The Kerala Private Forests (Vesting and Assignment) Act, 1971
The Kerala Private Forests (Vesting and Assignment) Act, 1971
This Act, enacted in 1971, fundamentally changed land ownership in Kerala by transferring private forests to the State Government. It aimed to curb large private landholdings and redistribute land for agricultural welfare. The law applies to private forests, excluding specific lands like gardens, tea, coffee, or rubber plantations, and those within land reform ceiling limits. It established a "Custodian" to manage these forests and "Tribunals" to resolve ownership disputes. For the ordinary citizen, this Act is significant because it defines the boundary between private property and state-owned forest land, impacting land titles, agricultural rights, and the legal process for reclaiming land.
- 1. Short title, extent and commencement
- 2. Definitions
- 3. Private forests to vest in Government
- 4. Private Forests to be deemed to be reserved forests
- 5. Eviction of persons in unauthorized occupation
- 6. Demarcation of boundaries
- 7. Constitution of Tribunals
- 8. Settlement of disputes
- 8A. Appeal to the High Court
- 8B. Power of Custodian to apply for review of decisions of Tribunal
- 8C. Power of Government to file appeal or application for review in certain cases
- 8D. Decisions and orders liable to be reviewed or appealed against to be stayed
- 9. No compensation to be payable for vesting, etc
- 10. Assignment of private forests
- 11. Assignment to be made within two years
- 12. Power of Tribunal and custodian
- 13. Bar of jurisdiction of civil Courts
- 14. Indemnity
- 15. Constitution of Agriculturists Welfare Fund
- 16. Power to remove difficulties
- 17. Power to make rules
- 18. Repeal
PDF: pending for this language.