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 <...ovcr11 c11 <111 t.be 27th

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 customary 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 the

R:1j .

A.~u \\'JH REAh 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 this Act ;

It ll het cl,y Cn.tC' • d ol'5 ft11low:. ;-

J, This .\ct mar be ( alJcJ the JJijni ' i.c c c)l:Oli

Act, 1931.

2. Iu this .'\ct, Ddoitt ,, ,,

(l) "the Bijni Raj" or "the Raj '' means the group

_1J(_ catatcs specified in the Schedule -.nncxcd
to this Act, together with all additions and
-.ccrctio11 tv the propert) comprised theu:·
in that may have been or may heacafter
be made from t ime 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..mily [0 ] 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 under 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            - D• 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.


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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 Holder

u'° ihc Raj slinll Li 1hc pr~on U'"l\\ k11uw11 as Kumar

Bha1rahend1 in)an .0. b, son of late t;hnndrci

):':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 Bhup dee.la· ., riI\'lln Li mcn1or u r am, . i t h c ne: rest a~n v. . 1Hng ma c l

rt"d. d cc cl.mt 11 I ~ eldest m vivin • mnlc line of tl\c said

Krnn, ;

                                                           - 1 1 fiulin auy i;uch d £Cendan•, the . asun ''ho, in

th opi11io11 of tltc Guvt;rnor Qf As1nm. as the cldc.:.1 of
lhc uc.ir .t 1mdd11g mule .1gnatca (If the sai1l Kum ~r.

~ubscqucu t

IUCC(' orn

to~ deti:r·

mintd L)
nomiruiuun

ur • l oint·

nimt. 5. Norn a 1. u u to t c eruun m )' b- made 1 in

###### he pres. ril d in nncr. by the folloY. ins persons nd iu

l'cr 11

                                     - :utltl ed t the followi1 order of p1cccdencc1 namcl)' :-

1\ftOlllllU\lc,

(11 l th Holder <luring his life time ;

_(I•)_ nflcr his tlceith nnd h1 ac,ord .. nce with the

\\ 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 lady 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, opinion it is i£
accordance with lhc provisions or thjs Act and with
the custom of 1hr. family, mall c!onfim1 • i nd u pon

Luch confirmntion, but not otherwise, the nomination
sh::.11 bccom 'nlkl,


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8r111n SuCCESsION Acr

and the pe1st>n nominated shall - r-

###### ....
#### "

(a} if the nomin.ll1on i<. marlc by the H o~kr ,.

urdc-r d ause (a) of stcl·on 5, a _tf¥_ _•(I'_
_1_

nominee sttr\ive-. the Holcl ·r, then, ;u "'••Iv• 0

the death of such Ilokle1·, .

_(b)_ if the nomination is made arter lite death ofcon6nnation.
the Holder 1111tlcr clau-;.; rb) of 'cction 5,
then, as from the date ol nominn1i•m.

be the H older 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.ovcr1111r 11f A~!..1m, is in accordanre ""."' or r
1 1 0

ht · h h t e prov111ons o · · r t 1 11'1 · i\c l drl d \\ 1t · 1 1 t h~ 1 11slorn Cl r '' uo·u'ination. un-

the faD1il y is aulnnitlcu wid1111 the 11r<'~cr1bcJ 1i111c, the

Governor of Assam ma) ilf)point tn the" s1i. ct'ssion the

person who in his opinio11 h ni; 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 appointmrn t.

###### 8. The publication iu the [offici .11 ~·LZl"tll']J. or ;1 '••lldml\e-

oomination confirmeJ or ~.u .lppoirnmt·nt m:l(k liy the 11""-" of 11umi-

Govcrnor of A~s .. m .1nd p111 por1ing to hav• b en 1 on- 1.:i1w!1i a11d

11

6rmed or m.1clc uwfor t hi'I Act "h·"' lw t u11 lu ivc        - PP' '' 1

proo r r o t h c tu c . I 10 1 I u: llaJ, . \\ll . I l cl 1· cc·t fi mm the 1111 II 1•

the person oomina cd 01 .1ppomtecl1 ls 1h1· ,., se Illa)

be, provided he 1~ alive un such <lat..:.

_9._ If any Holder d11.:s without oom n , i 11 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 pendin '! 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 administer the

###### Raj for the bcndil of the incoming Holder and :;hall

be deemed to be under 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:t 11111 1
Governor of Auam, it ~hall not be la\\ful to sell, u1ort· 011 tr.irufer.

gage, divide, or io and other way transfer the Rnj or

any portion thereof or any interest tlu-1cin otherwise
than by lease for a term not exceeding 30 years.

(2) Any transfer made in contraVC!llt!ou of 1uh-

         - clion (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.


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###### 66
llIJNI Succn:ssJON .'\er

(3) \\'here .111)' lfil ~J~ l ai; IJ 111 mntlc in contra•

vcntion of su!rscction ( I), thco uotwithstanding any-

thing cont.1ined it1 the lnrlian I.imitnt"on .\ct, 1908,

any Holcl.•r may bn11g n suit for tfo'l recovery 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 tltsabiHty, '' h:chc:.( r of the two is the

longer 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 thereof nor
mcnt or nlc. any int( 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 shall .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 subject 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,                                            - 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 Governor 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 rmcnt 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

ccnt 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: prcscril.icd manner, ~nd if

unpaid, :.hall be n.·co\ ral.ilc as nu a rrear of land
fC\CnllC,

J. _$.,_ 12A in!\."f'lcli _by luc A.0,_ l!> 7 Omitl1.'d Ii> tire A.O. l!ISii.


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T II Of 1931 J I lJNI Su rm: • \t'l' 67

13. The [State 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 confirmation ;

(b) the publil'.nlion of nominations heforc ancl

after confiunat on ;

(c) the 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                       - i 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 Gonlpnrn t o\ cnn        - 1 pp oxirn te :m~a ' f l.30,000

acrC'I, n111J OOllll<fNl          - the

_.l\ ·01th.-ll)_ the Ii (' de n..·ur:11cd by :unudrn

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
renrhes 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, i) Bcng!li.
_(ii)_ Delp rn. (t-} Chitonk.

## v

(1i1) Mamkg. j. _i_                 - Oh.ignLnt.,,

1, Subetitutcd b)' th I Gov rant 1ub11i1u1ed

iJ the A 0 l931 for "L. G".


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