Vidhi Codex

The East Punjab Holdings (Consolidation and Prevention of Fragmentation) Act, 1948

The East Punjab Holdings (Consolidation and Prevention of Fragmentation) Act, 1948

General194852 sections

This law regulates the consolidation of fragmented agricultural lands and prevents the creation of unviable, tiny land plots in designated regions. It applies to agricultural landowners, tenants, local community residents, and government authorities responsible for land administration. The legislation empowers authorities to establish minimum standard plot sizes, merge scattered parcels into compact holdings, set aside land for shared village infrastructure, and resolve tenure and compensation issues. By modernizing land distribution and preventing inefficient parceling, the law enhances agricultural productivity, supports organized rural development, secures land for public amenities, and provides clear mechanisms to resolve land ownership and transfer disputes.

Start reading →Read full ActSections
  1. 1. Short title, extent and commencement
  2. 2. Interpretation
  3. 3. Determination of notified area
  4. 4. Settlement of standard area
  5. 5. Determination of standard area
  6. 6. Entry in the record-of-rights
  7. 7. Transfer and lease of fragments
  8. 8. Fragmentation prohibited
  9. 9. Penalty for transfer or partition contrary to provisions of Act
  10. 10. Valuation of fragment
  11. 11. Transfer of fragment
  12. 12. Partition of share of estate to the Government
  13. 13. Right of Government to acquire land
  14. 14. Government to prepare scheme
  15. 15. Scheme to provide compensation
  16. 16. Provision for occupancy occupancy
  17. 16-A. Power to make provision to partition joint occupancy
  18. 17. Power for the public purposes within scheme for consolidation of holdings
  19. 18. Land reserved for common purpose
  20. 19. Publication of draft scheme
  21. 20. Confirmation of scheme
  22. 21. Repartition
  23. 22. Preparation of record-of-rights
  24. 23. Right to possession of new holdings
  25. 23-A. Management and Control of lands for common purposes to vest in panchayats or Central Government
  26. 24. Coming into force of scheme
  27. 25. Rights of land-owners and tenants in their holdings as before
  28. 25-A. Effect of consolidation on evacuee property
  29. 26. Encumbrances of land-owners and tenants
  30. 27. Transfer of rights of land-owners and of their tenants in transfer of holdings
  31. 27-A. Restriction on possession of land against judgement debtor
  32. 28. Cost of consolidation proceedings
  33. 29. Compensation or costs or other sums payable under this Act
  34. 30. Transfer of property during consolidation proceedings
  35. 30-A. Prohibition of cutting trees and erecting buildings etc.
  36. 31. Transfer not affected by Punjab Alienation of Land Act, 1900
  37. 33. No instrument necessary to effect transfer
  38. 34. Assessment of compensation
  39. 35. Application of Chapter II to consolidated holdings
  40. 36. Power to vary or revoke scheme
  41. 37. Powers of officers to enter upon land for purposes of survey and demarcation
  42. 38. Penalty for destruction of survey marks
  43. 39. Report of destruction or removal or injury to survey marks
  44. 40. Settlement Officer (Consolidation) to summon persons
  45. 41. Appointment of officers and delegation of powers
  46. 42. Powers of Central Government to call for proceedings
  47. 43. Appeal and revision
  48. 43-A. Correction of clerical errors
  49. 44. Court cases against orders
  50. 45. Public servants indemnified for acts done under this Act
  51. 46. Rules
  52. 47. Repeal

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