In this article, we will discuss the Khaitan Record of Rights and its salient features that protect land rights
Land is immensely valued for not just its economic purpose but also for its significant social, commercial, and emotional value. Loss of land, disputes over titles, and issues regarding ownership and transfer can be exhausting and expensive.
For the protection of land rights, the West Bengal government has initiated the process of recording land rights – called Khaitan. Through this, the government of West Bengal issues certified copies of entries in the land records to the residents of the state.
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What You Should Know About The Khaitan West Bengal Record Of Rights?
Establishing true ownership over the property:
If you’re a resident of West Bengal or own property falling within the state, the Khaitan record of rights would serve several beneficial purposes. Firstly, it would state in the government records conclusively that you are the real owner of the property. Thus, any future claims on your property would be rendered false through the grant of a Khaitan number.
Legal rights recognized by the state
The land record is subject to constant change may be rendered obsolete if not for constant updation. Maintained by the revenue department of West Bengal, for each village separately, it accurately maps out legal rights for different kinds of lands located within the mouza (or the administrative district).
Database for plot information:
The Land and Land Reforms and Refugee Relief and Rehabilitation department of the Government of West Bengal provides the service of tracking details of plot information such as the land rates, digitized mouza maps etc.
Helps avoid time-consuming litigation:
Through its dynamic process of constant revisions, the government aims to minimize litigation against land rights, which constitutes the most significant portion of all civil suits initiated in Indian courts. Although the online version available for free viewing is not legally admissible. A certified copy of the record can be easily obtained by paying a nominal fee.
How Can You Make Use Of The West Bengal Record Of Rights?
An owner of a piece of land can put it to varied purposes – such as agriculture, commercial construction, housing etc. The same land can also be used to avail loans as collateral. In some cases, this land may be attached due to a pending court proceedings. Thus, the usage of land may be restricted. Here’s a checklist of all the purposes that the Khaitan land records can be used for-
Encumbrances:
If a loan has been availed by the landowner against the property, it will be captured in the Record of Rights. Details of the loan including the amount involved, charges, and encumbrances on the property are available.
Agricultural fitness of the land:
If you own agricultural land but aren’t sure whether the land is fit for agricultural use, the land records can come in handy. Not only does it map out the kinds of agriculture in and around the area. But it also breaks down details such as irrigation type – access to water resources, soil type etc.
Property taxes:
Details of the annual charges on the property imposed by the revenue department such as property tax. Whether paid or unpaid, the amount due etc can be accessed from the website.
Administrative details:
More importantly, the land records would also provide if there are any restrictions on construction on the land, classification of area, charges of attachment of property under court orders, pending litigations etc. Which would be very useful information before considering a new property purchase.
This service can be availed on the official land records website of the West Bengal Government by clicking on the Know Your Property tab and entering relevant details including the Khaitan number of the land. Any changes in the property arising due to sale, transfer, gift or inheritance can also be updated on the platform.
Conclusion
Prevention is always better than cure, it is said. While Khaitan comes handy for all those stuck in legal disputes and conflicts over the titleship of a land, it is always advisable to have your property papers in order with the guidance of a legal expert. And even in the instance of schemes like Khaitan, there is a lot of fine print involved which only a trained legal eye can comprehend in its entirety. If you have any queries or are looking for some kind of legal advise with regard to property related matters, get in touch with us and we will ensure that our team of experts address your requirements.
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