(1) No suit for the recovery of a debt shall be instituted, no application for the execution of a decree for payment of money passed in a suit for the recovery of a debt shall be made, and no suit or application for the eviction of a tenant on the ground of non-payment of a debt shall be instituted or made, against any agriculturist, landless labourer or artisan, in any civil or revenue court before the expiry of a year from the date of the commencement of this Act or such further period not exceeding one year as the State Government may, if they are satisfied that there are sufficient grounds for doing so, by notification in the Telangana Gazette, specify, in this behalf, so however that the aggregate period including the further period so specified shall not exceed two years.
Explanation.- Suit does not include a claim to a set off made in a suit instituted by an agriculturist, landless labourer or artisan.
(2) Where a debt is payable by an agriculturist, landless labourer or artisan jointly or jointly and severally with a person who is not an agriculturist, landless labourer or artisan, no suit or application of the nature mentioned in this section shall be instituted or made either against the said person or against the agriculturist, landless labourer or artisan, as the case may be, before the expiry of the period mentioned in this section.
(3) A suit shall be deemed to be a suit for the recovery of a debt notwithstanding that other, reliefs are prayed for in such suit, and a decree, shall be deemed to be a decree for payment of money passed in such suit notwithstanding that other reliefs are granted, by such decree:
Provided that a suit for possession of land shall not be deemed to be a suit for recovery of a debt by reason merely of mesne profits being also prayed for in such suit.