WELCOME

A.P.LAND REFORMS (Ceiling on Agrl.

Holdings) ACT, 1973

B. VENKATESWARA RAO,

District Revenue Officer (Retd.)

CONSULTANT, AMR-APARD,
Rajendranagar, Hyderabad-500 030.

A.P.LAND REFORMS (Ceiling on

Agrl. Holdings) ACT, 1973
The Act and Rules came into force from
1-1-1975
The Act contains 30 Sections and 2 Schedules
The

Rules

framed

are

called

A.P.

Land

Reforms (Ceiling on Agrl. Holdings) Rules

1974.

Contd..

OBJECTIVES
To

impose

ceiling

on

agricultural

land

holdings
To ameliorate the conditions of the poor
agriculturists.
To curb the feudal tendencies of the land
lords.

Contd..

DEFINITIONS
Tribunal : Presently RDO is constituted as
Tribunal.
Appellate Tribunal: District Judge
Double Crop Wet Land :
Any wet land
registered as double crop or compounded
double crop wet land in Land Revenue
Records. [Section 3(d)]
Dry Land : Land registered as dry, manavari
etc., in Land Revenue Records [Section
3(e)]
Family Unit :
Individual, spouse, minor
sons, unmarried minor daughters Contd..

IMPORTANT PROVISIONS
Standard Holding :In the case of family unit
consisting not more than (5) five members, it
ranges from 10 to 27 acres in respect of wet
lands and from 35 to 54 acres in respect of dry
lands, based on the classification of lands in the
first schedule as noted below : (Section 5)
Double crop wet land
Wet
land
Class A
Class B
Class C
Class D
Class E
Class F

.
.
.
.
.
.
Dry
Class G .
Class H .
Class I .
Class J .
Class K .

10 Acres
12 Acres
13.5 Acres
15 Acres
16.5 Acres
18 Acres

45
50

15 Acres
18 Acres
20 Acres
22.5 Acres
25 Acres
27 Acres
35
Acres
40
Acres
Acres
Acres
54
Acres

Contd..

Ceiling Area : In the case of family unit

consisting of not more than five members,
an extent of land equal to one standard
holding.
In the case of family unit consisting of
more than five members, land equal to one
standard holding plus one fifth of standard
holding for every additional member, not
exceeding two standard holdings (Section
4(1) and (2))
Declaration of Holding: Under Section 8
every person whose holding on the notified
date exceeds the specified limits shall
within thirty days from the notified date
Contd..
furnish a declaration to the Tribunal.

Determination of Ceiling Area : The Tribunal

has to publish the declaration make an
enquiry and pass orders, determining
whether the person holds land in excess of
the ceiling area and if so, the excess area
(Section 9).
Surrender of Land : Person holding land in
excess of ceiling limit is liable to surrender
the land held in excess and the tribunal,
after

making

approving

the

(Section 10)

enquiry
surrender

pass
or

orders

otherwise.
Contd.
.

Special Provisions for Protected Tenants :

When holding of any owner includes land
held by a protected tenant, tribunal to
determine

whether

protected

tenant

Pradesh

it

U/s

(Telangana

is

transferred

38-E

Area)

of

to

Andhra

Tenancy

and

Agricultural Land Act, 1950.

If so, extent of land transferred to be
excluded from the holding of such owner
and included in the holding of such tenant
(Section 13).
Contd..

Disposal of Land vested in Government :

Lands vested in Government are to be
allotted for house sites for agricultural
labourers etc., or transferred to weaker
sections dependent on agriculture for
agricultural purposes (Half of total extent to
SCs and STs and not less than two thirds of
balance extent to BCs. [Section 14(1)].
Every allottee / transferee to pay fifty times
the land revenue within fifteen years,
subject to a maximum of Rs.1250/- per
hectare of wet land and Rs.375/- per
hectare of dry land. Thereafter, patta is to
be granted.
Contd..

 Maximum extent to be allotted for house

site five cents. [Rule 10(2)]
For Agricultural purpose Ac 2-50 wet or
Ac 5-00 dry. [Rule 10(2)]
Transferee shall not alienate the land by
sale, gift, lease etc., [Section 14(4)]
Resumption of land in case of violation of
conditions :
If the conditions of
allotment / transfer are violated, the RDO
shall resume the land after giving an
opportunity to the persons affected and
making an enquiry. [Section 14(5)] Contd..

Declaration of future acquisition : In respect

of acquisition on or after notified date,
exceeding ceiling area declaration is to be
furnished. (Section 18)
Declaration
to
be
furnished
before
Registering Officer : Any person presenting
a document of alienation of land before
Registering Officer is to furnish a declaration
that the holding of transfer does not exceed
the ceiling area. ( Section 19).

Contd..

Appeal: Appeal lies to Appellate Tribunal

within thirty days. (Section 20)
Revision:

Revision lies to the High Court

against the orders of the Appellate Tribunal

within sixty days. (Section 21 and Rule 17)
Exemptions:

Lands

held

by

State

and

Central Governments, religious, charitable

and

educational

institutions,

local

authorities, Government Corporations etc.,

exempted from provisions of Act.
(Section 23)

Contd..

Penalty:

Persons

who

failed

to

file

declarations within the prescribed period

liable for imprisonment upto two years or
with fine upto Rs.2000/- or with both.
(Section 24)
Prosecution to be sanctioned by District
Collector. [Section 24(4)]