Land Reforms, Declaration of Surplus, Certain Important Definitions
The official guidance titled Land Reforms, Declaration of Surplus, Certain Important Definitions explains the meaning of person, holding land, land, ceiling area and standard acre for land ceiling purposes. It covers the Principal Act 1961 (Act 58/61), commencing on 6 April 1960, and the Amended Act 1970 (Act 17/70), commencing on 15 February 1970. The supplied text does not name an issuing department, order number or issue date.
What the guidance covers
The Land Reforms guidance explains the main definitions used to determine whether a person holds land beyond the permitted ceiling area. From the commencement of the applicable Act, no person is entitled to hold land exceeding that ceiling.
The commencement dates given are:
- Principal Act 1961 (Act 58/61), 6 April 1960.
- Amended Act 1970 (Act 17/70), 15 February 1970.
Who and what may be covered
Section 3(34) defines a person as including:
- An individual.
- A company.
- A family.
- A firm.
- A society.
- A private trust.
Section 3(19) says holding land includes owning it, possessing or enjoying it as a possessory mortgagee, or holding it as a tenant. The ceiling provisions therefore are not limited to registered owners.
Section 3(22) defines land as agricultural land used or capable of being used for agriculture, together with land subservient to it. Forest land, pasture land, plantations and topes are included. House sites and land used exclusively for non-agricultural purposes are excluded.
Ceiling areas
The ceiling table provides these limits:
- Under Act 58/61, the ceiling for a person or a family of five members is 30.000. A family with more than five members receives an additional 5.000 for each extra member, subject to an overall ceiling of 60.000.
- Under Act 17/70, the ceiling for a person or a family of five members is 15.000. A family with more than five members receives an additional 5.000 for each extra member, subject to an overall ceiling of 30.000.
- Family members alive on 2 October 1970 are counted when calculating a family's ceiling area.
Standard acre conversion
Section 3(40) says ordinary acres are converted into standard acres according to land classification and the rate of land revenue assessment. The purpose is consistent calculation of holdings and ceiling areas.
The table states that one standard acre equals:
- 1 ordinary acre at Rs.10 to Rs.15 assessment.
- 1.2 ordinary acres at Rs.8 to Rs.10.
- 1.6 ordinary acres at Rs.6 to Rs.8.
- 1.75 ordinary acres at Rs.4 to Rs.6.
- 2.5 ordinary acres at Rs.2 and above, as printed in the source.
- 3 ordinary acres at Rs.1.25 to Rs.2.
- 4 ordinary acres below Rs.1.25.
This summary is generated from the source document to help you find what is relevant. The PDF above is authoritative. For advice on your own property, use LandLens One or speak to a qualified professional.
Common questions
Does agricultural land held as a tenant count towards the ceiling?
Yes. Holding land includes holding it as an owner, possessory mortgagee or tenant.
Is a house site included in the definition of land?
No. The definition excludes house sites and land used exclusively for non-agricultural purposes.
Which family members are counted for the amended ceiling calculation?
The guidance says family members alive on 2 October 1970 must be counted when calculating the ceiling area of a family.
Why are ordinary acres converted into standard acres?
The conversion accounts for land classification and land revenue assessment rates, allowing holdings and ceiling areas to be calculated uniformly.
