17.
| (1) The Commissioner shall, by notification published in the Gazette, determine from time to time in accordance with the provisions of this section, the rent to be paid by the tenant cultivator of any extent of paddy land. |
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| (2) A determination under subsection (1) shall specify the number of bushels of paddy, not exceeding fifteen, in respect of each cultivated acre of any extent of paddy land in any region to which such determination applies or a portion, not exceeding one-quarter of the total yield of the paddy from that extent reduced by the amount of any charge which may be imposed under this Act, whichever is greater, as the rent payable for that extent for each paddy cultivation season. |
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| (3) The rent determined under subsection (1) may vary in respect of different administrative districts or in respect of different parts of an administrative district. |
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| (4) Where the rent determined under subsection (1) is computed on the basis of a specified number of bushels of paddy for each cultivated acre, the rent for any cultivated area of less than one acre shall be computed in the proportion that such area bears to one acre. |
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| (5) The rent payable for any extent of paddy land shall, for each paddy cultivation season, consist of-
| | (a) the quantity of paddy computed for that extent in accordance with such determination in force under the preceding provisions of this section as is applicable to paddy lands of the region in which that ex- tent lies, or | | |
| | (b) where the landlord desires to have the rent in money and the tenant cultivator agrees to pay the rent in money, the equivalent in money of the rent payable in paddy under paragraph (a) of this subsection, computed at the price fixed for the time being for paddy of the same description as the paddy from that extent in accordance with the provisions of this Act. | | |
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| (6) Where the Commissioner is satisfied that the tenant cultivator of any extent of paddy land has wilfully neglected the cultivation of such extent during any paddy cultivation season in which cultivation was possible or has, without reasonable cause, committed during any paddy cultivation season a breach of any established custom relating to cultivation, the Commissioner may order that the rent for such season payable in paddy under the provisions of this Act in respect of such extent shall be computed on the basis specified by the Commissioner and according to the rent in paddy so computed the rent in money shall be computed. |
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| (7) Where the cultivation of the extent of paddy land of a tenant cultivator is a partial failure during any paddy cultivation season for any cause other than his fault or neglect, the rent payable by him for such season in respect of such extent shall be reduced by such reasonable amount as shall be determined by the Commissioner. |
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| (8) Where any dispute arises between the tenant cultivator of any extent of paddy land and his landlord as to the amount of the rent payable in respect of such extent under the determination made under subsection (1), such dispute may be referred for decision to the Commissioner. The decision of the Commissioner on such dispute shall be communicated in writing to such tenant cultivator and to his landlord and such decision on any such dispute shall be final and conclusive. |
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Sri Lanka Consolidated Acts