SAHIB RAM ETC. vs THE FINANCIAL COMMISSIONER, PUNJAB & OTHERS

The Supreme Court interpreted Section 18(1) of the Punjab Security of Land Tenures Act, 1953, determining that a tenant must have completed six years of continuous occupation by the time they file an application for purchase, rather than on the date the Act came into force (April 15, 1953). The Court held that there is no requirement for the tenant to have been in occupation for six years prior to the Act's commencement, thus allowing tenants who meet the six-year condition at the time of application to claim their right to purchase. The judgment clarified the legislative intent behind the Act, emphasizing the rights of tenants in possession.