Though the Manipur Regulation of Sale Deed Registration (Amendment) Rules, 2023 rescinds the need for permanent residence certificates, police verification, and approval by a Cabinet Sub-Committee, replacing them with verification from local bodies, several Sub-Registrar offices in Manipur continue to follow the repealed procedures, alleges the complainant
TFM Desk
The Revenue Department of the Manipur Government has continued to impose arbitrary conditions on the registration of deeds for the transfer of landed properties by way of sale or gift despite the High Court of Manipur’s July 3, 2023 order to implement Manipur Regulation of Sale Deed Registration (Amendment) Rules, 2023.
The matter came to light after a complaint was lodged in this regard by a counsel of petitioner Okram Nutankumar Singh to the Commissioner (Revenue), Government of Manipur on Wednesday.
As per the complaint, the High Court has addressed the arbitrary conditions imposed by the Office Memorandum dated 7th July 2021 concerning the registration of deeds for the transfer of landed properties by way of sale or gift. The Court’s order mandates the implementation of the Manipur Regulation of Sale Deed Registration (Amendment) Rules, 2023, which rescinds the need for permanent residence certificates, police verification, and approval by a Cabinet Sub-Committee, replacing them with verification from local bodies.
The complainant said that several Sub-Registrar offices in Manipur have not adhered to this directive and continue to follow the repealed procedures, causing undue hardship to the public who are compelled to follow these obsolete and cumbersome procedures.
He urged the commissioner to issue a necessary order to all Sub-Registrar offices in Manipur, directing them to comply with the High Court’s order and the new regulations stipulated in the Manipur Regulation of Sale Deed Registration (Amendment) Rules, 2023, at the earliest.
“Ensuring timely compliance will not only uphold the rule of law but also alleviate the inconvenience faced by the citizens due to the continued application of outdated procedures,” said the complainant.
It may be noted that the Manipur government had also submitted in the High Court while hearing two PILs filed by Moirangthem Sanajaoba Singh and Okram Nutankumar Singh that with the issuance of the Notification dated 10.03.2023 as ‘The Manipur Regulation of Sale Deed Registration (Amendment) Rules, 2023’, the grievances of the petitioners have been taken care of by the amendment of 2023 by deleting the clause of placing before the Cabinet Sub-Committee for approval and police verification and permission from the District Magistrate. It further stated that the PILs may be disposed of in terms of the Notification dated 10.03.2023.
After perusing the materials on record and specially, ‘the Manipur Regulation of Sale Deed Registration (Amendment) Rules, 2023’, the High Court disposed of the two PILs stating that the notification has deleted the controversial clauses.
The High Court had observed, “The permanent residence certificate, police verification and confirmation by the Cabinet Sub-Committee for transferring of registration of sale deed and making gift deed within the family have been deleted and, in that place, approval of the verification by the local bodies is introduced. The amendment of 2023 has taken care of all the grievances of the petitioners in both matters.”