Property Registration Stuck? RTI to the Sub-Registrar

Part of Pillar 1 — RTI for Daily Life Problems. See also RTI for land / property records for mutation-side procedure.

• Deed submitted for registration not returned after adjudication period.
• Stamp-duty adjudication pending at the Collector of Stamps.
• EC search result shows an entry you don't recognise.
• Index-register entry missing despite registration.
• Refusal of registration on procedural ground without written order.
• Post-registration return of original documents delayed beyond 30 days.

• Deed presented for registration >30 days ago, not returned.
• Stamp-duty notice received but no adjudication order.
• EC shows a mortgage / lis pendens you're unaware of.
• Sub-Registrar has refused to register without a written order.
• Application under Section 57 of the Registration Act (search of index) pending.

• Deed-register status + book number + volume + page.
• Sub-Registrar's adjudication note on stamp-duty.
• Collector of Stamps' pending assessment.
• Index-register search result.
• EC entries against your property for the specified period + source deed references.
• Refusal order (if any) with written grounds.
• Original-document return schedule.

• Sub-Registrar's office where the deed was presented.
• Registrar / IG of Registration for escalation.
• State RTI portal → Revenue / Stamp & Registration Department.

Rs. 10 filing; state fee for EC separate (usually Rs. 35–200).

To,
The Public Information Officer,
Office of the Sub-Registrar / Registrar,
[Sub-Registrar Office name], [District], [State]

Subject: Information under Section 6(1) of the RTI Act, 2005, regarding registration of my property deed / Encumbrance Certificate search.

Sir/Madam,

I, [Name], resident of [Full Address with PIN], submit:

Deed type (Sale / Gift / Lease / Mortgage / etc.): ________
Property survey / plot / khasra number: ________
Village / Ward: ________
Date of presentation for registration: ________
Receipt / acknowledgement number: ________
For EC: period of search requested: ________

Please provide:

1. Current status of the deed in the Sub-Registrar's register — pending admission, pending adjudication, completed and pending return, etc.
2. Book number, volume, page number of the registered deed (if registered).
3. Sub-Registrar's adjudication note on stamp-duty sufficiency.
4. If referred to the Collector of Stamps for deficit / adjudication, the file reference and current stage.
5. Certified copy of the index-register entry relating to my deed, if registered.
6. Results of EC search for the period [DD-MM-YYYY to DD-MM-YYYY] against survey / plot / khasra number, with source-deed references for each encumbrance.
7. If registration has been refused, the written order of refusal with grounds under Sections 71-76 of the Registration Act, 1908.
8. Expected date of return of the original documents.
9. Procedure and timeline for re-presentation / appeal.
10. Grievance officer and First Appellate Authority contact.

I enclose Indian Postal Order / Challan No. __________ for Rs. _____.
I declare I am an Indian citizen.

Yours faithfully,
[Signature, Date, Place]

1. Register status.
2. Book / volume / page numbers.
3. Stamp-duty adjudication.
4. Collector of Stamps stage.
5. Index-register entry.
6. EC search results with source deeds.
7. Refusal-order copy.
8. Original-document return date.
9. Re-presentation / appeal procedure.
10. FAA contact.

• Day 0–10 RTI routed.
• Day 10–25 File pulled, often cleared during this window.
• Day 30 Reply mandatory.
• Day 30+ First Appeal to Registrar / IG of Registration.

• Not quoting the receipt number — deed can't be traced.
• Missing the survey number — EC can't be searched.
• Asking for the full 30-year history when only a specific period is needed — Section 7(9) can be invoked.
• Skipping the written refusal order request — this is key at appeal.

• Photograph the original presentation receipt from the SRO — attach to the RTI.
• Parallel Registration Act § 72 appeal if refusal is on procedural ground.
• For EC disputes, the Index Register II is the canonical record — ask for it specifically.
• For inherited property, family-tree affidavit + death certificates may help unblock.

Q1. Can a Sub-Registrar refuse to register?
Only on narrow grounds under Sections 71-76 of the Registration Act, 1908 — with written order. RTI extracts that order.

Q2. How long after registration should original documents return?
Generally 30-60 days. Beyond this, RTI is appropriate.

Q3. Is EC canonical over private title searches?
The Registrar's Index Register is the statutory record; EC is a certificate derived from it. Both should match.

Q4. What if EC shows an encumbrance I don't recognise?
Ask for source-deed references (Question 6). Fraud / mis-entry can be remedied through a Sections 71-72 appeal.

Property registration is clerical but high-stakes. Delays and errors are almost always traceable. RTI to the Sub-Registrar surfaces the register; the register is the law.

• Pillar 1 — Daily Life
• RTI for land / property records
• PIO framework — land, housing, infra
• File RTI online

• Registration Act, 1908
• Indian Stamp Act, 1899
• State Stamp & Registration Rules

Last reviewed: 21 April 2026.