Pune: The state is set to introduce a Land Titling Act by Dec to provide property owners with a definitive record of ownership and reduce disputes arising from unclear or conflicting land records, revenue minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule said during a meeting with state revenue officials from all key departments.The legislation is planned as a major shift from the present system, under which land records and registered documents establish evidence of ownership but do not necessarily provide an incontrovertible, govt-guaranteed title.Officials who attended the meeting said that the details of the act will be planned and drafted soon. “We have been directed to work towards introducing the legislation by Dec. The proposed framework is expected to provide a formal mechanism for determining, recording, and updating land titles,’’ said an official.Officials said the act is critical for the state, where disputes over ownership, inheritance, boundaries, and competing claims frequently hinder land transactions and development projects. Uncertainty over titles can also complicate due diligence for buyers, developers, and lenders, leaving parties embroiled in prolonged litigation, key revenue officials added.Explaining the system, a senior revenue official under the Pune division said that under a definitive titling system, the govt would establish an authoritative record of ownership after verifying existing records and claims. Citizen activists, however, have submitted a representation to the state govt raising a critical issue: how the state will deal with discrepancies in legacy records and competing claims before a title is declared final.Officials will also have to work out the process for inviting objections, adjudicating disputed claims, and updating titles following subsequent transactions, inheritances, or court orders. The proposed law is expected to dovetail with the state’s ongoing digitisation of land records.
