Section 56. Instruments executed by agriculturist not to be deemed valid unless executed before a Villageregistrar.

No instrument which purports to create, modify, transfer, evidence or extinguish an obligation for the payment of money or a charge upon any property, or to be a conveyance or lease, and which is executed after this Act comes into force by an agriculturist residing in any local area for which a Village-registrar has been appointed, shall be admitted in evidence for any purpose by any person having by law or consent of parties authority to receive evidence, or shall be acted upon by any such person or by any public officer, unless such instrument is written by, or under the superintendence of, and is attested by, a Village-registrar: Provided that nothing herein contained shall prevent the admission of any instrument in evidence in any criminal proceeding, 1]or apply to any instrument which is executed by an agriculturist merely as a surety,] 2[or to any instrument required by Section 17 of the 3Indian Registration Act, 1877 (3 of 1877), to be registered under that Act.] [* * *]