Delhi and Ajmer-Merwara Land Development Act, 1948
No: 66 Dated: Sep, 24 1948
THE DELHI AND AJMER-MERWARA LAND DEVELOPMENT ACT, 1948
ACT NO. 66 OF 1948
An Act to provide for the preparation and execution of land development schemes, the reclamation of waste-land and the control of private forests and grass-land, in the Provinces of Delhi and Ajmer-Merwara.
WHEREAS it is expedient to provide for the preparation and execution of land development schemes, the reclamation of waste-land and the control of private forests and grass-land in the Provinces of Delhi and Ajmer-Merwara;
It is hereby enacted as follows:—
CHAPTER I
PRELIMINARY
1. Short title, extent and commencement.—(1) This Act may be called the Delhi and Ajmer-Merwara Land Development Act, 1948.
(2) It extends to the States of Delhi and Ajmer.
(3) It shall come into force in each of the said States on such date as the Chief Commissioner of that State may, by notification in the Official Gazette, appoint in this behalf.
2. Definitions.—In this Act, unless there is anything repugnant in the subject or context,—
(a) “Board” means the Land Development Board constituted for the State under section 3;
(b) “owner”, in relation to any land, means—
(i) a person having a proprietary right in the land and includes a usufructuary mortgagee of such right and, in the State of Ajmer, an istimrardar, a jagirdar a muafidar, and a bhumia; and
(ii) a tenant of the land as hereinafter defined;
(c) “prescribed” means prescribed by rules made under this Act;
(d) “reclamation” includes cultivation, afforestation and any other improvement of land; and
(e) “tenant” includes a usufructuary mortgagee of the rights of a tenant.
CHAPTER II
Land Development Boards and Land Development Schemes
3. Constitution of Land Development Boards.—(1) As soon as may be after the commencement of this Act, the Chief Commissioner shall, by notification in the Official Gazette, appoint an officer to be called the Land Development Commissioner and constitute for the State a Land Development Board consisting of the following members, namely:—
(a) the Land Development Commissioner, who shall be the Chairman of the Board,
(b) two official members who shall be persons of experience in agriculture or irrigation engineering, and
(c) two non-official members.
(2) A non-official member may, at any time by notice in writing to the Chairman, resign his office.
(3) The Chief Commissioner may, at any time, remove from the Board any member who is guilty of any action involving moral turpitude.
(4) No act done by the Board shall be questioned on the ground merely of the existence of any vacancy in, or any defect in the constitution of, the Board.
(5) If there is a difference of opinion among the members of the Board regarding any question the decision of the majority of the members present and voting shall prevail, and in case of equality of votes the Chairman shall have a casting vote.
(6) The Board may appoint one of the official members to be the Secretary of the Board.
(7) The Chief Commissioner may invest the Land Development Commissioner with all or any of the powers of a Deputy Commissioner or a Collector under any law for the time being in force in the State of Delhi or Ajmer, as the case may be.