THE BIJNI SUCCESSION ACT,1931

.\~SA~1 ACT II O.F rn:n l'l1J: BlJ="l SUCC£SS10~ AC:J', I' 31 • l Rc\;ei\·cd t.hc aSl>eut ot the <...ovcr11 c11 <111 t.be 27th M....rch 1931 and of u ~ Go\C111or-Gcne1 :il un the Q1 h ~y 1931 ; and\\.'-'> publii;lwd, und1·1 sect.on 81 SJ of the Covernn.cut of Jn<lia A\ t. i11 the· .twm1 G11tt11e of lhe 201h ~fay 1931. ) \VHUE.A:-. it ii. • "'Pcdicnt lo ·<lcdarc aml sup11Jo- l'1tai:nlik. ment the customary law ol succe-sion in th" group d' c11ta-n known a:. tlw Uijni Raj in Assam with a \ic" to the prc\'C1ttiou of diiiputes and the prr~crva1io11 of the R:1j . A.~u \\'JH REAh tlu: prcviou.. l)<1.ucti•111 of r lu: Governor-Gencml bas been obtained under ub-~ctiora 3 oftcction 80A of the Go\Crnment of India .\ct t1J the Jl'a3iing of this Act ; It ll het cl,y Cn.tC' • d ol'5 ft11low:. ;- J, This .\ct mar be ( alJcJ the JJijni ' i.c c c)l:Oli Act, 1931. 2. Iu this .'\ct, Ddoitt ,, , , ( l) "the Bijni Raj" or "the Raj '' means the group 1J( catatcs specified in the Schedule -.nncxcd to this Act, together with all additions and -.ccrctio11 tv the propert) comprised theu:· in that may have been or may heacafter be made from t ime lo time Ly or LJn behalf c>f the llolder of the Raj and includes any securities held by him or on his behalf ; (2) 11f..mily0 111ea11:. the BjJni Raj family ; (S) citbc Holder ,,r the Raj ' or "the UoJdcr'1 means the owner uf the Rc.j ; a1:d {' ) " prc&cril>Cd' ' mean:. p.rccrilml by this Art or 1Jy 1 ul•·s under thU Act. S. The Bijni Raj is hcrcbr tlcd1ucd to Le <tn l~p&rribi · imputiblc estate dcsccndiLJc to a single malr. Holder i'"'-~~ .. according to t.hc provision' of this AcL •JD• J· ------- •'w St.alcmaa: of Objccu .wd Rcasor.s Ju .iJr.."'11 G""''· 1931 , P..rt \' 1 pqc 25 (fl~ ia Coua<.-il, u1 .4t11111t (;(i<•lll, 1931, Put VI, pa .~ .,, 163·3'19. 1hjNI St UJh:>l lJN ,\l':'I • 4. l) Ra· Jottcntlra Nara} an J.: .• 1p of B1jni b N;u >·• b\ declared and t:ihall durinf? Ins life-time be the Phup dccl..- lofdcr of tqc il{nj with title tlaung from his llOminntion red to bl! to the succes)t n mnde by Rani .Abhnycswnri Debi on Ht'.!ld:rlr-om the 21 Jb SeAtcmber lfl95. 2Rth Sc:p • .-m. ,;{'' U.:r I li!IS . • , :'" ( Upuu th .. de u1 of the a.lld R:ua tbt Holder u'° ihc Raj slinll Li 1hc pr~on U'"l\\ k11uw11 as Kumar Bha1rahend1 in)an .0. b, son of late t;hnndrci ):':ir.-l\ nn De , lu ccn •r or or, n the e\ cnt of the said umn1 p~ecca ing ~·Ja.._J~eu· the .Ud R •jn, the pmon who. in the opinion of the rtllr ., riI\'lln Li r . h . . l Bhup dee.la· mcn1or u am, i t c ne: rest a~nv1Hng ma c rt"d. d cc cl.mt 11 I ~ eldest m vivin • mnlc line of tl\c said ~ubscqucut IUCC(' orn to~ deti:r· mintd L) nomiruiuun ur • l oint· nimt. l'cr 11 •':utltl ed t 1\ftOlllllU\lc, Krnn, ; • 1 1 fiulin auy i;uch d £Cendan•, the . asun ''ho, in th opi11io11 of tltc Guvt;rnor Qf As1nm. as the cldc.:.1 of lhc uc.ir .t 1mdd11g mule .1gnatca (If the sai1l Kum~r. 5. Norn a 1. u u to t c eruun m )' b- made 1 in he pres. ril d in nncr. by the folloY. ins persons nd iu the followi1 order of p1cccdencc1 namcl)' :- (11 l th Holder <luring his life time ; (I•) nflcr his tlceith nnd h1 ac,ord .. nce with t he \\ it <-n dirt'clim.,, if any left b) him ; r b 1 i mother , ii I ) Lis '~idow, or if then: ht' more widows tl none, 1h pri 1,;ip \ '~idow; w\ by .he f.Cntur lady of the famil~ : P1 O\ i<l1 d th.11 t.Uch cuior lad .. shrill not be ~ntitle } to nominal• if 1hc widow or' the mother is aliv;: , nd of w11u<l mi11d1 nnd the widow alrall not oc entitle~ t•> n1Jminat<', 1f lhc u1otl1c1 is :i1hc :inil of sound mind: Vro-. idcd iurthcr th!lt 110 person hall be entitled to uominJtc \~hu is not of full ~gc and of sound m in d. Conf=ti"' 6. E''c:J') u 1 in tion m de under cclion S wall or nomlnA· he r.uU."lli tcd, '~ 11hin the pre cnocd time, to the tiuru. GO\-anor of As.mm who, if in hi, opinion it is i£ accordance with lhc provisions or thjs Act and with the custom of 1hr. family, mall c!onfim1 • i nd upon Luch confirmntion, but not otherwise, the nomination sh::.11 bccom 'nlkl, 8r111n SuCCESsION Acr and the pe1st>n nominated shall - r­ " .... (a} if the nomin.ll1on i<. marlc by the Ho~kr ,. urdc-r d ause (a) of stcl·on 5, a tf¥1 •(I' nominee sttr\ive-. the Holcl ·r, then, ;u "'••Iv• 0 the death of such Ilokle1·, . (b) if the nomination is made arter lite death ofcon6nnation. the Holder 1111tlcr clau-;.; rb) of 'cction 5, then, as from the date ol nominn1i•m. be the Holder uf the l«1j. 7. If no norn1n:\l10 1, 111 n:) 110111inaltc1d which, in Pru\·i•i m in tho opinion of the r.ovcr1111r 11f A~!..1m, is in accordanre " 1 "."' 1 or r · h h · · r 1 · d · 1 r '' un- 0 ht t e prov111ons o t 11'1 i\c l drl \\ 1t 1 t h~ 1 11slorn Cl uo·u'ination. the faD1il y is aulnnitlcu wid1111 the 11r<'~cr1bcJ 1i111c, the Governor of Assam ma) ilf)point tn the" s1i. ct'ssion the person who in his opinio11 hni; thl' be:)t claim tl1ereto according to the custom of the famil ·, and th~ pcnon so appoi ntcd $hall he the II oklcr (Jf the R J f11Jm the date of appointmrn t. 8. The publication iu the [offici .11 ~·LZl"tll']J. or ;1 '••lldml\e­ oomination confirmeJ or ~.u .lppoirnmt·nt m:l(k liy the 11""-" of 11umi­ Govcrnor of A~s .. m .1nd p111 por1ing to hav• b en 1 on- 1.:i1w!1i a11d 6rmed or m.1clc uwfor thi'I Act "h·" ' lw t u11 lu ivc ·•PP' 1 11 '' 1 r r h . I I . . I 1· fi 1111 II • proo o t c tu c 10 1 u: llaJ, \\ll l cl cc·t mm the the person oomina cd 01 .1ppomtecl1 ls 1h1· ,., se Illa) be, provided he 1~ alive un such <lat..:. 9. If any Holder d11.:s without oom n , i 11 r.; hi 1 1'1v11~iuu lnr successor, the pcrsu t 111tulcd to makl the n m111ation ·~d"'~'':'r" . " mm 1~1 ra· under clal1:>C (b) 1>f l!Ct: lt n 5 ~hall he rnt tied tempo- iron of rhr: rari)y to take po:.~c, inn of and admmis r the Raj, Raj when pending the confirm 11ion ,,f the nominalio· 01 pendin '! thnc is 110 the appoinunent, as ca c m 1 y be, o!' the next Iloltlcr llo!Jcr. but in such case he shall so possess and administer the Raj for the bcndil of the incoming Holder and :;hall be deemed to be under an obligation Ul the nature of a trust wilhiu the menniug of Chapter IX of tll<' Indian Trusts Act, 1882. · 10. (1) Withou t the pn:v1ous s :inction of the a,.,111c:t 111111 Governor of Auam, it ~hall not be la\\ful to sell, u1ort· 011 tr.irufer. gage, divide, or io and other way transfer the Rnj or any portion thereof or any interest tlu-1cin otherwise than by lease for a term not exceeding 30 years. (2) Any transfer made in contraVC!llt!ou of 1uh­ •eclion (l) shall be void anc.l no claim for any sum paid to the Holdci· in connection with any ~uch trans· fer shall be enforceable agaiui.l the Raj. 66 llIJNI Succn:ssJON .'\er (3) \\'here .111)' lfil ~J~ l ai; IJ 111 mntlc in contra• vcntion of su!rscction ( I), thco uotwithstanding any­ thing cont.1ined it1 the lnrlian I.imitnt"on .\ct, 1908, any Holcl.•r may bn11g n suit for tfo'l recovery of Lhc P' ope1 ty tr.l11sforrcd within P years from tbc date of the death of 1bc trarul! ror, or if on such date h" is sul~cct to any legal disability, \\tthin 3 ycan; frorn tbc cessation 1.f such tltsabiHty, '' h:chc:.( r of the two is the longer µeduc! Rcsrrlcu1>n (1) \\: ithout tli c pre ,•i•1us ~ancliun of the Govcrno1· on attach- of As:.am ncitl.cr the: Rai nor .my f)('>rt'on thereof nor mcnt or nlc. any int( rest therein m. y he attached or solo in cxccu- tiou or .u1y J,.crcr. or order or olhl'r pro~·css of hw. Savio11. 11. ( 1) 'othin~ in this Act shall .tffi·ct lhe provi. Act r ,J ~ions of the Land Ac<l 1i•itio11 \c:1, 18?1: 189• . Providcu that .-i.1r compcnsntiot1 paid to the J Jolcltr for .my land a:1perrai11111g to tlic Raj lhat may be .1c:quircd 1111dcr t h ~id .l\ct sh. II, so far as may ue, l>c subject to .111 tlic provision~ of 1hh Act in the same mannc-r ns 11 <1tch 1 vt:lpciisalion wc:rf' a part of the 1':aj. (2) N•11h111" in t .rn M h tll a fc, 1 th1.~ prnvhiom of tlu.: llc11gal C'ou11 r \\ ;ir<! Act, lll':9, as in fot<;C in .\s,am, •n d the He dcr t .he Rnj ~!tall not with· n.c. Act IX Slclllding- anythi r.01.t~ined U~t ·iu, t~ dt:e1nei to be of 1819 tin: p10p11c1or of nn tatc within 1hc 111cani11g of the said Act. Succenioo 12 (1) fl' Ill a1111 .titer th cl c tit Ir R.ija Jogcndra fo-e. Narayan Uh• tp of Hijni, e\cry Holders c• cding to the l{ ... ; s11all pa)' such sm:casion foe cts t 1c Governor flf As!lam ma~ hx, having regard to 1l1c cin:um~tancc' of each succCJSion and, in p1nicul:u . to th~ period of time that h."\! elapsed incc the p rmcnt or the last foe as also to any estate duty or nth r r.imilar duly to which such Holdct· mny be liable 1111dcr any other Jaw: P1ovid<.;.1 thnt in uo cnsc :ihcll the fee exceed 5 per ccnt or the amount which, in the opinion of the Governor, rcprcscuts tbr. market \'aluc of the proycrty comµriscd in the R.~ ~t the ti : of Lite death o tbc previous holclcn . (2) The succ"G.l.i1.m fr1· shall he paid within the presrril>cd tiull' nnu in lhr: prcscril.icd manner, ~nd if unpaid, :.hall be n.·co\ ral.ilc as nu arrear of land fC\CnllC, J. $., 12A in!\."f'lcli by luc A.0, l!> 7 Omitl1.'d Ii> tire A.O. l!ISii. T II Of 1931 J I lJNI Su rm: • \t'l' 67 13. The [State Go~~nmcnt]l may by notification Powrr 10 make rules p1ovi<lin fi r- 111akc ruins. (a) the time nnd mann,.r of miking nominations nnd of submiufo them for confirmation ; (b) the publil'.nlion of nominations heforc ancl after confiunat on ; (c) the t<'mpo~nry adm istr.nion of the Rnj in cnseii not pre hkd for in section fl • and (ti) the time nncl m nncr of pa}mcnt ol i;ucccs~ion fcf! ; nml gr nrrnlly hl cm n out the pur• J)l)S ~ 1)f •hi Att sc1mou1.11 2. The C)ta tc kno\\ l :is t i- ' • l no\\ lt·d •eel estate of th~ Raja of Bijni'' in 11 c I ijni Du r 111 the dinrh t of Gonlpnrn t o\ cnn • 1 pp oxirn te :m~a ' f l.30,000 acrC'I, n111J OOllll<fNl •n the .l\ ·01th.-ll) the Ii (' de n..·ur:11cd by :unudrn i'innn nn )Ja , K. nungo, hcginn ng from Ilic D i g rh·cr about a mile llbovc the villngc Sublt ·~h. r nnn n·nniug e u till it renrhes the S 1k 11 nr i 1w-r, thence nlong the ~.1irl ri\ rr to ito; juncti n \\ ith the ~fan.is river. F.1zs1.-r.r the district of Kamrup S<111ll1 Ily th"" parrrnnn 111 I<h1r1gh:n. Wtsf. -lly 1Jw Dondon a, l),1ichang .Jharn, Knnnrnahn ~IHI \ic 1 her:;. 3. Thr. c!it<llt' l nn\I s ti r fitini A ~I ah!ll in1 Ju. dcd in Uw C:nro Hills distnc:t. d rnpn ii thr l~11Jo- wing blorks (i) Kho1:hol, (ii) Delp rn. (1i1) Mamkg. j. 1, Subetitutcd b)' th iJ the A 0 l931 for "L. G". i) Bcng!li. (t-} Chitonk. i • Oh.ignLnt.,, I Gov rant v 1ub11i1u1ed scan0001 scan0002 scan0003 scan0004 scan0005