Maharashtra’s Revenue Department has introduced stricter documentation requirements for registering sales of shares in jointly owned land, following an announcement reported on October 22, 2026. Under the Maharashtra 7/12 land sale rules, sellers must provide an official land measurement “C” copy or, if that document is not attached, written consent or a no-objection certificate from the other co-owners. The government says the measure is intended to improve transparency and reduce ownership disputes.
Revenue Department Directs Sub-Registrars to Check Joint Land Sale Documents
The directive applies when one person seeks to sell a share in land where several owners are listed on a common 7/12 extract, also known as the Satbara Utara. The revenue record identifies recorded holders of land and related land details, making joint entries significant when ownership shares are sold.
The decision was introduced under Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule on the instructions of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, according to reports published Thursday. Pune-based Marathi newspaper Pudhari reported that Revenue Department Under Secretary Vinayak Lavte issued the circular and that sub-registrars were instructed to implement the procedure strictly.
The directions focus on documentation submitted with the sale deed at the registration stage. They do not impose a blanket prohibition on sales of jointly owned land.
Official Measurement “C” Copy Can Replace Co-Owner Consent
The circular, as described in detailed news reports, sets out two routes for registering an affected transaction.
When a selling co-owner attaches the official measurement “C” copy (मोजणीची ‘क’ प्रत) obtained from the Land Records Department for the portion being sold, the sub-registrar may register the deed without demanding separate written consent or a no-objection certificate (NOC) from the other names on the joint 7/12 extract.
If the seller does not provide that measurement record or fails to attach it to the sale deed, the other co-owners’ written consent or NOC must instead be included with the registration documents. Without the applicable record or consent, sub-registrars are instructed not to register the affected deed.
The distinction is important: the reported procedure does not require every seller to produce both an official measurement copy and co-owner consent. It identifies different documentary conditions for registration depending on whether the land measurement record is supplied.
Government Cites Family Disputes and Unauthorized Land Transactions
Officials have linked the decision to complaints involving sales of shared land without the knowledge of other recorded holders. Such transactions can lead to disagreements about which portion was sold, concerns about ownership interests and disputes among family members.
Bawankule said the revised process is intended to make transactions more transparent, protect citizens from fraudulent dealings and reduce litigation involving co-owned land, according to The Times of India.
The state government also said in a public statement reported on October 22 that the changes would help reduce disputes between co-owners and court petitions arising from land sales. These are stated policy objectives rather than guarantees that every future dispute will be prevented.
New Requirements Apply to Joint 7/12 Land Transactions Across Maharashtra
The procedure affects sellers seeking to register deeds for their shares in land held under common 7/12 records and buyers entering those transactions. Where the official measurement copy is unavailable, the need for documentary consent from other recorded co-owners may determine whether the deed can proceed through registration.
The directions are relevant to transactions in Pune as well as other parts of Maharashtra; reports do not identify separate Pune-specific requirements. The instructions concern registration of particular sale deeds, rather than an outright ban on co-owners transferring their legal interests.
According to the Revenue Department circular described by the reports, sub-registrars must apply the relevant documentary condition before registering a sale involving a share in jointly recorded land.
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