An Explainer: E-registration

1. What is E-registration?
The Indian real estate sector is undergoing major reforms. Now, you can register your property online. With e-registration, registration can be done the same day you file your application. This is expected to lower revenue leakage and disputes, empower registration officers, increase transparency and facilitate the formation of a computerized database of land records in India.

2. What is the online procedure for house registration?
With e-registration, property registration process is easier and hassle-free. Applicants should pre-fix an appointment online, and get their unique appointment number, and the date and time on which they should visit the Sub-Registrar's office. At the sub-registrar's office, about 32 different types of property are registered. The revenue department's website has the forms, standard letter formats and the details about the documents you would need. The website also has information on the stamp duty you need to pay in each category, along with an online calculator. After calculating the stamp duty, the applicant can purchase the e-stamp paper.

3. Is e-registration safe?
The software used in the e-registration process varies from state to state. For instance, Karnataka uses Sulabh Nondani software while Madhya Pradesh uses Sampada software. However, many point out that loopholes in software lead to much inconvenience. Some point out that these software were designed without taking all the necessary legal provisions into account. There are allegations that e-registration violates several provisions in clauses in the Registration Act and the Indian Stamp Duty Act.

4. How do you verify the authenticity of buyers and sellers?
Authenticity of papers should be verified by a lawyer. Typically, in all such transactions, a legal expert verifies the titles by going through and verifying all the papers involved in the transaction. 

5. Do the charges differ from that of normal registration?
Stamp duty and registration charges for e-registration and normal flat registration process are the same.

6. Do all Indian states allow you to register online?
Many Indian states have implemented e-registration in the recent past, and their numbers are rising. Delhi introduced the system in 2012. Maharashtra launched it the previous year. Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka launched the process in 2015, though the implementation is yet to begin.

7. Will this help the government maintain a tree of ownership?
Yes, to an extent. E-registration will facilitate the formation of a computerized database of land records in India. However, to maintain a tree of ownership, we need a computerized database of land records.

8. How will this affect real estate brokers?
Brokers play a larger role in real estate markets. Broker help customers to identify properties which meets their needs, organizes site visits, and work with multiple owners. E-registration merely helps customers to save time and money. Brokers welcome this move.