Do you really own your land as per law?

Did you know that paperwork like tax receipts is not enough to prove you are the owner of a property? Yes, you’d be surprised to know that a transaction entered into between a buyer and seller of land is simply recorded at the registration and stamps duty office. However, it is only a record, and not a clear proof entitling the owner to his or her land. So, the formalities, as regards transfer papers and tax receipts aren’t legally binding documents.

In a landmark legislative move, the Rajasthan government recently passed the Urban Land (Certification of Titles) Bill or simply put the land titling Bill, which makes land and property acquisitions easier, transparent and safer. For the common man, this basically means that The Bill aims at giving the buyer of a property a clear title, which removes all doubts as to who owns the property. In other words, the state guarantees you that the land under your name is yours. You aren’t the ‘assumed’ owner.

If you are wondering what is the current law on land title, here’s a primer. When there is a dispute between two parties over land, the true owner of the land cannot make a rightful claim on the land if it is challenged. Therefore, one could end up losing the land, and chances are that the owner may not get the market rate for it.

So, how is the titling Bill different? The Bill proposes to ensure that the true owner will get the market price for the land. Also, any disputes over the land can be resolved by having a look at the guarantee title document.

To take a leaf out of the Rajasthan government’s positive move in this direction, other state governments need to begin by computerizing all property-related documents that are registered with the Registrar Offices and create a database to keep out any illegal claims from coming forward.