The Kerala Revenue Card Act, 1999

                                                                                                      
( Translation in English of “ 1999-ലലെ കകേരള റവനനന്യൂ കേകാർഡഡ് ആകഡ്"  published  under the 
authority of the Governor.)
Act 20 of 1999
THE KERALA REVENUE CARD ACT,1999*
An Act to provide for the issue of Revenue Cards to individual families to enable the
members of such families to use the same as an authoritative document in lieu of the various
certificates issued by the Government departments, local bodies and other institutions of the
Government and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.
Preamble.—WHEREAS it is expedient to provide for the issue of Revenue Cards to
individual families to enable the members of such families to use the same for availing of
various concessions, benefits or grants sanctioned by the Government departments from time
to time and to use the same as an authoritative document in lieu of the various certificates
issued by the Government departments, local bodies and other institutions of the Government;
BE it enacted in the Fiftieth Year of the Republic of India as follows:—
1. Short title, extent and commencement .—(1)This Act may be called the Kerala Revenue Card
Act, 1999.
(2) It extends to the whole of the State of Kerala.
(3) It shall come into force on such date as the Government may, by notification the
gazette, appoint:
Provided that different dates may be appointed for different areas and for different
provisions of this Act, and any reference in any such provision to the commencement of this
Act shall be construed as a reference to the coming into force of that provision.
2. Definitions.—In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,—
(a)  ‘alienation’  includes  transfer  of  property  by  way  of  sale,  mortgage,  gift,
settlement, lease, hypothecation or partition or a bequest under a will;
* Received the assent of the Governor on the 3rd day of May, 1999 and published in the Kerala Gazette Extraordinary 
No. 2008  dated 2nd November,1999.
(b) 'basic tax' means the tax imposed under the provisions of the Kerala Land Tax Act,
1961 (13 of 1961);
(c) 'Collector' means collector of the district having jurisdiction over the area;
(d) 'family' means husband and wife, their parents and children living with and
dependent on them;
(e) 'financial assistance' means assistance by way of loans, advances, guarantees or
otherwise for any purposes, as may be prescribed;
(f) 'Government' means the Government of Kerala;
(g) 'Government land' means any land the proprietary right of which vests in the
Government;
(h) 'land' means Government land or registered land;
(i) 'land holder' means,—
(i) in relation to any land held by a cultivating tenant as defined in the Kerala
Land Reforms Act, 1963 (1 of 1964) such cultivating tenant;
(ii) in relation to any land which has not been surveyed and is not held by a
cultivating tenant referred to in sub-clause (i), the proprietor of such land;
(iii) in relation to any other land, the registered holder for the time being of
such land, and includes his legal representatives and assigns and any person who under any
law for the time being in force is liable for the payment of public revenue due in respect of
the land held by him;
(j) 'prescribed' means prescribed by rules made under this Act;
(k) 'registered holder of any land' means the person in whose name the land in
question is registered in the Government accounts of the village.
Explanation 1.—When any person other than the registered holder is in lawful management of
a land, otherwise than as agent or servant of the registered holder or as mortgagee, such
person shall be deemed to be the registered holder in respect of such land;
Explanation 2.—When a land is so registered in the name of two or more persons jointly, the
registered holder shall, for the purpose of this Act, be the person who is  recognised by the
other joint holder or joint holders as the manager of the land or who, in the case of dispute,
is recognised by the Collector as the principal joint holder.
(l) 'registered land' means any land the proprietary right of which does not vest in the
Government or local bodies;
(m) 'register of Revenue Cards' means the register of Revenue Cards maintained under
section 3;
(n) 'registering authority' means the registering officer appointed under the Indian
Registration Act, 1908 (Central Act 16 of 1908);
(O) 'Tahsildar' means the Tahsildar of the taluk having jurisdiction over the area.
3. Register of Revenue Cards.—(1) As soon as may be after the coming into force of this Act
every Tahsildar shall maintain in such form as may be prescribed a Register of Revenue Cards
at the Taluk Office for each village.
(2) Every such Register shall contain the following particulars, namely:—
(a) the details as may be prescribed of the person in whose name the Revenue Card is
issued under section 4;
(b) the number of members included in each Revenue Card, their relationship, full
names, date of birth of each member, place of birth and the information as to whether each
member is married or not or widow and if widow whether the widow of a solider died in the
war or whether a divorcee or a person working abroad, or a soldier or an ex-serviceman or a
freedom fighter (whether a person receiving pension from the Central/State Governments)
etc.; and the occupation and annual income of each member, annual income of the family,
residential and professional address and the community, caste and religion of the members
etc.;
(c) the details of the persons in the family, if any, of those who are in the military
service or handicapped or mentally retarded;
(d) the date on which his name was entered in the Register;
(e) the details of the land and building possessed or owned by each member;
(f) the details of the registered land held by each member;
(g) the details of financial assistance received;
(h) the details of encumbrances made so far;
(i) the details of benefits received under social security schemes or pension schemes
;and
(j) any other particulars as may be prescribed.
(3) This shall be a permanent register and the entries in the register shall be made,
corrected, renewed or modified only in accordance with the provisions of this Act.
4. Issue of Revenue Cards.—(1) A village shall be the unit for the issue of Revenue Cards.
(2) The Tahsildar shall publish a notice in each village, and in each corporation/
municipality/village panchayat offices in such manner as may be prescribed informing the
residents and registered holders of the land in that area for the preparation or updating of
the Revenue Card Register and for the issue of Revenue Cards to each family and to such
person, if any, who does not belong to the family.
(3) The notice shall contain the details and other records to be furnished and also
specify the date within which and the place where such details and records have to be
furnished and the application for the issue of Revenue Cards shall be submitted.
(4) As soon as may be after the informations are collected and after making necessary
enquiries the Tahsildar shall cause to make necessary entries in the Revenue Card Register
maintained in his office.
(5) The Revenue Card shall be issued under the seal and signature of the Tahsildar on
realising the fees at the rate of rupees fifteen for each Revenue Card:
Provided that no fees shall be realised for the Revenue Card issued to families below
the poverty line.
5. Issue of duplicate Revenue Card. —When a Revenue Card is irrecoverably lost, destroyed,
damaged, mutilated or rendered useless, the Tahsildar may, on application, issue a duplicate
Revenue Card to the applicant after making necessary enquiries as he may deem fit.
6. Issue of new Card .—If a member included in any Revenue Card makes a request in the
form and the manner as may be prescribed, either by reason of partition of the family or by
reason of his residing separately after marriage, new card shall be issued by observing the
conditions for issuing Revenue Cards and consequential changes shall be made in the Revenue
Card Register and in other related cards.
7. Entering details relating to registration, transfer etc. of land in the Revenue Card .—(1)
When a sale is registered or any right over land, including those by way of sale, gift,
mortgage, lease, exchange, partition or settlement is transferred, the registering authority
shall demand to produce before him the Revenue Card also, if Revenue Card has been issued
in respect of such land;
(2) The Tahsildar, on receipt of a copy of the entries in the Revenue Card made by the
Registering Authority, shall make necessary changes in the Register of Revenue Cards kept for
that purpose and issue a new Revenue Card after sub-division if necessary, within such time
and on collection of such fees as may be prescribed.
8. Acquisition of rights to be reported .—Any person acquiring by succession, survivorship,
inheritance, purchase or otherwise or by a decree or order of a court, or by an order of the
Government or other authority, any right in or over any land as owner shall report in writing
his acquisition of such right to the Village Officer. This shall be done within one month from
the date of such acquisition or within such period as may be prescribed and the Village
Officer shall give a written acknowledgement on receipt of the report to the person making
the report and the matter shall be intimated to the Tahsildar within one week and on receipt
of the information, the Tahsildar shall make necessary changes in the concerned Revenue
Card Register within one month from the date of receipt of such information:
Provided  that  where  the  person  acquiring  the  right  is  a  minor  or  otherwise
disqualified, his guardian or any other person holding charge of his property shall report it
to the Village Officer:
Provided further that any person acquiring the right by virtue of a registered
document shall be exempted from the obligation to report to the Village Officer.
Explanation:—The person in whose favour a mortgage is discharged or extinguished
also acquires a right within the meaning of this section. On receipt of a report under this
section, the Tahsildar shall cause necessary changes to be made in the Register of Revenue
Cards kept by him and also incorporate necessary changes in the Revenue Card issued under
section 4 or issue a new Revenue Card after sub-division, if necessary:
Provided that before causing any such change to be made for issuing a new Revenue
Card under this section the Tahsildar shall make necessary enquiries as he may deem fit.
9.  Other rightful benefits to be incorporated. —The Tahsildar shall incorporate the details
regarding assistance received from Government including natural calamity reliefs, allowances,
non-statutory pensions, benefits under social security schemes etc. in the Register of Revenue
Cards and in the Revenue Card properly to facilitate the various agencies to accept extract of
the relevant page of the Revenue Card Register in lieu of various certificates.
10. Certified Copies.—Application for certified copies of entries in the Register of Revenue
Cards may be made to the Tahsildar and such copies may be issued by the Tahsildar in such
manner and on collection of such fees as may be prescribed.
11.  Modification of entries in Revenue Cards .—(1) When any individual whose name is
included in the Revenue Card claims that any modification is required in respect of any entry
in the Revenue Card already issued under section 4 either by reason of the death of any
person, or by the reason of the transfer of interest in the land or by reason of any other
subsequent changes in circumstances, he shall make an application to the Tahsildar for the
modification of the relevant entries in the Revenue Card.
(2) An application under sub-section (1) shall contain such particulars as may be
prescribed and shall be accompanied by documents and other supporting materials as evidence.
(3) (a) Before passing an order on an application under sub-section (1), the Tahsildar
shall follow such procedure as may be prescribed and shall also give a reasonable opportunity
of being heard to the parties concerned. If the Tahsildar feels that a modification, as applied
for is necessary he shall pass an order accordingly and cause changes to be made in the
Revenue Cards.
(b) The Tahsildar shall reject the application if he feels that no changes are
necessary after noting the reasons for rejection.
(c) An order under clause (a) or (b) of this sub-section shall contain the reasons
for such order and shall be communicated to the concerned parties in such manner and
within such period as may be prescribed.
(d) The entries regarding the annual income of each member and the annual
income of the family included in each Revenue Card shall be renewed annually.
12. Persons to furnish information.—(1) Any person whose rights or details are required to be
entered in the Revenue Card under this Act shall be bound, on the requisition of the
Tahsildar engaged in preparing or modifying the entries in the Revenue Cards to furnish or
produce before him the relevant information or documents for inspection within such time as
may be specified in such requisition or within such further time as the Tahsildar may in his
discretion allow. All such information furnished or produced shall be within his knowledge or
possession or under his authority.
(2) Where any information is furnished or any document is produced in accordance
with the requisition under sub-section (1) the Tahsildar or the Officer authorised by him in
this behalf shall give a written acknowledgement thereof to the person producing or
furnishing the same and shall endorse on such document a note under his signature stating
the fact of its production and the date thereof.
13.  Appeal.—(1) Any person aggrieved by an order of the Tahsildar under any of the
provisions of this Act may, file an appeal before such authority and within such period as
may be prescribed.
(2) The decision of such authority on such appeal under sub-section (1) shall be final.
14. Penalty for failure to furnish information.—Any person who wilfully defaults in producing
any document required under section 4 or section 12 within the time specified in the notice
or requisition under those sections or within such further time, if any, allowed by the
Tahsildar under those sections will be punishable with fine which may extend to five hundred
rupees.
15. Penalty for furnishing false information .—If any person who is required to furnish any
information under this Act, furnishes any information which he knows or has reason to
believe it to be false, shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to
three months or with fine which may extend to three thousand rupees or with both.
16. Cognizance of offences .—No court shall take cognizance of any offence punishable under
this Act except on a complaint in writing made by an Officer authorised in this behalf by the
Government.
17. Protection of action taken in good faith .—No suit or other proceedings shall lie against
any officer or authority for anything which is done or purports to be done in good faith
under this Act or the rules made thereunder.
18. Exemption.—Nothing contained in this Act shall apply to any land owned by the Central
Government or the State Government or any local authority.
19. Power of the State Government to direct that the Revenue Card may be accepted
in lieu of various certificates issued by Government departments etc. —(1) Notwithstanding
anything contained in this Act or in any other law for the time being in force the State
Government may, by notification in the Gazette, direct that the entries in the Revenue Card
issued under this Act may be used by the holder of such card as an authoritative document in
lieu of the various certificates issued by the Government departments, local bodies and other
institutions of the Government specified therein.
(2) When a notification under sub-section (1) is issued the officers of the Government
department or the local bodies concerned shall accept the entries in the card as an
authoritative document in lieu of the various certificates mentioned in such notification.
(3) A copy of the entries in the Revenue Card as certified in the manner prescribed
shall be considered as a document in lieu of any certificate specified in sub-section (1).
20. Power to make rules.—(1) The Government may, by notification in the Gazette, make rules
to carry out the purposes of this Act.
(2) In particular and without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing power, such rules
may provide for all or any of the following matters, namely:—
(a) the place and manner in which the notice under sub-section (2) of section 4 shall
be published by the Tahsildar and the particulars to be included in such notice;
(b) the procedure to be followed by the Tahsildar in respect of the enquiries for the
issue of Revenue Cards;
(c) the form and the manner in which and the time within which application under
sub-section (3) of section 4 shall be made and the declaration and particulars to be contained
in such application;
(d) the form and other particulars, the size of the Revenue Card and the particulars to
be contained in the Revenue Card;
(e) the form of application for duplicate Revenue Card and the fees to be paid;
(f) the time within which the Tahsildar shall issue a new Revenue Card under section
4 and the fees to be collected thereof;
(g) the manner in which the Tahsildar shall issue duplicate copies of entries in the
register of Revenue Cards under section 5 and the fees to be paid thereof;
(h) the particulars to be contained in an application under subsection (1) of section 11
for modification of the entries in the Revenue Card;
(i) the manner in which and the time within which the order of the Tahsildar under
sub-section (3) of section 11 shall be communicated to the applicant or claimant;
(j) the manner in which the order of the Tahsildar shall be communicated to the
parties;
(k) the authority to whom an appeal against the order of the Tahsildar may be made
under section 13 and the period within which such appeal may be made;
(l) any other matter which has to be or has been prescribed.
(3) Every rule made under this section shall be laid, as soon as may be after it is made,
before the Legislative Assembly while it is in session for a total period of fourteen days
which may be comprised in one session or in two successive sessions, and if before the expiry
of the session in which it is so laid or the session immediately following, the Legislative
Assembly make any modification in the rule, or decide that the rule should not be issued, the
rule shall thereafter have effect only in such modified form or be of no effect, as the case
may be, so however, that any such modification or annulment shall be without prejudice to
the validity of anything previously done under that rule.
21. Power to remove difficulty. —If any difficulty arises in giving effect to the provisions of
this Act, the Government may as occasion requires, by order, do anything  not inconsistent
with the provisions of this Act which appears to them necessary for the purpose of removing
the difficulty.
22.  Saving of other laws .—The provisions of this Act shall be in addition to and not in
derogation of any other law for the time being in force regulating any of the matters
dealt within this Act, except to the extent provided in this Act.

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