‘Continue system of manual land registration’, writ plea filed in Madras High Court

CHENNAI: A writ plea has been filed in the Madras High Court, seeking a direction to the authorities concerned to continue the current system of registration of properties manually till the online system is properly implemented.

Justice N Kirubakaran, before whom the petition from one T Boopathy came up recently, issued notice to the authorities concerned returnable by March 12.

According to the petitioner, online registration of documents has resulted only in more corruption, as the registrar concerned, to whom the documents are sent online, will have the discretion of accepting or returning them.

The system does not provide for inclusion of documents relating to the properties’ schedule and boundaries. There is also no provision for registering the ‘gramanatham’ property. It would complicate things for persons who do not have pattas and other documents. The system does not provide for even a column for filling PAN of the parties.

In respect of certain categories of documents, the title of the vendor and previous vendors will have to be clearly stated, but the system has no provision to accept those details and in the process the documents could not be properly recited and prepared. Only the people who know how to do online registration are to be roped in. It would encourage the presence of touts and brokers and the purpose of removing corruption, touts and brokers would be defeated.

Hence, the old system should continue till the ill-effects of the new system are completely rectified, the petitioner said.