THE PUNJAB CONFERMENT OF PROPRIETARY RIGHTS ON
NON-PROPRIETORS IN ABADI DEH ACT, 1995
(Pb. Act I of 1995)
C O N T E N T S
SECTIONS
- Short title, extent and commencement.
- Definitions.
- Conferment of Proprietary rights in land on non-proprietors.
- Resolution of disputes.
- Appeal.
- Removal of difficulties.
- Rules.
- Bar of jurisdiction.
- Repeal.
An Act to provide for the conferment of proprietary rights on non-proprietors in the abadi
deh
Whereas it is expedient to confer proprietary rights on non-proprietors in the abadi deh in
conformity with the injunctions of Islam as set out in the Holy Quran and Sunnah;
It is hereby enacted as follows:-
- Short title, extent and commencement.— (1) This Act may be called the
Punjab Conferment of Proprietary Rights on Non-proprietors in Abadi Deh Act, 1995.
(2) It extends to the whole of the Punjab.
(3) It shall come into force at once. - Definitions.— In this Act, unless there is anything repugnant in the subject or
context—
(1) “abadi deh” means and includes an area which is recorded as abadi deh in the
record of rights prepared under the Punjab Land Revenue Act, 1967(XVII of 1967) but does
not include an urban area;
(2) “Collector” means a Collector of the district and includes
[a Deputy District
Officer (Revenue)] or any officer specially empowered by the Government to perform the
functions of a Collector under this Act;
[(3) “Executive District Officer (Revenue)” means the Officer Incharge of Group
of District Officers as specified in Part-C of First Schedule of Punjab Local Government
Ordinance, 2001 under the head “Revenue”];
(4)
[* * * * * * * * * * * *]
(5) “house” means building or structure used for residential purposes and includes
a court-yard;
(6) “land” means and includes an area under a house in the abadi deh, but does not
include any area reserved for a street, a lane, a playground, a school, a mosque or other place
of worship, a graveyard, a drinking well or a pond meant for the village community;
(7) “non-proprietor” means an inhabitant of a village who ordinarily resides in the
abadi deh of that village and who under any law or custom or usage having the force of law,
in force immediately before the commencement of this Act, is not a co-sharer in the abadi
deh in which his house is situated; and
(8) “Urban area” means urban area as defined in clause (iii) of sub-section (1) of
section 3 of the Punjab Local Government Ordinance, 1979 (VI of 1979). - Conferment of Proprietary rights in land on non-proprietors.—
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in any law for the time being in force or in
any agreement, instrument, custom or usage or in any decree or order of any court or other
authority, all rights, title and interest whatever, in the land which is situated within the abadi
deh and which is under a house owned by a non-proprietor, shall on the commencement of this
Act, vest in the non-proprietor under whose house it is situate, free of charge, and no
compensation shall be claimed by or paid to any person or Government affected by the vesture
of proprietary rights in a non-proprietor under this section. - Resolution of disputes.— Where any dispute arises from giving effect to the
provisions of this Act, the Collector of the area in which the land is situated may, on the
application of any aggrieved party made within a reasonable period, take cognizance of the
dispute and decide the matter. - Appeal.—
[(1) An appeal against the order made by a Collector under this Act
shall lie before the Executive District Officer (Revenue)].
(2) The limitation for filing an appeal under this section shall be thirty days from
the date of the impugned order excluding the period duly spent in obtaining certified copy of
the impugned order and the provisions of section 5 of the Limitation Act, 1908 (IX of 1908)
shall apply to an appeal under this section.
(3) No order in appeal adversely affecting any person shall be passed without
affording to the affected party an opportunity of being heard.
(4) The appeal filed under this section shall be disposed of within ninety days.
(5) An order passed in appeal under this section shall be final. - Removal of difficulties.— If any difficulty arises in giving effect to any
provision of this Act, the Government may make such order, not inconsistent with the
provisions of this Act, as may appear to it to be necessary for purposes of removing the
difficulty. - Rules.— The Government may make rules for the purposes of this Act.
- Bar of jurisdiction.— No order passed or proceedings taken by the Collector
or the
[Commissioner] or the Government under this Act shall be called in question in any
Civil Court. - Repeal.— The Punjab Conferment of Proprietary Rights on Non-Proprietors
in Abadi Deh Ordinance, 1994 (XV of 1994) is hereby repealed.