Bihar Government orders proof of ownership for government land as state moves to end dual land record disputesPatna: The Bihar government has tightened its land governance framework, directing district administrations to resolve long-standing disputes caused by overlapping land records and unauthorised claims on public property. In a fresh order, officials have made it compulsory for anyone asserting ownership over government land to produce documentary proof of lawful title, warning that unsupported claims will not be recognised.
In a letter dated February 3, C.K. Anil, principal secretary of the revenue and land reforms department, instructed all district collectors to treat the original cadastral survey as the final authority in determining ownership. The move follows repeated complaints from districts about conflicting entries between older cadastral records and later revisional surveys, which have often led to legal disputes and allegations of illegal transfers.
The issue gained attention during the chief minister’s “Samriddhi Yatra” and the deputy chief minister’s public outreach visit to Darbhanga, where local officials sought clarity on how to deal with plots showing different ownership details across records. The department said clear guidance was needed to prevent government land from being wrongly recorded or transferred to private individuals.
Under the new directive, the cadastral survey conducted between 1890 and 1920 will serve as the foundational document for land classification. These records identify government land, gair-majarua plots and sairat holdings, and will now be considered the primary legal reference. Any change in the status of such land will only be valid if it was formally settled or allotted by the collector through due process and backed by official documentation.
Private individuals claiming ownership must present evidence of lawful settlement before the collector. Officials described the conversion of public land into private ownership as a complex legal procedure that cannot be presumed from revisional survey entries alone. Even where later records show a private name, the land will continue to be treated as government property unless a valid settlement order exists.
Authorities have also been told to act against encroachments. Circle officers must issue notices to unauthorised occupants, including those who have been in possession for 30 years or more, unless protected by a court order from the high court or supreme court. The government said the steps are aimed at safeguarding public assets, reducing disputes and bringing consistency to land administration across the state.
Officials expect the clarification to help resolve thousands of contested plots and strengthen the state’s control over public land, while signalling a tougher stance against illegal occupation and record manipulation.
