Government proposes online registration of property, documents

NEW DELHI: The Centre has drafted a bill which proposes to introduce online registration of property, and mandates registration of documents such as 'agreement to sell', power of attorney, sale certificates and equitable mortgage arrangements, among others. It will replace the 117-year-old Registration Act.

The department of land resources under rural development ministry has released the draft for public comment after several states decided to amend the law to allow for online registration. While Registration Act applies across the country, states can amend it in consultation with the Centre.

The government is also seeking to allow for electronic registration certificates and digital maintenance of records. Apart from electronic presentation and admission of documents for registration, govt has proposed Aadhaar-based authentication with ‘informed consent’, along with other verification methods for those who do not wish to share their unique ID, as part of an exercise to reduce fraud. Besides, the dept said the draft legislation has suggested integration with other record-keeping agencies to enhance the efficiency of information flows.

“In recent years, growing use of technologies, evolving socio-economic practices, and increasing reliance on registered documents have underscored need to create a forward-looking registration framework,” land resources dept said