Revenue sites can’t be registered anymore

Revenue sites can’t be registered anymore
The Times of India

Bangalore: Registration of revenue sites in the state has been stopped from Friday. This means sites developed on agricultural lands without land conversion will not be registered by the stamps and registration department.
This is an offshoot of an ordinance issued by the department of parliamentary affairs and legislation, prescribing action against land encroachers and officials involved in land-grabbing.
A list of eight offences and punishment was approved on Dec 11 in the form of an ordinance: The Karnataka Land Revenue (Amendment) Ordinance 2006. Till now, there was no provision in law to either punish encroachers of government land or file a criminal case against them.
The ordinance has prescribed imprisonment of one to three years and fines of Rs 5,000 to Rs 10,000 for encroachers and erring officials. Three offences listed in the ordinance pertain to the role of sub-registrars, who register revenue lands, and punishment for them.
They are: selling agricultural land for non-agricultural purposes without land conversion or prior approval, imprisonment of three years and Rs 10,000 fine; creating bogus documents regarding conversion of agricultural land for non-agricultural use, one-year imprisonment and Rs 5,000 fine; and, being a public servant entrusted with responsibility and failing to report or initiate action against unlawful conversion of revenue lands for non-agricultural purpose, three-year imprisonment and Rs 10,000 fine.
“Since the three offences also apply to sub-registrars, we have stopped registering revenue lands from Friday. Unless all the documents are in place as directed in the ordinance, the properties will not be registered,” said officials from the stamps and registration department.
“The ordinance has empowered us and I will initiate action against land encroachers and officials involved in the crime,” deputy commissioner of Urban district M A Sadiq, who is surveying 1.18 lakh acres of government land in Bangalore Urban district, told The Times of India.
Armed with a band of 250 surveyors, Sadiq has surveyed 74,940 acres and identified 14,151 acres of encroachments in 5,928 survey numbers.
On April 23 last year, the government banned registration of properties on non-converted agricultural lands to prevent indiscriminate conversion of agricultural land for non-agricultural use, to regulate and control the conversion.
However, the Karnataka High Court quashed the notification in January this year and registration of revenue sites opened up.
LAND NOTES
Documents needed to register revenue sites
Land conversion order from DC. Layout plan approval from BDA and BMRDA. Form 1 and Form 12 issued by panchayat with details about property.
Offences and punishments
Unlawful occupation in govt land: jail for 1 year and Rs 5,000 fine. Creating documents for govt land for selling, mortgaging or transferring by gift: 3-yr jail & Rs 10,000 fine. Fabricating documents: 3 years’ imprisonment and Rs 5,000 fine.
Revenue officer entrusted with removing encroachments fails to take action: 3-yr jail and Rs 10,000 fine.
Area limits
It applies to revenue sites usually in CMC, TMC, gram panchayat limits.
It does not apply to properties in BMP, BDA limits.