Families and adult unmarried persons not to own or hold lands in excess of the ceiling area

(1) Subject to the provisions of sub-section (2), with effect from such date as may be notified by the Government in the Gazette, no family or adult unmarried person shall be entitled to own or hold or to possess under a mortgage lands in the aggregate in excess of the ceiling area. (2) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (1), it shall be lawful for any adult member in a family to own or hold land in excess of the ceiling area to the extent necessary to make up the ceiling area of his lineal descendants, other than his minor unmarried children, who are alive on the date notified under sub-section (1) and who would inherit his lands on his death: Provided that the aforesaid adult member shall take into account all acquisitions of land or interests in land made by such lineal descendants or the members of their families for fixing the total extent that such adult member shall be entitled to own or hold, from time to time, and shall be bound to surrender the excess. Explanation I.—In the case of lineal descendants who are members of other families, the ceiling area shall be that applicable to their families. Explanation II.—For the purposes of this sub-section, "to hold land" shall include possessing land under a usufructuary mortgage.