The Tamil Nadu Minor Inams (Abolition and Conversion into Ryotwari) Act, 1963
The Tamil Nadu Minor Inams (Abolition and Conversion into Ryotwari) Act, 1963, Tamil Nadu Act No. 30 of 1963, was enacted by the Legislature of the State of Tamil Nadu to acquire inamdars' rights in minor inams and introduce ryotwari settlement. It received the President's assent on 28 January 1964,...
What the Act governs
The Tamil Nadu Minor Inams (Abolition and Conversion into Ryotwari) Act, 1963 applies to all minor inams throughout the State of Tamil Nadu. Its purpose is to acquire the rights of inamdars in those lands and bring the lands under ryotwari settlement.
A minor inam includes specified Government recognised or confirmed inam grants that are not estates or new inam estates under the laws identified in the Act. It also includes certain lakhiraj tenures, recognised Pudukkottai inams and specified inams in the transferred territory. The transferred territory means Kanyakumari district and Shencottah taluk of Tirunelveli district.
Main legal effect
From the appointed day for a minor inam:
- The minor inam transfers to and vests in the Government free of all encumbrances.
- The transfer covers communal lands, porambokes, waste lands, pasture lands, forests, mines, minerals, quarries, rivers, streams, tanks, ooranies, irrigation works, fisheries and ferries within its boundaries.
- Laws previously applying specifically to minor inams are treated as repealed in their application to those minor inams, subject to the Act's express provisions.
- Laws applicable to ryotwari lands become applicable to the minor inam.
The appointed day is generally the date notified by the Government. The Act provides different appointed day arrangements for certain Pudukkottai minor inams, recognised service tenure lands and minor inams in the transferred territory.
Notice and administration
The Assistant Settlement Officer must publish a copy of the Government's commencement notification in the District Gazette. The officer must also arrange for the notification and prescribed particulars to be displayed conspicuously in the village where the minor inam is situated.
The Act recognises the roles of the Settlement Officer, Assistant Settlement Officer and Tribunal having jurisdiction.
Who may be affected
The Tamil Nadu Minor Inams (Abolition and Conversion into Ryotwari) Act, 1963 directly affects inamdars and persons dealing with land situated within a minor inam. A buyer or owner should determine whether the land formed part of a minor inam, identify its appointed day and check the settlement records, because the Act transfers the minor inam and associated land and resources to the Government before ryotwari settlement is introduced.
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Common questions
Does the Act apply to every minor inam in Tamil Nadu?
Yes. The Tamil Nadu Minor Inams (Abolition and Conversion into Ryotwari) Act, 1963 extends to the whole State of Tamil Nadu and applies to all minor inams.
What happens to minor inam land on the appointed day?
The minor inam transfers to and vests in the Government free of all encumbrances, unless the Act expressly provides otherwise. Laws applicable to ryotwari lands then apply to the minor inam.
Are tanks, porambokes and mineral resources included in the transfer?
Yes. The vesting provision includes porambokes, tanks, ooranies, irrigation works, forests, mines, minerals, quarries, rivers, streams, fisheries and other listed land and resources within the minor inam boundaries.
How is the appointed day made known locally?
The Assistant Settlement Officer must publish the Government notification in the District Gazette and display it, with prescribed particulars, in a conspicuous place in the village where the minor inam is situated.
