Govt Unveils Draft Registration Bill 2025 to Modernize Property Records

The Registration Act, 1908, enacted during the colonial era, has long served as a crucial tool for documenting ownership and legal transactions involving immovable property.

In a major step toward transforming the legal landscape of property documentation and public record-keeping, the Department of Land Resources (DoLR) under the Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India, has released the draft of The Registration Bill, 2025 for public consultation. The Bill aims to modernize and digitize the century-old document registration framework and align it with the evolving demands of a citizen-centric, paperless, and technology-driven governance system.

Once enacted, the new law will replace the Registration Act of 1908, which has been the foundational legislation governing the registration of immovable property and other legally significant documents in India for over 115 years.

Background: Why the Change Was Needed

The Registration Act, 1908, enacted during the colonial era, has long served as a crucial tool for documenting ownership and legal transactions involving immovable property. However, in light of technological advancements, the expanding role of registered documents in judicial, administrative, and financial processes, and the rapid digitization of public services, the need for a comprehensive legislative overhaul has become evident.

Registered documents today are not just legal formalities but also form the basis for land ownership rights, loan sanctions, tax records, inheritance claims, and public welfare delivery systems. As such, the registration process must be efficient, tamper-proof, and digitally accessible.

Key Objectives of the Registration Bill, 2025

The Registration Bill, 2025 is designed to create a forward-looking, harmonized legal framework that:

• Promotes online, paperless document registration accessible across India.

• Enables secure digital submissions, including remote access and digital identity verification.

• Clearly defines the roles and responsibilities of registering officers and establishes accountability measures.

• Introduces standardized practices across all states and union territories to ensure uniformity and legal coherence.

• Integrates citizen-centric reforms, making it easier and faster for individuals and businesses to register property-related documents without visiting government offices physically.

The Bill is also expected to facilitate interoperability with other digital public infrastructure such as Aadhaar, DigiLocker, and land record databases, thereby strengthening property rights and reducing the risk of fraud or duplication.

Technology Already Driving Innovation in States

Several states and union territories have already piloted reforms using the provisions of the 1908 Act to streamline document registration. Innovations include:

• E-registration portals

• Appointment-based registration slots

• Electronic stamping

• Online payment of registration fees

• Biometric authentication

• Digital signatures and blockchain-based record integrity

The new Bill intends to codify and scale these innovations nationally while offering legal certainty and procedural clarity.

Public Participation Invited: Pre-legislative Consultation Process

In keeping with India’s commitment to transparent and participatory law-making, the Department of Land Resources has invited suggestions and comments from the public on the draft Registration Bill, 2025.

Citizens, legal experts, technology professionals, land rights activists, and other stakeholders can download the draft bill from the official DoLR website at https://dolr.gov.in. Comments must be submitted by 25th June 2025 using the prescribed format outlined in the consultation document.

Format for Submission of Suggestions

To ensure structured input, respondents are requested to use the following Proforma:

S. No.	Section No. of the Draft Bill	Title of the Section	Proposed Modification	Remarks/Comments

Suggestions must be shared via email at sanand.b[at]gov[dot]in and should be submitted in either MS Word or machine-readable PDF format.

What Lies Ahead

Once finalized, the Registration Bill, 2025 is expected to be introduced in Parliament later this year. If passed, it will mark a paradigm shift in the way legal documents—particularly those involving land, property, and rights—are registered, authenticated, and preserved in India.

Legal experts have welcomed the move, saying it will:

• Reduce land disputes and litigation

• Minimize fraud through biometric-linked records

• Streamline credit access by ensuring reliable documentation

• Improve the ease of doing business and ease of living

The initiative also aligns with the broader goals of Digital India, e-Governance, and ease of access to public services, ensuring that property ownership and transfer are transparent, accountable, and equitable for all citizens.