Section 18(1) in The Punjab Security of Land Tenures Act, 1953
(1)Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in any law, usage or contract, a tenant of a landowner other than a small landowner -(i)who has been in continuous occupation of the land comprised in his tenancy for [a minimum period of six years] [Substituted by Punjab Act 11 of 1955 for the words 'a period of twelve years'.], or(ii)who has been restored to his tenancy under the provisions of this Act and whose periods of continuous occupation of the land comprised in his tenancy immediately before ejectment and immediately after restoration of his tenancy together [amount to six years or more] [Substituted by Punjab Act 11 of 1955, for the words 'exceed twelve years'.], or(iii)who was ejected from his tenancy after the 14th day of August, 1947, and before the commencement of this Act, and who was in continuous occupation of the land comprised in his tenancy for a period [of six years or more immediately before his ejectment] [Substituted by Punjab Act 11 of 1955, for 'exceeding twelve years, on the date of his ejectment'.],shall be entitled to purchase from the landowner the land so held by him but not included in the reserved area of the landowner, in the case of a tenant falling within clause (i) or clause (ii) at any time, and in the case of a tenant falling within clause (iii) within a period of one year from the date of commencement of this Act :Provided that no tenant referred to in this sub-section shall be entitled to exercise any such right in respect of the land or any portion, thereof, if he had sublet the land or the portion, as the case may be, to any other person during any period of his continuous occupation, unless during that period the tenant was suffering from a legal disability or physical infirmity, or, if a woman, was a widow or was unmarried:Provided further that if the land intended to be purchased is held by another tenant who is entitled to pre-empt the sale under the next preceding section, and who is not accepted by the purchasing tenant, the tenant in actual occupation shall have the right to pre-empt the sale.
