Punjab Religious Premises and Land (Eviction and Rent Recovery) Act, 1997

No: 4 Dated: Jan, 29 1998

The Punjab Religious Premises and Land (Eviction and Rent Recovery) Act, 1997

Punjab Act No. 4 of 1998

    An Act to provide for the eviction of unauthorised occupants from religious premises and for certain incidental matters.

    Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Punjab in the Forty-eight Year of the Republic of India as follows :-

1. Short title and commencement. - (1) This Act may be called the Punjab Religious Premises and Land (Eviction and Rent Recovery) Act, 1997.

(2) It shall come into force at once.

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

(a) "Collector" means the Collector of the District and includes any other officer appointed by the State Government for performing the functions of the Collector under this Act;

(b) "Commissioner" means the Commissioner of a division;

(c) "Estate" means any area -

(i) for which a separate record-of-rights has been made; or

(ii) which has been separately assessed to land revenue, or would have been so assessed if the land revenue had not been released, compounded for or redeemed; or

(iii) which the State Government may, by general rule or special order, declare to be an estate;

(d) "Religious Institution", means any gurudwara, temple, church, mosque, temple of Jains or Budhas - which is registered under the provisions of the Societies Registration Act, 1860 (Central Act No. XXI of 1860) or is established under any statute and includes any other place of worship by whatever name, it may be called, which is registered as aforesaid or is established under any statute;

(e) "Religious premises", means any land whether used for agricultural or non-agricultural purposes, or any building or part of a building belonging to a Religious Institution and includes, -

(i) the garden, grounds and out-houses, if any, appertaining to such building or part of a building; and

(ii) any fittings affixed to such building or part of a building for the more beneficial enjoyment thereof;

(f) "rent" in relation to any religious premises, means the consideration payable periodically for the authorised occupation of the religious premises and includes-

(i) any charge for electricity, water or any other services in connection with the occupation of the premises;

(ii) any tax (by whatever name called) payable in respect of the religious premises;

where such charge or tax is payable by the Religious Institution.