Sale of State Lands (Special Provisions) Law 1973 (No. 43 of 1973)

SALE OF STATE LANDS (SPECIAL PROVISIO;NS) LAW, No. 43 OF 1973 OF THE NATIONAL STATE ASSEMBLY rCertified 011 17t,1t October, 1973J Prittted on the Orders of Gove:mment pRINTED AT THE DEPARTMENT OF GOVERNMENT PRINTING, SRI LANKA (CEYLON) TO BE PURCgASED AT THE GOVT. PUBLICATIONS BUREAU, COLOMBO Prlca : 75 cants. Postage: 15 cents Sale of State Lands (Special Provisions) Lau. v.. .;.1 of J:1";:1 L. D.-O. '18/72. A LA\V TO PROVIDE FOR THE SYSTEMATIC SALE OF STATE LAND IN SRI LANKA TO CERTAIN PRESCRIBED CLASSES OF PERSONS FOH THE PUHPOSE OF AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT, FOR THE REPEAL OF CERTAIN PROVI SIONSOF THE LAKD DEVELOPl\1El'iT ORDINANCE AND FOR MATTEHS CONNECTED THEHEWITH on INCIDEt\T'J.'AL THERETO. Be it enacted by the National State Assembly of the Republic of Sri Lanka as follows: 1. This Law lila v be cited as the Sale of State Lands (Special Provisions Law, :\0. 48 of HI7:). CHAPTER I SALE OF ~TATE I ...AND 2. The Government Agent of each administrative district shall from time to time in such form as mav be provided for the purpose make a report t{} th~ Land Commissioner of any State land available for alienation bv way of sale under this Law for the purpose of agricultural development. 3. On the reciept of any report under section 2, the Land Commissioner shall decide what extent of the land referred to in the report, if any, should be sold. 4. The decision of the Land Commissioner under section 3 shall be conveyed to the Government Agent together with instructions as to the mode and manner of the disposition of such land. 5. (1) The Government Agent shall subject to any general or special instructions as may be issued by the Land Commissioner and any regulations relating, thereto, by a notification published in the prescribed manner call for applications for the alienation of State land by way of sale. (2) Every such notification shall be in the prescribed form and shall fix a date before which applications shall be made, (3) Where a date has been so fixed in the notification, the Government Agent may, in his discretion, refuse to accept or to consider any application made after that date. 2-A 01042-10.520 cnl!l\ Short till, GO\'I .· ment ':;~l"nl to report on Rlftt~ ls nd for sale ill hi. disteiet. Land Com. missic nr-r to take action on such "', port. Land Com. missioner to oonvev to Go\'("';' meut Aceur his decision. Notifice tion of sale of Stat.("· land. Persons to whom State llloDd may be alienated. Appeal to Land Com· milISioner. Govern mentAgent Dot to alienato tho land, ~ whioh an appeal re1&teII. I'rioe to be paid for par abase of and. 2 Sale of State Lands (Special Provisions) Law, No. ,43 of 1973 6. (1) No State land shall be alienated under this Law to any person other than a person who is a citizen of the Republic of Sri Lanka. (2) Any alienation of land in contravention of the provisions of subsection (1) shall be null and void and no right, title or interest shall pass or be deemed to have passed to the alienee under the instrument of such alienation. (3) The persons to whom land shall be alienated shall be selected from such class of persons as may be prescribed. (4) The mode and manner of selection of persons shall be in the prescribed manner. (5) The Government Agent shall notify all appli cants for the alienation of' land whether they have been selected for such alienation of land or not. 7. (1) An appeal in the manner prescribed shall lie to the Land Commissioner on the following grounds: (a) that the notification calling for applications was not published in accordance with the provi sions of section 5 '(1~ or any regulations made thereunder; on (b) that the selection was made contrary to the provisions of subsections (1), (3) or (4) of . section 6. (2) The Land Commissioner shall hear and deter mine every appeal under subsection (1) within such time as may be prescribed for the purpose. The decision of the Land Commissioner on such ap~eal shall be final and conclusive and Shallnot be question ed in any court of law. 8. The Government Agent shall not alienate any land in respect of which an appeal has been preferred under section 7, till the decision on such appeal has been conveyed to him by the L~nd Commissioner. 9, The price at which such:l.all~ s}1all be sold shall be determined by the Land Commissioner. Sale of State Lands (Special Provisions) 3 Law, No. 43 of 1973 CHAPTER II GRANTS AND PERMITS 10. (1) Where a person selected is notified under , subsection (5) of section 6, he shall elect whether he will make immediate payment of the purchase amount in full or whether he desires to make payment in instalments. He shall notify the Government Agent of such election within two weeks of the date of selection. ' (2) Where such person elects to make immediate payment of the purchase amount in full, he shall accordingly make payment to the Government Agent within one month of such election. 11. Upon the payment of the purchase amount in full under subsection (2) of section 10, such person shall be entitled to be placed in possession of the land purchased by him and to receive a grant in respect of such land. 12. Where such person fails to pay the purchase amount in full under subsection (2) of section 10, the Government Agent shall be entitled to refuse to sell such land to such person. 13. (1) Every grant issued under section 11 shall be substantially in a prescribed form and' shall be subject to the following conditions: (i) the holder of the grant shall not dispose of the land comprised in the grant except with the prior written consent of the Government Agent; (ii) the holder of the grant shall not dispose of a portion of such land which is less, in extent than the unit of the subdivision as may be prescribed; and (iii) the holder of the, grant shall not dispose of such land or a portion thereof in such, manner that the 'land be subject to co-Ownership. I (¥).Every re.gulation prescribing the unit. of.. the sub-IVlSlon in respect of any land sold for, the, purpose}he establishment of plantation crops shall be made 'WIth the concurrence of the Minister in charge of Pla.ntation Industries. Payment immediate or in in.etalmen.... When PAt i, given. Canoella. tion of sale. Form of grant and ccndltione therein. !{t';;iftru, t i(,u of ~~rl tA. ! litl;!ftllU to 1>0 .1tt>l.Ch.,,1 ! 0 g-rn,nt,. ~ ~tJpy to bu r::lpplioo (Ill lllV:nv'nl ot' j)("I'·.. '·rdH.... i f"I'. :'1\\·J:1,011{ iu l:, :.-t,~~IIIIPll t:.:. "·!lcon P.or :111[ I~ :~nulh·(to Survey of land aud regiatrat.ion of permit. ....;I/ll' (If St at c l.u nd» (.",'/,I'C£(// Provisions) l,« II" 0 .\" 0 ;O)'"f !':- ';.; 14. (1) 1-:\'('1'.\' grant, when issued. shal l be regi:-;· tered at tll(' ill:,l:dll'(' (If t h.- (;OH'rnlllcnt .\gent in such munner a:' IlI:l,\' he p rcscrihcd. (:2) :\0 fl,t';': shu ll he paid 01' received for such registration, 15. Tile land alienated Oil any such grant shall be described with reference to a plan prepared by 01' under the author itv of the ~ul'Yeyor-Gencraland kept in his charge, There shall be attached to each grant a d i.urrutn oj' t Ill' land sold on that U'l'ant, The d iaur.un :-hall'!l(, pl'epared hy the Slll'\"L'YO/"'( ;enNal hut it'~!Jall lin! Itt' J\('('(':-:-a1'\' f'lI' tllp d i.unam to heal' 011 the fan' thel't't'" n ('!'I'I'ili('ail' tn th~ died that it was ~') p n'pal'ec! 16. The :-'ul'\t'\"(II'-(;('Ill'l'al sha ll cause to be issued to all:" applil';\lll 'a copy of any plan or of any part th(·!'(,(!±' OIl p;l,\'Illellt (If tIll' jll'l':'l'I'illt'd fet', 17. \\'IH'll a person selected elects under section 10 to make payment for such land in instalments. t11(' Government Agent shall allow payment of the purchase amount ill such annual instalments subject to such terms j nclud ing the payment of interest as the Minister may think fit or as may be prescribed by the Minister. 18. (1) Where a pcr~on is allowed under section 17 by the (;o\'\'l'llmelJ! .:\gent tn make payment of the purchase amount in annual instalments, Iw shall Lw issued a permit. substantially in the prescribed form and placed in possession of the land al ienated 011 such permit. (2) Such permit issued under subsection (1) of this section shall contain (([) the date on which such annual instalments shall commence; (b) the number of such instalments; and (c) the amount payable for each such instalment. 19. The Government Agent shall cause the land alienated on such a permit to be surveyed by or under the authority of the Surveyor-General and the extent. and the description of the land so surveyed shall h,' inserted in such permit. The (;OVl'rnIlH'nt Am1llf ch,'\1 Sale of State Lands (Special Provisions) 5 Law, No. .43 of 1973 after the particulars relating to such extent and description are inserted in the permit, cause the permit, to be registered; no fee shall be paid or received for such registration. 20. Unless such permit is earlier cancelled under :,cdion 27, the permit shall remain in force until the permit-holder has paid all such sums which he is required to pay under the permit and has received a grant in respect of that land under section 21. 21. Where a permit-holder has paid all sums of money which he is required to pay under section 17, he shall be entitled to receive a grant in respect of that land under section 11. 22. The conditions included in any such grant or permit shall as from the date of such grant or permit, run with the land and shall bind the original holder of the grant or permit-holder and all persons whom soever who acquire any title thereto. CHAPTER III PROTECTION OF LAND HELD ON PERMITS OR GRANTS 23. The provisions of section 39 and 40 of the Land Development Ordinance shall apply to any grant or permit issued under this Law, in the same manner and extent as if such grant or permit were a grant 'Or permit issued under the Land Development Ordinance. CI-L\PTEU IV I )rSl'O'iITIOXS 2<11. The provisions of sections 42 to -i7 (both in clusive) of the Land lJcvclopment Ordinance shall apply to any land alienated under this Law by way of permit or grant a:-; if such permit or grant were issued under the Land Development Ordinance and in the application of the aforesaid .. provisions, the said Ordlnance shall be read and construed 'subject to thr f-oU(U~inglmodifications: ~~paragrapb (b) of section 43 0.£ that Ordinane« as.if for the words" or registered societv ". there were substituted the words d or' till' Bank of Ceylon OJ' :l l'nn·;d~·· 1 • Permit tu remain in force tiiJ grant Ii' obtainod. 'YI",,.., 1',.,. mit i converted to a grnn t.. Condit ion in a gran: or permit to run with t.h~ land. Protection of land" held eli permits or grants. l)I:-iP(I~lti\ll of land ~J1: gra.nt (If Jl'·l'Illlt. (ii) Sale of State Lands (Special Provisions) Law, No. 4/3 of 1973 in subsection (1) of section 47 of that Ordinance, as if for the words " under section 53 of the Co-operative Societies Ordinance" there were substituted the words " under section 58 of the Co-operative Societies Law, No.5 of 1972: Provided, however, that the permit-holder under this Law may with the written consent of the Govern ment Agent, assign his right, title or interest in the land alienated to him under such permit. 6 Last will of holder to have oertain limi tations. CHAPTER V SUCCESSION 25. (1) The holder of a grant or a permit-holder may make a specific disposition of the land held by him by last will. (2) Any disposition under subsection (1) shall be invalid if such disposition in any way contravenes the conditions contained in such grant or permit or any of the provisions of this Law. (3) Where any such disposition in a last will is not in accordance with subsection (2) of this section such disposition shall be invalid and the holder of such grant or permit-holder shall be deemed to have died intestate with respect to such land. Devolution or title in Cl8I8 of inteeteoy. 26~ If the holder of. a grant or a permit-holder dies intestate or is deemed to ha.ve died intestate under. subsection (3) of section 25 or if probate of any last will left by him is refused or recalled or set aside .by Order of a court of competent jurisdiction, the title to such land shall devolve as prescribed in rule I of the Schedule to this Law. Govern mentAgent to canool permitll. CHAPTER VI CANCELLATION OF PERMITS 27. The Government Agent may by an endorse ment on a permit issued under this Law or on a certi fied copy thereof cancel such permit where the annual instalments specified in such permit are not paid in accordance with the oonditionsof such permit: Provided, however, that the person liable for the ,payment of moneys due under such permit has been afforde"d an opportunity' of showing cause against the proposed cancellation. Sale of State Latuis (Special Provisions) 7 Law, No. .43 of 1973 ' 28. Where any permit has been cancelled under section 27, the Government Agent may cause a notice tobe served on any person in possession or occupation of 'the land alienat~d under that permit calling upon such person forthwith to vacate the land. , . 29. Where any person on whom a notice has been issued under section 28 fails forthwith to vacate the land and deliver possession thereof in terms of the notice so issued and served upon him, the Government Agent, or some other person deputed by him for the purpose, may present to the Magistrate a written report stating the fact that the permit relating to such land has been duly cancelled and that the person named in such report is in unlawful possession or occupation of such land and has failed to vacate such land though served with a notice under section 28. 30. Upon receipt of a written report presented to him, under section 29, the Magistrate shall forthwith issuesummons to the person named in such report to appear and show cause on a specified date why he should not be ejected from the land. 31. If on the date specified in a summons issued under section 30, the person to whom such summons was issued fails to appear, or appears and informs the court that he has no cause to show against an order of ejectment the OOUI1; !Shall forthwith issue an order \ directing such person to be ejected from the land. 32.' If the person to whom summons, has been issued under section 30 appears on the date specified in such summons and states that he has cause to show against the issue of an order of ejectment, the Magis trate may proceed forthwith to hear and determine the matter or may set the case down for inquiry on some further date, 33. If after the inquiry, the Magistrate is not satisfied that the person showing cause is entitled to the possession or occupation of the land, he shall make order directing such person forthwith to be ejected from such land. M. (1) The Magistrate shall, on the application of the Government Agent or other prescribed, officer, direct the Fiscal or a peace officer to eject from the land any person bound by the!order of ejectment and to deliver possession' of theIand to the Government Agent or other prescribed officer. Notice to issue on party in ocoupation to vacate land. Reporttoa Magistrate if person served with notice refuses to vacate land. Summons to issue. Order of ejectment where' no oause is shown. Inquiry' if cause itt' shown." ,:' Order of ejectment. Execution of order of ejectment. lU:-,1 ,-l; n n-u t s u i rr-nd y puil! ;" b\.\ rt·· fl1lHk..d on (;u.I1C~('11a :,10'1, ..\ licnoes under laud Develop, mcnt Ord i nance linve right to purchase under (hi, law. ~"ccialpro visiona to ,:\Pjl!)" in )'c"poct (.f lan~t acquir ,.c! under t.ho Land Redemp tion Ordi nance and alienated by way of grant or permit issu cd under tho Land Develop ment Ordi nance. b Sale of State Lands (Special Pl'OVlSWnS) Laic, No. 43 of lV7S (2) The Fiscal or the peace officer entrusted with the execution of the order of ejectment shall comply with the directions of the Magistrate and make due return of the manner in which he executes the order. (3) In executing an order of ejectment, the Fiscal or the peace officer or any officer authorized by either of them may use such force as may be necessary to enter the land, or eject any person bound by the order of ejectment and to deliver possession of the land to the Government Agent or other prescribed officer. 35. (1) Where any permit is cancelled under ~(:,tion 27. the Government Agent shall return to the permit-holder the instalments already paid on such permit. (2) The Government Agent shall deduct from such amount paid as instalments, a sum calculated at such rate as may be prescribed for the period during which the land was occupied under such permit. 36. (1) Every person who, on the day immediately prior to the commencement of this Law, is lawfully entitled to any land alienated under the Land Develop ment Ordinance in the capacity of either permit-holder or owner, shall have the right to purchase such land within such time as specified for the purpose under this Law and obtain a grant of that land under section 11 of this Law. (2) The amount to be paid by such person shall be determined by the Land Commissioner. 37. The following provisions shall apply in respect of the issue of a grant for alienation of land under subsection (1) of section 36 of this Law where such land had been acquired under the provisions of the Land Redemption Ordinance. No. 61 of In42, and was held on a permit or a grant issued under the Land Development Ordinance (a) The grant shall be in the prescribed form. (b) The provisions of sections 13, 23, 24, 25, 26, 44, 45 and 51 of this Law shall not apply 'to the land held on such grant. (c) The- grant shall have effect as if it were an absolute grant of land made under section 2 of the Crown Lands Ordinance and the pro visions of that Ordinance shall apply to the right, title and -interest of the alienee of the land under such grant. Sale of State Lands (Special Provisions) 9 Law, No . .43 of 1973 38. (1) Upon an application being made to him by such pers0!1 under section 36, the Government Ag-ent shall require such person to elect within a specified time whether he will make immediate payment of the purchase amount in full or whether he desires to make payment in instalments. (2) Where a person elects to make immediate pay ment of the purchase amount in full, he shall accord ingly make payment to the Government Agent within one month of such election. (3) Where a person elects to make payment in instal ments, the Government Agent shall endorse on that permit or grant issued to such person under the Land Development Ordinance, or on a slip attached thereto and signed by the Government Agent, the manner in which such instalments shall be paid. (4) Where no permit has actually been issued to such person under the Land Development Ordinance, the Government Agent shall issue to such person a permit under section 18. 39. Upon an endorsement being made on his permit Or grant under section 38, such person shall, in place of the annual payments specified on such permit or grant, pay annually to the Government Agent the amounts endorsed on such permit or grant in the manner specified therein. 40. Upon an endorsement being made on his permit or grant under subsection (3) of section 38, such person shall be deemed to be a permit-holder under section] 8 and the provisions of this Law relating to permit holders shall apply to such persons notwithstanding anything contained in his permit or grant issued under the Land Development Ordinance. • 41. Where a person has paid all the sums of money . required to be paid under section 38 or section 39 he shall receive a grant of that land under section 11 of this. Law in place of the permit or gran t issued under the Land Development Ordinance or the permit issued under section 38 of this Law. 42. Where any person who on the day immediately prior to the commencement of 'this Law, is lawfully entitled to a~y land alienated ~tl9-er. the Land Deve lopment Ordinance, does not exercise the right to purchase such land under section 36 of this Law, the Minister may cancer such alienation on the payment .of such compensation a~ m:l,v hp nptPl'1Yl;"''',1 l-.... h:~ Where epplicaciou is made by alienees under the Land Deve lopment Ordinanoe. New man ner of payment. Proviaions of this law to apply to old permits. Grant un der the Land De· velopment Ordinance converted to a grant un der this law. Altona tion of land under the Land Develop ment Ordi nance to. bc can· celled• Power to make reo gulations. 10 Sale of State Lands (Special Provisions) Law, No. 43 of 1973 CHAPTER VII Regulations 43. (1) The Minister may from time to time make regulations for the purposes of carrying out or giving effect to the principles and provisions of this Law. (2) In particular and without prejudice to the generality of the powers conferred by sub-section (1) of this section, the Minister may make regulations in respect of all or any of the following matters: (a) the classification of the purposes for which the land may be sold under this Law; (b) the classification of the persons to whom land may be sold under this Law; (c) the manner in which persons shall be selected for the land; (d) the forms of notifications and the manner in which they should be published; (e) the maximum period to be allowed for the pay ment of the purchase amount in instalments; (f) the form of grants and permits; (g) the fees to be recovered under this Law; (h) the registration of grants and permits; (i) the procedure to be observed in cancelling permits; (j) the sum which may be deducted by the Govern ment Agent on cancellation of a permit; (k) the form of notices or other process and the manner of publishing or serving such notice or process; (l) all other matters which are required by this Law to .be prescribed or in respect of which regu lations are required to be made; and . (m) all matters incidental to or connected with: the matters referred to in this Law. Sale of State Lands (Special Prooisionss 11 Law, No . .43 of 1973 (3) Where regulations are made £01' (a) the classification of pur.{>oses for which land may be sold under this Law and any such purpose is for . the establishment of planta tion crops; and (b) the selection of persons to whom land may be sold under this Law for the establishment of plantation crops; such regulations shall be made with the concurrence of the Minister in charge of Plantation Industries. (4) Every regulation made by the Minister shall be published in the Gazette and shall come into operation on the date of such publication. (5) Every regulation made by the Minister shall, as soon as convenient after publication in the Gazette be brought before the National State Assembly for approval. Any regulation which is not :so approved shall be deemed to be rescinded from the date of dis approval, but without prejudice to anything previously done thereunder. (6) Notification ot the date on which any regulation made by the Minister is so deemed to be rescinded shall be published in the Gazette. CHAPTER VIII GENERAL M. No person shall, by possession of any land alienated on a permit acquire any prescriptive title thereto against any other person or against the Republic of Sri Lanka-. 415. (1) A Notary shall not attest any instrument operating as a disposition of any land held on a grant or permit under this' Law which contravenes the provisions of this Law. (2) .An instrument executed or attested in contra vention of the provisions of this section shall be null and void. 416. A Notary who knowingly attests any deed in breach Of the provisions of section 45 shall be guilty of an offence and shall, on conviction by a Magistrate aften summary trial, be liable to a fine not exceeding five hundred rupees. No pres oriptive title to be acquired to land alie nated un der permit. Notary prohibitedl from attes· ting iJWtru· ment of dispoeition ofland held undergrant or permit. No~ atteeting deed in brNch of eeotion " guilty of an ofl'enoe. Puniah mont far enoroachors . Action re !!indio caiio may he main t uined uguinst Risto III respect of nl icnated lund , 12 Sale of State Lands (Special Provisions) Law, No . .~3 of 1973 47. (1) Where any person encroaches OIl any land which has been alienated under this Law on a permit, he shall be guilty of an offence and shall on conviction after summary trial before a Magistrate, be liable to a fine not exceeding five hundred rupees or to imprison ment of either description for a term not exceeding six months or to both such fine and imprisonment. (2) Proceedings under subsection (1) shall be institu ted by the Government Agent of the administrative district in 'which the land encroached on is situated, or by any officer authorised in that behalf by such Government Agent. (3) It shall not be open to any person who has encroa ched on any land under subsection (1) to assert or prove that the land does not belong to the State or question the validity of any permit issued in respect of such land. (4) A conviction under subsection (1) shall operate as an order of ejectment made under section 33 and on such conviction the Government Agent of the administrative district in which the land encroached on is situated or any other prescribed office may apply to the Magistrate under section 34 for the enforcement of such order of ejectment. 48. (1) Nothing in this Law contained shall preclude any person claiming to be entitled to any land which has been alienated from instituting an action against the State for the vindication of his title thereto; but nothing in this section shall enable or authorize the holder of a grant or the permit holder to sue the State for the vindication of title to such land alienated to such holder of a grant or a permit-holder, as the case may be. (2) Notwithstanding anything in any other la~­ fa) the State shall be entitled to institute action against any person in whose favour an action against the State for vindication of title to any land referred to in subsection (1) bas been decided for the value of any improve ment effp~ted on that land by the State or any person to whom such land has been $l 1ien...~d under this Law; and Sale of State Lands (Special Provisions) 13 Law, No. 43 of 1973 (b) no action shall be maintainable in any court of law against the State for damages arising from the ocupation of such land by any person to whom such land has been so alienated. 49. (1) Where an action instituted by any person against the State for vindication of title to any land alienated under this Law has been decided in favour of such person, and where the Minister approves the acquisition of that land by the State, that land shall accordingly be deemed to be required for a public purpose and may be acquired compulsorily under the land Acquisition Act. (2) For the purposes of the assessment of eompensa t.ion in respect of any land which is referred to in subsection (1) and which is acquired under the Land Acquisition Act, subsection (1) of section 45 of that Act shall have effect as if there were substituted, for the 'words " on the date of publication of that Notice in tho Gazette" occurring in that subsection, the words " on the day immediately. preceding the date of alienation of that land by the State under the Sale of State Lands (Special Provisions) Law. ". 50. No suit shall lie against any state officer for anything done by him in good faith under this Law. 51. No written law other than the provisions of this Law, relating to succession to land upon an intestacy shall have any application in respect of any land alienated under this Law. 52. Any land alienated under this Law shall be deemed to be " agricultural land " within the meaning of that expression as defined in the Agricultural Productivity Law, No.2 of 1972. 53. Chapters II and III (sections 8-24 both inclusive) of the Land-Development Ordinance are hereby repealed, ., 54. (1) The Agricultural and Industrial Credit Corporation Ordinance as amended by section 90 of the Land Development (Amendment) Act, No. 16 of 1,969 is hpl'phv flll't.hpl' $I.Tnp.nnp.n in cmhC:Pf't.inn (1 \ of Power to acquire land the title of which has been vindicated under sec tion 48. Protection of Irt-ute officers. Goner»! lsw not. In apply to land sold under ~hi" Law. Agric;ul tursl Pro ductivit.y Law to apply to land alie nated un der this Law. Repeal of Chapters n and III of Land Develop ment Ordi. nance• Amend· ment of other writ ten law. 14 Sale of State Lands (Special Provisions) Law, .No. 43 of 1973 ?ectioD. 51 of that. Ordinance by the insertion, immediately after paragraph (bb) of that subsection of the following new paragraph: , '(bbb) to grant loans of money to the holder of a grant of land alienated by way of sale under the provisions of the sale of State Lands (Special Provisions) Law. JJ (2) The People's Bank Act, No. 29 of 1961 as amended by section 90 of the Land Develop~ent (Amendment) Act, No. 16 of 1969, is hereby further amended in paragraph (a) of subsection (1) of section 5 of that Act as follows: (a) by the renumbering of subparagraph (v) of that paragraph as subparagraph (vi); and (b) by the insertion, immediately after subpara graph (iv) of that paragraph of the following ne,v subparagraph: " (v) short-term medium-term and long term loans and other accommodation to persons who' are holders of grants of land alienated by way of sale under the provisions of the Sale of State Lands (Special) provi sions) Law. JJ. 55. In this Law, unless the context otherwise requires-s " Agricultural and Industrial Credit Corporation of Ceylon JJ means the Corporation estab lished under the Agricultural and Industrial Credit Corporation Ordinance; " alienation" with its grammatical variations and cognate expressions means the alienation of State land under this Law; " Bank of Ceylon" means the Bank established under the Bank of Ceylon Ordinance; " citizen of Sri Lanka JJ means an individual who is a citizen of Sri Lanka under any Jaw for the time being in force relating to citizen ship; f' court " means any Court of Justice constituted under the Courts Ordinance and includes a Rural Court:. Sale of State Lands (Special Provisions) 15 Law, No. 43 of 1973 " disposition" with its grammatical variations and cognate expressions means any transaction of whatever nature affecting land or title thereto and includes any conveyance, devise, donation, exchange, lease, mortgage or trans fer of land; "Government Agent" includes an Additional Government Agent, Assistant Government Agent, Additional Assistant Government Agent, District Land Officer and any officer authorized by the Government Agent in writing in respect of any particular matter or provision of this Law; c r grant " unless the context otherwise requires means a grant of land from the Republic of Sri Lanka under this Law; c c holder of a grant" means any person to whom a grant has been issued under this Law; " Land Commissioner " means the officer appointed under section 3 of the Land Development Ordinance and includes an Additional Land Commissioner, Deputy Land Commissioner and any other officer of his Department authorized by the Land Commissioner in writing in respect of any particular matter or provision under this Law; " peace officer " means a police officer and includes any Grama Sevaka appointed by the Govern ment Agent in writing to perform police duties; "People's Bank" means the Bank .established under the People's Bank Act, No. 29 of 1961; " permit" means a permit for the occupation of . land issued under this Law or the Land Development Ordinance; "" permit-holder" means any person to whom a permit has been issued under this Law or under the Land Development Ordinance; " plantation crops", means tea, rubber, coconut and includes .any other crop which comes within the purview of the Ministry of Plantation Industries: ] 6 Sale of State Lands (Special Prooisionsy Laic, No . .43 of 1973 C C prescribed" means prescribed by this Law OJ' by the regulations made thereunder; C C registered society" shall have the same meanirur as in the Co-operative Societies Law, No.5 of 1972; (( Surveyor-General " means the Surveyor-General of Sri Lanka or any other officer deputed to act on his behalf for the purpose of this Law to the extent of which such officer is deputed; " title" means right, title or interest; and "unit of subdivision" means the minimum extent of land below which a land held under a permit or grant under this Law cannot lawfully be subdivided. SHEDULB RULES 1. Title to land alienated on a grant or permit under this Law shall devolve on the surviving" spouse of the deceased holder of the grant or permit-holder and failing such spouse on one only ()f the relatives of such holder of the grant or permit-holder in the order of priority in which they are respectively mentioned in the table below, the older being preferred to the younger where there are more relatives than One in any group. TABLE 1. sons 2. daughters 3. grand sons 4. grand daughters 5. father 6. mother 7. brothers 8. sisters 9. uncles 10. aunts 11. nephews 12. nieces In these .. relative .. means a relative by blood snd not by marriage. 2. Where in any group of rela.tives mentioned in the Table in Rule I there are two or more persons of the same age Who are equally entitled and willing to succeed the Government Agent may nominate one of such persons to succeed to the land and such decision of the Government Agent shall be final and conclusive.