The Indian Tolls Act, 1851

--- Section 1. Section 1.[Repealed.]. --- [Repeal of Acts].--Rep. by the Repealing Act, 1870 (14 of 1870), s. 1 and the Schedule, Part II. --- Section 1A. Section 1A.Extent. --- 1 [1A. Extent.-- This Act extends to the territories administered on the fourth of July, eighteen hundred and fifty-one, by the Governor of the Presidency of Fort William in Bengal, the LieutenantGovernor of North-Western Provinces of Bengal and the Governor of the Presidency of Fort St. George in Council.] [Footnotes] 1. Ins. by the A.O. 1937. --- Section 2. Section 2.Power to cause levy of tolls on roads and bridges within certain rates, and to appoint collectors. --- 1 [The State Government] may cause such rates of toll, 2 *** as 3 [it thinks fit], to be levied upon any road or bridge which has been, or shall hereafter be, made or repaired 4 [at the expense of the Central or any State Government]; and may place the collection of such tolls under the management of such persons as may appear to 5 [it] proper: and all persons employed in the management and collection of such tolls shall be liable to the same responsibilities as would belong to them if employed in the collection of the land revenue. STATE AMENDMENT Orissa Amendment of section 2.-- In section 2 of the Indian Tolls Act, 1851(8 of 1851) in its application to the State of Orissa, for the words "at the expense of the Central or any State Government", the words "at the expense of the Central or any State Government or any Corporation, Statutory Body, Company, Firm or person authorized by the State Government for this purpose" shall be substituted. [ Vide the Orissa Act 7 of 1999, s. 2] [Footnotes] 1. Subs., ibid ., for "The Governor of the Presidency of Fort William in Bengal, the Lieutenant-Governor of the North-Western Provinces of Bengal and the Governor of the Presidency of Fort St. George in Council". The words "and the Governor of the Presidency of Bombay in Council" had been rep. by Act 8 of 1888, s. 5. The authority of the Provincial Government in any Province of India not specified in s. 1A to which this Act and the Indian Tolls Act, 1864 (15 of 1864), may be or have been extended, is to be the same as if it had been originally specified in s. 2. See the Indian Tolls Act, 1888 (8 of 1888), s. 2 (1) . 2. The words "not exceeding the rates mentioned in the Schedule annexed to this Act" omitted by Act 38 of 1920, s. 2 and the First Schedule. 3. Subs. by the A.O. 1937, for "they respectively think fit". 4. Subs., ibid ., for "at the expense of the Govt.". 5. Subs., ibid ., for "them". --- Section 3. Section 3.Their powers for recovery of toll. --- In case of non-payment of any such toll on demand, the officers appointed to collect the same may seize any of the carriages or animals on which it is chargeable, or any part of their burden of sufficient value to defray the toll; and, if any toll remains undischarged for twenty-four hours, with the cost arising from such seizure, the case shall be brought before the officer appointed to superintend the collection of the said toll, who may sell the property seized for discharge of the toll, and all expenses occasioned by such non-payment, seizure and sale, and cause any balance that may remain to be returned, on demand, to the owner of the property; and the said officer, on receipt of the property, shall forthwith issue a notice that, at noon of the next day, exclusive of Sunday, or any closed holiday, he will sell the property by auction: Release of seized property on tender of dues. --Provided that, if, at any time before the sale has actually begun, the person whose property, has been seized shall tender the amount of all the expenses incurred, and of double the toll payable by him, the said officer shall forthwith release the property seized. --- Section 4. Section 4.Exemptions from payment of toll. --- No tolls shall be paid for the passage 1 *** of Police-officers on duty, or of any person or property in their custody, but no other exemption from payment of the toll levied under this Act shall be allowed. STATE AMENDMENT Orissa.-- Amendment of section 4.-- In section 4 of the Indian Tolls Act, 1851 (8 of 1851), in its application to the State of Orissa, after the words “shall be paid for the passage of” the words “the State Government Vehicles on Government duty and” shall be inserted. [ Vide the Orissa Act 13 of 1987, s. 2] [Footnotes] 1. The words "of troops and military stores and equipages on their march or" rep. by Act 2 of 1901, s. 8 and the Schedule. --- Section 5. Section 5.Assistance of collectors by Police-officers. --- All Police-officers shall be bound to assist the tollcollectors, when required, in the execution of this Act; and, for that purpose, shall have the same power which they have in the exercise of their common police-duties. --- Section 6. Section 6.Penalty for offences under Act. Compensation to person aggrieved. Saving of his right to sue. --- Every person, other than the persons appointed to collect the tolls under this Act, who shall levy or demand any toll on any public road or bridge, or for passing through any bazar situated thereon, and also every person who shall unlawfully and extortionately demand, or take any other or higher toll than the lawful toll, or under colour of this Act seize or sell any property knowing such seizure or sale to be unlawful, or in any manner unlawfully extort money or any valuable thing from any person under colour of this Act, shall be liable on conviction before a Magistrate to imprisonment for any term not exceeding six calendar months, or to fine not exceeding two hundred rupees, any part of which fine may be awarded by the Magistrate to the person aggrieved; but this remedy shall not be deemed to bar or affect his right to have redress by suit in the Civil Court 1 ***. [Footnotes] 1. The words "of the Zillah" rep. by Act 12 of 1876, s. 1 and the Schedule, Part. I. --- Section 7. Section 7.Exhibition of table of tolls, and statement of penalties. --- A table of the tolls authorized to be taken at any toll-gate or station shall be put up in a conspicuous place near such gate or station legibly written or printed in English words and figures, and also in those of the vernacular language of the district, to which shall be annexed, written or printed in like manner, a statement of the penalties for refusing to pay the tolls and for taking any lawful toll. --- Section 8. Section 8.Application of proceeds of tolls. --- The tolls levied under this Act shall be deemed public revenue 1 ***. [Footnotes] 1. The words "but the net proceeds thereof shall be applied wholly to the construction, repair and maintenance of roads and bridges within the presidency in which they are levied" omitted by the A.O. 1937.