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 <...ovcr11c11 <111 t.be 27 th 
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 customa ry 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 th e 
R:1j. 
A.~u \\'JH REA h tlu: prcviou.. l)<1.ucti•111 of r lu: 
Governor-Gencml ba s been obtained under u b-~ctiora 
3 oftcction 80A of the Go\Crnment of India .\ct t1J 
the Jl'a3iing of thi s Act ; 
It ll het cl,y Cn.tC' • d ol'5 ft11low:. ;-
J, This .\ct ma r be ( alJcJ the JJijni ' i.c c c)l:Oli 
Act, 1931. 
2. Iu this .'\ct , Ddo itt ,,,, 
(l) "the Bijni Raj" or "the Raj '' means the group 
1J( catatcs specified in the Schedule -.nncxcd 
to this Act, together with all additions an d 
-.ccrctio11 tv the propert) comprised theu:· 
in that may have been or may heacafter 
be made from time 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) 11 f..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 und er 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 duri nf? 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 Hold er 
u'° ihc Raj slinll Li 1hc pr~on U'"l\\ k11uw11 as Kumar 
Bha1rahend1 in)an .0. b, son of late t;hnnd rci 
):':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~n v1Hng ma c 
rt"d. d cc cl.mt 11 I ~ eldest m vivin • mnlc line of tl\c said 
~ubscqucu t 
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 tlt c 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 eruu n m )' b- made 1 in 
he pres. ril d in nncr. by the folloY. ins persons nd iu 
the followi1 order of p1cccdencc 1 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 lad y 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 entit le~ 
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, opin ion 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 oth erwise, the nomi nation 
sh::.11 bccom 'nlkl, 
8r111n SuCCESsION Acr 
and the pe1st>n nominated shall - r­
" .... 
(a} if the nomin.ll 1on i<. marlc by the H o~kr ,. 
urdc-r d ause (a) of stcl·o n 5, a tf¥1 •(I' 
nominee sttr\ive-. the Holcl ·r, th en, ;u "'••Iv• 0 
the death of such Ilokle1 ·, . 
(b) if the nomin ation is made arter lite death ofcon6nnation. 
the Hold er 1111tlcr clau-;.; rb) of 'cction 5, 
then , as fro m 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.ovcr11 11r 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'inati on. 
the faD1ily is aulnnitl cu wid1111 the 11r<'~cr 1bcJ 1i111c, the 
Governor of Assam ma) ilf)point tn the" s1i. ct'ssion the 
person who in his opin io11 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 appointm rn t. 
8. The publication iu the [offici .11 ~·LZl"tll']J. or ;1 '••lldml\e­
oomination confirmeJ or ~.u .lppoirnm t·nt m:l(k liy th e 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 uwfo r 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 oomin a cd 01 .1ppomtecl 1 ls 1h1· ,., se Illa) 
be, prov ided he 1~ alive un such <lat..:. 
9. If any Holder d11.:s without oom n , i11 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 pendi n '! 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 admi nister the 
Raj for the bcndil of the in coming Holder and :;hall 
be deemed to be und er 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:t111111 
Governor of Auam, it ~hall not be la\\ful to sell, u1ort· 011 tr.irufer. 
gage, divide, or io and oth er way transfer the Rnj or 
any portion thereof or any inte rest 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) \\'h ere .111)' lfil ~J~ l ai; IJ 111 mntlc in contra • 
vcntion of su!rscction ( I), thco uotwiths tanding any­
thing cont.1ined it1 the lnrlian I.i mitnt" on .\ct, 1908, 
any Hol cl.•r may bn11g n suit for tfo'l reco very 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 tltsa biHty, '' h:chc:.( r of the two is the 
lon ger µeduc! 
Rcsrrlcu1>n (1) \\: ithout tlic pre,•i•1us ~ancliun of the Govcrno1 · 
on attach- of As:.am ncitl.cr the: Rai nor .my f)('>rt'on thereo f nor 
mcnt or nlc. any in t( 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 sha ll .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 th ~id .l\ct sh. II, so far as may ue, 
l>c su bject 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 Gove rnor 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 rmcn t 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 
ccn t 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: prcscr il.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 [Stat e 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 confirm ation ; 
(b) the publil'.nlion of nominations heforc ancl 
after confiunat on ; 
(c) th e 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 Gonlpnr n 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 :unu drn 
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 
renr hes 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 ~IH I \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 

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