4. (1) The provisions of this Act shall not apply to a suit for the recovery of a loan from an agriculturist where the creditor declares in accordance with the provisions of sub-section (2) that if a decree is passed in his favour either for the whole or part of the claim such decree shall not be executed against the land, agricultural produce or person of such agriculturist.
(2) The declaration mentioned in sub-section (1) shall in the case of a suit pending at the commencement of this Act, be made at any time before the decision of the suit and in the case of a suit instituted after the commencement of this Act, in the plaint.
(3) No decree recoverable from an agriculturist shall be amended under the provisions of this Act if the creditor declares that such decree shall not be executed against the land, agricultural produce or person of such agriculturist :
Provided that no such declaration shall be made in a suit or proceeding relating to a loan recoverable from an agriculturist who also belongs to one of the classes specified in clause (a) or clause (b) of subsection 20 of section 2 ;
Provided further that where in a suit decided after the commencement of this Act the creditor has had an opportunity of making the declaration required by sub-section (1) no declaration shall, in proceedings for the execution of a decree obtained by the creditor in such suit be made by the decree-holder under sub-section (3) ;
Provided also that no declaration shall be made under subsection (3), where the creditor has already applied for execution against the land, agricultural produce or person of such agriculturist.
(4) Where a declaration has been made under the provisions of this section no order shall be made for the execution of the decree against the land, agricultural produce or person of the agriculturist in respect of whom the declaration was made or his heir or successor, and the court shall record a direction to this effect in the decree.