The Panchami Land System represents a fundamental element of land ownership challenges faced by marginalised people in India, especially the Dalits. During colonialism, this system was instituted by the British to provide land to the socially and economically disadvantaged. However, imposed constraints curtailed genuine ownership and control. These properties were burdened with stipulations that inhibited owners from selling or mortgaging them, thereby diminishing their economic value. This paper seeks to contextualize the historical and legal dimensions of the Panchami lands to elucidate the present difficulties in land rights, ownership, and social justice. Colonial land reforms, such as the Permanent Settlement, Ryotwari, and Mahalwari systems, disrupted traditional landholding structures while augmenting revenue for the British administration. These reforms specifically deprived marginalised populations of their traditional rights to land and resources, setting the stage for enduring inequities. Post independence, efforts to address these injustices were hindered by the persistence of colonial mechanisms, leaving Panchami landholders vulnerable to encroachment and disenfranchisement. By tracing the evolution of colonial land policies and analysing their impact on Dalit land ownership, this research uncovers systemic issues that perpetuate dispossession and exploitation. Addressing these challenges requires a critical reassessment of legal frameworks, land administration, and a commitment to historical redress. The study also highlights how the legacy of colonial land policies reflects broader patterns of neocolonial exploitation globally, offering insights into parallels with resource-based dependency in other post colonial nations.
R et al. (2026) studied this question.