In Brief
A tenant of agricultural land in Punjab/Haryana who continues in possession after the contractual lease term expires, with the landlord's implied consent, does not automatically lose tenancy status. The Court held that such a tenant acquires the status of a "holding over" tenant and remains entitled to statutory protections under the Punjab Security of Land Tenure Act 1953. Eviction must follow the Act's prescribed procedure under Section 14-A and be based on grounds specified in Section 9, not merely on contractual expiry. The Court also clarified that unregistered agricultural lease deeds are inadmissible, making the lease a deemed year-to-year lease under the Transfer of Property Act.
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