HYDERABAD: In response to recurring cases of legal heirs abandoning their parents after securing property by hook or by crook, the state government is preparing to tighten regulations governing property succession.
According to sources, the government is mulling introducing witness certification as a mandatory requirement in the transfer process.
The Telangana Cabinet will review and approve amendments to the Telangana Record of Rights Bill (Draft), 2024, before presenting it to the Legislative Assembly on December 16, the sources revealed. The proposed amendments also include a renaming of the integrated land records management system, they stated.
Under the current system, property transfers can be made based on an application supported by affidavits, along with pattadar passbook-cum-title deeds. However, instances where affidavits have been misused to facilitate unauthorised transfers have come to light. Reversing such transactions has proven to be extremely difficult, not to mention time-consuming.
To address these concerns, the government proposes to make mandatory witness inquest reports during property succession proceedings. These reports would need to be provided by two to three people familiar with the property owner’s family details. In cases of succession through a gift deed or after the owner’s death, these witness reports would become a mandatory part of the documentation.
Succession application
Presently, to apply for succession certificates, applicants must log in on the Dharani land records platform, provide details about the successors and property, and upload supporting documents such as the deceased owner’s death certificate and a joint agreement among legal heirs.