The Inspector General of Registration and Controller of Stamps in Maharashtra is conducting a comprehensive review of property registrations from 2020 to 2022. The aim is to address complaints regarding violations of real estate laws. Committees have been formed to examine property documents across the state, focusing on adherence to the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act and the Maharashtra Prevention of Fragmentation and Consolidation of Holdings Act. The review will cover millions of documents, and officials who illegally registered documents are under scrutiny.
The Inspector General of Registration and Controller of Stamps (IGR), the state office responsible for overseeing property registrations in Maharashtra, has called for a comprehensive review of all property registrations conducted between 2020 and 2022. This initiative aims to address the growing number of complaints regarding violations of various laws governing the real estate sector in the state.
To carry out this review, committees have been established in all 519 property registration offices across Maharashtra. These committees will carefully examine property documents to identify any breaches of the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act (RERA), 2016, as well as the Maharashtra Prevention of Fragmentation and Consolidation of Holdings Act, 1947.
Under the RERA, it is mandatory for all real estate developers intending to build residential or commercial properties on an area larger than 500 square meters or with more than eight proposed apartments in all phases to register with the authority. Moreover, the Maharashtra Prevention of Fragmentation and Consolidation of Holdings Act, 1947 prohibits the registration of fragmented and small parcels of land. According to the Maharashtra IGR, only land measuring 11 gunthas (approximately 11,000 square feet) or larger can be legally registered.
Each year, around 25-30 lakh (2.5-3 million) documents are registered with the state department. A senior official of the property registration department stated that all documents registered within the past three years will be thoroughly examined, and a comprehensive report will be submitted to the government within a year.
IGR H Sonawane acknowledged that this review is an immense undertaking and will be carried out simultaneously with the department's day-to-day operations. In the past, some property offices in the state underwent preliminary checks, which led to the suspension of officials and further inquiries.
A total of 82 officials from the state property registration department are currently under scrutiny for allegedly registering documents in violation of RERA and the Maharashtra Prevention of Fragmentation and Consolidation of Holdings Act. Among these officials, 44 are from the Pune district, while the remaining are from Thane and Aurangabad, as disclosed by a registration department official.
The IGR's efforts to review property registrations conducted in the specified period demonstrate the government's commitment to ensuring compliance with regulations in the real estate sector. By identifying and addressing any violations, the authorities aim to enhance transparency, protect the interests of buyers and investors, and promote the orderly development of the real estate market in Maharashtra.
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