Kerala Grants and Leases (Modification of Rights) Act, 1980

No: 16 Dated: Aug, 07 1980

THE KERALA GRANTS AND LEASES (MODIFICATION OF RIGHTS) ACT, 1980

(Act 16 of 1980)

    An Act to provide for the modification of rights under grants and leases of lands made or granted by or on behalf of the former States of Travancore and Cochin for cultivation.

    Preamble. - Whereas the former States of Travancore and Cochin had made grants and granted leases of lands to certain persons on nominal assessment or rent;

    And whereas under such grants and leases the grantees and lessees had been given right to appropriate trees standing on the lands granted or leased with obligation to pay nominal value or without any obligation for payment of any value;

    And whereas the assessments and rents charged on the grantees and lessees are only nominal;

    And whereas such grants and leases, if allowed to operate without modifications, will result in heavy loss to the Government and huge un-earned profits to the grantees and lessees;

    And whereas the effect of such grants and leases is that the ownership and control of large extents of lands and many valuable trees belonging to the Government are vested in a few person without any liability to pay reasonable assessment or rent or value of trees;

    And whereas for the purpose of securing the principles laid down in clauses (b) and (c) of Article 39 of the Constitution of India, it is necessary in the public interest that such undue profits to a few person are utilised for the common benefit of the general public;

Be it enacted in the Thirty-first Year of the Republic of India as follows:-

1. Short title, extent and commencement. - (1) This Act may be called the Kerala Grants and leases (Modification of Rights) Act, 1980.

(2) It extents to the whole of the State of Kerala.

(3) It shall be deemed to have come into force on the 25th day of June, 1980.

2. Definitions. - In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,-

(a) "Collector" means the Collector of the district;

(b) "grant" means any grant to which this Act applies;

(c) "grantee" means the person in whose favour a grant has been made and includes his heirs, successors and assigns;

(d) "lease" means any lease to which this Act applies;

(e) "lessee" means the person in whose favour a lease deed has been executed and includes his heirs, successors and assigns;

(f) "lease deed" means the document evidencing a lease;

(g) "prescribed" means prescribed by rules made under this Act.