The Calcutta Land-revenue Act, 1850, was passed on this day.
Described as an “Act for securing the Land-revenue of Calcutta”, “whereas it is expedient that the land-revenue accruing due to the [Crown] within Calcutta be ascertained and collected in as summary a manner as in other parts of the territories under the Government of the [Crown)”, it had the following as its first two sections:
1. All assessable lands, not the property of he [Government], within the town of Calcutta, of which the rate of assessment is not known, or which have not heretofore been assessed, shall be assessed at the rate of three annas for each cottah.
2. Lakhiraj tenures of land in Calcutta, of which uninterrupted possession has been held exempt from assessment for sixty years, shall be valid: no other Iakhiraj tenures of land in CaIcutta shall be deemed valid unless the same are or shall be held under an unexpired grant from the British Government.