In all cases where it appears that the claim of title of the state to the lands on the records of the land office is void on account of uncertain description, or was acquired under tax sales which were void and which passed no title to the state, the land commissioner, with the written approval of the attorney general, is hereby authorized and directed to strike such lands from the lists in his office of lands sold to the state for delinquent taxes. The land commissioner shall transmit a list of the lands thus stricken from the records of forfeited state tax lands in his office to the clerk of the chancery court of the county in which such lands are situated, and the clerk of the chancery court shall note the same on the recorded lists in his office and shall file and preserve the list of lands thus stricken from the records in his office. The land commissioner shall at the same time give written notice to the assessor of the county that such lands have been stricken from the lists of lands held by the state for the nonpayment of taxes, and it shall be the duty of the assessor to assess such lands for taxes for the proper year or years at such valuation as the assessor may deem just. Such assessment shall be made in the manner provided by law for the assessment of property which has escaped taxation for former years. And the tax collector shall collect the taxes on such lands in the manner provided by law. The striking of such lands from the lists of forfeited state tax lands in the land commissioner’s office, as herein provided, shall cancel all title or claim of the state to such lands, except for taxes due thereon at the time of the sale and accruing after the sale.