The Exchange, Sales, etc., of Inam Lands Rules
The Government of Tamil Nadu Revenue Department issued The Exchange, Sales, etc., of Inam Lands Rules through G.O. Ms. No. 662, Revenue, dated 5 February 1960. The rules require public notice of a proposed exchange, sale, mortgage or lease exceeding five years involving certain inam lands connected with religious institutions, charities or religious services.
What the rules govern
The Exchange, Sales, etc., of Inam Lands Rules regulate public notice for specified proposed transactions involving inam land. The land must have been granted for one of the following purposes and made, confirmed or recognised by the Government:
- Support or maintenance of a religious institution.
- Performance of a charity connected with a religious institution.
- Performance of a service connected with a religious institution.
- Any other religious charity.
The rules apply whether the proposed transaction concerns the whole inam or only a portion of it.
Transactions covered
The Exchange, Sales, etc., of Inam Lands Rules require notice when there is a proposal for:
- Exchange of the inam land.
- Sale of the inam land.
- Mortgage of the inam land.
- Lease of the inam land for a term exceeding five years.
The supplied text describes a notice requirement for proposals. It does not provide the remaining procedure or state the final decision process for such transactions.
Publication requirement
A notice containing particulars of the proposed transaction must be published in the language of the locality. Publication must be in a daily newspaper circulating in the locality where the temple or math concerned is situated.
Where the value of the property involved in the proposed transaction is less than Rs. 300/-, the Government may, at its discretion, dispense with the daily newspaper publication requirement. The exemption is not automatic merely because the property value is below that amount.
Who may be affected
The Exchange, Sales, etc., of Inam Lands Rules are relevant to religious institutions, trustees, managers and persons dealing with inam land granted for religious or charitable purposes. A buyer, mortgagee or proposed long term lessee should check whether the land is an inam made, confirmed or recognised by the Government and whether the required public notice was issued.
The source text only sets out the opening provisions of the rules. It does not state that publication alone authorises or completes an exchange, sale, mortgage or lease.
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
Do these rules apply to every temple property transaction?
No. The supplied text covers inam land granted for the support or maintenance of a religious institution, for a connected charity or service, or for another religious charity, where the grant was made, confirmed or recognised by the Government.
Does a lease of temple inam land require public notice?
A proposed lease requires notice under these rules when its term exceeds five years.
Where must the transaction notice be published?
It must be published in the language of the locality in a daily newspaper circulating where the temple or math is situated.
Is newspaper publication unnecessary when the property is worth less than Rs. 300/-?
Not automatically. The Government may use its discretion to dispense with newspaper publication where the property involved is valued at less than Rs. 300/-.
