Here's a systematic and exam-ready answer on the Punjab Land Revenue System and
the Punjab Land Revenue Act, 1887, incorporating key themes from your PDF
(HISTORY.pdf). This format is ideal for long-form essay questions in law, history, or public
administration exams.
Punjab Land Revenue Act, 1887 – Historical Evolution,
Features, and Impact
I. Introduction
The Punjab Land Revenue Act, 1887 was enacted by the British to regulate land
revenue collection in Punjab.
Prior to British rule, land revenue was collected under different systems by Mughals,
Afghans, and the Sikh Empire.
The 1887 Act introduced a uniform, codified, and legally enforceable system,
replacing the earlier fragmented systems.
II. Historical Background
A. Pre-British Era
Mughal Period: Introduced the Dahsala System (Raja Todar Mal under Akbar) –
based on land fertility and fixed share of produce.
Sikh Rule: Revenue based on fertility and irrigation, but collection was
decentralized and inconsistent, often through local landlords and village officials.
B. British Annexation of Punjab (1849)
Revenue settlements conducted by officers like Sir James Lyall and Sir Henry
Lawrence were inconsistent.
Recognizing the need for uniformity, the British introduced the Punjab Land
Revenue Act, 1887 to consolidate control and systematize tax collection.
III. Objectives of the Punjab Land Revenue Act, 1887
1. Establishing Uniform Land Revenue Collection
2. Clarifying Roles of Revenue Officers (Patwaris, Tehsildars, Collectors)
3. Creating and Maintaining Land Records
4. Defining Rights of Landowners and Tenants
5. Providing Legal Mechanisms for Dispute Resolution
IV. Key Provisions of the Act
A. Revenue Administration Hierarchy
Board of Revenue: Apex policy-making body.
Commissioner: Supervises revenue administration in divisions.
Collector/Deputy Commissioner: Heads district-level implementation.
Tehsildar/Naib Tehsildar: Manage tehsil-level records and revenue.
Patwari & Kanungo: Maintain village-level records.
B. Land Records System
Key documents:
Jamabandi – Record of Rights (ownership, rent, crops)
Khasra Girdawari – Seasonal crop inspection register
Mutation Register (Intkal) – Changes in ownership due to inheritance, sale, etc.
Shajra Nasab – Genealogy of landowners
C. Revenue Assessment Methods
1. Fixed Revenue – Pre-set for a period.
2. Fluctuating Revenue – Based on agricultural output.
3. Customary Rates – Based on local traditions.
D. Rights & Obligations
Landowners: Right to possess, transfer, inherit; obligation to pay land tax.
Tenants: Right to cultivate and protection from unjust eviction.
Both parties must comply with revenue rules.
E. Dispute Resolution
Disputes over land ownership, inheritance, tenancy, and revenue are handled by
Revenue Courts.
Appeals can go up to the Board of Revenue.
F. Powers of Revenue Officers
Survey & Reassessment of land.
Seizure and Auction for non-payment.
Mutation Entry for ownership changes.
V. Impact of the Act
A. Positive Outcomes
✅Standardized Revenue System across Punjab.
✅Improved Land Record Maintenance (Jamabandi, Mutation).
✅Tenant Protection from arbitrary eviction.
✅Efficient Tax Collection for British administration.
B. Negative Consequences
✅Financial Burden on Farmers, especially during droughts.
✅Strengthening of British Control over agrarian life.
✅Tenant Rights were Limited and tilted in favor of landlords.
✅No Relief Mechanisms in case of crop failure or natural calamities.
VI. Post-Independence Developments
A. India
States enacted their own land revenue and tenancy reforms.
Zamindari abolition, land ceilings, and digitization of land records.
Punjab Tenancy Act, 1955 strengthened tenant rights.
DILRMP: Computerized land records for transparency.
B. Pakistan
Punjab Land Revenue Act, 1887 still largely in use.
Land reforms attempted in 1959, 1972, and 2001, but feudal influence weakened their
implementation.
PLRA (Punjab Land Records Authority) introduced for digitization.
VII. Comparison: Pre- and Post-Independence Systems
Post-Independence (India &
Feature Pre-Independence (British)
Pakistan)
Controlled by landlords/British
Land Ownership Held by farmers/cultivators
officials
Revenue
High, exploitative taxation Lower taxes with relief provisions
Collection
Tenant Rights Weak, no security Stronger rights, security of tenure
Decentralized under State
Control Centralized under British
Governments
Record System Manual, Patwari-controlled Digitized systems introduced
Famines, debt cycles, peasant Agricultural development, welfare
Economic Impact
revolts focus
VIII. Challenges in the Post-Independence Period
Land Fragmentation due to inheritance
Corruption in Records despite digitization
Slow Reforms in Pakistan due to feudal influence
Political Interference in land redistribution
Climate Change affecting land productivity
IX. Landmark Movements and Cases
Pagri Sambhal Jatta Movement (1907) – Peasant protest against British revenue
policies.
Land Acquisition Officer v. Ravi Santosh Reddy (2016) – SC criticized prolonged
litigation in compensation cases.
G. Padmanabhan v. State of Tamil Nadu (2015) – Held that acquisition lapsed
under Section 24(2) of the 2013 Act.
X. Conclusion
The Punjab Land Revenue Act, 1887 laid the foundation for a modern land administration
system in Punjab. While it improved structure and transparency, it primarily served colonial
interests and imposed hardships on farmers. Post-independence, both India and Pakistan
adapted and reformed this system to meet socio-economic needs through land reforms, tenant
protections, and digitization. However, challenges like corruption, political interference, and
climate stress remain and must be addressed for a truly equitable land revenue system.
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