Section 23: Right to possession of new holdings

(1) If all the landholders and tenants affected by the scheme of consolidation or, as the case may be, re-partition, as finally confirmed, agree to enter into possession of the holdings allotted to them thereunder, the Consolidation Officer may allow them to enter into such possession forthwith or from such date as may be specified by him. 2) If such landholders and tenants do not agree to enter into possession under sub-section (1), they shall be entitled to possession of the holdings allotted to them from the first day of May next, following the date of the publication of the scheme under sub-section (4) of section 20 and the Consolidation Officer shall, if necessary, put them in physical possession of the holdings to which they are so entitled including standing crops, and for doing so may enforce the order as a decree for possession. 3) If there are standing crops on any holdings of which possession has been given under sub-section (2), the Consolidation Officer shall determine in the prescribed manner the compensation payable in respect of such crops by the person put in possession, who shall within six months of the date of possession, pay such compensation to the person or persons from whom possession was transferred and in case of default, such compensation shall be recoverable from him as an arrear of land revenue. (4) If any person from whom compensation is recoverable under the scheme, fails, within fifteen days of the First day of May referred to in sub-section (2), to deposit such compensation in the prescribed manner, it shall be recoverable from him as an arrear of land revenue, and in such case the amount realised, after deducting the expenses, shall be paid to any person having interest in the holding.