In order to avoid the provisions of the Land Ceiling Act, which among the following strategies was adopted by the landowners?

Benami transfers

The correct answer is Option (1) → Benami transfers

A benami transfer is a type of transaction where a property is purchased in the name of a person who is not the actual owner. The person in whose name the property is held is the "benamidar," while the person who pays for the property and is the real owner is the "beneficial owner."

In the context of the Land Ceiling Act, landowners used benami transfers to circumvent the legal limit on the amount of land an individual could own. They would divide their large landholdings on paper and transfer the surplus land to relatives, servants, or even fictitious individuals. This allowed them to retain control over the land while appearing to comply with the new law.