Land Revenue Act

HUMAIRA TAHIR
ADVOCATE HIGH COURT
Classification of Revenue Officers

Commission
BOR
er

Assistant
Collector Collector 1st
Authority to appoint Commissioners
and Collector
According to Punjab Land revenue Amendment Act 2011

PLD 2008 Lah.352 (a)

For each division commissioners and collectors shall be appointed by Government
Additional commissioners and assistant Commissioners shall also be appointed by Board of
Revenue
Additional Collectors shall be under control of collectors after being appointed by Government.
Tehsildar U/sec:11

The chief officer entrusted with local administration of revenue matters shall be known as chief
officer
He shall preform duties of assistant collectors when needed.
Administrative Control of Revenue
Officer Sec: 13
The board of revenue shall control all the duties and powers of revenue officers.
A commissioner shall control all subordinate revenue officers in division
Collector shall control all revenue officers in a district.
Combination and conferment of powers of officers. Sec:11
and 12 Land revenue Act 1967.

The provincial Government is authorized to combine , transfer or entrust any officer any of the
powers or
Govt can appoint any two or more offices to any person competent to perform .
Powers of Revenue Officers
Village Officer ( Lambardar)

2011 CLC 105

As regard to the point of belonging to a lambardar family this is merely one of matters which
has to be taken into consideration while making appointment.

Rules 16 to 22 of West Pakistan Land Revenue Rules 1968 deals with grounds ,dismissal and
duties of Lambardar.
Constitutional Jurisdiction in case of
Appointment of Village Head man

1992 CLC 1456

Petitioner was appointed as lambardar by the collector and had criminal background as such it
would not be safe to appoint him as lambardar authorities concurrently set aside appointment
of Lambardar.
2006 YLR 2594
Petitioner had been removed from service on charge of nepotism and tampering with official
record order of removal from office of headman was made.
Modes of Appointment
1. Hereditary claim: This rule deals with the first appointment and not succession to the
office falling vacant by the death or removal of Lambardar. In different cases refugee
over resident, minor over adult, illiterate over literate have been preferred on the
grounds of hereditary claim.

2. Extent of holding of applicant: Holding of the Lambardar is taken as security against

the collection and depositing the government dues, in time. Larger holding provides
larger security. Person having less holding cannot provide sufficient security to satisfy
government.

3. Character, personality, and ability: In a case one of two candidates, withdrawn his
application in favor of whom, who was not only healthy but was supposed having
good reputation. Character does mean general reputation of an individual among the
society members. He must bear presentable personality.

4. Strength and importance of community: It should be quite enough strong.

Community does not mean caste or sub-caste but only community is taken into
consideration in the appointment of Lambardar. If the resident has less strength in the
collection of revenue against the refugee, then it is considered negative point for the
appointment of resident and representative of majority refugee is appointed. He can
protect the interest of government well.
Personal and family services: As per this rule services of an individual or his family member is
taken into consideration in the appointment of Lambardar. In a contest junior retired Military
Officer may be preferred over senior Military Officer in active service, being resident and readily
available. If there is martyr or social workers in a family, they must be considered positively.
Meritorious services are plus point. Appointment belonging to boarder area requires the
training of civil defence.
Training of civil defence: His ability to undergo from the training of civil defence is kept in view if
the appointment is to be made in the area of border. It not only ensures the safety of the
landowners but it secures the interest of government in Land Revenue. Only existing landowners
can generate revenue.
Whether a female, public servant, or minor may apply for the appointment as
Lambardar (Village Headman)?

1. Female: There is no bar to the appointment of females as Lambardar. Primogeniture

rule is considered for such appointment. If a Lambardar is died or became disabled
then his elder son is considered. Young is considered later thus all descendents
including females. Otherwise it is diverted toward collateral.

2. Minor: Law gives the Collector, power to appoint a minor. A 15 years’ minor was
appointed as a Lambardar keeping in view of his hereditary claim and much larger
holding. A supervisor can be appointed to carry on all matters until he attains the age
of majority. A person who is entitled to succeed the office of Lambardar-ship by
inheritance however distantly related to the deceased Lambardar may be appointed
in spite of his minority.

3. Government servant: A school teacher, who was serving six Km. away from his
residence, was appointed as Lambardar that he may remain himself present in village
while a senior military officer was refused on the ground of his active service far away
from village.
Duties of Lambardar
1. Collection of Land Revenue and all other dues by due date and depositing the same
to government office.

2. Collection of rent and other income.

3. Acknowledgement of all receipts.

4. Report to Tehsildar of every death, birth, pension, and marriage or re-marriage of

female drawing family pension and residing in estate.

5. Report regarding the encroachments on roads.

6. Report of any injury to government buildings.

7. Compliance of the orders of Collector.

8. Attend the summons of all authorities.

9. Report to Patwari any outbreak of disease among animals.

10. Report to Patwari the deaths of any right holder in his estate.

11. Assistance in mobilization of troops.

12. To entertain and accommodate officers who visits the village.

Dismissal of Lambardar:
1. If the Lambardar has been punished with sentence of imprisonment for one year or
upward.
2. If he has sold his holding.
3. In an estate chiefly owned by the government, Lambardar ceases to hold that interest
due to which he was appointed as Lambardar.
4. If his holding has been transferred u/s 84 of this Act in the reasons of arrears of Land
Revenue.
5. If the assessment of Land Revenue of his holding has been annulled u/s 86 of this Act
for the recovery of arrears of Land Revenue.
6. If he has mortgaged his holding and has also delivered possession to the mortgagee.
In this situation Collector may retain him on this post provided the Lambardar
provides sufficient security.
Discretionary Dismissal of lambardar
1. When criminal proceedings have been started against the Lambardar in which he may
be sentenced for less than one year, he may be dismissed.
2. If he has taken part in an unconstitutional agitation against the government.
3. He has taken part or concealed illicit distillation of cocaine.
4. If his holding has been attached u/s 85 of this Act for the recovery of arrears of Land
Revenue.
5. If in the opinion of the Collector, he is unable to discharge his duties due to bodily or
mental infirmity.
Pachotra

Remuneration of Lambardar: Lambardar would be entitled to receive maximum 5% of the

collected Land Revenue, which is called Pachotra. Provincial government decides as to how
much he might receive as remuneration.
Pachotra cannot be attached for the execution of decree of any Court. Moreover no charge can
be created on Pachotra.