Registration Act, 1908 | Duties and supervisory powers

Sections 66 to 70 of the Registration Act, 1908: Registrar duties, supervision and rules

Sections 66 to 70 explain how registration records concerning land are circulated, how Registrars supervise Sub-Registrars, how the Inspector-General makes registration rules, and when registration fines may be remitted. Section 67 has been omitted.

Section 66: Procedure after registration of documents relating to land

This section is within (D) Special duties of Registrar. A non-testamentary document means a document other than a will. Immovable property includes land and interests treated as immovable under the Act.

Section 66(1): Memoranda to Sub-Registrars

When a Registrar registers a non-testamentary document concerning immovable property, the Registrar must forward a memorandum of that document to every Sub-Registrar subordinate to the Registrar in whose sub-district any part of the property lies.

Section 66(2): Copies to other Registrars

The Registrar must also forward a copy of the registered document, together with any map or plan referred to in section 21, to each other Registrar in whose district any part of the property is situated.

Section 66(3): Duties of receiving Registrar

A Registrar receiving such a copy must file it in Book No. 1 and send a memorandum to every subordinate Sub-Registrar in whose sub-district any portion of the property lies.

Section 66(4): Filing by Sub-Registrar

Every Sub-Registrar receiving a memorandum under section 66 must file it in Book No. 1. This enables the record to be reflected in the relevant territorial registration offices.

Section 67: Omitted provision

Section 67, formerly dealing with procedure after registration under section 30(2), was omitted by section 8 of the Registration and Other Related Laws (Amendment) Act, 2001 (Act 48 of 2001), with effect from 24 September 2001. It is not an operative procedure under the central text.

Section 68: Power of Registrar to superintend and control Sub-Registrars

This section falls under (E) Of the controlling powers of Registrars and Inspector-General.

Section 68(1): Superintendence

Each Sub-Registrar performs official duties under the superintendence and control of the Registrar for the district in which the Sub-Registrar's office is situated.

Section 68(2): Corrective and supervisory orders

A Registrar may, on a complaint or otherwise, issue orders consistent with the Act concerning acts or omissions of a subordinate Sub-Registrar, including rectification of errors concerning the book or office in which a document was registered. This is a statutory supervisory power, not a general power to decide disputed property titles.

Section 69: Inspector-General's supervision and rule-making powers

Under section 69(1), the Inspector-General exercises general superintendence over registration offices in the territory under the State Government. The Inspector-General may make rules consistent with the Act on the following subjects:

  • (a) Safe custody of books, papers and documents.
  • (aa) Manner and safeguards for keeping books in computer floppies, diskettes or other electronic form under section 16A(1).
  • (b) Languages deemed commonly used in each district.
  • (c) Territorial divisions recognised under section 21.
  • (d) Regulation of fines under sections 25 and 34.
  • (e) Exercise of registering officers' discretion under section 63.
  • (f) Form of memoranda prepared by registering officers.
  • (g) Authentication of register-books maintained under section 51.
  • (gg) Manner of presenting instruments mentioned in section 88(2).
  • (h) Particulars contained in Indexes I, II, III and IV.
  • (i) Holidays observed in registration offices.
  • (j) General regulation of proceedings of Registrars and Sub-Registrars.

Section 69(2) requires the rules to be submitted for State Government approval. Once approved and published in the Official Gazette, the rules have effect as if enacted in the Act. Relevant State amendments and notified rules should therefore be checked for local practice, including electronic registration procedures.

Section 70: Inspector-General's power to remit fines

The Inspector-General may, in discretion, remit wholly or partly the difference between a fine levied under section 25 or section 34 and the proper registration fee. Section 25 concerns delayed presentation of documents in specified circumstances; section 34 addresses delay in appearance before the registering officer. Remission is discretionary rather than automatic.

Legislative notes and interpretation

The reference to State Government replaced the earlier expression "Provincial Government" under the Adaptation of Laws Order, 1950. In section 69(1)(a), words concerning destruction of records were repealed by Act 5 of 1917. Clause (aa) was inserted by Act 48 of 2001 with effect from 24 September 2001; clause (gg) was inserted by Act 39 of 1948. "Official Gazette" replaced "Local Official Gazette" under the Adaptation of Indian Laws Order, 1937.

Related provisions and official legal sources

See sections 59 to 65 (registration procedure and records across districts), section 51 (register-books), sections 53 to 56 (indexes), section 71 (refusal to register) and the Registration Act overview.

Official references: India Code, Legislative Department and the applicable State Registration Department's published rules and notifications.

This is an explanation of the central Registration Act, 1908. State amendments, territorial rules and notified electronic procedures may alter the position in a particular State.