Correct Answer:
B. Tenant with 20 years’ possession under same landlord
An occupancy tenant under the Punjab Tenancy Act 1887 is a tenant who has cultivated land for a significant period, thereby acquiring enhanced rights and security of tenure. The correct answer is Tenant with 20 years’ possession under same landlord. This foundational concept establishes a long-term relationship with the land and landlord as a prerequisite for occupancy status.
- Option A is incorrect because 10 years is insufficient for acquiring occupancy rights.
- Option C is false as a written lease is not the sole criterion; the duration of possession is paramount.
- Option D, 'Tenant by inheritance', describes how one might become an occupancy tenant, but the primary definition for acquiring such rights through possession is the 20-year rule.