PUNE: The Maharashtra state government is drafting a Land Titling Act that will mandate property cards for all land parcels, as stated by Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule in Pune on Sunday. This card will not only include essential details but will also indicate the property’s value.
A property card, or malmatta patrak, serves as the official land record document issued by the city survey department for urban areas. Currently, it is the primary legal proof of ownership for urban properties, encompassing all details about the owner, property size, location, and transaction history. For rural areas, a 7/12 extract is used.
The minister remarked, “Once the act is enacted, it will cover properties belonging to an estimated 14 crore residents across Maharashtra, and the property’s value will be officially detailed on the card. This document will act as a globally recognized proof of land ownership, comparable to how cash assets are recognized,” he added.
Bawankule mentioned that the government aims to finalize this legislation by July. The bill to formally convert it into an act is expected to be presented to the state assembly for approval during the monsoon session. He made these remarks after attending Bharti Vidyapeeth’s foundation day event.
This initiative is likely to enhance the state’s economy and simplify land transactions. “Once the Act is in place, no property in Maharashtra will lack a property card,” he asserted.
Bawankule noted that several Supreme Court and High Court rulings have depicted documents such as the 7/12 extract, registration papers, or sale certificates as not always providing conclusive proof of ownership. In contrast, property cards are widely accepted and valued in courts and official systems nationwide, which could alleviate property disputes and lengthy litigation processes.
In addition to the Act, a revised proposal for vertical property cards specifically for flat owners is set to be reviewed by the cabinet in June. While the state currently issues property cards for urban land and 7/12 extracts for rural areas, it lacks a formal document that verifies the ownership of individual flats within multi-storey buildings.
To address this issue, new rules are proposed under the Maharashtra Land Revenue Code of 1966. State Settlement Commissioner Shailesh Nawal stated that the existing property card or 7/12 extract will remain the primary ownership document for the land parcel, while the vertical property card will serve as a supplementary record for individual units.
