1

THE WEST BENGAL LAND REFORMS (BARGADARS) RULES, 1956

1. Short title.These rules may be called the West Bengal Land Reforms (Bargadars)
Rules, 1956
1
.
2. Definitions.In these rules
(a) "the Act" means the West Bengal Land Reforms Act,. 1955;
(b) "section" means a section of the Act.
2
2A. Period for determination or nomination of a lawful heir and procedure in
respect thereof. (1) The period, within which all the lawful heirs of a deceased
bargadar, where there: are more than, one lawful heir, may determine, under sub-
section (1) of section 15A, one lawful heir who may continue the cultivation of such land,
is thirty days from the date of death of the deceased bargadar.
(2) Where such lawful heirs omit or fail to determine one lawful heir as required by sub-
section (1) of section 15A, within the period referred to in sub-rule (1), all or any of such
lawful heirs or the owner of the land whose land the deceased bargadar cultivated may,
within seven days from the expiry of the period
referred to in sub-rule (1), make an application before the officer or authority appointed
under sub-section (1) of section 18, giving necessary particulars, for nominating one of
the lawful heirs of the bargadar who is in a position to cultivate the land personally, to
continue the cultivation thereof:
Provided that the provisions of section 5 of the Limitation Act, 1963, shall apply to such
application.
(3) On receipt of such application, the officer or authority .appointed under sub-section
(1) of section 18 shall, after giving all persons interested in the cultivation of such land an
opportunity of being heard, and after making such enquiries as he or it may deem
necessary, make an order, under the proviso to section 15A, nominating one of the

1
Vide Notification No. 9796 L. Ref. dated 1 June, 1956, published ' in Calcutta Gazette,
Extraordinary, dated 2 June, 1956, Pt. I, pp. 1355-1356(a). It may be noted that the
interest of bargadars. are incumbrances within the meaning of the term defined in sec.
2(h) of the W.B. Estates Acquisition Act and along with' the vesting of the land or the
vesting of the interest of the intermediaries the interest of the bargadars also vest. The
bargadars under the erstwhile intermediaries accordingly have no legal right to continue
the possession over the land vested [Saskadhar Gayen. v. J.L.R.O., Gosaba, (1974)1
Cal. High Court Notes 44: C.R. 6096 (w) of 1969 decided by M. M. Dutta, J. on 13
December. 19731.
2
Inserted by Notification No. 14080 L. Ref. dated 30 October, 1970 published in
Caucutta Gazette, Extraordinary dated 31 October,. 1970, Pt. I, pp. 551-553.
2
lawful heirs of the bargadar, who is in a position to cultivate the land personally, to
continue the cultivation thereof.
(4) The application made by such officer or authority under sub-rule (3) shall be
disposed of as expeditiously as possible but not later than thirty days from the date of
making such application unless for reasons to be recorded by such officer or authority in
writing, it is not possible for him or it to dispose of such application within that period.
3
2B. The terms and conditions for cultivation of land by a lawful heir determined or
nominated.The lawful heir of a deceased bargadar, who is determined or nominated
for the cultivation of such land under sub-section (1) of section 15A shall,
(a) as soon as thereafter as possible, inform the owner of such land and the
officer or authority appointed under subsection (1) of section 18 having
jurisdiction over such land, of his willingness to continue the cultivation of such
land.
(b) take steps for continuation of the cultivation of such land
(i) within seven days from the date of his such determination or
nomination, if the agricultural operations in the neighboring lands are in
progress, or
(ii) within fifteen days'" from the date of commencement of such
operation, if such operations are not then in progress',
(c) while cultivating such land, enjoy all the rights of, and discharge all the
liabilities of, a bargadar, in respect thereof, under the provisions of the West
Bengal Land Reforms Act, 1955.
4
3. Period and manner of service of notices and procedure for deposit of produce
and intimation in respect thereof.
(1) The period referred to in sub-section (2) of section 16 shall be seven days from the
date of threshing of the produce by the bargadar.
(2) The receipt referred to in sub-section (3) of section 16 shall be in Form B.
(3) (a) The period, witdin which a bargadar may make deposit under sub-section (4) of
section 16, is thirty days from the date of refusal of the owner of the land to accept the
share of the produce tendered to him by the bargadar or to give a receipt therefor, and

3
Inserted by Notification No. 14080L. Ref. dated 30 October, 1970 published in Calcutta
Gazette, Extraordinary, dated 31 October, 1970, Pt. I, pp. 551-553.
4
This rule has been .substituted for the old one by Notification No. 14080L. Ref. dated
30 October, 1970 published in Calcutta Gazette, Extraordinary, dated 31, October, Pt. I,
pp. 551-553.
3
(6) the officer or authority with whom such deposit may be made by the bargadar is the
officer or authority appointed under sub-section (1) of section 18.
(4) The receipt referred to in clause (a) of sub-section (5) of section 16 shall be in Form
C.
(5) Intimation of deposit,' referred to in clause (6) of subsection (5) of section 16, shall
be
(a) in Form D, and
(b) sent by registered post by the officer or authority receiving such deposit.
(5A) Intimation of revenue deposit, referred to in subsection (6) of section 16, shall be in
Form E and sent by registered post.
(6) The notice on the person whose land the bargadar cultivates, referred to in clause
(&) sub-section (7) of section 16, shall be served
(a) personally on such person, or
(b) by making over the notice to any adult male member of his family, or
(c) by registered post.
4. Jurisdiction of officers or authorities.The officer or authority referred to in sub-
section (1) or sub-section (2) of section 17 or sub-section (1) of section 18 or sub-section
(2) of section 20 shall exercise jurisdiction over such areas as may be specified by the
State Government.
5. Authority to sell land under section 17(2); procedure and terms and conditions
of the sale. (1) The prescribed authority referred to in sub-section (2) of section 17
shall be the officer or authority appointed by the State Government to decide disputes
referred to in sub-section (1) of section 18.
(2) In deciding any matter referred to in sub-section (2) of section 17, the person
owning the land in question and the bargadars concerned shall be given an opportunity
of being beard.
(3) Before making any order for sale of the land, the prescribed authority referred to in
sub-section (2) of section 17 shall determine the market price of the land and then make
an offer to the bargadar evicted under clause (d) of sub-section (1) of section 17 to take
the land at such price. If the bargadar accepts the offer but is unable to pay the price at a
time provision shall be made in the order for sale allowing him to make the payment in
equal annual instalments not exceeding ten with interest at three and one-eighth per
centum per annum to be paid on such dates as may be specified in the order:
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Provided that the first installment shall be payable on a date not later than the 1st day of
Baisakh next following the date of the order.
(4) On payment of the price at a time or the first instalment, as the case may be, the
prescribed authority referred to in sub-section (2) of section 17 shall make a further order
that the land has been transferred to the bargadar by sale and on such order being
made the land shall vest in the bargadar with effect from the first day of Baisakh next
following the date of the order.
(5) The amount ordered to be paid by instalments shall be a charge on the land in
respect of which the order has been made.
(6) Where a bargadar is unwilling to take the land at the market price or for any other
reason, the prescribed authority referred to in sub-section (2) of section 17 shall sell the
land, by public auction to the highest bidder amongst other persons.
after giving publicity of the sale by beat of drums as well as by affixing copies of the
notice of sale in a conspicuous place on the land, and in the notice boards of the local
Union Board and the subdivisional civil and criminal courts of the district concerned. On
such sale being made, the land shall vest in the purchaser with effect from the first day
of Baisakh next following the date of the sale.
6. Manner of making application by an owner or a bargadar and the procedure to
be followed by the trying Officer. (1) A bargadar or a person whose land is
cultivated by a bargadar may make an application for a decision in respect of the matters
referred to in sub-section (1) of section 18
5
[............]
6
[............]
Every such application shall be signed and verified in the manner provided in sub-rules
(2) and (3) of rule 15 of Order VI of Schedule I to the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 and
shall contain the following particulars:
(a) the name and place of residence of the applicant;
(b) the name and place of residence of the person whose land is cultivated by the
bargadar if the bargadar is the applicant;

5
The words "to the officer or authority appointed under the said sub-section for the area
in which the land is situated" omitted by Notification No. 7728 L. Ref. dated 16.4.1959,
published in the Cal. Gaz. Extra-ord., dated 17.4.1959.
6
The words "with a court-fee of annas twelve" were omitted by Notification No. 22322 L.
Ref., dated 20th December, 1956, published in Calcutta Gazette, Extraordinary, dated
20th December, 1956, p. 2919.
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(c) the name and place of residence of the bargadar if the person whose land is
cultivated by the bargadar is the applicant;
(d) the location and sufficient description for the purpose of identification of the
land in regard to which the application is made;
(e) the point or points in dispute and the claim of the applicant.
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[A fee of annas twelve shall be paid in court-fee stamps along with an application under
this sub-rule except an application in respect of the matter referred to in clause (c) of
subsection (1) of section 18 which may be made on plain paper without any court-fee].
(2) The application shall be accompanied by as many true copies thereof as there are
opposite parties for sending such copies to the opposite parties along with the notices to
be served on them.
(3) Such application may be presented by the applicant or by his agent duly authorised
by him in writing to the officer or authority appointed under sub-section (1) of section 18
for the area in which the land is situated, or where for any area two or more officers or
authorities are appointed under the said sub-section, to such of those officers or
authorities as may be specially appointed by the State Government for the purpose of
receiving such application. The applicant and the opposite party may also be
represented by agents so authorised before the officer or authority disposing of the
application:
Provided that if the person representing a party is a legal practitioner as defined in
section 3 of the Legal Practitioners Act, 1879 (Act XVIII of 1879), and holds a
vakalatnama or a mukhtarnama, as the case may be, from the party in this behalf, no
separate authorisation shall be necessary.
8
(3a) (This sub-rule was added by Notification No. 7782L. Kef. dated 16.4.59 but later
omitted by Notification No. 1046L. Kef. dated 26.6.63).
(4)
9
(Any officer or authority proceeding to dispose of such application) shall fix a date
for consideration of the application and after giving the parties concerned an opportunity
of being heard shall dispose of the application.

7
Inserted by Notification No. 22322 L. Ref. dated 20.12.1956.
8
Added by Notification No. 7782 L. Ref. dated 16.4.59 published in Calcutta Gaz. Ext.
dated 17.4.1959.
9
Substituted for the words "On receipt of the application the officer or authority" by
Notification No. 7782 L. Ref. dated 16.4.1959 published in Cal. Gaz. Extra. Ord. dated
17.4.1959.
6
(5) Every such application shall be disposed of within three weeks from the date of filing
of the application.
10
[Provided that if such application is in respect of any matter referred to in clause (a)
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[clause (6) and clause (c)] of sub-section (1) of section 18, the officer or authority shall
make an enquiry from the
12
[Settlement Officer having jurisdiction over the area in which
the land is situated] whether proceedings under section 5A of the West Bengal Estates
Acquisition Act, 1953, are pending in respect of the land in respect of which the
application is made. If any such proceedings are pending, the disposal of the application
shall be stayed pending conclusion of the said proceedings].
13
[Provided further, that notwithstanding anything contained in the foregoing proviso
where the officer or authority considers it expedient to dispose of the produce, such
officer or authority shall divide the share of the produce, in the manner laid down in sub-
section (1) of section 16, allow the bargadar to take his share of the produce, sell the
owner's share thereof and, after deduction of the expenses of the sale, deposit the
balance of the sale-proceeds in the revenue deposit to the credit of the Subdivisional
Officer of the subdivision in which the land is situate. After the conclusion of the
proceedings the sale-proceeds deposited may be withdrawn by the owner.
(6) In disposing of such application, the officer or authority shall only make a summary
record of the essential facts disclosed in the hearing on which evidence has been taken
and the order is based. The order shall contain a concise statement of the dispute, the
points for determination and the decisions thereon together with the reason for the
decisions. The order shall specify the date or dates fixed by the officer or authority for
division of the produce and also the date or dates for threshing of the produce, if any,
fixed by the officer or authority.
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6A. Superintendence and control. (1) The State Government may, by a notification
in the official gazette, empower in each district or subdivision one or more officers to
exercise superintendence and control over officers or authorities appointed under sub-
section (1) of section 18, exercising jurisdiction in the district or the subdivision, as the

10
Added by Notification No. 4974 L. Ref. dated 19.3.1958 published in Cal. Gaz., Extra. Ord.
dated 21.3.1958.
11
Substituted for "or clause (b)" by Notification No. 3468 L. Ref. dated 14.2.59, pub. in Cal. Gaz.,
Extra-ord. dated 14.2.59, Pt. I, p. 285.
12
Substituted for "Director of Land Records and Surveys" by Notification No. 18712 L. Ref. dated
13.9.58, pub. in Cal. Gaz. Extra-ord. dated 16.10.59, Pt. I, p. 3371.
13
Added by Notification No. 3468 L. Ref. dated 14.2.1959 published in Cal. Gaz., Extra. Ord.
dated 14.2.1959.
14
Rule 6A added by Notification No. 10446 L. Ref. dated 26.6.63.
7
case may be, who shall, for the purposes of these rules, be subordinate to such officer
or officers.
(2) The officer or officers empowered under sub-rule (1) shall have the power to
withdraw, by general or special order, from the file of any officer or authority appointed
under subsection (1) of section 18 and subordinate to him or them, any proceeding or
proceedings and transfer the same for disposal to any other subordinate officer or
authority appointed under sub-section (1) of section 18.
7. Procedure for appeals. (1) Every appeal shall be filed in the form of memorandum
and shall be signed and verified by the appellant in the manner provided in sub-rules (2)
and (3) of rule 15 of Order VI of Schedule I to the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908. It shall
be accompanied by an authenticated copy of the order appealed against and shall
contain the following particulars:
(a) the name and address of the appellant;
(b) the name and address of the respondent;
(c) the location of the land cultivated by the bargadar; and
(d) the grounds of appeal.
(2) The court-fees payable on the Memorandum of Appeal under sub-section (1) of
section 19 shall be such as are provided in
15
[sub-clause (n) of clause (a) of Article 11 of
Schedule II to the Court-fees Act, 1870], and shall be collected in the manner laid down
in that Act.
(3) On the filing of an appeal the Appellate Officer shall call for the records of the case
from the officer or authority against whose order the appeal has been filed and after
giving the appellant and the respondent an opportunity of being heard shall dispose of
the appeal.
(4) Every appeal shall be disposed of by the Appellate Officer within one month from
the date of filing of the Appeal.
8. Manner of service of notices and processes.All notices and processes
under these rules shall be served either by registered post or in the manner provided for
the service of a revenue or a civil process.
9. Manner of execution of an order under section 20(1).Any party may apply to the
officer or authority referred to in sub-section (1) of section 18 or the
2
[Sub-divisional
Officer] referred to in sub-section (1) of section 19 for the execution of any order made

15
Substituted for "Article 1 of Schedule I to the Court-fees Act, 1870."
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by such officer or authority or by such
16
[Sub-divisional Officer]. The officer or authority
or the
2
[Sub-divisional Officer] shall thereupon forward such application forthwith to the
officer or authority referred to in sub-section (2) of section 20
17
[who shall execute the
order in the manner laid down in the case of Civil Procedure]
18
[after serving on the
person against whom execution is applied for a notice to show cause, within seven days
of the date of the service of the notice, why the order shall not be executed].
10. Manner of giving copies of records.The rules in the Bengal Records Manual
shall be followed in the manner of granting copies of records:
19
[................]
11. Process-fee.When an application to the officer or authority referred to in sub-
section (1) of section 18 or a
Memorandum of Appeal to Sub-divisional Officer referred to subsection (1) of section 19
is filed, a process-fee of rupee one and paisa fifty per party on whom a notice is to be
served shall be paid in court-fee stamps along with the application or the Memorandum
of Appeal, as the case may be.
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12. Maintenance and preservation of registers and classification and
preservation of records of appeals under section 19(1).(1) Appeals filed before the
Sub-divisional Officer under subjection (1) of section 19 shall be entered in a register in
Form A appended to these rules.
(2) The records of appeals referred to in sub-rule (1) shall consist of two files to be
styled and marked, respectively, File B and File C of which
(i) File B shall contain,
(a) table of contents,
(b) order sheets,
(c) memorandum, of appeal together with any schedule annexed thereto,
(d) counter petition, if any,

16
Substituted for the word 'Munsif' by Notification No. 14040 L. Ref. dated 30.10.70 published in
Calcutta Gazette Extra-Ordy., Part I, No. 551, dated 31 October 1970.
17
Substituted for "who shall execute the order in the manner he thinks fit" by Notification No.
17596 L. Ref. dated 11.9.1957 published in Cal. Gaz., Extra, dated 11.9.1957, pp. 3635-3636.
18
The words within square bracket added by Notification No. 2800 L. Ref. dated 22.2.1965
published in Cal. Gaz. Ext. Ord. Pt. I, dated 22.2.1965.
19
The proviso has been deleted by Notification No. 14080 L. Ref. dated 30.10.70 published in
Cal. Gazette Extra Ord. Pt. I No. 51 dated 31.10.70. The deleted proviso stood as follows:
Provided that in case of appeals filed before the Munsif under sub-section (1) of section 19, the
procedure laid down in the Civil Rules and Orders in respect of such matters shall be followed.
20
Added by Notification No. 196 L. Ref. dated 7.1.1964 ; vide Cal. Gaz., Extraordinary dated
8.1.1964, Pt. I, pp. 49-50.
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(e) memorandum of the points for decision,
(f) decision upon which preliminary order, if any, is founded and such
order with further direction if any given,
(g) evidence in appeal.
(ii) File C shall contain all other papers.
(3) All records of appeals other than those dismissed for default or non-prosecution
shall be sent to the Record Room of the Collector of the district by the
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[Sub-divisional
Officer] of a Sadar sub-division and to Record Room of the Sub-divisional Officer by
21
[the Sub-divisional Officer] of an outlying subdivision, within the third month next
succeeding the month in which the appeals were decided or disposed of. In case where
there is no Record Room in the outlying sub-division, the records of such appeals shall
be sent to the Record Room of the Collector of the district within the period specified
above. The original and appellate records shall be kept together in the Record Room of
the Collector or the Sub-divisional Officer, as the case may be. The records of the
appeals dismissed for default or non-prosecution shall be kept in the office of the Sub-
divisional
Officer and shall be destroyed after a period of one year from the date of dismissal. The
registers of appeals in Form A shall be similarly sent to the Record Room of the
Collector or of the Sub-divisional Officer, as the case may be, after all appeals entered
therein have been decided or disposed of.
(4) The registers of appeals, and the records of appeals other than those dismissed for
default or non-prosecution shall be preserved for the following period, namely:
(i) Records File B .. 12 years
File C 3 years
(ii) Registers
.. 12 years
12A. Form of notice to the bargadar in cases of surrender or abandonment of
cultivator.The notice referred to in subsection (2) of section 20B shall be in Form F.
FORM A
[See Rule 12 (1)]
Register of Bhagchas Appeals Year......Court of the Sub-divisional Officer at......, etc.,
etc.
FORM B
[See sub-rule (2) of Rule 3]

21
Substituted for the word 'Munsif by Notification No. 14080 L Ref. dated 30.10.70 published in
Calcutta Gazette Extra-Ordy. Part I, No. 551, dated 31, October 1970.
10
Form of Receipt
I do hereby acknowledge the receipt of..................
(particulars and quantity of the produce) in full satisfaction of my claim of the share of
the produce of
the land described in the Schedule below for the period....................due to me as the
owner/ bargadar of the land.
The Schedule
Plot No....................
Mauza............................
Police-station......................
Name and address of the owner............................
Name and address of the bargadar..........................
(Signature in full with date)
FORM C
[See sub-rule (4) of Rule 3]
Particulars of receipt. Particulars of receipt.
(Counterfoil.)

(To be made over to the bargadar.)
1. Serial No. of receipt. 1. Serial No. of receipt.
2. Date of deposit. 2. Date of deposit.
3. Name and address of the bargadar making the
deposit.
3. Name and address of the bargadar making
the deposit.
4. Name and address of the owner (s) of the
land in whose favour the deposit is made.
4. Name and address of the owner (s) of the land
in whose favour the deposit is made.
5. Particulars of the land, the produce of
which is< deposited.
5. Particulars of the land, the produce of which
is deposited.

C. S. Plot No..........

C. S. Plot No..........

6. Period to which the produce deposited relates 6. P.S.............
7. Particulars and quantity of the produce
deposited.
7. Period to which the produce deposited relates.
Particulars and quantity of the produce
deposited.

Signature of the Officer re ceiving the deposit - Signature of the Officer receiving the deposit.
.


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FORM D
[See sub-rule (5) of Rule 3]
To
Shri............
(Address)..........
You are hereby informed that Shri....................
................of........................................(address) claiming to be Bargadar in respect
of plot No. ............of mauza.........., police-station deposited with the undersigned
on....................(date) , (particulars and quantity of produce) in your favour vide this office
receipt No............You are requested to take delivery of the said produce within 15 days
of the date of service on you of this intimation failing which it will be sold by the
undersigned by public auction to the highest bidder without further reference to you, and
the proceeds of such sale, after deducting there from the cost of conducting the sale, will
be deposited in the treasury in revenue deposit to your credit for withdrawal by you in
due course.
(Officer or authority receiving the deposit)

FORM E
[See sub-rule (5A) of Rule 3]
To
Shri............
(Address)..........
You are hereby informed that on your failure to take delivery within the prescribed
period, of the share of produce deposited with the undersigned by Shri..................in
your favour, it was sold and the sale proceeds thereof, less the cost of conducting the
sale amounting to Rs................(Rupees............................), has been deposited in
the treasury in revenue deposit to your credit vide challan No................,
dated................, for withdrawal by
you in due course.
(Officer or authority receiving the deposit)





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FORM F
[See Rule 12A]
Notice under sub-section (2) of section 20B
To
Shri............
(Address)..........
Take notice that Shri................................of village.............., police-station.............., has
given
information in writing" that you used to cultivate his land, particulars of which are given
below, as a bargadar and that you have surrendered your right voluntarily abandoned to
cultivate in relation to the said land as a bargadar........cultivation of the said land.
The matter will be heard by the undersigned on.......... when you may present your case.
Description of the land