Dhanbad, Dec. 15: More than 50 lawyers, under the aegis of Dhanbad Jila Adhivakta Sangh, staged a dharna at Randhir Verma Chowk today demanding the implementation of the Chotanagpur Tenancy Act (CNT)-1908 in the district.

The agitators, led by former Sindri MLA Rajkishor Mahto, also submitted a memorandum to district deputy commissioner Sunil Kumar Burnwal demanding the immediate implementation of the Act in general and provision (b) of section 46(1) of the Act in particular in the coal capital. Copies of the memorandum were also sent to revenue and land reforms minister Mathura Prasad Mahto and district registrar Anil Kumar Sinha.

Provision (b) of Section 46(1) of the CNT Act states that registration of transfer of deeds with regard to land belonging to scheduled caste and other backward caste people cannot take place without the prior permission of a deputy commissioner.

“The CNT Act of 1908 was framed and implemented by the British, during their tenure, as a separate Act to protect the the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Castesfrom being exploited in the Chotanagpur region,” said Kansari Mandal, who presided over the dharna.

Earlier, the revenue department of the state government issued a notification on December 4 this year directing the administration to implement section 46(1)-provision (b).

The state then issued a second notification on December 11 staying its earlier decision.

“The action of the Jharkhand state government to stay its earlier order of implementation of the CNT Act is arbitrary, illegal and against the weaker section of the people of the state,” said an agitator, Shankar Kishor Mahto.