53. Methods of payment of rent. - [(1)] Payment of rent by a tenant to his landlord, in respect of the land held or cultivated by the tenant may be made either,-
(a)by tendering the rent at the mal-cutcherry for the receipt of rent or other place where the rent of such land is usually payable; or(b)by remitting the amount of the rent to the landlord or his agent by postal money-order in the prescribed form [either direct or through the Deputy Commissioner,][(2) Where a tenant (hereinafter referred to in this sub-section as the 'payer') intends to pay his rent or a portion of his rent by postal money-order through the Deputy Commissioner,-(i)the payer shall remit the amount of such rent or portion of rent, as the case may be, to the Deputy Commissioner together with a sum equal to the postal remittance fee to enable the Deputy Commissioner to remit the amount to the person described in the money-order form as the landlord or his agent (hereinafter referred to in this sub-section as the 'payee');(ii)the Deputy Commissioner shall on receipt of the money-order enter the prescribed particulars of all such remittances in a register to be maintained by him in the prescribed form and shall cause the money to be remitted to the payee;(iii)in the event of the payee accepting the money-order the postal acknowledgement shall remain in the Deputy Commissioner's office and shall be made over to the payer on an application made by him in this behalf and if no such application is made, preserved for a period of six years; and(iv)in the event of the payee refusing the money-order, the amount shall remain in deposit with the Deputy Commissioner to the credit of the payee and may, on application be paid to the payee in the prescribed manner, if such application is made within three years from the date of the deposit and if no such application is made by the payee within the said period, the amount may, on application, be paid to the payer in the prescribed manner.(3)Where rent is sent by postal money-order either direct or through the Deputy Commissioner, the postal acknowledgement in the case of acceptance and the money-order coupon in the case of refusal, duly sealed by the post-office, shall be admissible in evidence without formal proof and shall be presumed to be a correct record of acceptance or refusal, as the case may be, by the payee unless the contrary is proved.]
