SHILLONG: The High Court of Meghalaya, in a recent order, directed the State Government on the need for proper registration of land sale deed with registration authorities.
Delivering the verdict in the case related to Dorbar Shnong Umkyrpong in Jaintia Hills District, represented by its headman Kyrshan Tangliang versus the Meghalaya Government and others, the Court in its order on May 21 ruled that the transfer of land on the basis of katcha sale deed (not registered with proper authority) is not allowed by law since the Government has extended the Registration Act, 1908 to the entire State making it mandatory for all sales deed to be registered to avoid loss to government revenue and also to check manipulations.
Through the order, the Court has given direction to all DCs, registrars as well as the district councils to follow the proper registration procedure and not to entertain the transfer of land based on katcha sale deeds.
The Court observed that the Registration Act, 1908 is applicable to the entire State of Meghalaya as appeared in the notification dated July 22, 1982.
As per the 1982 notification, in exercise of the powers conferred by and under the proviso to Section 1 A of the Indian Registration Act, 1908 (Central Act XVI of 1908), as amended and modified in its application to Meghalaya, the Governor of Meghalaya directed that the Act will apply in the whole of Meghalaya from September 1982 “subject to the exceptions, restrictions or modifications that any document executed by a member of the Schedule Tribe or Schedule Caste pertaining to the State of Meghalaya shall be exempted of 50 per cent of the registration fees fixed under the Act”.