Correct Option
The correct option is 2 only.
Explanation
The "Sunset Law" was a stringent regulation associated with the Permanent Settlement (Zamindari System) introduced by Lord Cornwallis in 1793. It was implemented to ensure the punctual payment of fixed land revenue by Zamindars to the British East India Company.
Statement-wise Analysis
- Statement 1 is Incorrect: The Sunset Law was applicable to the Permanent Settlement system, which was prevalent primarily in Bengal, Bihar, and Odisha. It was not applicable to the Ryotwari System, which was implemented in the Deccan and Madras presidencies. In the Ryotwari system, the settlement was made directly with the cultivators (ryots), and the specific mechanism of auctioning large estates by sunset did not apply in the same manner.
- Statement 2 is Correct: The law mandated that if a Zamindar failed to pay the revenue dues by sunset of the specified date, their estate (or parts of it) would be liable to be auctioned by the government to recover the arrears. This rigid rule led to the dispossession of many traditional Zamindars who could not meet the strict deadlines.
Key Takeaway
The Sunset Law is a specific feature of the Permanent Settlement (1793), enforcing the auction of Zamindari lands if revenue was not deposited by sunset on the due date.