Tamil Nadu Land Reforms (Fixation of Ceiling on Land) Act, 1961

What the Act governs

The Tamil Nadu Land Reforms (Fixation of Ceiling on Land) Act, 1961 applies throughout Tamil Nadu. It establishes a ceiling on agricultural land holdings and provides for agricultural land above that ceiling to be acquired and distributed to landless people and others in the rural population.

The Act is intended to reduce disparities and concentration in agricultural land ownership, promote the common good, increase agricultural production and support social and economic justice.

Land covered

The Tamil Nadu Land Reforms (Fixation of Ceiling on Land) Act, 1961 defines land as agricultural land used, or capable of being used, for agriculture or related purposes. It includes:

• Forest land, including waste land containing trees or shrubs.
• Pasture land.
• Plantations and topes.
• Land used for horticulture, crops, grass or garden produce.
• Land used for grazing, manure crops, dairy farming, poultry farming, livestock breeding or growing trees.

House sites and land used exclusively for non-agricultural purposes are excluded from the definition of land.

Who may be affected

The ceiling framework may affect anyone who holds agricultural land as an owner, possessory mortgagee, tenant or intermediary, or in more than one of those capacities. The Act also defines landowners, cultivating tenants, agricultural companies, creditors and families for its purposes.

A cultivating tenant generally contributes personal labour, or the labour of a family member, to cultivating another person's land under an express or implied tenancy. Certain continuing occupants, heirs and sub-tenants are included, but a mere intermediary is excluded.

Religious institutions and public religious trusts

The amended provision concerning religious bodies generally excludes land held by an existing religious institution or a public religious trust that existed on the commencement date, subject to other provisions identified in the Act. Such an institution or trust cannot acquire land by any means after the commencement date.

A pre-existing public trust serving both religious and other public purposes, or applying its income to both, is treated as a public religious trust for this provision.

Administration

The Tamil Nadu Land Reforms (Fixation of Ceiling on Land) Act, 1961 provides for authorised officers, the Tamil Nadu Land Board, the Land Commissioner and Land Tribunals. The ceiling area is the extent of land a person is entitled to hold under the Act.