73Annulment of assessment of estate or holding.

(1) When an arrear of land-revenue has been due for a longer period than one month, and the foregoing processes are not deemed sufficient for the recovery thereof, the financial Commissioner may, in addition to or instead of all or any of those processes, order the existing assessment of the estate or holding in respect of which the arrear is due to be annulled.
(2) The provisions of this section shall not be put in force for the recovery of an arrear of land-revenue which has accrued on land —
(a) while under attachment under the last foregoing section, or
(b) while under the charge of the Court of Wards.
(3) When the assessment of any land has been annulled, the Collector may, with the previous sanction of the Financial Commissioner, either manage the land himself or through an agent, or let it in farm to any person willing to accept the farm, for such term and on such conditions as may be sanctioned by the Financial Commissioner: Provided that the term for which land may be so managed or farmed shall not be longer than fifteen years from the commencement of the agricultural year next following the date of the annulment.
(4) at some time before the expiration of that term the Collector shall determine the assessment to be paid in respect of the estate or holding for the remainder of the term of the current assessment of the district or tehsil, and, when that assessment has been sanctioned by the Financial Commissioner, shall announce it to the landowner.
(5) The landowner may give notice to the Collector of refusal to be liable for the assessment within thirty days from the date on which the assessment was announced to him.
(6) If notice is so given, the Collector may, with the previous sanction of the Financial Commissioner, take the estate or holding under direct management or farm it for the remainder of the term of the current assessment of the district or tehsil, or for any period within that term which the Financial Commissioner may fix.
(7) When the assessment of a holding is annulled, the joint responsibility of the other landowners of the estate for the land-revenue of that holding becoming due after the annulment shall be in abeyance until the a new assessment takes effect.
(8) The Financial Commissioner may direct that any contract made by the defaulter, or by any person through whom the defaulter claims, with respect to any land comprised in an estate or holding of which the assessment has been annulled shall not be binding on the Collector or his agent or farmer during the period for which the estate or holding remains under the management of the Collector or his agent or is let in farm