Rural artisan occupying kudiyiruppu to become owner.

(1) Save as otherwise provided in this Act, any rural artisan who was occupying any kudiyiruppu on the 1st day of July 1975, either as tenant or as licensee, shall, with effect from the commencement of this Act, be the owner of such kudiyiruppu and such kudiyiruppu shall vest in him absolutely free from all encumbrances. (2) Where, in the case of a rural artisan in whom such kudiyiruppu vests under sub-section (1), the superstructure belongs to any person other than such rural artisan, such superstructure shall also, with effect from the commencement of this Act, vest in such rural artisan absolutely free from all encumbrances. (3) Nothing in sub-section (1) shall be deemed to confer the right of ownership of kudiyiruppu on any rural artisan if he already owns a dwelling house or hut within a distance of one kilometre from the kudiyiruppu referred to in sub-section (1): Provided that the site on which the dwelling house or hut is erected is more than 1.214 acres in extent.