PUNJAB PROTECTION AND RESTORATION OF TENANCY RIGHTS ACT, 1950

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THE PUNJAB PROTECTION AND RESTORATION OF 
TENANCY RIGHTS ACT, 1950 
(XIII of 1950) 
CONTENTS 
1. Short title, commencement and extent. 
2. Definitions.  
3. Grounds necessary for ejectment of the tenants and procedure.  
4. Notices and proceedings to be invalid.  
5. Restoration of tenancies.  
6. Appeal, Revision and Review.  
7. Bar of Courts Jurisdiction.  
8. Rules. 
 
TEXT 
1
THE PUNJAB PROTECTION AND RESTORATION OF TENANCY RIGHTS 
ACT, 1950 
(XIII of 1950) 
[2 May 1950] 
Preamble.– WHEREAS it is necessary to protect and t o restore the rights of certain 
tenants of land in respect of their tenancies; 
 AND WHEREAS  the Governor of the Punjab has in pursuance of a 
proclamation issued
2
 by the Governor-General of Pakistan under section 92 -A of the 
Government of India Act, 1935, a ssumed on behalf of the Governor -General all 
powers vested in or exercisable by the Provincial Legislature under the said Act; 
 NOW, THEREFORE, in exercise of the powers so assumed the Governor is 
hereby pleased to enact as follows:– 
1. Short title, commen cement and extent .– (1) This Act may be called the 
Punjab Protection and Restoration of Tenancy Rights Act, 1950. 
 (2) It shall come into force
3
 in such areas and at such time as may be 
notified by the Provincial Government in the official Gazette 
4
[:] 
 
5
[ * * * * * * * * *   ] 
 
6
[ * * * * * * * * *   ] 
 Provided 
7
[*] that nothing in this Act shall apply to the case of 
8
[* * *] a tenant of 
holding any land under the Provincial or the 
9
[Federal Government], or under any 
10
[Local Government], or any other auth ority as may be notified
1
 by the Provincial 
Government in this behalf. 
                                                           
1This Act was assented to by the Governor of the Punjab on May 2, 1950, published in the Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary), 
dated May 2, 1950, pp. 91-93. 
2It was issued on January 24, 1949 and stood revoked on April 4, 1951.  
3Came into force on May  4, 1950, vide Notification No.  843-R, dated May  3, 1950, published in the Punjab Gazette 
(Extraordinary), 1950, p. 89. 
4Substituted for the comma by the Punjab Protection and Restoration of Tenancy Rights (Amendment) Act, 1952 (VIII of 1952), 
published in the Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary), dated February 4, 1952, pp.93-95, s. 2(i). 
5Deleted by the Act ibid. 
6Ibid., s. 2(ii). 
7Deleted the word “further” by the Act ibid. 
8Deleted the words “a tenant of evacuee property, or” by the Act ibid. 
9Substituted for the words “Central Government” by the Punjab Laws (Adaptation) Order, 1974 (I of 1974) (w.e.f. 14.8.1973), 
published in the Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary), date d November 20, 1974, pp.1425 -A-1425-PP, Article 2(1) read with 
Schedule.  
10Substituted for the words and commas  “District Board, Municipal Committee or Notified Area Committee” by the Punjab 
Protection and Restoration of Tenancy Rights (Amendment) Ordinanc e, 2001 (LI of 2001), published in the Punjab Gazette 
(Extraordinary), pp. 1969-1970, s.  2, which was protected and continued under the Provisional Constitutional Order, 1999 
(Chief Executive’s Order 1 of 1999) as amended by the Provisional Constitution (A mendment) Order, 1999 (Chief Executive’s 
Order 9 of 1999) and Article 270AA of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan as substituted by the Constitution  
(Eighteenth Amendment) Act, 2010. 
2. Definitions.– In this Act unless there is anything repugnant in the subject or 
context– 
(i) “evacuee property” shall have the same meaning as may be assigned 
to it by any law for the time being in force; 
(ii) “land” and other terms used but not defined in this Act and defined in 
the Punjab Tenancy Act, 1887
2
, shall have the meanings assigned to 
them in that Act; 
(iii) “revenue officer” means a revenue officer as defined in the Punjab 
Land Revenue Act, 
3
[1967 (XVII of 1967)], and there shall be the same 
classes of revenue officers with similar powers including powers of 
superintendence, control, distribution of business, and withdrawal and 
transfer of cases under this Act as there are under that Act; 
(iv) “tenant” means a tenant not having a right of occupancy, and not 
holding for a fixed term under a contract or a decree or order of a 
competent authority, and includes a person, who while in possession of 
any land as a tenant has been ejected. 
3. Grounds necessary for ejectment of the tenants and procedure .– (1) 
Notwithstanding any provision contained in any other law for the time being in force 
to the contrary, a tenant shall not be ejected from his tenancy unless it is established 
that he has– 
(i) failed to pay the rent in accordance with the terms of the tenancy; or 
4
[(ii) * * * * * * * * *   ] 
(iii) used the land comprised in the tenancy in a manner which renders it 
unfit for the purpose for which he held it; or 
                                                                                                                                                                                     
1For exemptions see Notification No. 1024.R, dated June 7, 1950, issued by the Revenue Department wherein Governor of the 
Punjab is pleased to notify that nothing in the said Act shall apply to the cases of tenants holding any land under the Lahor e 
Improvement Trust, published in the Punjab Gazette, Part I, dated June 16, 1950, p. 275.  
Also see Notification No. 1410-R, dated August 26, 1950, published in the Punjab Gazette, Part I, dated September 1, 1950, p. 
372, issued by the Revenue Department wherein Governor of the Punjab is pleased to notify that nothing  in the said Act shall 
apply to the cases of tenants holding any land under the: 
1. Kasur Improvement Trust; 
2. Sialkot Improvement Trust; 
3. Rawalpindi Improvement Trust; 
4. Sargodha Improvement Trust; and 
5. Multan Improvement Trust. 
See Notification No.1308 -R, dated A ugust 4, 1950,  issued by the Revenue Department wherein Governor of the Punjab is 
pleased to notify that nothing in the said Act shall apply to the cases of tenants holding any land under the Thal Developmen t 
Authority, published in the Punjab Gazette, Part I, dated August 11, 1950, p. 347. 
For tenants of Co -operative Model Town Society, Lahore, see Notification No.  1763-R, dated July  24, 1950, published in the 
Punjab Gazette, Part I, dated July 28, 1950, p. 732. 
2XVI of 1887.  
3Substituted for the figure “ 1887” by the Punjab Protection and Restoration of Tenancy Rights (Amendment) Ordinance, 2001 
(LI of 2001), published in the Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary),  pp. 1969-1970, s. 3, which was protected and continued under 
the Provisional Constitutional Order, 1 999 (Chief Executive’s Order 1 of 1999) as amended by the Provisional Constitution 
(Amendment) Order, 1999 (Chief Executive’s Order 9 of 1999) and Article 270AA of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of 
Pakistan as substituted by the Constitution (Eighteenth Amendment) Act, 2010.  
4Deleted by the Punjab Protection and Restoration of Tenancy Rights (Amendment) Act, 1952 (VIII of 1952), published in the 
Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary), dated February 4, 1952, pp. 93-95, s. 3(1)(a). 
(iv) failed to cultivate or arrange for the cultivation of the land comprised in 
the tenancy in accordance with the terms thereof, or if there are no 
express terms in this behalf, in accordance with the customary manner 
of cultivation in the locality: 
Provided that where a landl ord, his son, or grand -son does not have 
under his personal cultivation (including cultivation through a servant or 
hired labour) jointly or severally or in partnership with anyone else, out 
of the cultureable land owned by the landlord an area equal to 25  
acres, his right to eject any tenant from such portion of his tenancy, as 
with the area already in the possession of such landlord, his son or 
grand-son whether jointly or severally or in partnership with any one 
else will take 25 acres, will not be affec ted 
1
[, and that in the case of a 
landlord owning more than 100 acres of land, the minimum of 25 acres 
shall be deemed to have been raised to 50 acres,]   
Provided further that for the purposes of the first proviso an acre of 
unirrigated culturable land sh all be counted as half an acre 
2
[, and the 
classification of land made and the ratio between the irrigated and 
other categories of land fixed for purposes of determining the area for 
personal cultivation under the Punjab Tenancy Act, 1887, shall mutatis 
mutandis apply for purposes of determining the area for personal 
cultivation under this Act]:  
3
[Provided further that for the purposes of this subsection subletting of 
the tenancy or any portion thereof shall not be treated as arrangement 
for the cultivatio n of the land comprised in the tenancy, except where 
the tenant is incapacitated bodily from cultivating the land himself.] 
 (2) An application for the ejectment of a tenant on any one or more of the 
grounds mentioned in subsection (1) may be made by the l andlord to a revenue 
officer of any grade having jurisdiction in the area where the tenancy is situated. 
 
4
[(2A) Where a landlord has in exercise of the right reserved by the first 
proviso to subsection (1) once secured an area for personal cultivation, he  shall not 
thereafter have the right to claim any other area in lieu of the said area or any part 
thereof even though he may have lost that land through alienation: 
 Provided that he shall have the right of exchanging the said area of 25 acres 
or any part thereof with any land in which he may acquire proprietary rights by 
inheritance after having secured the said area: 
 Provided further that if the land secured by the landlord for personal 
cultivation or any portion thereof is compulsorily acquired by the P rovincial or 
5
[Federal Government], or is rendered darya burd, or if 50 per centum or more thereof 
                                                           
1Substituted and added by the Act ibid., s. 3(1)(b). 
2Ibid., s. 3(1)(c). 
3Added by the Act ibid., s. 3(1)(d). 
4Inserted subsections (2A), (2B), (2C) and (2D) by the Punjab Protection and Restoration of Tenancy Rights (Amendment) Act, 
1952 (VIII of 1952), published in the Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary), dated February 4, 1952, pp. 93-95, s. 3(2). 
5Substituted for the words “Central Government” by the Punjab Laws (Adaptation) Order, 1974 (I of 1974) (w.e.f. 14.8.1973), 
published in the Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary), dated November  20, 1974, pp.  1425-A-1425-PP, Article 2(1) read with 
Schedule.  
is rendered totally unculturable on account of the action of Sem or Thur, the landlord 
shall be entitled to so much additional area, as with the area, if any , still in his 
possession, and in the last mentioned case, the area fit for cultivation, will make up 
25 acres, and for this purpose he may eject any tenant.  
 (2B) Where a person has, under the provisions of this Act or of any other 
law for the time being  in force, secured or retained any land for personal cultivation, 
he may let out the whole or any part of such land to tenants, and such tenants shall 
not have the protection of this Act in respect of ejectment from the land so let out to 
them. 
 (2C) When any land, not secured or retained by any person owning land for 
personal cultivation under this Act or under any other law for the time being in force, 
is transferred by sale, exchange, gift, will, mortgage or any other means, whether 
permanently or temporarily, the transferee shall not have the right to eject the tenant 
thereof on any ground on which he could not be ejected by the transferer:  
 Provided that the prohibition imposed by this subsection shall not apply where 
any sale of such land is effected with the sanction of the Collector under subsection 
(2D). 
 (2D) Where any person wishes to sell any land which has not been secured 
or retained by him for personal cultivation, he may make an application in writing to 
the Collector of the District where th e land is situate, and the Collector may, after 
such inquiry as he may consider necessary, either grant the necessary sanction in 
writing or reject the application.] 
 (3) On receiving the application of a landlord under subsection (2) the 
revenue officer s hall, if the application is in order and not open to objection on the 
face of it, cause a notice to be served on the tenant to show cause why he should 
not be ejected from his tenancy or such portion thereof as is referred to in the 
application: 
 Provided that no notice under this subsection shall be served after the 15 th 
day of November in any year. 
 (4) The notice shall specify the name of the landlord on whose application 
it has been issued and describe the land to which it relates and the ground or 
grounds on which it is based. 
 (5) The revenue officer, after hearing both the parties, if present, on a date 
fixed for the purpose, and making such further enquiries as he may consider 
necessary, shall pass an order directing the tenant to be ejected or the n otice to be 
cancelled, as the case may be: 
 Provided that no order for the ejectment of a tenant shall be executed before 
the first day of May in any year, and in no case shall a tenant be ejected without 
paying such compensation to him, as he may be entit led to under the law, for the 
standing crop, if any, or for preparing the land for sowing, if it has been so prepared, 
as may be determined by the revenue officer. 
 
1
[ * * * * * * * * *   ] 
                                                           
1Deleted the subsections (6 & 7) by the Punjab Protection and Restoration of Tenancy Rights (Amendment) Act, 1952 (VIII of 
1952), published in the Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary), dated February 4, 1952, pp. 93-95, s. 3(3). 
4. Notices and proceedings to be invalid .– Notwithstanding anythin g to the 
contrary contained in any other law for the time being in force, all notices issued 
against a tenant under sections 44 or 45 of the Punjab Tenancy Act, 1887
1
, on or 
after the 15 th day of June, 1949, and all proceedings taken in pursuance of such 
notices before the date of the enforcement of this Act in any area shall be deemed to 
be invalid and of no effect. 
5. Restoration of tenancies .– (1) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary 
contained in any other law for the time being in force, a tenant wh o was ejected or 
dispossessed at any time between the 15 th day of June, 1949, and the date of the 
enforcement of this Act by process of law or otherwise from his tenancy, in any area 
to which this Act applies may within two months from the date of the enfo rcement of 
this Act apply, for the restoration of his tenancy, to a revenue officer of any grade 
having jurisdiction in the said area. 
 (2) On receiving an application under subsection (1) and on being satisfied 
after such enquiry as he may consider necess ary that the facts mentioned therein 
are correct the revenue officer shall serve an order on the land -lord and any other 
person in possession of the tenancy to restore possession thereof to the applicant 
immediately: 
 Provided that the tenant to whom the t enancy has been restored shall be 
liable to pay such compensation to the person evicted for the standing crop, if any, 
and for preparing the land for sowing, if it has been so prepared, as may be 
determined by the Revenue Officer on the latter’s application in this behalf: 
 Provided further that if the compensation is not paid within one month of the 
date of the order made by the Revenue Officer in this behalf the tenant to whom the 
tenancy was restored shall be ejected therefrom and the land shall be restored to the 
person who was evicted under the orders of the Revenue Officer. 
6. Appeal, Revision and Review.– An order passed by a Revenue Officer of any 
grade under this Act shall for purposes of appeal, revision and review, be treated as 
an order of a Revenue Officer  of the same grade under the Punjab Tenancy Act, 
1887
2
, and shall be subject to the provisions of the latter Act with respect to appeal, 
revision and review. 
7. Bar of Courts Jurisdiction .– (1) Notwithstanding anything contained in any 
other law  for the time being in force, no Court shall have any jurisdiction in any 
matter which a Revenue Officer is empowered by this Act to dispose of. 
 (2) No Court shall take cognizance of the manner in which any Revenue 
Officer exercises any power vested in him under this Act. 
8. Rules.– (1) The Provincial Government may make rules
3
 consistent with this Act 
for regulating the procedure of Revenue Officers  under this Act in cases in which a 
procedure is not prescribed by this Act. 
                                                           
1XVI of 1887. 
2XVI of 1887.  
3The Punjab Protection and Restoration of Tenancy Rights Rules, 1950, issued by the Revenue Department, vide Notification 
No.1101-R, dated June 23, 1950, published in the Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary), dated June 24, 1950, pp. 153-154. 
 (2) The rules may provide, among other matters, for the mode of enforcing 
orders of ejectment from, and delivery of possession of land, and rules providing for 
these matters may confer on a Revenue Officer all or any of the powers in regard to 
contempts, resistance and the like which a  Civil Court may exercise in the execution 
of a decree whereby it has adjudged ejectment from, or delivery of possession of 
land. 
 (3) The rules may also provide for the mode of executing orders as to 
costs, and may adapt to proceedings under this Act all or any of the provisions of the 
Punjab Land Revenue Act, 
1
[1967 (XVII of 1967)], with respect to arbitration. 
 (4) Subject to the rules under this section, a Revenue Officer may refer 
any case which he is empowered to dispose of under this Act to another R evenue 
Officer for investigation and report, and may decide the case upon the report. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                           
1Substituted for the figure “1887” by the Punjab Protection and Restoration of Tenancy Rights (Amendment) Ordinance, 2001 
(LI of 2001), published in the Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary),  pp. 1969-1970, s. 3, which was protected and continued under 
the Provisional Constitutional Order, 1999 (Chief Executive’s Order 1 of 1999) as amended by the Provisional Constitution 
(Amendment) Order, 1999 (Chief Executive’s Order 9 of 1999) and Article 270AA of the Constitution of t he Islamic Republic of 
Pakistan as substituted by the Constitution (Eighteenth Amendment) Act, 2010.