CNT and SPT Acts
CNT and SPT Acts
Two tenancy laws protect tribal land in Jharkhand. The Chotanagpur Tenancy Act of 1908 covers the Chotanagpur divisions and the Santhal Pargana Tenancy Act of 1949 covers Santhal Pargana. Both restrict transfer of tribal land to outsiders.
CNT Act — 1908, Chotanagpur | SPT Act — 1949, Santhal Pargana
Why two separate laws
- The two regions came under British administration in different ways and at different times
- Santhal Pargana became a non-regulation district after the Hool of 1855
- Chotanagpur got its own law after the Ulgulan of 1899-1900
- Land tenures also differ — khuntkatti and bhuinhari in Chotanagpur, Santhal custom in the east
- So the state has two land regimes rather than one
Comparison
| Point | CNT Act 1908 | SPT Act 1949 |
|---|---|---|
| Area covered | Chotanagpur division districts | Santhal Pargana division districts |
| Historical trigger | The Ulgulan of 1899-1900 | Santhal land agitation after the Hool |
| Tenures recognised | Khuntkatti, bhuinhari, bhutkheta, pahnai | Santhal customary holdings |
| Transfer rule | Restricted, with limited exceptions | Even stricter restriction |
| Dispute forum | Revenue authorities | Revenue authorities |
Key provisions to remember
- Both restrict transfer of tribal land to non-tribalsबार-बार पूछा जाता है
- Section 46 of the CNT Act deals with restriction on transfer
- Section 49 allows transfer for specified purposes with official sanction
- Section 71A provides for restoration of illegally transferred land
- The CNT Act is placed in the Ninth Schedule of the Constitution
- Succession under both Acts follows tribal custom rather than general law
Why these laws stay in the news
- Any proposal to amend them triggers major political protest in the state
- Industry and mining seek easier land acquisition; communities resist dilution
- Illegal transfer through long leases, benami holdings and false records is a persistent problem
- Restoration cases under Section 71A run for years in revenue courts
- The laws interact with the Fifth Schedule, PESA and the Forest Rights Act
Points that get asked
- Year of the CNT Act — 1908; SPT Act — 1949
- Region of the CNT Act — Chotanagpur; of the SPT Act — Santhal Pargana
- Section on restoration — 71A of the CNT Act
- Constitutional schedule protecting the CNT Act — the Ninth
- Movement behind the CNT Act — the Ulgulan
How land can still change hands
- Transfer between tribals of the same police station area is allowed under conditions
- Transfer for public purpose with official sanction, such as roads or schools
- Mortgage to a government-backed bank or cooperative for agricultural credit
- Lease for a specified industrial or mining purpose after due permission
- Any transfer outside these routes is void and can be reversed under Section 71A
नौवीं अनुसूची में रखे गए कानूनों को न्यायिक समीक्षा से एक सीमा तक संरक्षण मिलता है। CNT अधिनियम इसी अनुसूची में रखा गया है, जिससे उसे अतिरिक्त सुरक्षा मिलती है।
Memory hook — Do adhiniyam, do saal, do ilake — CNT 1908 Chotanagpur, SPT 1949 Santhal Pargana. Aur teen dhara — 46 rok, 49 chhoot, 71A wapasi.
Yahan confuse hote hain — Dono adhiniyamon ke saal aur kshetra aksar ulat jaate hain.
✗ SPT Act 1908 and CNT Act 1949 | ✓ CNT Act 1908 and SPT Act 1949
✗ CNT Act poore Jharkhand par lagu hai | ✓ CNT Act Chotanagpur ke zilon par; Santhal Pargana me SPT Act lagu hai
Exam pointer — JPSC me ye topic Prelims aur Mains dono me aata hai — dhara ka naam Prelims me, sanshodhan ka vivad Mains me. JSSC CGL, JTGLCCE aur JKCE me seedha saal aur kshetra. Do saal aur teen dhara — itna hi kaafi hai.
Ek nazar me
- CNT Act, 1908 — Chotanagpur division districts
- SPT Act, 1949 — Santhal Pargana districts
- Both restrict transfer of tribal land
- Section 46 — restriction on transfer
- Section 49 — transfer for specified purposes with sanction
- Section 71A — restoration of illegally transferred land
- CNT Act is in the Ninth Schedule
- CNT follows the Ulgulan; SPT follows the Santhal land struggle
- Tenures — khuntkatti and bhuinhari in Chotanagpur
- Amendment proposals always become political flashpoints