(1) If thc cntirc non-agricullural [and in a non.agricullura1 tenancy is transferred, rhc i~nrnedia~e landlord, or i f a portion or share of such land is lransferred, the immediate landlord or one or more co-sharer lcnanrs or such land may, wilhin four months of the service o l noticc . jssucd undcr sccrion 23, apply lo the Coun for such land or portion or share lhercol lo be ~ransfcrrcd to himscll or rhemselves, as rhc case may be:
(a) of borh a co-sharcr lenanl and rhc landlord apply undcr this section and comply with lhe provisions herein conraincd h e co-sharcr lcnanl shall have rhc prior righl ro purchase under his scclion;
(b) [he immcdiare landlord of h e non-agricul~ural ienanL shall not havc any right to purchase under h i s sccuon unlcss thl:
non-agricultural land or the share or porrion rhcreoT so vansferred is conliguous !o any land in the actual possession of the landlord and [he Courl is sarisfied that such use by such landlord for any of the purposcs specified in scclion 4;
and
(c) in the casc of lransfer in cxccution of a decrcc or ccrii ficalc signcd under ~ h c Bcngal Public Dcmands Recovcry Acl, 1913, for arrears of rent due in respcct of such land. rhe immediate landlord of [he nun-agricultural tenant shall nor have any righl to purchase undcr rhis secrion.
(2) The applica~ion under sub-sccljon ( I ) shall bc dis~nisscd unlcss [lie applicant a1 rhl: time of making i t deposiu in Courr the amount of the considcrariun money or the valuc of the properly or Ihc ponion or share lhereof wansrcrred as srnrcd in llle noticc scrvcd on the applicant under scclion 23 togelher with compensation nl the rare of five-per cerrtrrni of such amounl.
(3) IT such deposit is rnadc. [he C o u r ~ shall give noticc to h e transferee ro appcar wirhin such period as i r lnay f i x and to slale w h a ~ other sums hc has paid i n respect of rcnt Tor the pcriad af~er [he dart: nf lransfrr or in annulling encumbrances on the propcrry. The Courl shall [hen d i rcc~ thc applicanr, including any pcrson whose applicalion under sub-scc~ion (4) is grantcd, lo deposit within such period as the Court thinks rcasonablc such a~nount as h c h-ansferee has paid on [his account together with i n ~ e r e s ~ at \he rarc or six and quarrcr per cerlfrtlti per rnltrrrllz with effect from the dale on which he lransfercc made such paymccnts.
(4) (a) When an applicalion has bccn made by one or more co-sharcr tenants undcr sub-sccuon (1) any of [he remaining co-sharer tenants including the transferee, if onc of Ihcrn, may within [he period of four months referrcd ro in the said sub-section or wirhin one month of [he - - . - I ? .... ! -- .-. 1.:..1.-.. "+ :- l n F - - **-I,, ,n ;n; - :- 4Ln ,--;,I 9n"l;"qt;n" .,md The lVcst Bengal No//-rl~ricrrltt~~al Tetrritrcj Acl, 1919.
[West Bcn. Act any co-sharcr tcnant who lias not npplied undcr sub-secrion ( I ) or has ' no1 applied to join under his s u b - s c c ~ i ~ n , sl~nll no1 havc any further righr lo purcbnsr undcr lhis section.
(b) Such application ro join as a co-appl ican~ shall bc dismissed unless within such pcriod as thc Caun may fix, rhc applicanr dcposits in Court for payment to rhc applicant undcr sub-section (1). such sum, as [he Court shall detcrrninc ns the slwe to bc paid by h i n ~ for rhc purposes o f sub-scction (2). If such dcposit is madc, thc Court shall $ran1 thc applica~ion to join and chereaftcr such applicant shall be deenled LO bc an applicnnl undcr sub-seclion (1).
( 5 ) If the deposiis rcquired under sub-scction (2) or clause (b) or sub-secrion (4). US t l~c case may bc. and under sub-scction (3) are made, and, in rhe case whcrc the applicarion is made by [he immclliatc landlord, h e Court is sausficd [hat lhe conditions referred LO i n sub-scctinn ( I ) have been fulfilled, ~ h c Court shall makc an nrder allowing thc npplicarion and direcling thal the deposits madc undcr sub-sections (2) and (3) shall be paid to the ~ans fe ree or ro such pcrsons as the Court rhinks f i ~ :
Provided that i f bath thc immediarc landIord and the co-sharer icnanl havc applied undcr this scclion and rhc application of [lie cn-sharer rcnant is allowed undcr this sub-seclion, ~ h c applicarion of ~ h c in~mediale landlord shall be dismissed.
(6) Nutwithstanding anylhing contained in any olhcr law for the time being in rarcc, thc Courl shall, if thc applicanr undcr subscclion ( 1 ) or any pcrson whose application under sub-section (4) is granted disputes ~ h c correutness of the amount OF r'he consideralion lnoncy as slated in the nolicc is3ued under scclion 23, inquire into such .
dispurc before ~naking nn ordcr under sub-scclion (5) and a i m giving rhc transferee an opportunity af being hcard d c ~ e r m i n e for rhe purposcs or this section thc amounl of the considcra~iun money which ~ h c ~ansreree has aclually paid Tc~r r l~e transfer or thc propeny or rhc portion or sharc [hereof, as [he casc may he, and [he amount so delcrmined shall be drzmcd lo bc the considcrntion money referred to in sub-sccdon (2) and wherc thc amount of rile consideration money has been so dcrcrmincd the deposi~ madc under [hat sub-scccion shall for rhc purposes of sub-scction (5) be rhc nmounl so determined togerhcr with lIle co~npensntion at lhe rate of fivc per cetlrrrrrr of such a~nounr.
(7) In making an order undcr sub-scction (5) in favour olmorc h a n one CD-sharcr tcnanl. rhe Court may apporiion the propcfly comprised i n (he porlion or shore ~rausferzd among thc applicants in such manner as it deems cquitablc nitcr laking exisling posscssjon into consideralion:
Tfw \ f is t Be/rgcrl he-Agr icul tuml Tc~rurrcy Act, 1949.
'!
II-IC Coun sllall so apportion the said propcrty or porlion ihcreof on !hc request of any applicant and, i n this casc, may require the applicant who rnakcs such request ro dcposic, wilhin such period as thc Cautt may f i x , such furlher sums as rhc Court considers ncccssary for zquirahlc diskibulion anlong the rcmajning spplicanls:
Providcd lhat no apportionmcn~ order under this sub-scction shall operare a5 a division of the tenancy.
(8) From the datc o f t hc making of the order undcr subsection (5)- ( i ) thc righ~, lille and in~crest i n Lhc non-agricul~ural Iand or ponion or sharc thercof accruing to ~ h c translcrcc from [he mans hr shall, su bjcct to any orders passed under sub-scc~ion
(7), be deemcd to havc vested free lrom all encumbrances which have been annullcd or crcattd alirr [he date of transfer, in [he irnmcdiare landlord or in the co-sharer Icnant, as the case may be, whose application to purchase has bccn allowcd undcr this section,
(ii) [he liabilily or rhc lransfcrce for he renl due From him on account of the transFer shall ccasc, and
(iii) [he Courl, an funhcr application of such applicanl, may placc him in possession of the propeny vested in him.
(9) An appeal from any ordcr of a Coun under this section shall lie ro the Civil Appcllalc Court having jurisdiction ro cnlertain such appcals.
( 10) Nolhing in this section shall take ,sway [he righl of prccmplion conferred on any person by Muhammadan Law.
( 1 1) Nothing in lhis section shall apply r-
(a) a transfer LO a co-sharer in [he tenancy whosc cxis~ing interesl has accrued othenvisc lhan by purchase, or
(b) a transrcr by exchange, sub-lease or partition, or
(c) a rransfcr by bequest or gift (including Aeba but excluding Ireba-bil-avo2 for any pecuniary consideration) in favour or the husband ar wifc of h c tcaator or thc donor or of ally rclarion by consanguinily within three degrees of thc testaror or donor, or
(d) a ~vnkf in accordance with the provisions OF the Muharnrnadan Law. or T11e IVesr Be~lgnl Nut~-A,qricrrltrrrrrI Tc.~r(~~lql Act. 1949.
S:~ving ;u:
I 0 SII?ICIIIU[IIS in inhlru- Illcllls of ir;~nskr \\ml~trc landlord is nur ;I parly.
[West Bcn. Act
(e) a debrr~ter- or any othcr dcdica~ion for religious or charitable purposes wilhout any rcserva~ion of pecuniary bcnefit for any individual.
.!?xpla~~rrtio~~.-A rclalion by consnnguinily shall, for the purposes of [his sub-sccrion, include a son adopled under [he Hindu Law.
25. No~wirhslnnding anylhing conlained in the Indian Evidence Act, I O F 1872.
1872, llothing conlained in any ins~rument O F transfer L(I which rhc landlord is no[ a pany shall he cvidcncc against he Iandlord or the pernlanence. [hc arnounl or fixity of rcnr, thc arca, rhc ~ransferabiliry or any incident or any tcnancy rcfcrrcd to in such inslrumcn~.
26. ( I ) In this chnplcr "transferzc", "purchaser" and "morlgagee" includc rhcir successors in inreresr.
(2) In scction 33.-
(a) "rransfer" does not include partition or a sub-leasc, or, un~il n dccrcc or ordcr absolurc for rorcclosurc is madc. simple or usufruc[uary mortgage or mortgage by condirional sale;
(b) "rrarlslkror" includcs a pcrson whosc inlcrcst in any nonagricultural land or ponion of share thereof has rerminatcd in rl~c circums~anccs mentioned in sub-section (2) or subsecrioll (3) of thnl scclion.
CHAPTER VI.
Rccord-of-rights and sctllcrncnt of rcnts.
Rcviqinnor '27. ( 1 ) 'Ihe Srare Governmen[ may, i f il so ~hinks fir, make an order prcpm~ion urrccord- dirccring [hat a survey bc madc and lhe record-of-righls lx rzviscd or or-iphls. prcparcd by a Rcvcnuc-officer in rcspcar ol' all non-agricultural lands in any disrrict or pad [hereof in accordance wilh suct~ rules as rnay be made by the S~ntc Covcmmcnr in this behalf.
(2) Wl~cn an ordcr is madc undcr sub-section 1 I ) , [he Revenue-orficcr shall rccord. in the record-or-rights to bc revised or prcpared in pursuance of ~ l i c ordcr, such paniculars as may bc prescribed.
Dnlr and '28. ( 1 ) When a rccord-of-righls has been revised or prepared, l ind ~ h c Rcvcnuc-officcr shall publish a draft of the record so revised or t)rwcclrd- prcparcd i n rhc prcscribcd manner and for [he prescribed period and of-ripllfs. shall reccive and consider any objcclions which may be made during sucll pcriod ro any e n l v therein or to any omission thcrcrrom.
'Sccrion 27 war subsl~~urcd Tor the original section by 5. 5 of llic \Vcsr Bcngd Non- Agriuulrurd Tenancy,(Amcodn~cn~)Acf. 1974 ( ~ ~ 7 c s l R<ri.Act VIII or 1974).
'Sccliuns 28 and 18A wrrc subs~irurcd lor ~ l i c oricinal scclion ?8 hy S. 6. ibid.
Tlrc HVesr Ber~gui Not~-r l~r ic~~l~r imnl Te~ln~lcy Acr, 1949.
XX of 1943.]
(Cliap~er. I~l.-R~~corrl-of-~'igI~;,~ u11d ser~le~tietit of i=t~trrs.-Serrir~t~ 28.)
( 2 ) Wllcn all such objections have been considered and disposed of :: according to such rulcs as the Slalc Governnien~ may makc i n this behalf, rhc Rcvcnue-nfficcr shall I'inaliy revise or prcp:ut: rl~r: rzcor(l and cause such record lo hc finally published in rhc prcscribcd Inantler aiid makc a ccrlificarc s~aling the fact uT such finill publication and the darc lbcrcof and shall date and suhscribc thc srrn~c under his namc and official dcsignarion.
(3) Separnlc publication of differen1 park of drnrt or final records may be n ~ a d c undcr sub-sec~ion ( I ) or sub-sccrion (1) for different local arcas,
(4) An orficcr specially empnwcrcd by lhz Stale Government may, on application wilhin one ycnr from thc dale o i final puhlic;~~;on of the rccord-of-riplits undcr sub-sccrion (2), revisc a n cnrry in rhc rccord linally published i n accardancc with [he provisions orsub-scclion (2) alier giving [he persons inrcrcslcd an opponunily of k i n g htntd and after recording reasons rticrcfur.
( 5 ) Any pcrsun aggrieved by an nrdcr p~sscd i n rzvision under subseclion (4) may, within such pcriod and on paymeni ol'sucti court-rccs as may hc prcscribcd, appeal in ~ h c prcscribcd manner ro- (A) he S e ~ ~ l e m e n ~ Ofliccr having jurisdiciion, whcrc thc vrdcr is passed by any oiliccr subordinale to him, or
(b) the Directnr of Land Rccords and Survcys, W c s ~ Brngal, wherc I I W ordcr is passed by thc Scrrlcmcnl Ofiicer, and rhc ordcr passed in appcnl by IIIC Sel~leinenr Officer or ltlc Dircc~or or L a d l<ecords and Survcys, Wesr Bcngal, as the cnsc mily be, shall be linal.
(6) I'hc ccrtifica~c or final publicalion rclcrrcd to in sub-seclion (2)- or in l t ~ c abscnce of such cerlificarc, n ~.crlilicatc signcd by (he Collcc~or of any dis~ricl in which [he area lo which tllc rccord-of-righls rclnlcs is wholly or parrly siruale, s~al ing lhat a rccord-of-rights tias hccn finally published on a specified dntc, shall bc conclusivt: proor of such publicndon and or the dare rhcrcof.
(7) Thc Srale Govcrnnient may, by notification in the Oficinl Grr;cife, dcdnrc wid1 regard to any arca spccificd in [he no~ificalion that thc record-of-rights fnr evcry villagc incIuded in such area hius bccn Lnally published and such no~ification shall be conclusive proof of such publication.
(8) In any s u i ~ or olher proceeding in which a rccord-of-riglirs revised or prcpxcd and finally published undcr [his Chaptcr, or a duly cei-tiLcd copy of 111e record or any cxlracl thcrcfru~n, is produced, such rccord-orrighls stlall be presumed lo have bccn linally publislled.
, Ordcr for m~irn~rcot hirand cquirablc xnls or n o n a g - cu l lud lands md pxpmlion or a wtlle- Illenlrenrroll.
[Wcst Ben. Act
(9) Every enrry in [he record-of-righrs finally published undcr subsec~ion (2) including an cnrry revised under sub-sccrion (4) or corrcclcd uder secrion 28A shal I, subjcct to any rnodificarion by an order on appeaI under sub-scc~inn (5 ) . be prcsumcd to be correcr unriI i t i s proved by cvidcncc to be jncorrccc.
(10) The record-of-righls o r nnn-agricullural lands of a rnauza reviscd or prepared undcr his seclion shall form a separale par1 uf he volume or record-of-rights of agricultural lands o f the samc rnauza prepared unrlcr he provisions of Chapter VII of thc Wcsl Bengal Land west Ben Reforms ACL, 1955. .4fl Xof 1956, '28A. Any Rcvcnue-officer specially cmpowered by [he Slate Governrncnt in [his bchalr may, of his own motion at any rimc or on applica~ion within one ycar from rhc date of ccr~licate of he final publicadon o r thc record-of-rights under sub-sec~ion (2) of section 28, corrccl any cnLry in such rccord-of-righrs which ha is satisfied has been made owing ro bonafide mis~ake:
Providcd thar no such cor rzc~on shall bc made uniit reasonable notice has bccn given LO ~ h c parties concerned lo appcar and bc hcard in t h e martcr and if any appeal afrccting such enlry has bccn madc under sub-section (5) of section 28, unli l rhc appeal is finally disposcd of.
29. h%cn an order has bcen made uqder section 27 in respect of any ?[disvict] or part lhereof of which a seulcment o l land rcvenue is bcing or is about to bc made, [he 'IStaleJ Govcrnment may make an k d c r directing the Revcnue-officer, arrer recording under '[sub-scaion (2) of section 271 those particulars which are relevant and afler publication of ~ h c draft of the record-of-righrs-
(a) ro ewimate fair and cquirabIe rcnts for non-agricultural [enants of every class in accordance wirh rhe provisions of h i s Act, and
(b) ro cs~imate the rcn~al value Tor all or any non-agricultural lands which are held Alias by a landlord, :This w d wilhin ilic square bnclicls was subs~iru~cd (or the words "Iwd a m . esute or rcnurc" by s. 7(i] of the \Vest B c n p ! Non-Agricultural Tcnvlcy (Arnendrnmt) Act, 1974 (War Bcn. Acr Vlll of 1974).
'See Cool-no~c 5 on page 11 1, an re.
'For nori5c;l1ion, issued under scclion 29 of tht Act, directing the Rwenuc Ofliccr to eslimale Fair md quitable rcnL<.crc. in respect of cenin U~ar mahd e s w c s in ihe disuia oi Jalpaiguri, see no~irica!ion No. 4930L.R.. dntcd 8.5.50, published in thc Colcurfu Gazerre of 1950. Pm I . pagc 944.
'Thc words and figurts wilhin the squm bmckers wcrc subnirurrd lor rhc word md figures "sccuon 28" by s. 7(ii) o f h c Wcst Bcngal Won-AgricuIrunl Tcnmcy (Amend.
rntni) Act, 1974 (Wcst Ben. Act Vlllof 1974), , in such l[dislrict] or part thereof, and lhcn ro prcparc in [lie prcscribed ' form and manner a seulcmcdl rent-roll in which the rents and rcntal valucs so cs~imaled ~ogcrhcr with such other parliculars as may be prescribed shall be specified.
30. 'IWbcn an order) has bccn made undcr section 29 direcling a Pmcrdunr Rcvcnue-officer 10 prcpare a sc~~lernent rcnl-roll in rcspcst of non- ~ , " ~ n C ~ ~ h agricullural lands in any J[dislric4 or part thcruof- cultural and otkr lands A * * * * * * * * * rn conccrncd.
(b) wllerc any oi such non-agricultural lands art: comprised in a Lcnancy which incIudcs lands othcr lhan non-agricul~ural lands, thc Revenue-olficcr shall-
(i) divide thc lcnancy so ns to const irule separaic ~cnancies Tor Ihc non-agriculrural lands and [he other lands;
(ji) appor~ion thc existing rznl bcrween h c tenancies so constituted: and ( i i i ) estimate fair and equilahle renls for [he nonagricultural lands in accordance witti thc provisions of this>Acr.