State Act

The Maharashtra Land Revenue Code, 1966

220. Purchase on nominal bid.— Where at any sale held under the provisions of this Chapter, there is no bidder or the bids made are inadequate or nominal, it shall be lawful for the Collector to authorise any of his subordinates to purchase such property on behalf of the State Government for such bid as such subordinate may make : Provided that, if the property so purchased is subsequently sold by the State Government within twelve years of the purchase, the following amounts shall be recovered from the sale proceeds and the surplus, if any, shall be paid to the person whose property has been sold, namely :— (a) dues, that is, the principal outstanding with interest ; (b) loss of revenue, if any, caused to the State Government during the period the land remains with the State Government and no person takes it on lease or otherwise ; (c) actual expenditure incurred in the auction sale ; (d) penalty equal to one-fourth of the principal : Provided further that, if the property is not subsequently sold as aforesaid, it may be returned or granted on the tenure on which he held it immediately before its purchase by Government, as the case may be, to the defaulter on his paying the amounts specified in the previous proviso, at any time within a period of twelve years from the date of purchase on behalf of the State Government : 1[Provided also that, if the property is not subsequently sold as aforesaid or returned or granted on tenure to the defaulter within a period of twelve years from the date of purchase on behalf of the State Government, the Collector may, by notice to the defaulter or his legal heir, ascertain his willingness to have the land returned back to him ; and if the defaulter or his legal heir gives his willingness to have such land returned back and pays an amount of five per cent. of the market value of such land for the year in which the land is returned or granted to the defaulter or his legal heir within such period, which shall not be less than ninety days, as may be specified by the Collector in the notice issued in this behalf, then the land shall be returned and granted to the defaulter or his legal heir subject to restrictions on right to transfer without prior permission from the State Government. Explanation.— For the purposes of this section, “the market value of such land” means the value of such land specified in the Annual Statement of Rates published under the provisions of the Maharashtra Stamp (Determination of True Market Value of Property) Rules, 1995 or any other Rules for the time being in force, in this regard for the relevant year, and where such Annual Statement of Rates are not prepared or available, it means the value of such land as determined by the Assistant Director of the Town Planning Department of the concerned District.]