The Land Acquisition Act, 1894 — Bare Act

The Land Acquisition Act, 1894 — Bare Act (As Amended Up-to-Date)
The Statute Governing Compulsory Land Acquisition for Public Purposes in Pakistan

When government projects — roads, dams, railways, or public buildings — require private land, one statute governs how that land is legally acquired and how compensation is determined. The Land Acquisition Act, 1894 — Bare Act, As Amended Up-to-Date, provides the complete current text of this law, published by Mansoor Law Book House.

Why This Bare Act is Essential

Enacted to amend the law for the acquisition of land needed for public purposes and for companies, the Land Acquisition Act, 1894 remains, even after more than a century, the universal governing framework for development projects across Pakistan requiring land acquisition. The Act requires a formal Section 4 notification whenever land in a locality is needed for public purpose, and following amendments introduced in 1923, affected landowners gained the statutory right to file objections to the acquisition itself, not just its compensation, within thirty days of notification. Under Sections 11 and 23, compensation is assessed at market value on the cut-off date, with an additional 15% compulsory acquisition charge paid to displaced landowners — provisions that remain directly relevant to virtually every public infrastructure project in the country today.

Key Features & Statutory Coverage

• Complete Amended Bare Act Text: The full current text of the Act as applicable across Pakistan.
• Notification & Objection Procedure: Provisions under Sections 4 and 5A governing public notification and the right to object to proposed acquisition.
• Compensation Assessment: Provisions under Sections 11 and 23 on determining market-value compensation and additional statutory allowances.
• Award & Reference to Court: Provisions on the Collector's award and the right to have compensation disputes referred to the Court under Section 18.
• Possession & Damage Compensation: Provisions on compensation for standing crops, trees, and other damage caused by dispossession.
• Procedural Provisions: Rules on notices, penalties for obstruction, and application of Civil Procedure Code to court proceedings.
• Compact, Practical Edition: A lightweight paperback format for quick statutory reference.

Ideal For:

• Advocates & Land Law Practitioners: Essential for lawyers handling acquisition objections, compensation disputes, and reference applications.
• Judiciary: A core reference for adjudicating land acquisition compensation matters.
• Landowners & Affected Persons: Directly relevant for anyone whose land is subject to a government acquisition notice.
• Government & Development Authority Officials: A working reference for agencies acquiring land for public projects.
• Law Students: A foundational bare act text for LLB coursework on property and administrative law.

About the Publisher

Published by Mansoor Law Book House, a well-established Lahore-based publisher whose compact, up-to-date bare act editions have become a reliable reference point for Pakistan's legal community.