Certain persons occupying land for not less than ten years to be deemed tenants

Certain persons occupying land for not less than ten years to be deemed tenants. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in section 52 or any other provision of the Transfer of Property Act, 1882, or any other law, or in any contract, custom or usage, or in any judgment, decree or order of court, a person shall be deemed to be a tenant in respect of the land of another in his occupation if---

(a) he or his predecessor-in-interest occupied such land believing it to be the property of the Government;

(b) subsequent to such occupation such land has become the property of such other person as a consequence of any judgment, decree or order of any civil court; and

(c) such land has been in the continuous occupation of such person for a period of not less than ten years preceding the commencement of the Mahe Land Reforms (Amendment) Act, 1980.

Explanation I. – In computing the period of occupation of a person for the purposes of clause (c), the period during which the predecessor-in-interest or predecessors-in-interest of such person was or were in occupation shall also be taken into account.

Explanation II. – For the purposes of this section, a person shall be deemed to be in continuous occupation notwithstanding any order of court for delivery of possession to another person or any court record of dispossession.