Period for which rents entered in the record-of-rights are to remain unaltered

(1) When the rent of an occupancy holding is entered in a record-of-rights which has been prepared and finally published under this Chapter or any law in force before the commencement of the Act or has been reduced under this Chapter then subject to the provisions of Sections 85, 87, 89 and 90 such rent shall not, except on the ground of a landlord's improvement, be enhanced for a period,-

(a) fifteen years after the final publication of the record-of-rights when such publication was made after the commencement of this Act, or

(b) seven years after the final publication of the record-of-rights when such publication was made before the commencement of this Act;

and such rent shall not be reduced within the said period respectively, save on the ground of alteration in the area of the holding or under Section 33-A;

and no demand for rent in respect of an occupancy holding in excess of the amount entered in the said record-of-rights, shall be enforceable, save as provided in this Chapter or in Section 32 or, where proceedings by way of appeal or revision were pending on the date of final publication of the record-of-rights, save in accordance with the decision in such proceedings or, in any appeal preferred therefrom:

Provided that in any area in respect of which a record-of-rights has been finally published before the commencement of this Act, a Revenue Officer may on the application of any landlord, made within two years from the commencement of this Act, assess a fair rent on lands which are included in a holding and are assessable with rent but for which no rent has been paid or has been entered as payable in the record-or-rights.

(2) The periods of fifteen years and seven years mentioned in clauses (a) and (b) of sub-section (1) shall be counted from the date of the final publication of the record-of-rights.