The record of rights, called the khatian, is the revenue record that shows who holds the land and under what plot number, area and classification. The plot information, keyed to the dag number, shows the size and the class of the plot. Together they tell you what the state's revenue records say about a piece of land — but they are not the same thing as the sale deed, and a bank or a sub-registrar will look at both before accepting a title.
Reading the two records correctly is the quickest way to spot a defect before you pay.
When this matters
- You are buying land or a flat and the seller hands you a deed but no current khatian.
- You have registered a purchase but your name still does not appear in the record of rights.
- A bank, a sub-registrar or a co-operative society has asked you for a certified copy of the record of rights.
- Two records show different areas or different names for the same plot.
What the record of rights and the plot information show
The record of rights is maintained under the West Bengal Land Reforms Act 1955 and is the state's official statement of who holds the land. It carries the name of the raiyat — the person who holds the land and is liable to pay rent — together with the khatian number, the dag number or numbers, the area, the classification of the land, the share held where there are co-sharers, and a remarks column for encumbrances and other notes.
The plot information is keyed to the dag, the plot number. One khatian may carry several dags, and one dag may be held by several co-sharers, each with a recorded share. The classification of the land — whether it is an agricultural class or a homestead class — appears in the record, and that entry decides what the land may lawfully be used for.
The difference between the record of rights and the deed
The deed is the instrument of transfer; the record of rights is the revenue record of holding. Registration of a deed and mutation of the record are two different acts. A person can hold a registered deed and still not appear in the record of rights because mutation was never applied for, and a name in the record of rights does not by itself prove ownership if the entry was made wrongly or on a forged deed. The two must be read together: the deed shows the transaction, and the record shows whether the state's revenue records reflect it.
How to read the entries
- Raiyat and co-sharers — the holders of the land and their shares. Where the entry shows several names, the plot is jointly held and no one co-sharer can sell the whole without the others.
- Dag number — the plot number. Match it with the deed and with the plot information.
- Area — recorded in the units the office uses, which may not match the figures written informally in a sale agreement. A small shortfall in area is common; a large one is a warning.
- Classification — the class of land. A plot shown under an agricultural class cannot be built upon or financed as a house site until the classification is changed.
- Khatian number — the record's own number, needed to obtain the certified copy.
- Remarks and possession columns — read every note. They may disclose a mortgage, a charge, a boundary dispute or a correction.
How to get a certified copy
You can view the record of rights and the plot information for your block through the online land records portal of the Directorate of Land Records and Surveys, which shows the khatian and dag details. For a certified copy that a bank, a court or a sub-registrar will accept, apply to the office of the Block Land and Land Reforms Officer, or the District Land and Land Reforms Officer, for the mouza where the plot lies, giving the khatian number, the dag number, the mouza and the police station. The prescribed fee and the search formalities are settled at the counter, and the certified copy is issued under the office seal.
When the record does not match the deed
Two remedies are common. First, mutation: under Section 50 of the West Bengal Land Reforms Act 1955 an application is made to the Block Land and Land Reforms Officer to record the transfer shown in the registered deed, supported by the deed, the tax receipts and the identity of the applicant. Second, correction or rectification, where the record is wrong in itself — a misspelt name, a wrong area, a wrong dag — or where an entry has been made without notice to the affected holder. Where two entries overlap and each holder claims the plot, the dispute is settled in a civil suit rather than by an administrative correction. Our property registration desk handles mutation and correction applications, and the property registration formats page carries the draft applications.
Why a bank insists on it
A lender's legal scrutiny of the security wants to see that the borrower is the recorded holder, that the classification of the land permits the purpose for which the loan is given, that the plot is not recorded as vested or ceiling-surplus, that there is no government dues entry, and that the deed and the revenue record agree. A record of rights that shows a different name, an unresolved share, or an agricultural classification can hold up or defeat the loan.
Common mistakes
- Accepting the deed as proof and never checking the record of rights.
- Ignoring the classification, and later discovering the plot cannot be built upon.
- Buying from one co-sharer without checking the shares in the khatian.
- Filing mutation with a photocopy of the deed and no tax receipts.
- Applying for a certified copy with the wrong khatian or dag number, which returns a record for a different plot.
Keep the certified copy, the deed and the tax receipts together, because each answers a different question. If the record needs correction, or a wrong entry has to be challenged, our property registration desk and our contact team can take it up.
Common questions
Is the record of rights proof of ownership?
It is strong evidence of holding and revenue liability, and it is what the bank and the sub-registrar look at, but a court decides ownership on the title deeds and the surrounding facts. Read the record together with the chain of title, not instead of it.
My name is missing from the khatian though my deed is registered. What do I do?
Apply for mutation under Section 50 of the West Bengal Land Reforms Act 1955 to the Block Land and Land Reforms Officer with the registered deed, the tax receipts and your identity proof. Until the mutation is allowed, the revenue record will not show you as the holder.
How do I obtain a certified copy quickly?
Note the khatian number, the dag number, the mouza and the police station correctly, apply at the block or district land and land reforms office with the prescribed fee, and collect the copy under seal. You can first confirm the details on the online land records portal and then apply for the certified copy.
What if the area in the record is smaller than in my agreement?
A minor difference is often a measurement convention. A large shortfall may mean the plot is not what was sold, or that part of the land has been recorded elsewhere; have the deed, the dag map and the record compared before proceeding.
FileX Advocates & Legal Consultants, Kolkata, drafts and files these matters before the Calcutta High Court, City Civil and Sessions courts, magistrate, family, consumer and tribunal forums. Call +91 7439811422 or WhatsApp us for a free first consultation.