Gujarat Cuts Land Deal Red Tape: Same-Day Certificates, Faster Dispute Resolution

The changes aim to reduce delays and prevent fraudulent objections.

State spokesperson Jitu Vaghani stated that these changes were made by amending Section 135-D of the Land Revenue Act, 1879, to simplify revenue procedures and address challenges faced by citizens.

"With this amendment, citizens will now be freed from waiting for the 30-day notice period in lawful land or property transactions," he said.

He noted that the previous requirement caused significant delays for buyers and sellers.

"Until now, due to the mandatory 30-day notice in land or property sale transactions, common people had to wait for a long period. Taking advantage of this time frame, some anti-social elements used to raise false objections and extract money from sellers or buyers," Vaghani said, adding that the decision had been taken "in the interest of farmers and the middle class".

Under the revised provisions, sale entries will be recorded and certified on the same day without a Section 135-D notice if there has been no change in land records for at least one year, no pending litigation or claims, undisputed possession, and all individuals listed in the 7/12 record have signed the sale document.

In these cases, the entry will be immediately confirmed as a final, or "paki", entry.

The government has also eliminated the need to issue a 135-D notice when recording and implementing orders from a competent court or tribunal.

For cases requiring verification, the notice period has been reduced from 30 days to seven days.

This applies to transactions recorded within the past year, sales executed through a power of attorney, cases where not all rights holders have signed, or where a dispute is pending.

"Within these seven days, genuine right holders will be able to present their evidence so that no injustice occurs," Vaghani said.

He stated that the amendments will simplify legal processes for farmers, property buyers, and the general public and remove unnecessary obstacles to transfers among direct-line heirs.

The changes apply to agricultural land as well as transactions involving shops, flats, and residential properties.

According to the government, approximately 50,000 cases pending in revenue courts, from mamlatdar to Special Secretary, Revenue Department, have been delayed due to objections related to Section 135-D.

These cases are expected to be resolved more quickly, following Vaghani's addition that the changes will also address instances of coercion in property transactions.

"With rising property prices, some people used to raise false objections based on old agreements or informal documents to extract money. Such practices will now stop, and buyers and sellers will be able to carry out transactions without fear," he said.

The government said the decision, made under the guidance of Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, aims to make the revenue process more transparent, time-bound, and effective, benefiting many citizens across the state.

- IANS