The 1[Maharashtra Inferior Village Watans Abolition Act]
The 1[Maharashtra Inferior Village Watans Abolition Act]
This Act abolishes hereditary village offices and their associated land holdings, historically known as inferior village watans, in parts of Maharashtra. It applies to traditional village officeholders, land occupants, and agricultural tenants. By dismantling these colonial-era feudal arrangements, the law modernizes land administration and tax collection. It matters because it replaces outdated customs with standard property rights, invalidates gender-discriminatory inheritance rules that previously favored males, and allows current occupants to purchase permanent ownership titles at affordable rates. Finally, it provides monetary compensation to former holders, transitioning feudal service lands into a fair, state-regulated private property system.
- 1. Short title, extent and commencement.
- 2. Definitions.
- 3. Powers of Collector to decide certain questions and appeal.
- 4. Abolition of inferior watans together with incidents thereof.
- 5. Regrant of watan land to holders of watan.
- 6. Regrant of watan land to authorised holders.
- 7. Special rule of succession to be void.
- 8. Application of tenancy law.
- 9. Eviction of unauthorised holder and regrant of watan land to him in certain circumstances and disposal of land not regranted.
- 10. Compensation to watandar.
- 11. Method of awarding compensation.
- 12. Appeal against Collector's award.
- 13. Procedure before Revenue Tribunal.
- 14. Limitation.
- 15. Court-fees.
- 16. Finality of award and decision of Revenue Tribunal.
- 17. Inquiries and proceedings to be judicial proceedings.
- 18. Delegation of powers.
- 19. Rules.
- 20. Savings.
PDF: pending for this language.