revenue (Amendment) Act, 2014 the Board of Revenue shall, by notification in the official Gazette, specify a date for the commencement of the operation of digitized edition of record-of-rights of an estate or a group of estates in a District. 

Digitized periodical

records.

(2) The Collector shall cause to be prepared periodically by the service delivery centre official, as the Board of Revenue may direct, a digitized edition of the record-of-rights of an estate or group of estates.

 

(3) The digitized edition of a record-of-rights shall be called the digitized periodical record for an estate and shall comprise the statements mentioned in clause (a) of sub-section (2) of section 39.

 

(4) The Collector shall cause to be maintained by the service delivery centre official, in digitized form, record of mutations in an estate and other documents, as may be prescribed.

 

(5) The Board of Revenue shall, by notification in the official Gazette, prohibit manual preparation of periodical record of an estate or group of estates in a District, under section 41 from a specified date.

 

(6) The Board of Revenue shall cause to be prepared, in digitized form, the latest edition of the periodical record of an estate, if no such record exists.]

Procedure for Making Records.

42.       (1) [30][Subject to other provisions of this Chapter, a person] acquiring by inheritance, purchase, mortgage, gift, or otherwise, any right in an estate as a land-owner; or a tenant for a fixed term exceeding one year, shall, within three months from the date of such acquisition, report his acquisition of right to the patwari of the estate, who shall -

Making of that part of periodical records which relates to land owners.

(a)      record such report in the Roznamcha to be maintained in the prescribed manner:

 

(b)      Furnish a copy of the report so recorded, free of cost to the person making the report; and

 

(c)       send a copy of the report, within a week of its receipt by him, to the [31][respective Local Council] within which the estate is situated.

(2) If the person acquiring the right is a minor or is otherwise unable to report, his guardian or other person having charge of his property shall make the report to the Patwari.

(3) The Patwari shall enter in his register of mutations every report made to him under sub-section (1) or sub section (2) and shall also make an entry in the Roznamcha and in the register of mutations respecting the acquisition of any such right as aforesaid which he has reason to believe to have taken place and of which report should have been made to him under either of those sub-sections and has not been so made.

(4) The report made to the Patwari under sub-section (1) or sub-section (2) or recorded by him under sub-section (3) shall be displayed in such manner as may be prescribed.

            (5) If the Patwari fails to record or to display a report made to him under sub-section(l) or sub-section (2), the person making the report may make the report, in writing, to the Revenue Officer concerned and [32][the Nazim of the Village Council or Nazim of the Neighbourhood Council as a case may be] in which the estate is situated by registered post acknowledgement due and the Revenue Officer shall there-upon cause such report to be entered in the register of mutations. 

            (6) A Revenue Officer shall, from time to time, inquire into the correctness of all entries in the register of mutations and into all such acquisitions as aforesaid coming to his knowledge of which, under the foregoing sub-section report should have been made to the Patwari and entries made in that register, and shall in each case make such order as he thinks fit with respect to any entry in the periodical record of the right acquired.

            (7)  Except in cases of inheritance or where the acquisition of the right is by registered deed or by or under an order or decree of a Court, the Revenue Officer shall make the order under sub-section (6) in the presence of the person whose right has been acquired, after such person has been identified by two respectable persons, perferably from Lambardars or members of the Union Committee, Town Committee or Union Council concerned whose signatures or thumb-impressions shall be obtained by the Revenue Officer on the register of mutations.

(8) An inquiry or an order under sub-section(6) shall be made in the common assembly in the estate to which the mutation, which is the subject matter of the inquiry, relates.

            (9) Where a Revenue Officer makes an order under sub-section (6) in regard to the acquisition of any right, an entry shall be made in the periodical record by the insertion therein of a description of the right acquired and by the omission from such record of any entry in any record previously prepared, which, by reason of the acquisition, has ceased to be correct. 

            (10) If within three months of the making of a report of the acquisition of a right under sub-section (1) or sub-section (2), or the recording by the Patwari of an entry in the Roznamcha under sub-section (3) respecting the acquisition of any right no order is made by the Revenue Officer under sub-section (6), he shall report the cause of delay to the Collector in the prescribed manner. 

            (11) The Revenue Officer shall, in the prescribed manner, send or cause to be sent, the gist of an order made by him under sub-section (6), to the person, whose right is acquired, and also to the office of the [33][Village Council or Neighbourhood Council] in which the estate is situated.

[34][42A.            Report of acquisition of rights.—   (1) After Notification by Board of Revenue regarding operationalization of the service delivery centre in an estate, a person, acquiring a right in an estate by inheritance, purchase, mortgage, gift or otherwise as a land owner or a tenant for a fixed term exceeding one year, shall, within three months from the date of the acquisition, report his acquisition of the right to the service delivery centre official of the estate. 

  

Report of acquisition

of rights.

            (2) If the person acquiring the right is a minor or is otherwise unable to report, his guardian or other person having charge of his property, shall make the report to the service delivery centre official.

 

(3) The service delivery centre official shall enter the particular of the report and the prescribed document identity in the computerized system, and shall also obtain the signatures or thumb impression and computerized national identity card number of the person making the report.

 

(4) The service delivery centre official shall, in the prescribed manner, inform the person making the report, about the particulars of the mutation requested, and other documents required for processing the mutation, fee or tax payable, any other prescribed requirements, and the date on which the parties shall appear in the service delivery centre official for enquiry and order on the requested mutation by the Revenue Officer.

 

            (5) The service delivery centre official shall publish a copy of the report and other particulars in such manner as may be prescribed.

 

(6) On the date specified by the service delivery centre official, the Revenue Officer shall, in the prescribed manner, hold enquiry into the correctness of the entries in the report and make such order as he thinks fit with respect to any entry in the digitized periodical record relating to the right acquired.

            (7) The Revenue Officer shall hold such enquiry in the immediate presence of the person whose right has been acquired and keep photographic evidence thereof unless the person whose right has been acquired is a legal person or unable personally to attend the enquiry because of the prescribed circumstances, or if the right has been acquired through inheritance, registered deed, or by an order of a Court or any other competent authority.

 

(8) If the person, whose right has been acquired, is a legal person or a person, who is personally unable to attend the enquiry because of the prescribed circumstances, the Revenue Officer shall hold the enquiry in the immediate presence of an authorized agent of such person and shall obtain his signatures or thumb impression and computerized national identity card number as token of correctness and keep photographic evidence therof.]

 

43.       The acquisition of any interest in land other than a right referred, to in sub-section 1 of section 42 shall—

 

(a)      if it is undisputed, be recorded by the Patwari [35][or service delivery centre official as the case may be] in the prescribed manner ; and

Making of that part of periodical record which relates to other persons.

 

[36][(b)     if it is disputed, be entered by the patwari or service delivery centre official, in the register of mutation or generate report in digitized record, as the case may be, and dealt with in the manner provided in sub-sections (6) to (11) of section 42.]

 

44.       (1) If during the making, revision or preparatiop of any record, or in the course of any inquiry under this Chapter, a dispute arises as to any matter of which an entry is to be made in a record or in a register of mutations, a Revenue Officer may of his own motion, or on the application of any party interested, but subject to the provisions of section 45 and after such inquiry as he thinks fit, determine the entry to be made as to that matter and record his reasons there for.           

Determination

of disputes.

            (2) If in any such dispute, the Revenue Officer is unable to satisfy himself as to which of the parties thereto is in possession of any property to which the dispute relates, he shall— 

(a)      if he be not below the rank of Assistant Collector of the first grade, ascertain, after an inquiry in which an opportunity shall be given to all the parties, to the dispute of being heard and adducing evidence in support of their claims, who is the person best entitled to the property, and shall by written order direct that the person be put in possession thereof, and that entry in accordance with that order be made in the record or register; and 

 

(b)      if he be below the rank of Assistant Collector of the first grade, report the matter to the Assistant Collector of the first grade, who shall thereupon proceed in the manner provided in clause (a). 

            (3)  A direction under sub-section (3) shall be subject to any decree or order which may be subsequently passed by any Court of competent jurisdiction.

45.       Entries in a record-of-rights or in a periodical record, except entries made in periodical records by Patwari under clause (a) of section 43 with respect to undisputed acquisitions of interest referred to in that section, shall not be varied in subsequent records otherwise than by—   

Restriction in variations of entries in records.

 

(a)      making entries in accordance with facts proved or admitted to have occurred;

 

(b)      making such entries as are agreed by all the parties interested there in or are supported by a decree or order binding on those parties; and

 

(c)       making new maps where it is necessary to make them.

 

46.       (1)  The Board of Revenue may fix a seal of fees for all or any classes of entries in any record or register under this Chapter and for copies of any such entries.

Mutation fees.

(2)  A fee in respect of any entry shall be payable by the person in whose favour the entry is made.

47.      (1) Any person whose rights, interest or liabilities are required to be, or have been entered in any record or register under this Chapter, shall be bound, on the requisition of any Revenue Officer or Patwari [37][or service delivery centre official as the case may be] engaged in compiling or revising the record or register, to furnish or produce for his inspection, all such information or documents needed for the correct compilation or revision thereof as may be within his knowledge or in his possession or power.

Obligation

to furnish information necessary for

the preparation

of records.

(2) The Revenue Officer or Patwari [38][or service delivery centre official as the case may be] to whom any information is furnished or before whom any document is produced in accordance with a requisition under sub-section (1) shall give a written acknowledgement thereof to the person furnishing or producing the same, and shall endorse on any such document a note over his signature, stating the fact of its production and the date thereof.

[39][48.      A person, who neglects to make the report required to be made within three months from the date of his acquisition of a right referred to in section 42 or section 42A or who fails to furnish the information or produce the documents required under section 47, shall be liable, at the discretion of the Collector, to a fine not exceeding ten thousand rupees.]

Penalty.

Rights of Government and presumptions with respect thereto and to other matters.

49.      Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in any other law, or in any order or decree of Court or other authority, or in any rule of custom or usage, or in any contract, instrument, deed or other document, all mines and minerals shall be and shall always be deemed to have been the property of Government, and Government shall have all powers necessary for the proper enjoyment of its rights thereto.

Rights of Government

in mines and minerals.

            Explanation.— For the purposes of this section, “Government”, in relation to nuclear energy, mineral oil and natural gas, shall mean the Central Government, and in relation to other mines and minerals, the Government of West Pakistan.

50.      (1) When in any record-of-rights completed on or before the eighteenth day of November, 1871, in territories where the Punjab Land Revenue Act, 1887 (Punjab Act No. XVII of 1887), was, with or without modifications, inforce immediately before the commencement of this Act, [40][xxx] it is not expressly provided that any forest or quarry, or any unclaimed, unoccupied, deserted or waste-land or any spontaneous produce or other necessary interest in land belongs to the land-owners, it shall be presumed to belong to Government.

Presumption as

to ownership of forests, quarries and waste-lands.

 

(2) When in any record-of-rights completed after eighteenth day of November, 1871, [41][xxx]it is not expressly provided that any forest or quarry, or any such land, produce or interest as aforesaid, belongs to Government it shall be presumed to belong to the land-owners concerned.

 

(3) The presumption created by sub-section (1) may be rebutted by showing—

(a)      from the record or report made by the assessing officer at the time of assessment, or

(b)      if the record or report is silent, then from a comparison between the assessment of villages in which there existed, and the assessment of villages of similar character in which there did not exist, any forest or quarry, or any such land, product or interest,

that the forest, quarry, land, produce or interest was taken into account in the assessment of the land-revenue.

 

            (4) Until the presumption is so rebutted, the forest quarry, land, produce, or interest shall be held to belong to Government.

51.       (1) Whenever, in the exercise of any right of Government referred to in sections 49 and 50, the rights of any person are infringed by the occupation or disturbance of the surface of any land Government shall pay, or cause to be paid, to that person compensation for the infringement.

Compensation for infringement of rights of third parties in exercise of a right of Government.

 

(2) The compensation shall be determined, as nearly as may be, in accordance with the provisions of the Land Acquisition Act. 1894 (Act No. I of 1894).

 

52.       An entry made in a. record-of-rights in accordance with the law for the time being in force, or in a periodical record in accordance with the provisions of this Chapter and the rules made thereunder, shall be presumed to be true until the contrary is proved or a new entry is lawfully substituted therefore.

Presumption in favour of entries

in record-of rights and periodical records.

 

53.       If any person considers himself aggrieved by an entry in a record-of-rights  or in a periodical record as to any right of which he is in possession, he may institute a suit for a declaration of his right under Chapter VI of the Specific Relief Act, 1877 (Act No. 1 of 1877).

Suit for declaratory decrees by persons aggrieved by an entry in a record.

 

Supplemental Provisions.

 

54.       The Board of Revenue may, by notification, direct that a record-of-rights shall be made for any group of neighbouring estates instead of separately for each of such estates and thereupon the provisions of this Chapter with respect to a record-of-rights and a periodical record for an estate shall so far as they can be made applicable, apply to the record-of-rights and. the periodical record for such group of estates as if the group were an estate.

Record of rights and periodical records for groups of estates.

 

[[42]54.    A Power to call for information.—  (1) The Board of revenue may, by notification, require a land-owner or a class of land Owners to furnish such information as to the extent of hic or their ownership of land, whether such land is situated wholly within the province or partly within and partly outside the Province, in such form and manner, with in such time and to such person or authority as may be specified in the notification.

Power to call

for information.

 

(2)  Whoever fails, without reasonable cause, to furnish the information required under sub-section (1) or furnishes information which he knows, or has reason to believe to be false or omits to give any information material for the purpose for which it is required, shall be punished with simple imprisonment for a term which may extend to one year, or with fine, or with both.

 

(3)  No Court shall take cognizance of any offence punishable under this section, except on a complaint in writing by a revenue officer especially or generally empowered in this behalf by the Board of Revenue.

 

55.       The Board of Revenue may, with the previous approval of Government, make rules—

(a)      prescribing the language in which records and registers under this Chapter are to be made;

Powers to make rules respecting records and other matters connected there-with.

(b)      prescribing the language in which records and registers under this Chapter are to be made;

 

(c)       prescribing the form of those records and registers, and the manner in which they are to be prepared, signed and attested;

 

(d)      for the survey of land so far as may be necessary for the preparation and correction of those records and registers;

 

(e)       for the conduct of inquiries by Revenue Officers under this Chapter; [43][.....]

 

(f)        generally for the guidance of Revenue Officers and Village Officers in matters pertaining to records and registers mentioned or referred to in this chapter [44][;] [45][and]

[46][(f)    for reporting, preparation, authentication, revision and correction of digitized land records.]

CHAPTER-VII

ASSESSMENT

 

56.          (1) All land, to whatever purpose applied and wherever situate, is liable to the Payment of Land-revenue to Government,

Assessment  of  

land revenue.

 

(a)      such land as has been wholly exempted from that liability by special contract with Government, or, by the provisions of any law for the time being in force;

 

(b)      such land as is included in village site;

 

(c)       such land as is included in Cantonment limits;

 

(d)      land on which property tax under the West Pakistan Urban Immovable Property Tax Act, 1958 (W. P. Act No. V of 1958), is payable;

 

(e)       waste and barren land not under cultivation for a continuous period of not less than six year immediately before the date of notification or general assessment or re-assessment under section 59; provided that where any waste and barren land is brought under cultivation at any time after the date of such notification, such land shall not be liable to the payment of land-revenue for a period of six years from the date it is so brought under cultivation [47][;]

[48][(f) Land on the produce of which Ushr or Contribution in lieu thereof has been Charged in accordance with the Zakat and Ushr Ordinance. 1980 (XVIII of 1980)].

 

(2)     Land-revenue shall be assessed in cash.

 

(3)   Land-revenue may be assessed

(a)      as a fixed annual charge, payable in lump sum or by installments; or

 

(b)      in the form of prescribed rates, per acre or other unit of area applicable to the area recorded as sown, matured or cultivated during any harvest or during any year;

 

            Provided that land-revenue shall not be assessed in the form of sliding scales varying annually according to the market price of any agricultural produce prevailing during a specified period of the year.

[49][56 A. Exemption of land revenue.Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Act, from Rabi [50][1982-83] no land owner shall be liable to pay land revenue or any rate or cess chargeable under the previ­sions of this Act, if he owns.

Exemption of

land revenue.

 

(a)      irrigated land not exceeding [51][two and a half acres.]

 

(b)      unirrigated land not exceeding [52][five acres];

 

(c)       irrigated and unirrigated land the aggregate area or which does not exceed [53][two and a half acres] of irrigated land as determined under section 70 B].

57.       (1) The assessment of land-revenue shall be based on an estimate of the average money value of the gross produce of an estate or a group of estates, in which the land concerned is situated.

Basis of assessment.

 

 (2) Such estimate shall be made in the prescribed manner.

 

58.       If the land-revenue is assessed as a fixed annual charge, the amount thereof, and if it is assessed in the form of prescribed rate, the average amount which, according to an estimate in writing approved by Government or the Board of Revenue, as the case may be, will be leviable annually, shall not, in the case of an assessment circle, exceed one-Fourth of the estimated money-value of the net assets of such assessment circle.

Limit of assessment.

 

General Assessments

 

59.       (1) Assessments of land-revenue may be general or special.

 

(2) A general assessment or re-assessment of the land- revenue of any area shall not be undertaken without the previous sanction of Government and notification of that sanction.

Notification

of intended reassessment

and instruction

as to principles

of assessment.

 

 

(3) In granting such sanction Government may give such instructions consistent with the provisions of this Act and the rules made thereunder as it may deem fit.

 

60.       (1) A general assessment shall be made by a Revenue Officer.

 

(2) Before making such assessment the Revenue Officer shall report through the [54][Commissioner] for the sanction of the Board of Revenue his proposals with regard thereto.

Mode of determining assessment.

 

61.       (1) After consideration of the proposals submitted by the Revenue Officer under the provisions of section 60, the Board of Revenue shall pass such orders as it may deem fit, subject to the provisions of sub-section (3) and (4), and on the receipt of such orders the Revenue Officer shall make an order determining the assessment proper for each estate concerned and shall announce it in such manner as Government may by rule prescribe.

Announcement

of assessment.

(2) At the time of announcing the assessment the Revenue Officer shall also declare the date from which it is to take effect, and, subject to the other provisions of this Act, it shall take effect accordingly.

(3) Subject to the provisions of sub-section (4), the Average rate of assessment imposed under the provisions of sub-section (1) on any assessment circle forming part of any area in respect of which a notification has been issued under sub-section (2) of section 59 shall not exceed the rate of assessment imposed at the last previous assessment by more than one-fourth; provided that the rate of assessment imposed on any estate shall not exceed the rate of assessment of the last previous assessment on the estate by more than one-half.

(4) The provisions of sub-section (3) shall not be applicable in the case of land which has not been previously assessed to land-revenue or in which canal irrigation has been introduced after the date of the orders passed under the provisions of sub-section (l) at the last previous assessment, or in the case of an area which has been notified by Government to be an urban assessment circle and for the purpose of calculating the increase in the incidence of the land-revenue for the purpose of sub-section (3) all such land shall be excluded from calculation.

Provided that in the case of lands in which canal irrigation has been introduced after the date specified in this sub-section, the average rate of assessment shall not, so far as may be, exceed the average rate of assessment of lands of similar kind imposed under sub-section (3).

62.       (1) Any land owner may, within thirty days from the date of the announcement of the assessment, present a petition to the Revenue Officer for a reconsideration of the amount, form or conditions of the assessment.

Application for reconsideration.

(2) The order passed by the Revenue Officer on the petition shall set forth his reasons for granting or refusing it

63.       (1)  An assessment, the undertaking of which has been sanctioned under the provisions of section 59, shall not be considered final until it has been confirmed by the Board of Revenue.

Confirmation

and duration

of assessment.

(2) At any time before an assessment is so confirmed the [55][Commissioner], or Board of Revenue may, subject to the provisions of sub-section (3), modify the assessment of any estate.

(3) Before an enhancement is ordered under the provisions of sub-section (2), the [56][Commissioner] or the Board of Revenue, as the  case may be, shall cause reasonable notice to be given to the land-owners by proclamation published in the manner described, in section 26, to show cause in a petition addressed to the Revenue Officer why the proposed enhancement should not be ordered and the Revenue Officer shall enquire into any objections raised by any land owner and submit such petition received by him with his report thereon to the [57][Commissioner] or the  Board of Revenue, who shall consider the petition and the report and shall also hear the petitioner if the petitioner so desires.

64.       (1) The Board of Revenue shall, when confirming an assessment under sub-section (1) of section 63, fix a period of time for which the assessment shall remain in force.

Duration of assessment.

 

(2) The period fixed under sub-section (1) shall be twenty-five years;

Provided that a period not exceeding twenty-five years and not shorter than ten years may be fixed for any area, specified by the Board of Revenue, in which canal irrigation has been introduced after the date of the orders passed under the provisions of sub-section (1) of section 61 at the last previous assessment or in which it has been proposed to introduce such irrigation during the period fixed.

65.       Notwithstanding the expiration of the period fixed for the continuance of an assessment under the last foregoing section, the assessment shall remain in force till a new assessment takes effect.

Assessments to remain in force till new assessment takes effect.

 

66.       (1) At any time within ninety days from the date of the announcement of an assessment, the land-owner or, where there are more land-owners than one, any of them who would be individually or collectively liabel for more than half the sum assessed, may give notice to the Revenue Officer of refusal to be liable for the assessment.

Refusal to be liable for assessment and consequences thereof.

 

(2) When the Revenue Officer receives a notice under sub-section (1), the Collector may take possession of the estate and deal with it, as nearly as may be, as if the annulment of the assessment thereof had been ordered as a process for the recovery of an arrear of land-revenue due thereon.

(3) While the estate is in the possession of the Collector; the land-owner or land-owners shall be entitled to receive from Government an allowance to be fixed by the Board of Revenue, which shall not be less than fifty or more than seventy five per cent of the net income realised by Government from the estate.

67.       (1)  If the assessment announced under section 61 is in whole or in part a fixed assessment of an estate for a term of years, the Revenue Officer shall, before the date on which the first installment thereof becomes payable, make an order distributing it over the several holdings comprised the estate and make and publish a record of the distribution.

Distribution of

the assessment

of an estate over the holdings comprised therein.

(2)  The Collector may for sufficient reasons make an order revising that record at any time while the assessment continues to be in force, and publish the record so revised.

(3)  If the assessment announced under section 61 is in the form of rates chargeable according to the results of each year or harvest, a Revenue Officer shall from year to year or from harvest to harvest, as the conditions of the assessment may require, make and publish, not later than one month before the first instalment or the land revenue falls due, a record of the amount payable in respect of each holding.

(4) Notwithstanding anything contained in this section arid land (whether cultivated or not) in which well or tube-well irrigation facilities are provided by or on behalf of the land-owner or the tenant shall, for a period not less than four years from the date such irrigation facilities are first provided in such land, not be liable to pay land-revenue at a higher rate than was payable thereon before such irrigation facilities were provided.

Explanation For the purpose of this sub-section only such land shall be deemed to be arid land in which canal irrigation has not been introduced.

68.       (1) Any person affected by a record under sub-section (1) or sub-section (3) of the last foregoing section or by the revision of a record under sub-section (2) of that section, may, within thirty days from the date of the publication of the record, present a petition to the Revenue Officer for a re-consideration of the record so far as it affects him.

Application for amendment of the distribution of an assessment.

(2) The order passed by the Revenue Officer on the petition shall set forth his reasons for granting or refusing it.

69.       An appeal from an order under the last fore-going section or section 62 shall lie to the [58][Commissioner] and from the appellate order of the [59][Commissioner], to the Board of Revenue.

Appeals from orders under section 62 and 68.

 

Special Assessment.

 

70.       (1) Notwithstanding the provisions of sections 64 and 65, special assessment may be made by Revenue Officer s in the following cases, namely:

Special assessment.

(a)      when it is proposed to change the form of assessment;

 

(b)      when lands are sold, leased or granted by Government;

 

(c)       when the assessment of any land has been annulled or the land-owner has refused to be liable therefor, and the term for which the land was to be managed by the Collector or his agent or let in farm has expired;

 

(d)      when assessments of land-revenue require revision in consequence of the action of water or sand or of calamity of season or from any other cause;

 

(e)       when revenue due to the Government on account of pasture or other natural products of land, or on account of mills, fisheries or natural products of water, or on account of other rights described in section 49 or section 50, has not been included in an assessment made under the foregoing provisions of this chapter;

 

(f)        when waste and barren land becomes liable to the payment of land-revenue.

(2)  The Board of Revenue may confirm any assessment made under this section.

(3) The foregoing provisions of this Chapter with respect to general assessment shall, subject to such modifications thereof as the Board of Revenue may prescribe by executive instructions issued under the provisions of section 73, regulate the procedure of Revenue Officers making special assessments.

[60][[61][70-A. Increase in land revenue. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Act, from Rabi 1982-83, every land owner of the categories mentioned below shall, in addition to the land revenue to which he may be assessed under the provisions of section 57 and section 70, be liable to pay land revenue at the enhanced rate mentioned against each category;

(a)   a land owner owning—

 

i)

irrigated land exceeding two and a half acres but not exceeding twelve and a half acres; or

 

 

 

ii)

un-irrigated land exceeding five acres but not exceeding twenty-five acres; or

50 per cent increase on land revenue determ-ined under the provisi-ons of section 57 and section 70.

iii)

irrigated and unirrigated land the aggregate area of which does not exceed twelve and a half acres of irrigated land, as determined under section 70-B.

 

 

 

 

 

 

(b)   a land owner owning.

i)

irrigated land exceeding twelve and a half acres but not exceeding twenty-five acres; or

 

 

 

ii)

un-irrigated land exceeding twenty-five acres but not exceeding fifty acres; or

100 per cent increase on land revenue determi-ned under the provisi-ons of section 57 and section 70.

iii)

irrigated and unirrigated land the aggregate area of which does not exceed twenty acres of irrigated land, as determined under section 70B.

 

 

(c)    a land owner owning.

 

i)

irrigated land exceeding twenty-five acres but not exceeding fifty acres; or

 

 

 

ii)

un-irrigated land exceeding fifty acres but not exceeding hundred acres; or

200 per cent increase on land revenue determi-ned under the provisi-ons of section 57 and section 70.

 

iii)

irrigated and un-irrigated land the aggregate area of which does not exceed fifty acres of irrigated land, as determined under section 70-B.

 

 

(d)   a land owner owning.

 

i)

irrigated land exceeding fifty acres but not exceeding one hundred acres; or

 

 

 

ii)

un-irrigated land exceeding one hundred acres but not exceeding two hundred acres,

300 per cent increase on land revenue determi-ned under the provis-ions of section 57 and section 70.

 

iii)

irrigated and unirrigated land the aggregate area of which does not exceed one hundred acres of irrigated land, as determined under section 70-B.]

 

 

70-B.   for the purposes of section 56-A and 70-A—

Determination

of ownership.

 

(a)      one acre of irrigated land shall be reckoned as equivalent to two acres of unirrigated land; provided that in calculating the aggregate area of a land-owner the conversion is made from unirrigated to irrigated land;

 

(b)      land owned by a land-owner shall include all land owned by him, whether such land is situated wholly within the province, or partly within and partly outside the province, except the following:—

 

(i)        land described in clauses (b), (c) and (d) of section 56; and

 

(ii)      share in shamilat of a village where the total area of such shamilat does not exceed 25 acres; and

(c)   “land-owner” shall include a person—

(i)        who is an allottee or a grantee of any land under any scheme of the Government, under which such allotment or grant is to mature into ownership;

 

(ii)      who has mortgaged his land, or any portion thereof with possession; or

 

(iii)    who has permanent rights and interest in land.

70-C    (1)  A person who after the 10th day of November 1975, acquires land or increases the extent of his ownership of land , and by such acquisition owns land in more than one patwar circle, whether such land is situated within the province or partly within and partly outside the province, shall inform such authority within such time, in such manner and form as the Board of Revenue may, by notification, specify in this behalf.

Information

about increase

in the extent  

of ownership.

(2)  A land-owner who fails without reasonable cause to comply with the provisions of sub-section (l) or the rules or orders made thereunder or willfully furnishes incomplete or false information shall be deemed to have committed an offence under the provisions of sub-section (2) of section 54-A.

70-D    (1)  Any land-owner entitled to exemption under section 56 or section 56-A from the payment of land revenue or reduction in land-revenue chargeable under section 70-A, who has not been granted such exemption or land reduction or any owner being aggrieved by the categorization of his land under section 70-A may, at any time make an application, in such form and manner as may be specified by the Board of revenue to the Assistant Collector of the area in which his land or any part thereof is situated.

Exemption from payment of or reduction in land revenue.

(2)  On receipt of such application the Assistant Collector shall cause a notice of the application to be served on the person on whom the liability to pay the land-revenue may devolve as a result of the transfer of land and after holding such inquiry as he considers necessary, shall pass orders, setting forth his reasons therefor.

(3)  Without prejudice to the provisions of sub-sections (i) and (2) the Assistant Collector shall have the power to hold an inquiry and pass appropriate orders if on receipt of any information or otherwise he is of opinion that any land-owner who is liable to pay land-revenue, is not paying such land-revenue or paying less than the amount of the land-revenue which he is liable to pay.

provided that before passing final order he shall afford the person likely to be affected by such order an opportunity of being heard.

(4)  In exercising his powers under sub-section (2) or sub-section (3), the Assistant Collector shall-

(a)      not question the correctness or validity of a registered deed or any mutation sanctioned in accordance with law relating to transfer of land;

 

(b)      follow, subject to the other provisions of this section, the procedure as may be laid down by the Board of Revenue by notified instruction in this behalf.

(5) Any person aggrieved by an order passed under sub-section (2) or subsection (3) may, within one month from the date of such order, prefer an appeal to the Collector, whose order thereon shall, subject to the powers of revision of the Board of Revenue, be final.

70-E    Notwithstanding anything contained in this Act, Government may, at any time, by notification, prescribe the principle or the method or the procedure by which, and the manner in which, exemption under section 56-A or assessment under section 70-A shall be determined or announced.]

Method of exemption or assessment of

land revenue.

71.       Government shall, subject to the provisions of section 72, from time to time, make rules prescribing—

power to make rules.

(a)      the method by which the estimate of the money value of the net assets of an estate or group of estates shall be made;

 

(b)      the method by which assessment to land-revenue shall he made;

 

(c)       the principles on which exemption from assessment shall be allowed for improvements;

 

(d)      the manner in which assessment shall be announced;

 

(e)       thy manner in which the rate of assessment is to be calculated for the purpose of subsection (3) of section 61.

72.       Before making any rule under the provisions of section, 71, Government shall, in addition to observing the procedure laid down in section 22 of the West Pakistan General Clauses Act, 1956 (W.P. Act No. VI of 1956), publish, by notification, a draft of the proposed rule for the information of persons likely to be affected thereby.

procedure was to be fallowed in the making rules.

73.       Government or the Board of revenue with the approval of Government may, for the guidance of Revenue Officers from time to time, issue executive instructions relating to all matters to which the provisions of this Chapter apply; provided that such instruction shall be consistent with the provisions of this Act and the rules made thereunder and

power to issue instruction.

 

CHAPTER-VIII

COLLECTION OF LAND REVENUE

 

74.       In the case of any holding, the holding and its land owner shall be liable for the payment of lard-revenue  thereon and if there be joint land-owners of a holding, the holding and all the land-owners jointly and severally shall be liable for the payment of the land-revenue.

Liability for payment of

land revenue.

 

 

75.       (1) The land-revenue for the time being assessed and payable in respect of a holding shall be the first charge upon the rents, profits and produce thereof.

security for payment of

land revenue.

 (2)  Save with the previous consent of the Collector, the rents, profits and produce of a holding shall not be liable to be taken in execution of a decree or order of any Court until the land-revenue chargeable against the rents, profits or produce or any arrear of land-revenue due in respect of the holding, have been paid.

76.       (1) Notwithstanding anything in any record of rights the Board of Revenue may fix the number and amount of the installments, and the times, places and manner, by, at and in which the land-revenue is to be paid.

Orders to regulate payment of land revenue.

(2)  Until the Board of revenue otherwise directs, land revenue shall be payable by installments at the times and places and in the manner, by at and in which it is payable immediately before the commencement of this Act.

77.       The Board of Revenue may, with the previous approval of Government, make rules not inconsistent with this Act to regulate the collection, remission and suspension of land revenue.

Rules to regulate collection, remission and suspension of land-revenue.

78.       The costs of any process issued under this Chapter shall be recoverable as part of the arrear of land revenue in respect of which the process was issued.

Cost recoverable as part of arrear.

 

79.       A statement of account certified by a Revenue Officer, shall be conclusive proof of the existence of an arrear of land revenue, of its amount and of the person who is the defaulter.

Certified account to be evidence as to arrear.

 

80.       Subject to the other provisions of this Act, an arrear of land-revenue may be recovered by any one or more of the following processes namely:-

 

Processes for recovery of arrears.

 

 

(a)      by service of a notice of demand on the defaulter under section 81;

 

(b)      by arrest and detention of his person under section 82;

 

(c)       by districts and sale of his movable property and uncut or ungathered crops under section 83,

 

(d)      by transfer, under section 84, of the holding in respect of which the arrear is due;

 

(e)       by attachment, under section 85, of the holding in respect of which the arrear is due;

       

(f)        by annulment, under section 86, of the assessment of that holding;

 

(g)      by sale of that holding  under section 88;

 

(h)      by proceedings against other immovable property of the defaulter under section 90.

 

81.       [62][(l)] A notice of demand may be issued by Revenue Officer on or after the day following that on which an arrear of land revenue accrues.

Notice of demand.

[63][(2) The notice referred to in sub-section (1) shall be served in the manner provided in sub-sections (1) (2) and (3) of section 24, and a copy thereof shall, wherever practicable, be also forwarded by registered post to the defaulter].

82.       [64][(1) If after lapse of fifteen days of the service of notice of demand under section. 81 on a defaulter, the arrears of land-revenue due from him, or any part thereof, remain unpaid, the Revenue Officer may issue a warrant directing an officer named there in to arrest the defaulter and bring him before the Revenue Officer.]

Arrest and detention of defaulter.

[65][(2)]

(3) When the defaulter is brought before the Revenue Officer, the Revenue Officer may cause him to be taken before the Collector, or may keep him under personal restraint for a period not exceeding ten days and then, if the arrear is still unpaid, cause him to be taken before the Collector.

(4) Where the Revenue Officer keeping a defaulter under personal restraint is an Assistant Collector of the second grade, he shall without delay report his action to the Collector, if the period of such restraint exceed twenty-four hours.

(5) When the defaulter is brought before the Collector, the Collector may issue an order to the Officer-in-Charge of the Civil Jail of the District, directing him to confine the defaulter in jail for such period, not exceeding one month from the date of the order, as the Collector thinks fit.

(6)  The process of arrest and detention shall not be executed against a defaulter who is a female, a minor, a lunatic or an idiot.

(7)  A warrant of arrest issued against a defaulter  under sub-section (1) shall not be executed, if the arrears due from him are paid or the defaulter furnishes security in the manner provided in clause (b) of sub-section (8).

(8) Any defaulter, who, under-sub-section (3) is being kept under personal restraint, or under sub-section (5) is being confined in the Civil Jail, shall forthwith be set at liberty--

(a)      on the arrears due from such defaulter being paid; or

 

(b)      on the defaulter furnishing to the Revenue Officer ordering his arrest or the Collector, security to the satisfaction of the Revenue Officer or the Collector, as the case may be, for the payment of the arrears due from him.

83.       (1) At any time after an arrear of land-revenue has accrued, the immovable property and uncut or ungathered crops of the defaulter, may be distrained and sold by order of a Revenue Officer.

Distress and

sale of movable property and crops.

(2) The distress and sale shall be conducted, as nearly as may be, in accordance with the law for the time being in force for the attachment and sale of movable property under the decree of a Revenue Court;

provided that, in addition to the particulars exempted by any law for the time being in force from liability to sale, so much of the produce of the land of the defaulter as the Collector think necessary for seed grain and for the subsistence, until the harvest next following of the defaulter and his family, and of any cattle exempted by that law shall be exempted from sale, under this section.

84.       (1) At any time after an arrear of land-revenue has accrued on the holding, the Collector may transfer the holding to any person being a land-owner of the estate in which such holding is situated and not being a defaulter in respect of his own holding on condition of his paying the arrear being put in possession of the holding and on such further conditions as the collector may deem fit to impose:

Transfer

of holding.

provided that no order shall be passed under this sub-section for the transfer of a holding unless the processes specified in clauses (b) and (c) of section 80 have first been taken against the land-owner.

(2)  The transfer may, as the Collector thinks fit be either till the end of the agricultural year in which the defaulter pays to the transfers the amount of the arrear which the transfer paid before being put in possession of the holding, or for a term not exceeding fifteen years from the commencement of the agricultural year next following the date of the transfer.

(3)  The Collector shall report to the [66][Commissioner] any transfer made by him under this section, and the [67][Commissioner] may set aside the transfer or alter the conditions thereof or pass such other order as he thinks fit.

(4) In respect of all rights and liabilities arising under this Act, the person to whom the holding is transferred shall, subject to the conditions of the transfer, stand in the same position as that in which the defaulter would have stood if the holding had not been transferred.

(5)  When the transfer is for a term, the holding shall on the expiration of the term, be restored by the Collector to the defaulter free of any claim on the part of Government or the transferee for any arrear of land-revenue or rates and cess due in respect thereof

85.       (1)  The Collector may instead of transferring under section 84 a holding in respect of which an arrear of land-revenue had accrued, cause such holding to be attached and taken under his own management or that of an agent appointed by him for that purpose.

Attachment

of holding.

(2) The Collector or the agent shall be bound by all the engagements which existed between the defaulter and his tenants, if any, and shall be entitled to manage the land and to receive all rents and profits accruing therefrom to the exclusion of the defaulter until the arrear has been satisfied, or until the Collector restores the land to the defaulter.

(3) All surplus profits of the land attached beyond the cost of attachment and management and the amount necessary to meet the current demand for land-revenue and rates and cesses shall be applied in discharge of the arrear.

(4)  Land shall not be attached for the same arrear for a longer term than five years from the commencement of the agricultural year next following the date of the attachment, but if the arrear is sooner discharged, the land shall be released and the surplus receipts, if any, made over to the land-owner.

86.       (1) When an arrear of land-revenue has been due for a longer period than one year, and the foregoing processes are not deemed sufficient for the recovery thereof, the Board of Revenue may in addition to or instead of all or any of these processes, order the existing assessment of the holding in respect of which the arrear is due to be annulled.

Annulment of assessment of holding.

(2) The provisions of this section shall not be put in force for the recovery of an arrear of land-revenue which has accrued on land—

(a)      while under attachment under section 85, or

 

(b)      while under the charge of the Court of Wards.

(3) When the assessment of any land has been annulled under sub-section (1), the collector may, with the previous sanction of the Board of Revenue, manage the land either himself or through an agent, or let it in farm to any person willing to accept the farm for such term and on such conditions as may be sanctioned by the Board of Revenue.

provided that the term for which land may be so managed or farmed shall not be longer than ten years from the commencement of the agricultural year next following the date of the annulment.

(4)  Some time, before the expiration of the aforesaid term, the Collector shall determine the assessment in respect of the holding for the remainder of the term of the current assessment of the District or Tehsil, [68][or sub-Tehsil,] and, when that assessment has been sanctioned by the Board of Revenue, shall announce it to the land owner.

(5) The land-owner may gave notice to the Collector of refusal to be liable for the assessment within thirty days from the date on which the assessment was announced to him.

(6)  If notice is so given, the Collector may, with the previous sanction of the Board of Revenue take the holding under direct management or farm it for the remainder of the term of the current assessment of the District or Tehsil, [69][or sub-Tehsil,]or for any period within that form which the Board of Revenue may fix.

(7)        The Board of Revenue may direct that any contract made by the defaulter, or by any person through whom the defaulter claims with respect to any land comprised in a holding of which the assessment has been annulled, shall not be binding on the Collector or his agent or farmer during the period the holding remains under the management of the Collector or his agent or is let-in-farm.

 

87.       (l)  When any land is attached under section 85, or when the assessment of any land has been annulled under section 86, the Collector shall make proclamation thereof.

Proclamation of attachment of assessment and consequent of proclamation.

(2)  No payment made by any person to the defaulter before the making of the proclamation on account of rent or any other asset in anticipation of the -usual time for the payment shall, without the previous sanction of the Collector, be credited to that person or relieve him from liability to make the payment to the Collector or his agent or farmer.

 

(3)  No payment made after the making of the proclamation on account of rent or any other asset of the holding to any person other than the Collector or his agent or farmer shall be credited to the person making the payment or relieve him from liability to make the payment to the Collector or his agent or farmer.

 

88.       When an arrear of land-revenue his accrued and the foregoing processes are not deemed sufficient for the recovery thereof, the Collector, with the previous sanction of the Board of Revenue may, in addition to, or instead of, all or any of those processes, and subject to the provisions hereinafter contained, sell the holding in respect of which the arrear is due:

Sale of holding.

Provided that land shall not be sold for the recovery of-

(a)      any arrear which has accrued while the land was under the charge of the Court of Wards or was so circumstanced that the Court of Wards might, under the law for the time being inforce, have exercised jurisdiction over it; or

 

(b)      any arrear which has accrued while the land was under attachment under section 85; or

 

(c)       any arrear which has accrued while the land was held under direct management by the Collector or in farm by any other person under section 86, after either an annulment of assessment or a refusal to be liable therefor.

89.       (1)  Land sold under the provisions of section 88 shall be sold free of all encumbrances; and all grants and contracts previously made by any person other than the purchaser in respect of the land shall become void as against the purchaser at the sale.

Effect of sale as Encumbrances.

(2) Nothing in sub-section (1) shall affect—

(a)      any lease at a fair rent, temporary or perpetual for the erection of a dwelling house or manual factory or for a mine, garden, tank, canal place of worship or burial ground, so long as the land continue to be used for the purpose specified in the lease; or

 

(b)      any encumbrance, grant or contract in respect of which the [70][Commissioner] is satisfied was entered into in good faith, and is proclaimed as hereinafter provided.

90.       (1) If the arrear cannot be recovered by any of the processes herein before provided the collector may, where the defaulter owns any other holding or any other immovable property proceed under the provisions of this Act against that properly as if it were the land in respect of which the arrear is due:

Proceeding against other immovable property of defaulter.

provided that no interests save those of the defaulter alone shall be so proceeded against, and no encumbrances created, grants made or contract entered into by him in good faith shall be rendered invalid by reason only of his interests being proceeded against.

(2) When the Collector decides to proceed under this section against immovable property other than the land in respect of which the arrear is due, he shall issue a proclamation prohibiting the transfer or charging of the property.

(3) The Collector may at any time, by order in writing, withdraw the proclamation, and it shall be deemed to be withdrawn when either the arrear has been paid or the interests of the defaulter in the property have been sold for the recovery of the arrear

(4)  Any private alienation of the property or any interest of the defaulter therein, whether by sale, gift, mortgage or otherwise made after the issue of the proclamation and before the withdrawal thereof shall be void.

(5)  In proceeding against property under this section, the Collector shall follow as nearly as the nature of the property may admit, the procedure prescribed for the enforcement of process against land on which an arrear of land revenue is due

91.       (1) Notwithstanding anything in section 79, when proceedings are taken under this Act for the recovery of an arrear, the person against whom the proceedings are taken may, if he denies his liability for the arrear or any part thereof and pays the same under protest made in writing at the time of payment and signed by him or his agent, institute a suit in Civil Court for the recovery of the amount so paid.

Remedies open to person denying his liability for an arrear.

 (2) A suit under sub-section (l) must be instituted in a Court having jurisdiction in the place where the office of the Collector of the District in which the arrear or some part thereof accrued is situate.

Procedure in Sales

92.       (1)  On the receipt of the sanction of the Board of Revenue to the sale of any immovable property, the Collector shall issue a proclamation of the intended sale, specifying-

Proclamation

of sale.

(a)      the date, time and place of the sale;

 

(b)      the properly to be sold, and if it is a holding, the land revenue assessed thereon or payable in respect thereof;

 

(c)       if the property is to be sold for the recovery of an arrear due in respect thereof, the encumbrances, grants and contracts, if any, served by the orders of the [71][Commissioner] under clause (b) of subsection (2) of section 89;

 

(d)      if any property is to be sold otherwise than for the recovery of an arrear due in respect thereof, any encumbrance, grant or contract to which the property is known to be liable; and

 

(e)       the amount for the recovery of which the sale is ordered.

(2)  The place of sale specified under clause (a) of sub-section (1), shall be either the office of the Collector or some other place appointed by the Collector in this behalf and situate in or near the property to be sold.

 

93.       A Revenue Officer shall not be answerable for any error, mis-statement or omission in any proclamation under section. 92 unless the same has been committed or made dishonestly.

Indemnity to Revenue Officer with respect to contents of proclamation.

94.       A copy of the proclamation shall be served on the defaulter and be affixed in a conspicuous part of the office of the Tehsildar in which the property to be sold is situate and shall also be posted in the office of the Collector.

Publication of proclamation.

(2) The proclamation shall further be published in the manner prescribed in section 26, and in such other manner as the Collector thinks expedient.

(3)  A Copy of the proclamation may also be posted in the office of the Union Committee, Town Committee or Union Council within the area of which property to be sold is situate.

95.       (1) The sale shall not take place on a [72][Friday] or other holiday, or till after the expiration of at least thirty days from the date on which the copy of the proclamation was posted in the office of the Collector.

Time and conduct of sale.

 (2) The sale shall be by publication and shall be conducted either by the Collector in person or by a revenue officer specially appointed by him in this behalf.

96.       The Collector may, from time to time, postpone the sale for reasons to be recorded in writing.

Power to postpone sale.

97.       If at any time before the bidding at an auction is completed, the defaulter or any other person having interest in the land or in immovable property pays the arrear in respect of which the property has been proclaimed for sale, together with the costs incurred for the recovery thereof, to the officer conducting the sale or proves to the satisfaction of that officer that he has already paid the same either at the place and in the manner prescribed under section 76 or into Government ueasury, the sale shall be stayed.

Stay of sale.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

98.       When the highest bid at an auction has been ascertained the person who made that bid shall, on the requisition of the officer conducting the sale, pay to that officer a deposit of twenty five percentum on the amount of his bid and shall, on payment thereof, be declared to be the purchaser, subject to the exercise of any right of preemption under the law in force for the time being.

 

Deposit by purchaser incase of sale of immovable property.

99.       If the person who made the highest bid fails to pay the deposit as required by section 98, the property shall forthwith be put to auction again and sold and all expenses attending the first sale, and the deficiency of price, if any, which may happen on the re-sale may be recovered from him by the Collector as if the same were an arrear of land-revenue.

Consequences

of failure to pay deposit.

 

 

 

100.     The full amount of the purchase money shall be paid by the purchaser before the close of the thirtieth day from that on which he was declared to be the purchaser,

Time for payment in full.

 

 

101.     In default of payment of the full amount of the purchase money within the period mentioned in section 100, the deposit referred to in section 98, shall, after defraying the expenses of the sale, be forfeited to Government and may, if the Collector with the previous sanction of the [73][Commissioner] so directs, be applied in reduction of the arrear, and the property shall be re-sold, and the defaulting purchaser shall have no claim to the property or to any part of the sum for which it may subsequently be sold.

Procedure in default of payment.

 

 

 

 

 

 

102.     Every sale of immovable property under this Chapter shall be reported by the Collector to the [74][Commissioner].

Report of sale to [75][Commissioner].

 

103.     (1) At any time within thirty days from the date of the sale, application may be made to the [76][Commissioner] to set aside the sale on the ground of some material irregularity or mistake in publishing or conducting it.

Application to

set aside sale.

 

(2)  A sale shall not be set aside on any of the grounds specified in sub-section (1) unless the applicant proves to the satisfaction of the [77][Commissioner] that he has sustained substantial injury by reason of the irregularity or mistake.

 

104.     (1)  After the expiration of thirty days from the date of the sale if such application is mentioned in section 103 has not been made or if such application has been made and rejected, the [78][Commissioner] shall make an order setting aside the sale.

Order confirming or setting aside sale.

(2) If at any time within thirty days from the date of the sale the defaulter pays the arrear in respect of which the property has been sold, together with the costs incurred for the recovery of such arrear, the Commissioner shall make an order setting aside the sale.

105.     Whenever the sale of any property is not confirmed or is set aside, the purchaser shall be entitled to receive back his deposit or his purchase money, as the case may be.

Refund or deposit of Purchase money when sale set aside.

106.     A sale made after a postponement under section 96 and a resale consequent on a purchasers default under section 104, or on the setting aside of a sale under section 104, shall be made after the issue of a fresh proclamation in the manner provided for in section 94.

Proclamation after postponement or on re-sale.

 

 

 

107.     (1) After a sale has been confirmed in the manner aforesaid the Collector shall put the person declared to be the purchaser into possession of the property sold, and shall grant him a certificate to the effect that he has purchased that property.

On confirmation of sale possession and certificate to be granted to purchaser.

(2)  The certificate shall state whether or not the property was sold for the recovery of an arrear due in respect thereof, and it was so sold, shall set forth the encumbrances, grants and contracts, if any, specified in the proclamation of the sale as saved by order of the [79][Commissioner] under clause (b) of sub-section (2) of section 89.

(3)  The certificate shall be deemed to be a valid transfer of the property but need not be registered as conveyance.

(4)  Any suit brought in any Court against the certified purchaser on the ground that the purchase was made on behalf of a person other than the certified purchaser shall not be maintainable.

(5)  The certified purchaser of any immovable property shall be entitled to all rents and profits falling due in respect of the property after the date of the confirmation of the sale and be liable for all instalments of land revenue and rates and cesses falling due in respect thereof after the date.

108.     (1)  The provisions of sections 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 103, 104, 105, and l06, shall apply, so far as they can be made applicable, to sale of movable property, other than perishable articles, and as if—

Sale of movable property and perishable articles.

(a)      reference to the [80][Commissioner] in section 103 and 104 were a reference to the collector; and

 

(b)      in the case of sale of animals, the period of thirty days prescribed in section 95, were a period of ten days.

(2) perishable articles shall be sold by auction with the least possible delay in accordance with such order as may from time to time be mad by the Collector, either generally or specially in that behalf, and the sale of such article shall be finally concluded on the spot by the officer conducting such sale and shall not require confirmation,

 

109.     (1) When the sale of any perishable article finally concluded by the officer conducting the same, the price of every lot shall be paid for at the time of sale , or as soon thereafter as the said officer may fix, and in default of such payment the property shall forthwith be again put to auction and sold.

Mode of payment for movable property when sale is concluded on the spot.

(2)  On payment of the purchase money, the officer conducting the sale shall grant a receipt for the same and the sale shall become absolute as against all persons whomsover.

110.     (1)  In case of sale of movable property, other than perishable articles, the party who is declared to be the purchaser shall be required to deposit immediately twenty-five per centum on the amount of his bid, and in default of such deposit the property shall forthwith again put to auction and sold.

Mode of payment for movable property when sale is subject to confirmation.

(2)  The full amount of purchase money shall be paid by the purchaser before the close of the seventh day after he is informed of the sale having been confirmed, or if the said day be a [81][Friday] or, other holiday, then before the close of the first working day after such day.

(3)  On receipt of the full amount of the purchase money, the purchaser shall be granted a receipt for the sale, and the sale shall become absolute as against all persons whomsover.

111.     (1)  When any sale of movable property under this Chapter has become absolute, or when sale of immovable property has been confirmed, the proceeds of the sale shall be applied in the first place to the payment of any arrears, including costs incurred for the recovery thereof, due to Government from the defaulter at the date of the confirmation of the sale, whether the arrears are of land-revenue or of sums recoverable as arrears of land-revenue, and the surplus, if any, shall be paid to the person whose property has been sold or if the property sold was owned by more than one person, then to the owners either collectively or according to the amount of their recorded interests, as the Collector thinks fit.

Proceeds of sale.

(2)  The surplus shall not, except under the orders of a Court be paid to any creditor of the person whose property has been sold.

(3)  If the proceeds of the sale fail short of such arrears are referred to in sub-section (1), the balance remaining due from the defaulter may be recovered from him by further proceedings under this Chapter or by any other means authorised by law.

 

112.     (1)       If any claim shall be set up by a third persons to movable or immoveable property attached under the provisions of this Chapter, the Collector shall admit or reject his claim on an inquiry as provided in section 27.

Claim to attached movable or immovable property how to be disposed of.

 (2)       If the claim be admitted, wholly or partly, the property shall be dealt with accordingly and except in so far as it is admitted the property shall be sold and the title of the purchaser shall be good for all purposes, and the proceeds shall be disposed of in accordance with the provisions of section 111.

CHAPTER-IX

                RECOVERY OF OTHER DEMANDS

                BY REVENUE OFFICERS

 

113.     When a Village Officer required by rules under section 36 to collect any land revenue or sum recoverable as an arrear of land-revenue—

 

(a)      satisfies a Revenue Officer that the revenue or the sum has fallen due and has not been paid to him.

Recovery of certain arrears through revenue officers instead

of by suit.

 

(b)      has collected such revenue or sum, but has not credited the same to Government in the manner provided in the rules,

the Revenue Officer may, subject to rules which the Board of Revenue may make in this behalf, recover such revenue or sum, from the person from whom it is due, or the Village Officer by whom it was collected, as the case may be, as arrears of land-revenue.

114.     In addition to any sums recoverable as arrears of land-revenue under this Act or any other enactment for the time being in force, the following sums may be so recovered, namely:—

Other sums recoverable as arrears of land revenue.

(a)      fees, fines, costs and other charges, including the Village Officers’ cess payable under this Act;

 

(b)      revenue due to the Government on account of pasture or other natural products of land, or on account of mills fisheries or natural products of water, or on account of other rights described in section 49 or section 50 in cases in which the revenue so due has not been included in the assessment of an estate;

 

(c)       fees payable under the law for the time being in force for the use or benefit derived from the construction and repair of embankments, and works for supply, storage and control of water for agricultural purposes and for the preservation and reclamation of soil and drainage and reclamation of swamps;

 

(d)      sums leviable by or under the authority of Government as water-rates, or on account of the maintenance or management of canals, embankments or other irrigation works, not being sums recoverable as arrears of land-revenue under any enactment for the time being in force; and

 

(e)       sums payable to government by a person who is surety for the payment of any of the foregoing sums or of any other sum recoverable as an arrear of land-revenue.

115.     (1) The provisions of Chapter VIII shall, with respect to any sum mentioned or referred to in this Chapter, apply, so far as they can be made applicable as if the sum were an arrear of land-revenue, and the person from whom, either as principal or as surety, it is due were defaulter in respect of such an arrear.

Application of chapter VIII to sums recoverable under this chapter.

(2) Unless any such sums is declared by any enactment for the time being in force to be recoverable as if it were an arrear of land-revenue due in respect of the land charged therewith, the provisions of section 90 shall apply under sub-suction (1) to the recovery thereof.

[82][115.  (A)  Where any sum other than a sum which is to be credited in to and to form a part of the provincial consolidated fund of West Pakistan, is collected as an arrears of Land Revenue under the provisions of this chapter, a commission at the rate of two percent of the sum collected shall be deducted there from as recovery charges and the amount of such commission shall be credited in to the provincial Consolidated Fund of West Pakistan.]

Charges for recovery of dues, other than provincial dues, as arrears of land revenue,

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CHAPTER-X

SURVEYS AND BOUNDARIES

 

116.     (1)  It shall be lawful for the Board of Revenue, whenever it may deem expedient, to direct by notification, the survey of any land in any part of the Province with a view to the settlement of land revenue, the preparation of record-of-rights and preservation thereof or for any other similar purpose, and such survey shall be called a revenue survey.

Revenue survey may be introduced by Board of revenue in any part of province.

(2)  A revenue survey may extend to the lands of any village, town, or city generally, or to such land only as may be specified in the notification.

(3)  Subject to the orders of the Board of Revenue, it shall be lawful for the officer conducting any such survey to except any land to which it may not seem expedient that such survey should extend.

117.     (1) A Revenue Officer may, for the purpose of framing any record or maning any assessment under this Act or on the application of any person interested, define the limits of any estate, or of any holding, field or other portion of an estate, and may, for the purpose of indicating those limits, require boundary marks to be erected or repaired,

Power of revenue officers to define boundaries.

(2)  In defining the limits of any land under sub-section (1), the Revenue Officer may cause boundary marks to be erected on any boundary already determined by, or by order of, any Court or Revenue Officer or any Forest Settlement Officer appointed under the Forest Act, 1927 (Act No. XVI of 1927) or already set up by or by order of, any court or any such Officer.

118.     (1)  When any land is being surveyed. in pursuance of rules under clause (c) of section 55 or under section 116, any Revenue Officer directing the survey may, by notice or proclamation, require all persons having rights or interest in the land to attend personally or through authorised agent, and indicate within a specified time, by temporary marks of a kind to be described in the notice or proclamation, the limits of those rights or interests.

Surveys for purpose of preparation

of records.

(2)  It a person to whom the notice or proclamation is addressed fails to comply with requisition, he shall be liable, at the discretion of the Revenue Officer, to a fine which may extend to fifty rupees,

119.     (1)  It shall be lawful for the Revenue Officer to call upon all owners of land and other persons interested therein to assist in the measurement or classification of the lands to which the survey extends by providing flag-holders and chainmen, and such owners shall be bound to provide suitable persons to act as flag holders and chainmen.

Assistance to be given by holders and others in the measurement or classification of lands.

(2)  If the owners of land fail to provide suitable persons to act as flage-holders and chainmen, or do not provide them in sufficient number, and it becomes necessary to employ hired labour for the object aforesaid, or other similar object incidental to survey operations, it shall be lawful to assess the cost thereof with all contingent expenses, on the lands surveyed, for collection as an arrear of land-revenue from such owners.

120.     (1)  If it is found necessary to make a survey by an agency other than that of Revenue Officer and Village Officer, the Board or Revenue may publish a notification stating

Professional surveys.

(a)      the local area to be surveyed and the nature of the survey;

 

(b)      the names or official designation of the officer by whom the survey is to be made; and

 

(c)       the kind of boundary marks to be erected by those officer.

(2)  From the date of the notification, the officers specified therein, and the persons acting under their orders, shall have, for the purposes of the survey, the powers conferred on Revenue Officers by section 30.

121.     (1) The Board of Revenue may make rules as to the manner in which the boundaries of all or any of the estates in any local area are to be demarcated and as to the boundary marks to be erected within those estates.

 

            (2) Rules under this section may prescribe, among other matters, the form of boundary marks and the material to be used in their construction.

Power of Board of revenue to make rules or demarca-tion of boundaries and erection of boundary marks.

122.     (1)  The settlement of a boundary under any of the foregoing provisions of this Chapter shall, subject to the provisions of Chapter XIII, be a determinative—

Effect of the settlement of boundary.

(a)      of the proper position of the boundary line or boundary marks, and

 

(b)      of the rights of the land-owners on either side of the boundary fixed in respect of the land adjudged to appertain, or not to appertain, to their respective holdings.

(2)  Where a boundary has been so fixed, the Collector may under rules to be framed in this behalf be the Board of Revenue with the previous approval of Government, evict any land-owner who is wrongfully in possession of any land which has been adjudged in the settlement of a boundary not to appertain to his holding or to the holding of any person through or under whom he claims,

 

123.     (1) When any two or more estates are subject to river action and the limits of any such estates are, by any law, rule of custom or usage or order of decree of any court or other authority applicable thereto, liable to vary according as variation may from time to time occur in the course or action of such river the Board of Revenue may order a permanent boundary line to be fixed between any such estates or such portions thereof as are liable to river action.

Power to fix boundary between riverain estate.

(2)  Upon an order being made under sub-section (1) the Collector shall fix a boundary line between such estates or portions of such estates accordingly, and shall demarcate the same, in accordance with the provisions or section 117, and of the rules, if any, made under section 121.

(3)  Every such boundary line shall be fixed with due regard the history of the estates and the interests of the persons respectively owning them or possessing rights therein, in such manner as may be just and equitable in the  circumstances of  each  case.

(4)  No such boundary line shall be deemed to have been permanently fixed until it has been unproved by the Commissioner.

Explanation— In this section, and in section 124, 125 and 126,   “Collector” shall be deemed lo include any Revenue Officer appointed by Government to perform the functions of Collector under all or any of the provisions thereof

124.     (1) Every boundary line fixed in accordance with the provisions of section 123 shall, notwithstanding anything to the contrary in any law rule of custom or usage, or order or decree of any Court or other authority, be fixed as constant boundary between the estates affected thereby, and the proprietary and all other rights in every holding, field or other portion of an estate situate on each side of the boundary line so fixed, shall, subject to the other provisions of this section, vest in the land owners of the estate which lies on that side of the boundary line on which such holding, field or other portion of an estate situate.

Effect of fixing boundary between reverain estate.

(2)  If, by the operation of sub-section (1) the proprietary or any other rights in any land which at the time a boundary line is fixed is under cultivation, or reasonable fit for cultivation, or yields any produce of substantial value be transferred from the land owners and other right holders of any one estate, to the land owner of any other estate, the Collector shall by written order, direct that the rights in such land shall not subject to the provisions of section 125, 126 and 127 be so transferred unless and until the land in respect of which any such order is made ceases to be reasonably fit for cultivation or to yield any produce of substantial value, and upon, any such order being made, the transfer of the rights in such land shall be suspended accordingly.

(3)  When any portion of the land specified in any order made under sub-section (2) ceases to be reasonably fit for cultivation to yield any produce of substantial value, the order shall, when the Collector, in writing directs, cease to operate to that portion.

(4)  The decision of the Collector as to whether, for the purpose of sub-section (2), any land is or is not reasonably fit for cultivation or does or does not yield produce of substantial value, shall be final.

125.     When any order has been made under subsection (2) of section 124, the land-owners, or any of them in whom, but for such order, the rights in the land specified therein would vest, may apply in writing to the collector and forth with transfer the rights the transfer of which has been suspended by such order, upon payment of compensation for the same.

Application for immediate transfer of rights.

 

 

 

 

126.     (1) When an application under section 125 is made, the Collector shall—

(a)      Fix a day for the hearing of the application;

Award of compensation and extinguishment of rights thereby.

(b)      cause notice of the application, and of the day fixed for the hearing thereof, to be served on, or proclaimed for the information of, all persons recorded as having rights in the land specified in the order made under sub section (2) of section 124, and all other persons interested or claiming to be interested therein;

 

(c)       Upon the day so fixed for hearing, or any day to which the hearing may be adjourned, inquire into the rights in the land and award compensation in respect of all rights found established therein to the persons severally entitled thereto;

 

(d)      inform the applicant of the aggregate amount of compensation so awarded and require him to deposit the amount with the Collector on or before a day to be fixed by him in that behalf;

Provided that, notwithstanding anything contained in this sub-section, shall be lawful for the Collector, in his discretion and at any time before an award of compensation thereon, has been made, to reject such application.

(2)  In awarding compensation under sub-section (1), the Collector shall be guided by the provisions of section 23 and section 24 of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894 (Act No. I of 1894), so far as the same may be applicable to the circumstances of the case.

 

(3) On the fifteenth day of May next after the whole amount of compensation so awarded has been deposited with the Collector, the order made under sub-section (2) of section 124 shall cease to operate, and the right specified therein shall be transferred and vest in the manner provided for in sub-section (1) of that section, and the Collector shall proceed to tender the compensation to the persons severally entitled to receive the same under his award.

(4)  If any such person as aforesaid refuses to accept the sum so awarded and tendered to him, it shall be placed to his credit in Government treasury.

(5)  When any order made under sub-section (2) of section 124 ceased, under the provisions of sub-section (3) of the said section to operate, all right reserved to any person by such order shall be extinguished.

127.     Notwithstanding the provisions of sections 124,125 and 126, when any person possessing any rights in any land in regard to the rights in which an order has been made under sub-section (2) of section 124, voluntarily transfers such rights to any land owner of the estate, in the land owner of which but for such order such rights would vest under the operation of sub-section (1) of that section to such order and vest in the land-owners to whom they have been so transferred.

Voluntary transfers not affected.

 

 

 

 

 

 

128.     In every case in which, under the provisions of section 124, or sections 125 and 126, or section 127, proprietary or other rights in land are transferred from the land-owners, and other right-holders of any one estate to the land-owners of any other estate, such rights shall be subject to all the incidents of tenure and liabilities which, under any law or custom for the time being in force, apply to the rights of the land-owners of the estate to which such rights are so transferred.

Rights transferred to be liable to all the incidents of tenure of the estate of which the transfer is made.

 

 

 

129.     (1) Subject to any rules which the Board of Revenue may, with the previous approval of Government make in this behalf, boundary and survey marks shall be erected and kept in repair by or at the cost of the person interested in the land for the indication of the limits of which they are required.

Cost of erection and repair of boundary and survey marks.

Provided that Government may in any case direct that the cost of erection shall be borne by Government or be paid out of the proceeds of the Village Officers cess.

(2)  It shall be the duty of the Village Officers to prevent the destruction or un authorised alteration of village boundary and survey marks.

130.     (1)  If the persons interested in the land fail to erect or repair a boundary or survey mark within thirty days from the date of their being required by a Revenue Officer to do so, the Revenue Officer may cause it to be erected or repaired.

Recovery of cost incurred by Government.

(2)  Where the Revenue Officer causes a boundary or survey mark to be erected or repaired he shall, subject to any rules or direction under section 129, apportion the cost among the person interested in the land in such manner as he deems just, and certify, the same to the Collector.

(3)  The Collector may recover the cost form such persons as if it were an arrear of land revenue.

131.     Every land-owner shall be responsible for the maintenance and good repair of the boundary and survey marks of his holding, and for any charges reasonably incurred on account of the same by the Revenue Officer in cases of alteration, removal or disrepair.

Responsibility for the maintenance

of boundary and survey marks.

 

132.     Every Village Officer of an estate shall be bound to furnish a Revenue Officer with information respecting the destruction or removal of, or any injury done to, any boundary or survey mark lawfully erected in the estate.

Report of destruction or removal of or injury to boundary or survey marks.

 

133.     (1)  Save as may specifically be otherwise provided for in the rules made in this behalf by the Board of Revenue, with the previous approval of Government, land measurement or survey shall be based on square system or rectangulation, and no survey and khasra number under shall be made less than one acre in area.

Land measurement or survey to be based in a square system or rectangulation.

(2)  The rules made under sub-section (1) may also lay down conditions for and restriction upon sub-division of survey or khasra numbers.

134.     (1)  If any person wilfully destroys or injures or without lawful authority removes boundary mark lawfully erected, he may be ordered by a Revenue Officer to pay such fine not exceeding fifty rupees for each mark so destroyed, injured or removed as may, in the opinion of the Revenue Officer, be necessary to defray the expenses of restoring the same and of rewarding the person, if any, who gave information of the destruction, injury or removal.

Penalty.

(2)  The imposition of a fine under this section shall not bar prosecution under section 434 of the Pakistan penal code (Act No. XLV of 1860).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CHAPTER-XI

PARTITION

 

135.     Any joint owner of land may apply to a Revenue Officer for partition of his share in the land if—

Application

for partition.

(a)      at the date of the application me share is recorded under Chapter VI as belonging to him; or

 

(b)      his right to the share has been established by a, decree which is still subsisting at that date; or

 

(c)       a written acknowledgment of that right has been executed by all parsons interested in the admission or denial thereof.

136.     Notwithstanding the provisions of section 135—

(a)      Places of worship and burial grounds held in common before partition shall continue to be so held after partition; and

Restriction and limitations on partition.

(b)      partition of any of the following properties, namely:—

 

(i)        any embankment water course, well or tank and any land on which the supply of water to any such work may depend;

 

(ii)      any grazing ground; and

 

(iii)    any land which is occupied as the site of a town or village, may be refused if, in the opinion of the Revenue Officer, the partition of such property is likely to cause inconvenience to the co-sharers or other persons directly or indirectly interested therein, or to diminish the utility thereof to those persons.

137.     The Revenue Officer, on receiving the application under section 135 shall, if it is in order, and not against the provisions of the West Pakistan Land Reforms Regulation, 1959 (Martial Law Regulation No. 64), and not open to objection on the face of it, fix a day for the hearing thereof, and—

Notice of application

for partition.

(a)      cause notice of the application and of the day so fixed to be served on such of the recorded co-sharers as have not joined in the application; and

 

(b)      if he thinks fit, cause notice to be served on or proclaimed for the information of any other persons whom he may deem to be directly or indirectly interested in the application.

138.     On the day fixed under section 137 for the hearing of the application, or on any other day to which the hearing may be adjourned, the Revenue Officer shall ascertain whether any of the other co-sharers desire the partition of their shares also, and if any of them so desires, he shall add him as an applicant for partition.

Addition of parties to application.

 

 

 

 

139.     After examining such of the co-sharers and other persons may be present on that day, the Revenue Officer may, if he is of opinion that there is good and sufficient cause for partition to be disallowed, reject the application, recording that grounds for such rejection.

Disallowance

of partition.

 

 

 

 

140.     If the Revenue Officer does not reject the application under section 139, he shall ascertain the questions, if any, in dispute between any of the persons interested, distinguishing between.—

Procedure on admission of application.

(a)      questions as to title in the property of which partition is sought; and

 

(b)      questions as to the property to be divided or the mode making the partition.

141.     (1)  When there is a question as to title in any property of which partition is sought, the Revenue Officer may decline to grant the application for partition until the question has been determined by a competent Court, or he may himself proceed to determine the question as though the were such a court.

Disposal of question as to title in the property to be divided.

(2)  Where the Revenue Officer does not himself proceed to determine the question of title as a Civil Court, for reasons to be recorded by him in this behalf, require a party specified by him to file a suit in a Civil Court, within such period not exceeding ninety days from the date of his order as he may fix, for obtaining decision regarding the question.

(3)  On the filing of a civil suit by the party required so to do within the specified Period, the Revenue Officer shall suspend further action on the application for partition till the said civil suit is decided by the Court and a copy of the Court's order is produced before him.

(4)  In case the party so required fails to file a suit within the specified period, the Revenue Officer may proceed with the partition and decide the question of title himself.

(5) Where the Revenue Officer himself proceeds to determine the question, the following rules shall apply, namely:—

(a)      If the question is one over which a Revenue Court has jurisdiction, the Revenue Officer shall proceed as a Revenue Court under the law for the time being in force.

 

(b)      If the question is one over which a civil Court has jurisdiction, the procedure of the Revenue Officer shall be that applicable to trial of an original suit by a Civil Court, and he shall record a judgment and a decree containing the particulars required by the code of Civil procedure, 1908 (Act No. V of 1908), to be specified therein.

 

(c)       An appeal shall lie from the decree of the Revenue Officer under clause (b) as though that decree were a decree of a Civil Judge in an original suit.

 

(d)      Upon such an appeal being made, the District Court or the High Court, as the case may be, may issue an injuction to the Revenue Officer requiring him to stay proceedings pending the disposal of the appeal.

 

(e)       From the appellate decree of a District court upon such an appeal, a further appeal shall lie to the High Court, if such further appeal is allowed by the law for the time being in force.

142.     (1) When there is a question as to the property to be divided, or the mode of making a partition, the revenue Officer shall after such inquiry as he deems necessary, record an order stating his decision on the question and his reasons for the decision.

Disposal of other questions.

 

(2) An appeal may be preferred from an order under subsection (1) within thirty days from the date thereof, and, when such as appeal is preferred and the institution there of has been certified to the Revenue Officer by the authority to whom the appeal has been preferred, the Revenue Officer shall stay further proceedings pending the disposal of the appeal.

 

(3) If an applicant for partition is dissatisfied with an original or appellate order under this section, and applies for permission to withdraw from the proceedings in so far as they relate to the partition of his share, he shall be permitted to withdraw there from on such terms as the Revenue Officer thinks fit.

(4)  When an applicant withdraws under the provisions of sub-section (3) the Revenue Officer may, where the other applicants, if any, desire the continuance of the proceedings, continue them in so far as they relate to the partition of the shares of those other applicants.

143.     When any such property as is referred to in clause (b) of section 136 is excluded from partition, the Revenue Officer may determine the extent to and the manner in which the co-sharers and other persons interested therein may make use thereof, and the proportion in which expenditure incurred there on and profit derived therefrom are, respectively, to be borne by and divided among those persons or any of them.

Administration of property excluded from partition.

 

 

 

 

144.     (1)  The amount of revenue to be paid in respect of each of the holdings in to which land has been divided on a partition shall be determined by the Revenue Officer making the partition.

Distribution of revenue and rent after partition.

(2)  The decision of the Revenue Officer under sub-section (1) as to the revenue to be paid in respect of each holding shall, where the estate in which the holding is situate is subject to a fixed assessment, be deemed to be an order under sub-section (1) of section 67.

(3)  Where new estates have been created at a partition and the land-revenue has been fraudulently or erroneously distributed among them, the Board of Revenue may, within twelve years from the time of discovery of the fraud or error, order a new distribution of the land revenue among the several estates, on an estimate of the assets of each estate at the time of the partition to be made conformably to the best evidence and information procurable respecting the same.

145.     When a partition is completed, the Revenue Officer shall cause an instrument of partition to be prepared and the date on which the partition is to take effect to be recorded  therein.

Instrument of parties.

 

146.     An owner to whom any land is allotted in proceedings for partition shall be entitled to possession thereof as against the other parties to the proceedings and their legal representatives, and a Revenue Officer shall, on application made to him for the purpose by any such owner at any time within

Affirmation of possession of property allotted on partition.

three years from the date recorded in the instrument of partition under section 145, give effect to that instrument so far as it concerns the applicant as if it were a decree for immovable property.

147.     (l) In any case in which a partition has been made without the intervention of a Revenue Officer, any party thereto may apply to a Revenue Officer, for an order affirming the partition.

Affirmation of partition privately effected.

(2)  On receiving the application, the Revenue Officer shall enquire, in to the case, and if he finds that the partition has in fact been made he may make an order affirming it and proceed under sections 143, 144, 145 and 146, or any of those sections, as circumstances may require, in the same manner as if the partition has been made on an application to himself under this Chapter.

148.     The Board of Revenue may, with the previous approval of Government, make rules Tor determining the costs of partitions under this Chapter and the mode in which such costs arc to be apportioned.

Power to make rules as to cost

of Pakistan.

 

149.     When by established custom, any land in an estate is subject to periodical re-distribution, a Revenue Officer may, on the application of any of the land owners, enforce the re-distribution according to the custom, and for this purpose may exercise all or any of the powers of a Revenu1 Officer in proceedings of partition.

Redirection of land according

to custom.

 

 

 

 

150.     The Revenue Officer by whom proceedings may be taken under  this Chapter shall be a Revenue Officer not below Assistant Collector of the First Grade.

Officers who may be empowered to act under this chapter.

 

CHAPTER-XII

ARBITRATION

 

151.     (1)  Any Revenue Officer may, with the consent of the Parties, refer to arbitration any dispute arising before him in any matter under this Act,.

Power to refer

to arbitration.

(2) A Collector, or any Assistant Collector of the First Grade may, without the consent of the parties, refer to arbitration any dispute before him with respect to—

(a)      any matter of which an entry is to be made in any record or register under Chapter  VI;

 

(b)      any matter relating to the distribution of an assessment under section 67.;

 

(c)       the limits of any estate or of any holding, field, or other portion of an estate; or

 

(d)      the property to be divided at a partition or the mode of making partition.

152.     (1)  In referring a dispute to arbitration, a Revenue Officer shall make an order of reference and specify therein the precise matter submitted to arbitration, the number of arbitrators which each party to the dispute is to nominate, the period within which arbitrators are to be nominated, and the period within which the award is to be delivered.

Order of reference and contents thereof.

(2)  The number of arbitrators which each party may nominate must be the same and must not exceed two.

(3)  If from any cause arbitrators are not nominated or an award is not delivered within the period fixed for in the order of reference, the Revenue Officer, may, from time to time extend that period, or may cancel the order of reference.

 

153.     (1)  When an order of reference has been made each party may nominate the number of arbitrators specified in the order, and the Revenue Officer shall nominate one other arbitrator.

Nomination

of arbitrators.

(2)  The Revenue Officer may, for reasons to be recorded by him, make an order disallowing any nomination made by either party and requiring the party to make another nomination within a time to be specified in the order.

(3)  An order under sub-section (2) shall be final.

154.     If an arbitrator nominated by a party dies desires to be discharged, or refuses or becomes incapable to act, the party may nominate another person in his stead.

Substitution of arbitrators by parties.

 

155.     In any of the following cases, namely:—

(a)      if either of the parties fails to nominate an arbitrator under sub-section (1) of section 153 within the period fixed in the order of reference; or

Nomination and substitution of arbitrators by Revenue Officers.

(b)      if either of the parties fails to nominate an arbitrator under sub-section (1) of section 153 within the period fixed in the order of reference; or

 

(c)       if the nomination of an-arbitrator has been disallowed under sub-section (2) of section 153 and another arbitrator is not nominated within the time, specified in the order under that sub-section or having been so nominated, his nomination, is also disallowed; or

 

(d)      if a party entitled to nominate an arbitrator in place of another arbitrator under section 154 fails to nominate him within one week from the date of the communication to him of a notice requiring him to make the nomination; or

 

(e)       if an arbitrator nominated by the Revenue Officer dies, desires to be discharged, or refuses or become in capable to act,

the Revenue Officer may nominate a person as arbitrator.

156.     (1) The Revenue Officer shall, on the application of the arbitrators, issue the same processes to the parties and witnesses whom the arbitrators desire to examine as he may issue in any proceedings under this Act before himself.

Process for appearance

before arbitrators.

(2) Any such party or witness shall be bound to appear before the arbitrators in obedience to a process issued under sub-section (1), either in person or by agent as the arbitrators may require.

(3)  The person attending in obedience of the process shall be bound to state the truth upon any matter respecting which he is examined or makes statements, and to produce such document and other things relating to any such matter as may be specified in the process.

157.     (1) The arbitrators shall make an award in writing under their hands concerning the matters referred to them for arbitration and state therein their reasons therefor, and any arbitrator dissenting from the award made by a majority of the arbitrators shall state the grounds of his dissent.

Award of arbitrators and presentation thereof.

(2) The arbitrators shall present the award to the Revenue Officer in person or by agent, or send the same to him by registered post.

158.     (1)  When the award has been received, the Revenue Officer shall fix a date for the consideration of the award.

Procedure on presentation

of award.

(2)  on the date fixed under sub-section (1) or on any subsequent date to which an adjournment may be made, the Revenue Officer shall hear any objection which the parties may have to make to the award.

159.     (1) The Revenue Officer may accept, modify or reject the award, recording his reasons for doing so in his decision respecting the dispute which was referred to arbitration.

Effect of award.

(2)  An appeal shall lie from the decision of the Revenue Officer made under sub-section (1) as if arbitrators had not been appoint.

160.     Nothing in the Arbitration Act, 1940 (Act No. X of 1940) shall apply to any arbitration under this Chapter.

Arbitration Act

not to apply to arbitration under this chapter.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CHAPTER-XII

APPEAL, REVIEW AND REVISION

 

161.     (1)  Save as otherwise provided by this Act, an appeal shall lie from an original or appellate order of a Revenue Officer follows, namely—

Appeals.

(a)      to the collector , when the order is made by an Assistant Collector, of either grade;

 

(b)      to the [83][Commissioner], when the order is made by a Collector

 

(c)       to the Board of Revenue only on a point of law, when the order is made by a [84][Commissioner]:

Provided that—

(i)        when an original order is confirmed on first appeal, further appeal shall not lie;

 

(ii)      when any such order is modified or reversed on appeal by the collector, the order made by the [85][Commissioner] on further appeal, if any to him shall be final.

Explanation— (1) An order passed in review, modifying or reversing a previous order, shall be deemed to be an original order for the purposes of this section.

(2) An order, shall not be confirmed, modified or reversed in appeal unless reasonable notice has been given to the parties affected thereby to appear and be heard in support of or against the order appealed from.

162.     Save as otherwise provided by this Act, the period of limitation for an appeal under section 161 shall run from the date of the order appealed against and shall be—

Limitation

for appeals.

 

(a)      thirty days, where the appeal lies to the collector;

 

(b)      sixty days, where the appeal lies to the [86][Commissioner];

 

(c)       ninety days, where the appeal lies to the Board of Revenue.

163.     (1)  A [87][Commissioner], Collector or an Assistant Collector, may at any time, on his own motion, review any order passed by himself or any of his predecessor in office, and on so reviewing modify, reverse or confirm the same.

Review.

(2)  Any person considering himself aggrieved by an order passed by a [88][Commissioner], collector or an Assistant Collector and who, from the discovery of new and important matter evidence which, after the exercise of due diligence was not within his knowledge or could not be produced by him at the time when the order was passed or on account of some mistake apparent on the face of the record or for any other sufficient reason, desires to obtain a review of the order passed against him, may apply for a review of the order to the [89][Commissioner], collector or Assistant Collector , as the case may be, and such officer may modify reverse or confirm any order passed by himself or by any of his predecessors in office, provided that-

(a)      an order passed by his predecessor-in-office shall not be reviewed under sub-section (1) or subsection (2) by the —

 

(i)        [90][Commissioner], without first obtaining the sanction of the Board of Revenue;

 

(ii)      Collector, without first obtaining the sanction of the [91][Commissioner], and no order shall be reviewed by any other Revenue Officer, without first obtaining the sanction of the Revenue Officer to whose control he is immediately subject;

 

(b)      an application for review of an order shall not be entertained unless it is made within nine days from the passing of the order, or unless the applicant satisfies the Revenue Officer that he had sufficient cause for not making the application within that period;

 

(c)       an order shall not be modified or reversed unless reasonable notice has been given to the parties affected there by to appear and be heard in support of the order;

 

(d)      an order against which an appeal has been preferred shall not be reviewed.

(3)  For the purposes of this section, the Collector shall be deemed to be successor in-office of any Revenue Officer of a lower class who has left the district or has ceased to exercise power as a Revenue Officer, and to whom there is no successor in office.

(4) An appeal shall not lie from an order refusing to review or confirming on review a previous order.

164.     (1)  The Board of Revenue, may, at any time, on its own motion, or on an application made to it within ninety days of the passing of any order, call for the record of any case pending before, or disposed of by, any Revenue Officer subordinate to it,.

Revision.

(2)  A [92][Commissioner] or Collector may, at any time, of his own motion or on an application made to him within ninety days of the passing of any order, call for the record of any case pending before, or disposed of by, any Revenue Officer under his control.

(3)  If in any case in which a Collector has called for a record he is of opinion that proceedings taken or order made should be modified or reversed, he shall report the case with his opinion thereon for the orders of the [93][Commissioner].

(4)  The Board of Revenue may, in any case called for under sub-section (1) and [94][Commissioner] may in any case called for under sub-section (2) or reported to him under sub section (3) pass such orders as it or the thinks fit:

provided that no order shall be passed under this section reversing or modifying any proceedings or order of a subordinate Revenue Officer affecting any person without giving such person an opportunity of being heard.

165.     (1)  An appeal or revision shall not operate as stay of proceedings under the order or decree appealed from or under revision, except so far as the appellate or revisional authority may order nor shall execution of any order or decree be stayed by reason only of an appeal or application for revision having been made, but the appellate or revisional authority may, for sufficient cause, order stay of execution of any such order or decree.

Stay of proceedi-ngs and execution and orders and decrees.

(2)  No order for stay of execution shall be made under sub-section (1), unless the authority making it is satisfied that-

(a)      substantial loss may result to the party applying for stay of execution unless the order is made.

 

(b)      the application has been made without unreasonable, delay; and

 

(c)       where necessary, security has been given by the applicant for the due performance of such order or decree as may ultimately be binding upon him.

166.     Clerical or  arithmetical mistakes in any decree or order made by any Revenue Officer, or errors therein from any accidental slip or omission may, at any time, be corrected by such officer.

Clerical mistakes etc.

Explanation—In this section, “Officer” includes the successor in-office of the Officer,

167.     In the computation of the period for an appeal from or an application for the review or revision of an order under this Act, the limitation there for shall be governed by the provisions of the limitation Act, 1908 (Act No. IX of 1908).

Computation of period limited under this chapter.

 

CHAPTER-XIV

SUPPLEMENTAL PROVISIONS

Revenue Deposits

 

168.     (1) In either of the following cases, namely-

(a)     when a headman or other land-owner to whom any sum other than rent is payable on account of liability under this Act, refuses to receive the sum from, or to grant a receipt there for to the person by whom it is payable or

Power to deposit certain sums other than rent.

(b)     when the person by whom any such sum is payable is in doubt as to the headman or other land entitled to receive it, that person may apply to a Revenue Officer for leave to deposit the sum in his office, and the Revenue Officer shall receive the deposit if, after examining in the applicant, he is satisfied that there is sufficient ground for the application, and if the applicant pays the fee, if any, which may be chargeable on any notice to be issued of the receipt thereof.

(2)  When a deposit has been so received, the liability of the deposit or to the headman or other land owner, for the amount thereof shall be discharged.

169.     (1)  if the deposit purports to be made on account of any payment due to Government, it may be credited accordingly.

Procedure in

case of deposits.

(2)  A Revenue Officer receiving a deposit purporting to be made on any other account shall give notice of the receipt thereof to every person who, he has reason to believe, claims or is entitled to the deposit and may pay the amount there to any person appearing to him to be entitled to the same, or may, if he thinks fit retain the deposit pending the decision of a Civil Court as to the person so entitled.

(3)  No suit or other proceeding shall be instituted against Government or the Board of Revenue, or against any servant of the state, in respect of anything done in good faith by a Revenue Officer under this section, but nothing herein shall prevent any person entitled to receive the amount of any such deposit from recovering it from a person to whom it has been paid by Revenue Officer.

Orders of Civil and Criminal courts

170.     Orders issued by any Civil or Criminal Courts for the attachment, sale or delivery of any land or for the attachment or sale of the produce of any land, shall be addressed to the Collector or such Revenue Officer as the Collector may appoint in this behalf, and be executed by the Collector or that officer in accordance with the provisions of the law applicable to the Court issuing the orders, and with any rules not inconsistent there with made by the Board of Revenue with the concurrence of the High Court and the previous approval of Government.

Orders of Civil and Criminal Courts for execution of processes against land etc.

171.     (1)  The attachment of the produce of any land in pursuance of any order of any Court or other authority shall not prevent the Person to whom the produce belongs from reaping gathering or storing it or doing any other act necessary for its preservation.

Preservation of attached produce.

 

(2)  The attaching officer shall do or cause to be done all acts necessary for the preservation of the produce if the person to whom it belongs fails to do so.

(3)  When sale of produce follows on its attachment, the purchaser shall be entitled, by himself or by any person appointed by him in this behalf, to enter upon the place where the produce is, and do all that is necessary for the purpose of preserving and removing it.

Exclusion of Jurisdiction of Civil Courts.

172.     (1)  Except as otherwise provided by this Act, no Civil Court shall have jurisdiction in any matter which Government, the Board of Revenue, or any Revenue Officer, empowered by this Act to dispose of, or take cognizance of the manner in which Government, the Board of Revenue, or any Revenue Officer exercise any powers vested in it for him by or under this Act.

Exclusion of jurisdiction of Civil Courts is matters within the jurisdiction of revenue officers.

(2)  Without prejudice to the generality of the provisions of sub-section (1), a Civil Court shall not exercise jurisdiction over any of the following matters, namely: —

(i)              any question as to the limits of any land which has been defined by a Revenue Officer as land to which this Act does or does not apply;

(ii)            any claim to compel the discharge of any duties imposed by this Act or any other enactment for the time being in force on any Revenue Officer as such;

 

(iii)          any claim to the Office of a village officer or in respect of any injury caused by exclusion from such office, or to compel the discharge of the duties or a division of the emoluments thereof;

 

(iv)           any notification directing the making or revision of a record-of-rights;

 

(v)             the farming of a record-of-rights or periodical record, or the preparation, signing or attestation of any of the documents included in such a record;

 

(vi)           the correction of any entry in a record-of-rights, periodical record or register of mutations;

 

(vii)         any notification of the undertaking of general re-assessment of a District or Tehsil [95][or sub-tehsil] having been sanctioned by Government;

 

(viii)       any objection to the amount or rate of any asseessment or land revenue to the period thereof authorised by Government;

 

(ix)           the claim of any person to be liable for an assessment of land revenue or of any other revenue as assessed under this Act;

 

(x)             the amount of land revenue to be assessed on any estate or to be paid in respect of any holding under this Act;

(xi)           the amount of, or the liability of any person to pay, any other revenue to be assessed under this Act or any cess charge or rate to be assessed on an estate or holding  under this Act or any other enactment for the time being in force.

 

(xii)         Any claim relating to the allowance to be received by a land-owner who has given notice of his refusal to be liable for an assessment, or any claim connected with, or arising out of, any proceedings taken in consequence of the refusal of any person to be liable for an assessment under this Act;

 

(xiii)       the formation of an estate or determination of its boundaries;

 

(xiv)       Any claim to hold free of revenue any land, mills fisheries or natural products of land or water;

 

(xv)         any claim connected with, or arising out of the collection by Government, or the enforcement by Government of any process for the recovery of land revenue or any sum recoverable as an arrear of land revenue;

 

(xvi)       any claim to set aside, on any ground other than fraud, a sale for the recovery of an arrear of land revenue or any sum recoverable as an arrear of land revenue;

 

(xvii)     the amount of, or the liability of any person to pay, any cess, fees, fines, costs or other charge imposed under this Act;

 

(xviii)   any claim for partition of an estate or holding, or any question connected with or arising out of, proceedings for partition, not being a question as to title in any of the property of which partition is sought;

 

(xix)       any question as to the allotment of land on the partition of an estate or holding, or as to the distribution of lands subject by established custom to periodical re-distribution or as to the distribution of land revenue on the partition of an estate or holding or on a periodical re-distribution of land;

 

(xx)         any question connected with or arising out of or relating to any proceedings for the determination of boundaries of estates subject to river action under the provision of this Act;

 

(xxi)       any claim regarding boundaries fixed under any of the enactments hereby repealed or any other law for the time being in force, or to set aside any order passed by a competent officer under any such law with regard to boundary marks.

 

 

173.     (1) The Board of Revenue may, by notification, invest any Revenue Officer making or specially revising records-of-rights in any local urea in pursuance of a notification under section 40, or making a general re-assessment of land revenue in any local area in pursuance of a notification under section 59, or any Revenue Officer in a Colony as defined in the Colonization of Government lands (Punjab) Act, 1912 (Punjab Act No. V of 1912), or any Revenue Officer to whose control that officer is subject with all or any of the powers of any Court Constituted under the W.P. Civil courts ordinance 1962 (West Pakistan Ordinance II of 1962) for the purpose of trying all or any specified class of suits or appeal relating to land arising in the local area.

Powers to invest officers making (records-of rights or general re-assessments with powers of Civil Courts.

(2) The Board of Revenue may cancel an order notified under sub-section (l) wholly or in part.

(3) While an order or any part of an order under sub-section (1) continues in force, the powers conferred thereby shall be exercised by the officer invested therewith and not otherwise.

(4)  Any case pending before an officer under the order or subsisting part of the order at the time of cancellation thereof may be disposed of by him as if the order or that part of it continued in force, unless the Board of Revenue directs, as it is hereby empowered to do, that those cases shall be transferred for deposal to the Courts by which they would have been disposed of if the order had not been notified.

174.     (1) The Board of Revenue may by notification direct that the provisions of this Act with respect to, the superintendence and control over Revenue Officers shall apply to any Revenue Officer who has been invested with the powers of a Civil Court of any of the classes specified in the West Pakistan Civil Courts Ordinance, 1962 (West Pakistan Ordinance No. II of 1962) and that appeal shall lie from his decrees and orders to and his decrees and orders be subject to revision by, a Revenue Officer invested under section 173 with the powers of a Court which would be competent under that Ordinance to hear appeals from or revise such decree and orders if they had been made by a Court with the powers of which the Revenue Officer who made them has been invested.

Control over such officer and appeals from and revision-of their decree and order.

(2)  In the absence of any such notification, a Revenue Officer invested under section 173 with the powers of any such Civil Court as aforesaid shall, with respect to the exercise of those powers, be deemed to be such a Civil Court for the purposes of the aforesaid Ordinance.

 

 

General

175.     [96][(l)  Where land which has been reserved for the common purposes of the persons residing in the estate in which such land is situate has been encroached upon by any person, and the land has been shown in the last three periodical records made before such encroachment as so reserved, a Revenue Officer may, on the application of a land owner in the estate, and after giving an opportunity to the person alleged to have encroached upon it to appear before him and show cause against the proposed action—

Prevention of encroachment upon common lands.

(a)      eject from the land the person who has encroached thereupon; and

 

(b)      by order proclaimed in the manner provided in section 26, forbid repetition of the encroachment.

Explanation.— An edition of the record-of rights made before the coming into force of this Act under the provisions of section 33 of the Punjab land Revenue Act 1887, or under the provisions of any other law repealed by this Act, shall be-deemed to be a periodical record for the purposes of this section].

(2)  The proceedings of the Revenue Officer under sub-section (1) shall be subject to any decree or order which may be subsequently passed by any Court of competent jurisdiction.

176.     (1)  Any record or paper which a Village Officer is required, by law, or by any rule made under this Act, to prepare or keep shall be deemed to be the property of Government.

Papers kept by village Officers to be deemed public documents.

(2) A Village Officer shall, with respect to any record or paper in his custody be deemed, for the purposes of the evidence Act, 1872 (Act No. I of 1872), to be a public officer having the custody of a public document which any person has a right to inspect.

177.     Subject to such rules and the payment of such fees as the Board of Revenue may from time to time prescribed in this behalf, all maps and land-records prepared or required to be made under this Act shall be open to the inspection of the public at reasonable hours, and certified extracts from the same or certified copies thereof shall be given to all persons applying for the same [97][:]

           

            [98][Provided that a service delivery centre official or an officer authorized by the Board of Revenue, shall issue a copy or an extract of the digitized land record in the prescribed manner and the Patwari of an estate shall not, after the expiry of the date under sub-section (1) of section 42A, issue a copy or an extract of a land record which has been digitized.]

Maps and land record open to inspection etc.

 

 

 

 

 

178.     (1)  A Revenue Officer, or a person employed in a Revenue Office, shall not—

(a)      purchase or bid for, either in person or by agent, in his own name or in that of another or jointly or in shares with others, any property which any Revenue Officer or Revenue Court in the District in which he is employed has ordered to be sold; or

Restriction on Revenue Officers bidding at auctions or engaging in  trades.

(b)      in contravention of any rule made by Government in this behalf, engage in trade in that District.

(2)  Nothing in sub-section (1) shall be deemed to preclude any person from becoming a share-holder in a company incorporated under the Companies Act 1913 (Act No. VII of 1913), or under any other law for the time being in force relating to a body or bodies corporate.

CHAPTER-XV

MISCELLANEOUS

 

179.     Wherever in this Act it is provided that a decision or order shall be final, it shall be deemed to mean that no appeal lies from decision or order; but nothing herein shall be construed as precluding the Board of Revenue from modifying, reversing or setting aside any such decision or order under the provisions of section 164.

Effect of finality of Orders.

 

 

 

180.     Notwithstanding anything contained in this Act, headman (lambardars) shall not be appointed in, nor shall rules for their appointment be enforced in or made applicable to, any area or part of the province where the law in force immediately before the commencement of this Act did not provide for the making of such appointment or rules.

Restriction on appointment of lambardars.

 

181.     No suit, prosecution or other legal proceeding shall lie against a Revenue Officer for anything done or ordered to be done in good faith by him as such in pursuance of the provisions of this Act, or of any other law for the time being in force.

Bar on legal proceedings against Revenue officer.

 

182.     The Board of Revenue, with the previous approval of Government, may, in addition to the other rules which may be made by it under this Act, make rules not inconsistent with this Act,

Power to make rule.

(a)      fixing the number and amount of the installments and the times and places an the manner, at and in which any sum other than rent or land revenue which is payable under this Act or of which a record has been made thereunder is to be paid;

 

(b)      fixing the dates on which profits are to be divisible by headman or other persons by whom they are realized on behalf of co-sharers,

 

(c)       prescribing the fees to be charged for the service and execution of processes issued by Revenue Officers and Revenue Courts, the mode in which those fees are to be collected, the number of persons to be employed in the service and execution of those processes, and the remuneration and duties of those persons ,

 

(d)      regulating the procedure in case where persons are entitled to inspect records of Revenue Officers or records or papers in the custody of Village Officers, or to obtain copies of the same and prescribing the fees payable for searches and copies,

 

(e)       prescribing forms for such books, entries, statistics and accounts as the Board of Revenue thinks necessary to be kept, made or compiled in Revenue Offices or submitted to any authority , and

       

(f)        generally for carrying; out the   purpose of this Act.

183.     The power to make any rules under this Act is subject to the condition of the rules being made after previous publication.

Rules to be made after previous publication.

184.     (1) The enactments mentioned in Part  One of the Schedule are hearby repealed.

Repeals and savings.

(2) On the commencement of this Act in any area the enactments mentioned in Part Two of the Schedule shall, if and, in so far as applicable to that area, stand repealed and in the event of specified provisions of this Act, being applied to any area, only the corresponding provisions in such enactments shall stand repealed.

(3)  Notwithstanding the repeal of the enactments mentioned in sub-section (2) —

(a)      all rules, appointments and transfers made, notifications and proclamations issued authorities and powers conferred, farms and leases granted, record-of-right and other records framed, revised or confirmed, rights acquired, liabilities incurred, times and places appointed, and other things done, under any such enactment shall, if not inconsistent with the provisions of this Acts, be continued and, so far as may be, deemed to have been respectively made, issued, conferred granted, incurred, appointed and done under this Act; and

 

(b)      all assessments of land revenue duly made, approved or confirmed under any such enactment and in force immediately before such repeal shall continue, and subject to the provisions of this Act, remain in force until assessments made, approved or confirmed under those provisions take effect.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[99][(4)(5)]

SCHEDULE

[See section 184]

PART ONE

1.         The Punjab Riverain Boundaries Act, 1899 (Pb. Act No. I of 1899).

 

2.         The Punjab Land Revenue (Amendment) Act, 1912 (Pb. Act No. II of 1912).

 

3.         The Punjab Land Revenue (Amendment) Act, 1928 (Pb. Act No. III of 1928).

 

4.         The Punjab Land Revenue (Amendment) Act, 1929 (Pb. Act No. VII of 1929).

 

5.         The Punjab Land Revenue (Amendment) Act, 1934 (Pb. Act No. VI of 1934).

 

6.         The Punjab Land Revenue ([100][Khyber Pakhtunkhwa] Amendment) Act, 1935 ([101][Khyber Pakhtunkhwa] Act No. VIII of 1935).

 

7.         The Punjab Land Revenue (Amendment) Act, 1950 (Pb Act No. 2 of 1950)

 

8.         The Punjab Land Revenue (Second Amendment) Act, 1950 (Pb Act No. XVIII of 1950)

 

9.         The Punjab Land Revenue ([102][Khyber Pakhtunkhwa] Amendment) Act, 1954 ([103][Khyber Pakhtunkhwa] Act No. V of 1954).

 

10.     The Punjab Land Revenue (Amendment) Act, 1955 (Pb. Act No. IV of 1955).

 

11.     The Punjab Land Revenue (Amendment) Act. 1955 (Pb. Act No. XIX of 1955).

 

12.     The West Pakistan (Punjab Land Revenue Act)(Amendment) Act, 1956 (W. P. Act No. III of 1956).

 

13.     The Punjab Land Revenue (West Pakistan Amendment) Ordinance, 1959 (W. P. Ordinance No. XXIX of 1959).

 

14.     The West Pakistan Determination of Land Revenue and Water-Rate Ordinance, 1959 (W. P. Ordinance No. LV of 1959).

 

15.     The Punjab Land Revenue (West Pakistan Amendment Ordinance, 1962 (W. P. Ordinance No. XXVIII of 1962).

 

16.     The Punjab Land Revenue (West Pakistan Amendment) Ordinance, 1962 (W. P. Ordinance No. XXXVII of 1962).

 

17.     The Punjab Land Revenue (West Pakistan Amendment) Ordinance, 1963 (W. P. Ordinance No. XVIII of 1963).

PART TWO

[104][1,2,3,4,5,    ..    ..]

6.         Punjab Land Revenue Act, 1887 (Pb: Act No. XVII of 1887) as                 in force for the time being in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

[105][7,  ..  ..  ..]

 

 



[1] Substituted vide Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Act No. III of 2009.

[2] Substituted vide Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Act No. III of 2009.

[3] Deleted vide Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Act No. III of 2009.

[4] Inserted vide Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Act No. XXXII of 2014.

[5] Inserted vide Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Act No. XXXII of 2014.

[6] Substituted vide Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Act No. XXXII of 2014.

[7] Inserted vide Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Ord. No. II of 1976 and Act No. I of 1976.

[8] Substituted vide Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Act No. IV of 2011.

[9] Added vide Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Act, No. I of 1976.

[10] Inserted vide Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Act No. XXXII of 2014.

[11] Added vide Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Act, No. I of 1976.

[12] Inserted vide Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Act No. XXXII of 2014.

[13] Substituted vide Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Act No. III of 2009.

[14] Substituted vide Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Act No. III of 2009.

[15] Substituted vide Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Act No. III of 2009.

[16] Inserted vide Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Act No. III of 2009.

[17] Added vide Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Act No. III of 2009.

[18] Substituted vide Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Act No. III of 2009.

[19] Substituted vide Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Act No. III of 2009.

[20] Substituted vide Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Act No. III of 2009.

[21] Substituted vide Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Act No. III of 2009.

[22] Substituted vide Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Act No. III of 2009.

[23] Substituted vide Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Act No. III of 2009.

[24] Substituted vide Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Act No. III of 2009.

[25] Substituted vide Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Act No. III of 2009.

[26] Substituted vide Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Act No. III of 2009.

[27] Deleted vide Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Act No. III of 2009.

[28] Substituted vide Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Act No. XI of 1976.

[29] Inserted vide Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Act No. XXXII of 2014.

[30] Substituted vide Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Act No. XXXII of 2014.

[31] Substituted vide Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Act No. XXXII of 2014.

[32] Substituted vide Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Act No. XXXII of 2014.

[33] Substituted vide Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Act No. XXXII of 2014.

[34] Inserted vide Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Act No. XXXII of 2014.

[35] Inserted vide Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Act No. XXXII of 2014.

[36] Substituted vide Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Act No. XXXII of 2014.

[37] Inserted vide Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Act No. XXXII of 2014.

[38] Inserted vide Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Act No. XXXII of 2014.

[39] Substituted vide Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Act No. XXXII of 2014.

[40] Omitted vide Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Adaptation of Laws Order, 1975.

[41] Omitted vide Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Adaptation of Laws Order, 1975.

[42] Inserted vide Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Ord. No. II of 1976 and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Act No. I of l976.

[43] Deleted vide Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Act No. XXXII of 2014.

[44] Replaced vide Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Act. No. XXXII of 2014.

[45] Added vide Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Act. No. XXXII of 2014.

[46] Added vide Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Act No. XXXII of 2014.

[47] Replaced vide Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Act No. XXXII OF 2014.

[48] Inserted vide Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Act. No. III of 1988.

[49] Inserted vide Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Ord. No II of 1976 and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Act No I of 1976.

[50] Substituted vide Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Ordinance No. VI of 1983.

[51] Substituted vide Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Ordinance No. VI of 1983.

[52] Substituted vide Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Ordinance No. VI of 1983.

[53] Substituted vide Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Ordinance No. VI of 1983.

[54] Substituted vide Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Act, No. III of 2009.

[55] Substituted vide Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Act, No. III of 2009.

[56] Substituted vide Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Act, No. III of 2009.

[57] Substituted vide Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Act, No. III of 2009.

[58] Substituted vide Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Act, No. III of 2009.

[59] Substituted vide Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Act, No. III of 2009.

[60] Inserted vide Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Act No. I of 1976.

[61] substituted vide Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Ord. No. VI of 1983.

[62] Re-numbered vide  Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Act No. XI of 1976.

[63] Added vide Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Act No. XI of 1976.

[64] Substituted vide Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Act No. XI of 1976.

[65] Omitted vide Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Act No. XI of 1976.

[66] Substituted vide Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Act, No. III of 2009.

[67] Substituted vide Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Act, No. III of 2009.

[68] Inserted vide Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Ord. No. XIII of 2001.

[69] Inserted vide Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Ord. No. XIII of 2001.

[70] Substituted vide the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Act, No. III of 2009.

[71] Substituted vide the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Act, No. III of 2009.

[72] Substituted vide Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Ordinance No. III of 1985.

[73] Substituted vide Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Act, No. III of 2009.

[74] Substituted vide Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Act, No. III of 2009.

[75] Substituted vide Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Act, No. III of 2009.

[76] Substituted vide Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Act, No. III of 2009.

[77] Substituted vide Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Act, No. III of 2009.

[78] Substituted vide Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Act, No. III of 2009.

 

[79] Substituted vide Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Act, No. III of 2009.

[80] Substituted vide Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Act, No. III of 2009.

[81] Substituted vide Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Ordinance No. III of 1985.

[82] Inserted vide W. P. Ordinance No. X of 1970.

[83] Substituted vide Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Act, No. III of 2009.

[84] Substituted vide Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Act, No. III of 2009.

[85] Substituted vide Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Act, No. III of 2009.

[86] Substituted vide Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Act, No. III of 2009.

[87] Substituted vide Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Act, No. III of 2009.

[88] Substituted vide Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Act, No. III of 2009.

[89] Substituted vide Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Act, No. III of 2009.

[90] Substituted vide Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Act, No. III of 2009.

[91] Substituted vide Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Act, No. III of 2009.

[92] Substituted vide Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Act, No. III of 2009.

[93] Substituted vide Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Act, No. III of 2009.

[94] Substituted vide Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Act, No. III of 2009.

[95] Inserted vide Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Ordinance No. XIII of 2001.

[96] Substituted vide West Pakistan Ordinance No. X of 1970.

[97] Replaced vide Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Act No. XXXII of 2014.

[98] Added vide Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Act No. XXXII of 2014.

[99] Omitted vide Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Adaptation of Laws Order, 1975.

[100] Substituted vide Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Act No. IV of 2011.

[101] Substituted vide Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Act No. IV of 2011.

[102] Substituted vide Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Act No. IV of 2011.

[103] Substituted vide Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Act No. IV of 2011.

[104] Omitted vide Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Adaptation of Laws Order, 1975.

[105] Omitted vide Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Adaptation of Laws Order, 1975.