31. Application for increase of rent in respect of land held in excess of the area for which rent was previously paid - (1) Where the land is held by an occupancy-Raiyat in excess of the area for which rent has previously been paid by him, no increase shall be made to the rent payable by him except by order of a Revenue Officer passed under Chapter XII or by order of the Deputy Commissioner passed on an application made to him by the landlord.
(2)Every such application shall specify,-(a)the yearly rent payable by the Raiyat at the date of the application;(b)the area and description of the land for which the said rent is payable;(c)the proceedings (if any) by which the said rent was fixed;(d)the general rate prevailing in the village for corresponding classes of lands;(e)the date (as nearly as it can be ascertained) when the said general rate was last adjusted in the village;(f)the area and description of the land held in excess of the area for which rent has previously been paid, and in respect of which an increase of rent is claimed; or, if the landlord is unable to indicate any particular land as being held in excess, then the area alone;(g)the amount of the said increase;(h)the manner in which the said increase has been, or should be assessed; and(i)any other prescribed particulars.(3)If a survey and record-of-rights have been made under this Act, or under any other law in force before the commencement of this Act, in respect of any land referred to in clause (b) or clause (f) of sub-section (2), the "area and description" required by those clauses, respectively, shall be specified by stating the plot number, area and class of each field included in the land, as shown by such survey and record.(4)Sections 146 to 149 shall apply to every application made under this Section.
