Patna: An internal review by Bihar’s revenue and land reforms department has identified 10 districts where land mutation applications are facing significant delays, with the home district of deputy chief minister Vijay Kumar Sinha among the worst performers.
The findings are notable given Sinha’s dual role as deputy chief minister and revenue and land reforms minister, and his public emphasis on improving land administration in the state. Lakhisarai, his home district, features on the list of areas with the largest backlog of pending cases.
According to officials familiar with the review, the districts where mutation work is most severely stalled are Patna, Bhojpur, Madhepura, Araria, Lakhisarai, Rohtas, Bhagalpur, Vaishali, Saharsa and Munger. The assessment emerged during a departmental investigation into the pace of mutation clearances across Bihar.
Land mutation – the process of officially recording the transfer or confirmation of land ownership in government records – is a persistent source of difficulty for landowners. Delays can prevent property sales, access to bank loans and resolution of ownership disputes.
The department has issued repeated instructions and warnings to district-level officials in recent months, leading to an overall reduction in pending cases across the state. However, officials acknowledge that progress in the 10 identified districts remains slow, leaving thousands of applications unresolved.
In contrast, the review notes comparatively faster disposal of mutation cases in Madhubani, Aurangabad, Sheikhpura, Gopalganj and Nalanda. These districts have shown measurable improvement compared with last year, officials said.
For the revenue department, mutation serves as formal proof of ownership and is often decisive in legal disputes. The process requires landowners to apply at the local circle office, after which documents are verified by an inspecting officer. Once the records are found to be in order, the mutation is approved and updated in official registers.
The latest findings are expected to increase pressure on district administrations – including in Lakhisarai – to accelerate clearances and align performance with the state government’s stated reform agenda.
