(1) Notwithstanding anything in this Chapter or any law for the time being in force or any custom, usage, decree, contract or grant to the contrary, with effect on and from the first day of April 1961, the ownership of all lands held by tenants which they are entitled to purchase from their landlords under any of the provisions of this Chapter shall stand transferred to and vest in, such tenants and from such date such tenants shall be deemed to be the full owners of such lands:
Provided that if on such date any such tenant is of the following category, namely :-
(a) a minor,
(b) a widow,
(c) a serving member of the armed forces, or
(d) a person subject to any physical or mental disability,
the ownership of the land shall stand transferred-
(i) to the tenant on the expiry of one year from the date on which the tenant of category (a) attains majority, the tenant of category (c) ceases to serve in such force, the tenant of category (d) ceases to be subject to such disability; and
(ii) in the case of a widow to her successor-in-title on the expiry of one year from the date on which the widows interest in the land ceases to exist:
Provided further that where in respect of any such land, any proceeding under sections 19, 20, 21, 36 or 38 is pending on the date specified in sub-section (1) the transfer of ownership of such land shall take effect on the date on which such proceeding is finally decided and the tenant retains possession of the land in accordance with the decision in such proceeding.
[(1A) (a) Where a tenant who is evicted from the land before the 1 day of April 1961 and not in possession thereof on that date, has made or makes an application for possession of the land within the period specified in sub-section (1) of section 36, then if the application is allowed by the Tahsildar, or in appeal by the Collector, as the case may be, or in revision by the Maharashtra Revenue Tribunal, the ownership of such land shall stand transferred to and vest in the tenant on the date on which the final order allowing the application is made.
(b) Where such tenant has not made the application within the period aforesaid or the application is finally rejected under this Act, and the land is held by any other person as tenant on the date of expiry of the said period or on the date of final rejection of the application, then the ownership of the land shall stand transferred to and vest in such other person on the relevant date aforesaid.]
(2) In respect of the land the ownership of which stands transferred to and vest in a tenant under sub-section (1) the tenant shall continue to be liable to pay to the landlord the rent of such land until the amount of the purchase price payable by the tenant to the landlord is determined under section 48.