Jharkhand HC Directs Circle Officers To Verify, Digitally Authenticate Online Land Records To Eliminate Mismatches With Physical Registers
The Jharkhand High Court has directed Circle Officers across the State to verify and digitally authenticate online land records after observing repeated discrepancies between physical land registers and entries reflected on the State's online portal. A Single Judge Bench of Justice Ananda Sen was hearing a writ petition filed by one Ram Prakash Bhagat @ Ram Prakash Oraon seeking correction...
The Jharkhand High Court has directed Circle Officers across the State to verify and digitally authenticate online land records after observing repeated discrepancies between physical land registers and entries reflected on the State's online portal.
A Single Judge Bench of Justice Ananda Sen was hearing a writ petition filed by one Ram Prakash Bhagat @ Ram Prakash Oraon seeking correction of land records relating to lands situated in village Baridih, District Lohardaga.
The petitioner sought directions for correction of the name of the raiyat in Register-II, rent receipts and present survey records, contending that while the physical records correctly reflected the name of the petitioner's ancestors, the online records contained names of some other persons. According to the petitioner, the Revisional Survey Khatiyan correctly recorded the name of the ancestor, but incorrect entries had crept into the Current Survey Khatiyan and the digital land records maintained on the online platform. It was further alleged that despite representations made before the Circle Officer, Kuru, no corrective steps had been taken.
While directing the petitioner to approach the Circle Officer again within three weeks, the Court directed the authority to examine the physical records and make necessary corrections in the online entries if discrepancies were found. The Court directed that the entire exercise be completed within twelve weeks. However, while dealing with the matter, the Court took note of a larger recurring issue concerning online land records in Jharkhand. The Court observed:
“Before parting, it is necessary to mention that time and again this Court has come across several writ petitions wherein the citizens/Raiyats are approaching this Court with a grievance that in the Online Portal of the land records, maintained by the Government of Jharkhand, the entries made therein are not matching with the Physical Register/records.”
The Court noted that discrepancies frequently arose in names of raiyats, area of land, plot numbers and other particulars due to errors committed during digital data entry. The Bench further observed:
“This Court feels that the Online Register i.e., Digital Entry maintaining the land records, should be a mirror copy of the Physical Registers.”
The Court found that there was no material on record to show that online entries were being verified or authenticated by revenue authorities before being reflected on the digital portal. It observed that there was no mechanism to ensure that the digital entries matched the physical records and no endorsement showing verification by revenue officers. The Court attributed the growing litigation on the issue to “human error in data entry” and directed systemic corrective measures.
Accordingly, the Court directed that henceforth all online land record entries must be checked and verified by the concerned Circle Officers of each district. The Court ordered that after verifying and matching entries in Register-II and other physical records with the digital entries, the Circle Officer must affix a digital signature authenticating the records.
The Bench observed:
“Only the authenticated entries which contains the digital signature will be reflected in the Online Portal.”
The Court further clarified that the digital signature would serve as proof that the online entries had been duly authenticated and were a “mirror copy” of the physical records. It also directed the State to modify the software, if necessary, to implement the mechanism.
Importantly, the Court held that even previously uploaded digital records must now be verified and authenticated by Circle Officers, and any discrepancies found during such verification must immediately be corrected in accordance with the prescribed procedure.
Case Title: Ram Prakash Bhagat @ Ram Prakash Oraon v. State of Jharkhand and Ors.
Case Number: W.P.(C) No. 3953 of 2026,
Appearance: Ms. Kismanti Minj and M/s Jinid Seteng Horo for Petitioner. Mr. Ashutosh Anand for Respondent.