Prohibition of alienation of certain lands

(1) Notwithstanding anything contained in any other law for the time being in force, no landholder shall sell, mortgage, convert into ryoti land, lease or otherwise assign or alienate- (a) any communal or forest land in his estate without the previous sanction of the District Collector, on or after the date on which the Madras Communal, Forest and Private Lands (Prohibition of Alienation) Ordinance, 1947, came into force, namely, the 27th day of June 1947, or (b) any private land in an impartible estate notified by the State Government in the Fort St. George Gazette, in pursuance of this clause or the corresponding clause in the Ordinance aforesaid, on or after the date on which the estate was so notified : Provided that no such sanction shall be given for a period exceeding two years. (2) Any landholder who has contravened or contravenes the provisions of sub-section (1) and any agent of the landholder who has abetted or abets such contravention shall be punishable with imprisonment which may extend to two years, or with fine which may extend to Rs. 5,000, or with both.