The Bengal Landholders' Attendance Act, 1848

{
    "id": 3576,
    "slug": "the-bengal-landholders-attendance-act-1848",
    "title": "The Bengal Landholders' Attendance Act, 1848",
    "short_title": "The Bengal Landholders' Attendance Act, 1848",
    "act_number": "20",
    "act_year": 1848,
    "act_type": "CENTRAL",
    "location": "Bengal Presidency",
    "law_status": "valid",
    "enactment_date": "1848-09-23",
    "description": "The Bengal Landholders' Attendance Act, 1848",
    "preamble": "",
    "section_label": "Section",
    "sections": [
        {
            "number": "1",
            "title": "An ACT",
            "chapter": null,
            "content": "An Act for better enforcing the attendance of proprietors and farmers of land before Collectors of land-revenue in the Lower Provinces of the Bengal Presidency. Whereas, by sundry Regulations of the Bengal Code, provision is made for the imposition of a daily fine by the Board of Revenue or other authority exercising the powers of that Board on any proprietor or farmer of land, subject to the provisions contained in the said several Regulations, who, when duly summoned by the Collector or other officer exercising the powers of Collector, shall omit or refuse to attend, or to cause his officer or agent to attend, or to furnish the accounts or document required, and shall not show sufficient cause for such omission; and it is further provided that the fine, when confirmed by Government, is to be levied by the same process as is prescribed for the recovery of arrears of revenue; And Whereas in many cases, by the delay thus occasioned, the whole burden of the penalty is greatly increased beyond what would be necessary if summary power were given to the officer by whom the requisition is made to impose and levy reasonable fines, subject to review by the Commissioner of Revenue and other superior authority; It is enacted as follows :-",
            "footnote": "",
            "is_definition": false,
            "sort_order": 0
        },
        {
            "number": "1",
            "title": "Section 1. Penalty on landholders not attending when summoned by Collector Levy of fine.",
            "chapter": null,
            "content": "- If any proprietor or farmer of land shall omit or refuse to attend, or to cause his officer or agent to\nattend, when duly summoned by the Collector, in any case specified in any of the said Regulations,\nby the time prescribed in the notice issued by the Collector, or shall omit or refuse to furnish the\naccounts or documents required, and shall not show sufficient cause for such, omission, the\nCollector may impose of his own authority such daily fine, to be payable daily until compliance with\nthe requisition, as he may think adequate to the situation and circumstances in life of the defaulter,\nnot exceeding in any case the daily fine of fifty rupees: and the amount of such fine, accruing due\nfrom time to time, may be levied without further confirmation by the same process as is prescribed\nfor the recovery of arrears of revenue.",
            "footnote": "",
            "is_definition": false,
            "sort_order": 10
        },
        {
            "number": "2",
            "title": "Section 2. Report of imposition and levy of fine.",
            "chapter": null,
            "content": "- The Collector shall forthwith report the imposition of every such fine, and the amount thereof, and\nalso from time to time the amount levied, to the Commissioner of Revenue, who shall report the\nsame for the information of the [State Government] [Words 'Provincial Government' first\nsubstituted for the words 'Local Government' by the Government of India (Adaptation of Indian\nLaws) Order, 1937, then the word 'State' substituted for the word 'Provincial' by the Adaptation of\nLaws Order, 1950.].",
            "footnote": "Words 'Provincial Government' first substituted for the words 'Local Government' by the Government of India (Adaptation of Indian Laws) Order, 1937, then the word 'State' substituted for the word 'Provincial' by the Adaptation of Laws Order, 1950.",
            "is_definition": false,
            "sort_order": 20
        },
        {
            "number": "3",
            "title": "Section 3. Appeal from Collector's orders.",
            "chapter": null,
            "content": "- Every order passed by a Collector under this Act shall be appealable in the usual manner to the\nCommissioner of Revenue and other superior authority; but no such appeal shall avail to prevent the\nlevy of any fine so imposed pending the appeal.",
            "footnote": "",
            "is_definition": false,
            "sort_order": 30
        },
        {
            "number": "4",
            "title": "Section 4. Special report of levy exceeding five hundred rupees.",
            "chapter": null,
            "content": "- Whenever the amount levied under any such order issued for any default by authority of a\nCollector under this Act shall have exceeded five hundred rupees, the Collector shall report the case\nspecially to the Commissioner of Revenue; and no further levy, for such default shall be made\notherwise than by authority of the' Commissioner of Revenue.",
            "footnote": "",
            "is_definition": false,
            "sort_order": 40
        },
        {
            "number": "5",
            "title": "Section 5. Saving of power to fine.",
            "chapter": null,
            "content": "- Nothing in this Act contained shall be deemed to repeal the power of imposing daily fines and of\nlevying the fines so imposed in the manner prescribed by the said several Regulations.",
            "footnote": "",
            "is_definition": false,
            "sort_order": 50
        },
        {
            "number": "6",
            "title": "Section 6. \"Collector\" defined.",
            "chapter": null,
            "content": "- The word \"Collector\" used in this Act shall be taken to mean any person lawfully exercising the\npowers of a Collector.",
            "footnote": "",
            "is_definition": false,
            "sort_order": 60
        },
        {
            "number": "7",
            "title": "Section 7. Extent of Act.",
            "chapter": null,
            "content": "- This Act shall not extend to the North-West Provinces of the Presidency of Bengal.",
            "footnote": "",
            "is_definition": false,
            "sort_order": 70
        }
    ],
    "metadata": {
        "Act ID": "184820",
        "Act Number": "20",
        "Enactment Date": "1848-09-23",
        "Act Year": "1848",
        "Short Title": "The Bengal Landholders' Attendance Act, 1848",
        "Department": "",
        "Type": "CENTRAL",
        "Location": "Bengal Presidency"
    },
    "updated_at": "2026-09-29 21:55:17"
}