Registration of forged sale deeds has not stopped, says Madras High Court
The Hindu
The court suggested constituting a tribunal to take a final call on the cancellation of deeds
The Madras High Court has said that fraudulent registration of sale deeds in the State have only reduced and not stopped completely despite several measures taken over the years by the Registration Department.
Justice R. Suresh Kumar suggested the constitution of a tribunal, headed by a retired High Court judge and comprising two members — one from the Registration Department and another from the Revenue Department — to take a final call on the cancellation of registered documents. The judge said that the tribunal could be treated as a civil court and its decisions could be considered as a declaration over the title of property. The judge said that the Code of Civil Procedure could be made applicable to the tribunal. “It would be a viable and effective alternative redressal forum for a number of persons who have been hitherto driven from pillar to post for retrieval of their valuable immovable properties, which they acquired either by way of inheritance or out of their legally hard-earned fortune,” he said.
The suggestion was made after taking note that the Legislative Assembly had passed a Bill on September 2 for amending the Registration Act of 1908 and empowering the Registrar to cancel documents registered in contravention of the Act’s provisions.