THE KARNATAKA SCHEDULED CASTES AND SCHEDULED TRIBES
(PROHIBITIONOF TRANSFER OF CERTAIN LANDS) ACT, 1978
ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS
Statement of Object and Reasons
Sections:
1. Short title and commencement.
2. Declaration under article 31C of the Constitution.
3. Definitions.
4. Prohibition to transfer of granted lands.
5. Resumption and restitution of granted lands.
5A. Appeal to the Deputy Commissioner.
6. Prohibition of registration of transfer of granted lands.
7. Exemption.
8. Penalty, etc.
9. Protection of action taken in good faith.
10. Power to make rules.
11. Act to override other laws.
12. Power to remove difficulties.
****
STATEMENT OF OBJECTS AND REASONS
I
Act 2 of 1979.- The non-alienation clause contained in the existing Land Grant Rules
and the provision for cancellation of grants where the land is alienated in contravention of
the above said provision are found not sufficient to help the Scheduled Castes and
Scheduled Tribes grantees whose ignorance and poverty have been exploited by persons
belonging to the affluent and powerful sections to obtain sales or mortagages either for a
nominal consideration or for no consideration at all and they have become the victims of
circumstances. To fulfil the purposes of the grant, the land even if it has been alienated,
should be restored to the original grantee or his heirs.
The Government of India has also been urging the State Government for enacting a
legislation to prevent alienation of lands granted to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled
Tribes by Government on the lines of the model legislation prepared by it and circulated to
the StateGovernment.
Hence the Bill.
1
(Published in the Karnataka Gazette (Extraordinary) Part IV-2A dated 30-6-1978 as
No.1000 at page7.)
II
Amending Act 3 of 1984.- It has been considered necessary to make a provision for
anappeal to District Judge against an order passed by Assistant Commissioner under the
Act.
Hence the Bill.
(Published in the Karnataka Gazette (Extraordinary) Part IV-2A dated 23-1-1984 as
No.67 at page 4.)
III
Amending Act 8 of 1992.- The Karnataka Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes
(Prohibition of Transfer Certain Lands) Act, 1978 does not provide for preferring an appeal
to the Deputy Commissioner, by the grantee of the granted land, if the Assistant
Commissioner acting under sub-section (1) of section 5 holds that the transfer is not null
and void.
With a view to eliminate hardship and to minimise the burden of cost to such a grantee,
it is proposed to make a provision for preferring an appeal to the Deputy
Commissioneragainst such order made by the Assistant Commissioner.
Hence the Bill.
(Published in the Karnataka Gazette (Extraordinary) Part IV-2A dated 16-3-1992 as
No.144 at page 66.)
IV
Amendment Act 30 of 2023.- 1. The non-alienation clause contained in the Land
Grant rules and the provision for cancellation of grants where the land is alienated in
contravention are found not sufficient to help the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes
grantees in the State whose ignorance and poverty have been exploited by persons
belonging to the affluent and powerful sections to obtain sales or mortgages either for a
nominal consideration or for no consideration at all and they have become the victims of
circumstances. The Karnataka Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prohibition of
Transfer of Certain Lands) Act, 1978 has been enacted to fulfill the purposes of the grant,
the land even if it has been alienated, should be restored to the original grantee or his heirs.
This Act came into force from 01.01.1979.
2. As per Section 3(b) of this Act "granted land" means any land granted by the
Government to a person belonging to any of the Scheduled Castes or the Scheduled Tribes
and includes land allotted or granted to such person under the relevant law for the time
2
being force relating to agrarian reforms or land ceilings or abolition of inams, other than that
relating to hereditary offices or rights and the word "granted" shall be construed accordingly.
3. As per section 3 (e) of this Act "transfer" means a sale, gift, exchange, mortgage
(with or without possession), lease or any other transaction not being a partition among
members of a family or a testamentary disposition and includes the creation of a charge or
an agreement to sell, exchange, mortgage or lease or enter into any other transaction.
4. Section 4 (2) of this Act states that, No person shall, after the commencement of
this Act, transfer or acquire by transfer any granted land without the previous permission of
the Government.
5. The provision of Section 5(1)(a) of the Karnataka Scheduled Castes and
Scheduled Tribes (Prohibition of Transfer of Certain Lands) Act, 1978 states that Granted
lands of Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes which are transferred without prior
permission shall be resumed to Government. After resuming such lands Assistant
Commissioner shall restore those lands to original grantee / legal heirs as per the provision
of section 5(1)(b) of this Act. A person aggrieved may prefer an appeal as per the provision
in section 5(A) of this Act.
6. Section 11 of this Act states that the provisions of this Act shall have effect
notwithstanding anything inconsistent therewith contained in any other law for the time being
in force or any custom, usage or contract or any decree or order of a court, tribunal or other
authority.
7. The Hon'ble Supreme Court of India in Civil Appeal No. 1390/2009 dated
26.10.2017 has pointed that the application for restoration of the land under section 5 of the
Karnataka Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prohibition of Transfer of Certain
Lands) Act, 1978 was made by the applicant after 25 years from the Act came into force and
this Act does not prescribe any period within which such application can be made, hence
case was allowed in favour of purchaser.
8. Further, Hon'ble Supreme Court of India in Civil Appeal No. 1390/2009, dated
26.10.2017 has observed in its order which is as follows:-
.... A settled position in law that whether Statute provided for a period of limitation,
provisions of the Statute must be invoked within a reasonable time.
9. In section 5(1) of this Act, there is no time limit for applying for restoration of land
or to register suo moto case by the competent authority. The Government has noticed that
the Competent Authorities have been disposing few of the cases against the main objective
of the Act by referring the Judgment of the Hon'ble Supreme Court.
10. Further, with respect to the Hon'ble Supreme Court's order Dalit organizations
have requested the Government to amend this Act in such a way that there should not be
3
time limit to restore such lands which have been transferred without the prior permission of
the Government or to register suo moto case by the competent authority.
11. It is announced in Para 313 of Budget Speech 2023-24 that "In order to enable
SC/ST land grantees to appeal for restoration of land, suitable amendments will be made to
the Karnataka Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prohibition of Transfer of Certain
Lands) Act, 1978 by prescribing timeline in the Act itself.
12. Hence, it is proposed to amend the Karnataka Scheduled Castes and Scheduled
Tribes (Prohibition of Transfer of Certain Lands) Act, 1978 (Karnataka Act 2 of 1979) as per
the observations made by Hon'ble Supreme Court and the announcement in Budget
Speech-2023-24.
Hence, the Bill
[L.A. Bill No. 15 of 2023, File No. SAMVYASHAE 25 SHASANA 2023]
[Entry 18 of List II of the Seventh Schedule to the Constitution of India.]
[Published in Karnataka Gazette Extra-ordinary No.339 in part-IVA dated:27.07.2023]
4
KARNATAKA ACT NO. 2 OF 1979
(First published in the Karnataka Gazette Extraordinary on the First day of January,
1979)
THE KARNATAKA SCHEDULED CASTES AND SCHEDULED TRIBES
(PROHIBITIONOF TRANSFER OF CERTAIN LANDS) ACT, 1978
( Received the assent of the President on the Eighteenth day of December, 1978)
(As Amended by Acts of 3 of 1984, 8 of 1992 and 30 of 2023)
An Act to provide for the prohibition of transfer of certain lands granted by government
to persons belonging to the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in the State.
WHEREAS it is expedient to provide for the prohibition of transfer and for restoration of
lands granted by the Government to persons belonging to the Scheduled Castes and
Scheduled Tribes in the State;
BE it enacted by the Karnataka State Legislature in the Twenty-ninth Year of the
Republic of India as follows:-
1. Short title and commencement.- (1) This Act may be called the Karnataka
Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prohibition of Transfer of Certain Lands) Act,
1978.
(2) It shall come into force at once.
2. Declaration under article 31C of the Constitution.- It is hereby declared that the
provisions of this Act are for giving effect to the policy of the State towards securing the
principles laid down in article 46 of the Constitution.
3. Definitions.- (1) In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,-
(a) “bank” means,-
(i) a co-operative society (including a co-operative bank);
(ii) the Reserve Bank of India constituted under the Reserve Bank of India
Act,1934;
(iii) a banking company as defined in the Banking Regulation Act, 1949;
(iv) the State Bank of India constituted under the State Bank of India Act, 1955;
(v) a subsidiary bank as defined in the State Bank of India (Subsidiary
Banks) Act, 1959;
(vi) a corresponding new bank constituted under section 3 of the Banking
Companies (Acquisition and Transfer of Undertakings) Act, 1970;
(vii) the Agricultural Refinance and Development Corporation constituted
5
underthe Agricultural Refinance Co-operation Act, 1963;
(viii) the Karnataka State Agro-Industries Corporation, a company incorporated
under the Companies Act, 1956;
(ix) the Agricultural Finance Corporation Limited, a company incorporated under
the Companies Act, 1956;
(x) any other financial institution owned or controlled by the Government or the
Central Government and notified by the Government as a bank for the purpose of this
Act;
(b) “granted land” means any land granted by the Government to a person
belonging to any of the Scheduled Castes or the Scheduled Tribes and includes land
allottedor granted to such person under the relevant law for the time being in force relating
to agrarian reforms or land ceilings or abolition of inams, other than that relating to
hereditary offices or rights and the word “granted” shall be construed accordingly;
(c) “Government” means the Government of Karnataka;
(d) “Scheduled Castes” and “Scheduled Tribes” shall have the meanings
respectively assigned to them in the Constitution;
(e) “transfer” means a sale , gift, exchange, mortgage (with or without
possession), lease or any other transaction not being a partition among members of a
family or atestamentary disposition and includes the creation of a charge or an agreement
to sell, exchange, mortgage or lease or enter into any other transaction.
(2) Words and expressions not defined in this Act shall have the meaning assigned to
them in the Karnataka Land Revenue Act, 1964.
4. Prohibition of transfer of granted lands.- (1) Notwithstanding anything in any
law, agreement, contract or instrument, any transfer of granted land made either before or
after the commencement of this Act, in contravention of the terms of the grant of such land
or the law providing for such grant, or sub-section (2) shall be null and void and no right,
title or interest in such land shall be conveyed or be deemed ever to have conveyed by
such transfer.
(2) No person shall, after the commencement of this Act, transfer or acquire by
transfer any granted land without the previous permission of the Government.
(3) The provisions of sub-sections (1) and (2) shall apply also to the sale of any land in
execution of a decree or order of a civil court or of any award or order of any other
authority.
5. Resumption and restitution of granted lands.- (1) Where, on application by any
interested person or on information given in writing by any person or suo-motu, and after
such enquiry as he deems necessary, the Assistant Commissioner is satisfied that the
transfer of any granted land is null and void under sub-section (1) of section 4, he may,-
6
(a) by order take possession of such land after evicting all persons in possession
thereof in such manner as may be prescribed:
Provided that no such order shall be made except after giving the person affected a
reasonable opportunity of being heard;
(b) restore such land to the original grantee or his legal heir. Where it is not
reasonably practicable to restore the land to such grantee or legal heir; such land shall be
deemed to have vested in the Government free form all encumbrances. The Government
may grant such land to a person belonging to any of the Scheduled Castes or Scheduled
Tribes in accordance with the rules relating to grant of land.
2
[(c) notwithstanding anything contained in any law, there shall be no
limitation of time to invoke the provisions of this Act.
(d) the provisions of clause (c) shall apply to all cases pending before all
the competent authorities and all Courts of Law adjudicating the cases un der this
section.] 2
1
[(1A) After an enquiry referred to in sub-section (1) the Assistant Commissioner
may, if he is satisfied that transfer of any granted land is not null and void pass an order
accordingly.]1
1. Inserted by Act 8 of 1992 w.e.f. 13.4.1992.
2. Inserted by Act 30 of 2023 w.e.f. 27.07.2023.
(3) 1[Subject to the orders of the Deputy Commissioner under section 5A, any order
passed]1 under 2[sub-section (1) and (1A)]2 shall be final and shall not be questioned in any
court of law and no injunction shall be granted by any court in respect of any proceeding
taken or about to be taken by the Assistant Commissioner in pursuance of any power
conferred by or under this Act.
1. Substituted by Act 3 of 1984 w.e.f. 3.3.1984.
2. Inserted by Act 8 of 1992 w.e.f. 13.4.1992.
(4) For the purposes of this section, where any granted land is in the possession of a
person, other then the original grantee or his legal heir, it shall be presumed, until the
contrary is proved, that such person has acquired the land by a transfer which is null
andvoid under the provisions of sub-section (1) of section 4.
1
[5A. Appeal to the Deputy Commissioner.- (1) Any person aggrieved by an order
passed after the commencement of the Karnataka Scheduled Castes and Scheduled
Tribes (Prohibition of Transfer of Certain Lands) (Amendment) Act, 1984 by the Assistant
Commissioner to take possession of land under clause (a) of sub-section (1) of section 5
or to restore the land under clause (b) of the said sub-section may prefer an appeal to the
Deputy Commissioner having jurisdiction within a period of three months form the date on
which the order was communicated to him:
Provided that the Deputy Commissioner may admit an appeal preferred against such
7
order after the period referred to in sub-section (1) if satisfied that the appellant had
sufficientcause for not preferring the appeal within that period:
Provided further that the Deputy Commissioner shall admit an appeal against an order
passed by the Assistant Commissioner before the date of such commencement if, on the
said date, a writ petition preferred against such order or an appeal preferred against
theorder passed in such writ petition is pending in any court.
2
[(1A) Any person aggrieved by an order passed after the commencement of the
Karnataka Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prohibition of Transfer of Certain
Lands) (Amendment) Act, 1992, by the Assistant Commissioner under sub-section (1A) of
section 5, may prefer an appeal to the Deputy Commissioner having jurisdiction within a
period of threemonths form the date on which the order was communicated to him:
Provided that the Deputy Commissioner may admit an appeal preferred against such
order after the period referred to in sub-section (1A), if satisfied that the appellant had
sufficient cause for not preferring the appeal within that period:
Provided further that the Deputy Commissioner shall admit an appeal against an order
passed by the Assistant Commissioner holding that transfer of any granted land is not null
and void before the date of such commencement, if, on the said date, a writ petition
preferred against such order or an appeal preferred against the order passed in such writ
petition is pending in any court.]2
(2) The Deputy Commissioner shall dispose of the appeal in the prescribed manner
and the order passed by him shall be final.]1
1. Sub-section 1, 1A, 2 inserted by Act 3 of 1984 w.e.f. 3.3.1984.
2.. Inserted by Act 8 of 1992 w.e.f. 13.4.1992.
6. Prohibition of registration of transfer of granted lands.-Notwithstanding
anything in the Registration Act, 1908 on or after the commencement of this Act, no
registering officer shall accept for registration any document relating to the transfer of, or
to the creation of any interest in, any granted land included in a list of granted lands
furnished to the registrating officer except where such transfer is in accordance with this
Act or the terms of the grant of such land or the law providing for such grant.
7. Exemption.- Nothing in this Act shall apply to the transfer of granted lands in
favour of the Government, the Central Government, a local authority or a bank either
before or afterthe commencement of this Act.
8. Penalty, etc.- (1) Whoever acquires any granted land in contravention of the
provisions of sub-section (2) of section 4 shall, on conviction, be punished with
imprisonment which may extend to six months or with fine which may extend to two
thousand rupees or with both.
8
(2) Notwithstanding anything in the Code of Criminal Procedure 1973, the offence
punishable under sub-section (1) shall be cognizable.
9. Protection of action taken in good faith.- (1) No suit, prosecution or other legal
proceedings shall lie against any person or officer for anything which is, in good faith done
orintended to be done in pursuance of this Act or any rules made thereunder.
(2) No suit or other legal proceedings shall lie against the Government for any damage
caused or likely to be caused or for any injury suffered or likely to be suffered by virtue
of any provision of this Act or for anything which is in good faith done or intended to be
done in pursuance of this Act or any rules made thereunder.
10. Power to make rules.- (1) The Government, may, by notification, make rules to
carryout all or any of the purposes of this Act.
(2) Every rule made under this Act shall, be laid as soon as may be after it is made,
before each House of the State Legislature while it is in session for a total period of thirty
days which may be comprised in one session, or in two or more successive sessions, and
if before the expiry of the session immediately following the sessions or successive
sessions aforesaid both Houses agree in making any modification in the rule or both
Houses agree that the rule should not be made, the rule, shall, from the date on which the
modification or annulment is notified, have effect only in such modified form or shall stand
annulled, as the case may be; so however, that any such modification or annulment shall
be without prejudice to the validity of anything previously done under that rule.
11. Act to override other laws.- The provisions of this Act shall have effect
notwithstanding anything inconsistent therewith contained in any other law for the time
being in force or any custom, usage or contract or any decree or order of a court, tribunal
or other authority.
12. Power to remove difficulties.- If any difficulty arises in giving effect to the
provisions of this Act, the Government may by general or special order published in the
official Gazette, make such provisions not inconsistent with the provisions of this Act as
appear to them to be necessary or expedient for the purpose of removing the difficulty:
Provided that no such order shall be made after the expiration of two years form the
commencement of this Act.
9
KARNATAKA ACT NO. 30 OF 2023
(First Published in the Karnataka Gazette Extra-ordinary on the 27th day of July, 2023)
THE KARNATAKA SCHEDULED CASTES AND SCHEDULED TRIBES
(PROHIBITION OF TRANSFER OF CERTAIN LANDS) (AMENDMENT) ACT, 2023
(Received the assent of the Governor on the 27th day of July, 2023)
An Act further to amend the Karnataka Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes
(Prohibition of Transfer of Certain Lands) Act, 1978.
Whereas it is expedient to amend the Karnataka Scheduled Castes and Scheduled
Tribes (Prohibition of Transfer of Certain Lands) Act, 1978 (Karnataka Act No.2 of 1979), for
the purposes hereinafter appearing;
Be it enacted by the Karnataka State Legislature in the Seventy fourth year of
Republic of India as follows:-
1. Short title and commencement.- (1) This Act may be called the Karnataka
Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prohibition of Transfer of Certain Lands)
(Amendment) Act, 2023.
(2) It shall come into force at once.
2. Amendment of section 5.- In the Karnataka Scheduled Castes and Scheduled
Tribes (Prohibition of Transfer of Certain Lands) Act, 1978 (Karnataka Act No.2 of 1979), in
section 5, in sub-section (1), after clause (b), the following clauses shall be inserted and
shall always deemed to have been inserted, namely:-
"(c) notwithstanding anything contained in any law, there shall be no limitation
of time to invoke the provisions of this Act.
(d) the provisions of clause (c) shall apply to all cases pending before all the
competent authorities and all Courts of Law adjudicating the cases under
this section."
By Order and in the name of
the Governor of Karnataka,
G. SRIDHAR
Secretary to Government
Department of Parliamentary
Affairs and Legislation
10
