Lambardar:Section 4 (28), Village Officer, History, First Female Lambardar, responsibilities, Qualification, Rule of Lambardari in Punjab

 Lambardar:

The headman of a village is called Lambardar he is appointed by the executive district officer in a village. Lambardar has to collect and supervise the collection of revenue of an estate, he is the representative of the people of an estate and a link between the government and public.

Section 4 (28):

Village Officer:

Person appointed under this Act whose duty is to collect, or to supervise the collection of, the revenue of an estate and include Kanungos, Patwaris, Service Center Officials and Headmen (Lambardar)

History:

During early and medieval times, cultivators just broke the land and cultivated as much they needed. During drought and famine they frequently abandoned the land and moved to other places. Hence, the land ownership was not a permanent concept. They were taxed by the rulers of the day based on the number of the cattle and area of the land cultivated. After the famine of 1783, many cultivators abandoned the villages and migrated elsewhere, and some land was sold by the owners. Slowly prominent farmers came into the possession of large lands, and they acquired the status of proprietors of the village estate and were recorded as such during the settlement of 1840 - 41 by the British Raj.
These estates came to be known as zamindari tenures, most influential and the largest estate-holders among them in due time became zaildars and lambardars. The British even used them as a localized dispute ombudsman and gave these big zamindars some moral policing rights. During the Settlement of 1840-41, the tenants were classified into three classes:

a. those who had land continuously for many years at a fix rent and were not liable to ejectment,

b. the tenants in BHAIACHARA (brotherhood) villages who paid rent at the same rate as the members of brotherhood and who so long as they paid this rate were ejected,

c. and those who cultivated from years to year under fresh agreement. 

These ordinary division into tenants with or without right of occupancy was adopted. Thus, the concept of the formal permanent ownership of the land came into being, and became a legalized and formally documented

In Pakistan:

The lambardari system in Pakistan is based on the pre-partition Indian land revenue system. After the 1947, both nations have made changes to the land revenue acts, leading to some differences in the practice and implementation, though the basic concept remains same. India has undertaken aggressive land reforms, capping the celling of the area of land holding and distribution of the percentage of tenant s by converting them into the permanent owners. 
These reforms are pending are in Pakistan, leading to the landownership in limited hands.

First Female Lambardar:

The first female Lambardar in West Pakistan was Begum Sarwat Imtiaz who took oath in 1959. She was Lambardar of village Chak 43/12 L , Chichawatni, District Montgomery ( now Sahiwal). After that her daughter Begum Arshia Azhar is Lambardar of said village. That was recognized as a milestone for women empowerment in patriarchal Pakistan and Muslim world.

What are the responsibilities of Numberdar?

The proposed numbardari system will help the government to improve its revenue collection. It will create a better liaison between the provincial government and the rural population. These numberdars will also be responsible to report local government about encroachments to protect state land from illegal occupants.

Qualification for appointment of Lambardar in Pakistan:

The appointment of Lambardar shall be on merit and consideration should be given to the requirements of honesty trustworthiness as well as other qualities of head and heart, so as to ensure that Lambardar is a fit for job.

Rule of Lambardari in Punjab:

Lambardar under rule 20 of the Punjab land revenue is duty bound to recover land revenue and other sums which are due to the state, if money due to paid to the Lambardar the liability of the person concerned stands discharged.