Now, registration of properties at home will be videographed

After complaints of malpractices in registration of documents regarding immovable property during home visits by registering officers, the department of registration and stamps has introduced stricter rules.

There were complaints that either people executing documents under provisions where rules are relatively lax were not bonafide owners of the property, or that the document was not registered during the home visit or that no such home visit took place. Police complaints have been filed against officials at Kurla and Khamgaon in Buldhana regarding these home visits.

Hence, home visits to register documents like sale and purchase of property, leave and licence and lease, are to be videographed and preserved.

Legal provisions authorise the registering officer to visit the residence of any person desiring to register a document or will in case the person is physically handicapped, old or ill and is hence, unable to visit the sub-registrar’s office for these formalities.

However, the officer has to be satisfied that the case is genuine. “There have been instances and allegations that when home visits were done… the person who signed was not the bonafide owner,” said S Chockalingam, inspector general of registration and controller of stamps.

Henceforth, the sub-registrar will have to check the genuineness of the home visit request and ask the parties involved to arrange for an audio-visual recording of the visit. This CD must be given to the sub-registrar’s office.