Official guidance, Tamil Nadu land law
ந.க.எண்.37943/சி1/2024, பொது நில ஆக்ரமிப்பு, 12.09.2024
The Head of the Registration Department issued Registration Department letter ந.க.எண்.37943/சி1/2024 on 12 September 2024, directing all Deputy Heads of the Registration Department, District Registrars and Sub-Registrars to follow without deviation the Revenue and Disaster Management Department instructions on forged government documents used to encroach on public land. The instructions require officials to verify government land assignment documents, recover land from unlawful occupants and prosecute those involved in forged, bogus or illegal documents.
Scope and purpose
Registration Department letter ந.க.எண்.37943/சி1/2024, dated 12 September 2024, forwards Revenue and Disaster Management Department, Land Disposal Wing, Letter (Ms) No.5444598/LD4(1)/2023-5, dated 29 August 2024, for action. The Head of the Registration Department directs registration officials to follow the government instructions without deviation.
The instructions concern public and government land occupied through forged government documents. They also cover verification of assignment orders and other documents held by occupants of government land.
Who is affected
Registration Department letter ந.க.எண்.37943/சி1/2024 is addressed to:
- All Deputy Heads of the Registration Department.
- All District Registrars, including administration and audit.
- All Sub-Registrars.
The underlying Revenue and Disaster Management Department instructions also apply to District Collectors, revenue officials and officials in other departments dealing with government land. Persons occupying government land, particularly those relying on assignment orders or other government documents, may have those documents checked.
Key instructions
Revenue and Disaster Management Department Letter (Ms) No.5444598/LD4(1)/2023-5 requires officials to:
- Identify government properties and verify whether assignment orders and documents held by occupants are genuine.
- Register criminal cases against all persons concerned in creating forged government documents to grab public land.
- Immediately recover government land from unlawful occupants or encroachers and use it for public purposes.
- Take appropriate action to recover land and prosecute offenders when forged, bogus or illegal documents are identified.
- Maintain District Collector registers containing assignment orders, assignee details and survey number details, and update them regularly.
- Give priority to removing encroachments from water bodies and other objectionable government lands.
- Follow the relevant Acts and their prescribed processes when removing encroachments.
Monitoring and compliance
The government instructions refer to Divisional, District and State level committees for reporting and monitoring encroachments in water bodies and other government lands. The Commissioner of Land Administration is asked to monitor progress.
Deputy Heads of the Registration Department must obtain acknowledgements from District Registrars and send a consolidated acknowledgement to the office of the Head of the Registration Department.
This summary is generated from the source document to help you find what is relevant. The PDF above is authoritative. For advice on your own property, use LandLens One or speak to a qualified professional.
Common questions
Can officials verify my assignment order for government land?
Yes. The instructions require officials to identify government properties and verify the genuineness of assignment orders and documents held by occupants.
What happens if a government land document is found to be forged?
Officials must take appropriate action to recover the land and prosecute the offenders. Criminal cases must be registered against all persons concerned in creating forged government documents to grab public land.
Does the document cover ordinary private land?
The instructions specifically concern public and government lands, unlawful occupants, encroachers and documents connected with government land. The source does not state that they apply generally to ordinary private land.
Are water body encroachments given priority?
Yes. Field officials are directed to prioritise water bodies when identifying and removing encroachments from objectionable government lands, while following the relevant Acts and prescribed processes.
