Patwaris Won't Face Problems In Future For Doing Registry, Writes Revenue Department To Collectors In Madhya Pradesh

The state government's SVAMITVA scheme for land registration in Madhya Pradesh has encountered a problem after Patwaris, the revenue officials, declined to sign the registries. In response, the revenue department sent a letter to the collectors explaining its position on the matter. The letter stated that Patwaris were designated as executing officers for the scheme, given their role in handling land registrations based on existing Khasra documents.

This limited scope makes it unlikely for Patwaris to make mistakes during the registration process. The government should not penalize the official who acted as the executing officer unless they acted arbitrarily. The letter appears to have persuaded some Patwaris to request that their names be removed from the list of registration officers.

President of the state Patwari Sangh, Upendra Singh Baghel, questioned Patwaris' ability to register land if it had already been recorded in the same name in the Khasra document. He also posed the question of how a Patwari could investigate potential disputes that might arise in the future. The Patwari Sangh has filed a petition in court over the issue. The state government is reportedly planning a meeting on Saturday to address the concerns.