Revenue Courts and suits cognizable by them

Section 77 of the Punjab Tenancy Act, 1887 deals with revenue Courts and suits cognizable by them. When a Revenue-officer is exercising jurisdiction with respect to any such suit as is described in sub-section (3), or with respect to an appeal or other proceeding arising out of any such suit, he shall be called a Revenue Court. The Act was enacted on 23 Sep 1887.

(1) When a Revenue-officer is exercising jurisdiction with respect to any such suit as is described in sub-section (3), or with respect to an appeal or other proceeding arising out of any such suit, he shall be called a Revenue Court.

(2) There shall be the same classes of Revenue Courts as of Revenue-officers under this Act, and, in the absence of any order of the Local Government to the contrary, a Revenue-officer of any class having jurisdiction within any local limits under this Act shall be a Revenue Court of the same class having jurisdiction within the same local limits.

(3) The following suits shall be Instituted in and heard and determined by Revenue Courts, and no other Court shall take cognizance of any dispute or matter with respect to which any such suit might be instituted:-

FIRST GROUP.

(a) Suits between landlord and tenant for enhancement or reduction of rent under section 24;

(b) Suits between landlord and tenant for addition to or abatement of rent under section 28 or for commutation of rent;

(c) Suits under section 34 for the determination of rent or other sum on the expiration of the term of an assessment of land-revenue;

SECOND GROUP.

(d) suits by a tenant to establish a claim to a right of occupancy, or by a landlord to prove that a tenant has not such a right;

(e) suits by a landlord to eject a tenant;

(f) suits by a tenant under section 45 to contest liability to ejectment, when notice of ejectment has been served ;

(g) suits by a tenant under section 50 for recovery of possession or occupancy, or for compensation, or for both;

(h) suits by a landlord to set aside a transfer made of a right of occupancy, or to dispossess a person to whom such a transfer has been made, or for both purposes;

(i) any other suit between landlord and tenant arising out of a lease or conditions on which a tenancy is held;

(j) suits for sums payable on account of village cesses or village-expenses;

(k) suits by a co-sharer in an estate or holding for a share of the profits thereof or for a settlement of accounts;

(l) suits for the recovery of over-payments of rent or land-revenue or of any other demand for which a suit lies in a Revenue Court under this sub-section:

(m) Suits relating to the emoluments of kanungos, zaildars, inamdars or village-officers;

THIRD GROUP.

(n) Suits by a landlord for arrears of rent or the money-equivalent of rent, or for sums recoverable under section 14;

(o) Suits by a landowner to recover moneys claimed as due for the enjoyment of rights in or over land or in water, including rights of irrigation, rights over fisheries, rights of pasturage and forest-rights;

(p) Suits for sums payable on account of land-revenue or of any other demand recoverable as an arrear of land-revenue under any enactment for the time being in force, and by a superior landowner for other sums due to him as such.

(4) Except as otherwise provided by any rule made by the Financial Commissioner in this behalf,-

(a) a Collector may near and determine any or the suits mentioned in sub-section (3) ;

(b) an Assistant Collector of the first grade may hear and determine any of the suits mentioned in the second and third groups of that sub-section, and, if he has by name been specially empowered in this behalf by the Local Government, any of the suits mentioned in the first group; and

(c) an Assistant Collector of the second grade may hear determine any of the suits mentioned in the third group.

Section 77, The Punjab Tenancy Act, 1887 (Act 16 of 1887).