109Power to sell unclaimed holdings for money due

(1) If money be due under this Act in respect of any holding from the owner thereof, on account of any tax, expenses or charges recoverable under this Act, if the owner of such holding or his whereabouts are unknown or the ownership thereof is disputed or when the owner lives outside the municipality and has failed to pay it in spite of service of demand notice twice, the municipality may publish twice, at an interval of three months, a notification of sale of such holding and after the expiry of not less than three months from the date of the last publication, unless the amount recoverable be paid, may sell such holding to the highest bidder, who shall, at the time of sale, deposit forthwith twenty-five per cent, of the purchase money. The balance shall be paid within fifteen days of the date of sale. In default of payment of the balance amount, the money if any, so deposited shall be forfeited and the holding shall be re-sold. After deducting the amount due to the municipality, the surplus sale-proceeds, if any, shall be credited to the municipal fund and may be paid on demand to any person who establishes his right of claim to the satisfaction of such municipality or in a Court of competent jurisdiction.

(2) Any person may pay the amount due at any time before the completion of the sale and may recover such amount by a suit in a Court of competent jurisdiction from any person beneficially interested in such property.