There shall be, for the purpose of this Act, the following classes of tenants, (namely) :—

(1) tenure-holders, including under-tenure-holders,

(2)raiyats, and

(3) under-raiyats, that is to say, tenants holding whether immediately or mediately under-raiyats; and the following classes of raiyats, namely :—

(a) raiyats holding at fixed rates, which expression means raiyats holding either at a rent fixed in perpetuity or at a rate of rent fixed in perpetuity,

(b) occupancy-raiyats, that is to say, raiyats having a right of occupancy in the land held by them, and

(c) non-occupancy-raiyats, that is to say, raiyats not having such a right of occupancy.

Bengal Tenancy Act, 1885