📜 Revenue & Land Terms Dictionary

The inhabited area of a village where residential houses, streets, and common buildings are situated. This land is excluded from cultivable area and is recorded separately in revenue records.

Legal Reference: Punjab Land Revenue Act, 1887

Cultivated or inhabited land. Land which is under active cultivation or habitation as opposed to banjar (fallow) or gair-mumkin (uncultivable).

Water rate or irrigation charges levied by the government on land irrigated through government canals. The rate varies depending on the crop (rabi or kharif) and the source of irrigation.

Legal Reference: Northern India Canal and Drainage Act, 1873

The process by which the government compulsorily acquires private land for public purpose upon payment of compensation. Now governed by the RFCTLARR Act, 2013 which replaced the Land Acquisition Act, 1894.

Legal Reference: RFCTLARR Act, 2013

A certified copy of the village map (shajra nasb/kishtwar) issued by the revenue authorities showing field boundaries, khasra numbers, and land features. Used as evidence in land disputes.

Gradual addition of land through the natural process of river depositing silt and soil. Under Indian law, alluvial land generally belongs to the owner of the adjacent riparian land.

Legal Reference: Section 69, Punjab Land Revenue Act

Implementation or enforcement of a revenue order, particularly orders related to mutation, partition, or land revenue assessment.

General term for land or landed property. Used in revenue records to denote any piece of land irrespective of its use — agricultural, residential, commercial, or wasteland.

The total landed area of a village including all cultivated, uncultivated, inhabited, and wasteland areas within the village boundary.

Government land or Crown land. Land owned directly by the State as opposed to private proprietary land. Also called Sarkari Zameen.

Deed of sale or sale deed for immovable property. A registered document transferring ownership of land from the seller (vendor) to the buyer (vendee) for consideration (price).

Legal Reference: Transfer of Property Act, 1882; Registration Act, 1908

Revenue settlement — the official process of surveying, classifying, and assessing land revenue for a defined period. In Haryana/Punjab, the last regular settlement was done under the British.

Legal Reference: Punjab Land Revenue Act, 1887

Fallow or uncultivated land. Banjar Jadid is land left fallow for less than 4 harvests; Banjar Qadeem is land left uncultivated for 4 or more harvests. Recorded distinctly in khasra girdawari.

Recently fallow land — land left uncultivated for less than four consecutive harvests. Still classified as cultivable and the owner retains full rights.

Old fallow — land that has remained uncultivated for four or more consecutive harvests. May be classified as culturable waste in revenue records.

Unmeasured land — land whose area has not been determined through official measurement or survey. Such land needs to be measured (nap) before proper recording.

Voluntary donation of land, typically associated with Vinoba Bhave's Bhoodan Movement. Land donated for redistribution to the landless. Governed by Bhoodan Yagna Acts in various states.

Landless — a person who does not own any agricultural land. Various government schemes target bhoomiheen families for land allotment and housing.

A traditional unit of land measurement. In Haryana/Punjab, 1 Standard Bigha = 1/5 acre. However, bigha sizes vary across states. In revenue records, kanal and marla are more commonly used.

A subdivision of a bigha. 1 Bigha = 20 Biswa. One biswa approximately equals 125 square yards in Haryana. Used in traditional land measurement before metrication.

A further subdivision of biswa. 1 Biswa = 20 Biswansi. The smallest traditional unit of land measurement in the bigha system.

Maximum limit of land that can be held by a person or family under land ceiling legislation. In Haryana, ceiling varies based on land quality — irrigated, unirrigated, or orchards.

Legal Reference: Haryana Ceiling on Land Holdings Act, 1972

Well — a source of irrigation dug into the ground to reach the water table. Recorded in revenue records as a land feature and affects the irrigated/unirrigated classification.

Land irrigated by well water (as opposed to nahri/canal-irrigated or barani/rain-fed). Chahi land typically has higher land revenue rates than barani land.

Consolidation of land holdings — the process of rearranging fragmented land parcels so that each owner gets a compact block (chak) of land equivalent in value to their scattered holdings.

Legal Reference: East Punjab Holdings (Consolidation & Prevention of Fragmentation) Act, 1948

A compact block of land allotted to a landowner after consolidation (chakbandi). Replaces multiple scattered plots with a single contiguous holding.

Village common grazing land reserved for community cattle grazing. This is shamlat deh land that cannot be sold, encroached upon, or converted to private use.

Legal Reference: Punjab Village Common Lands (Regulation) Act, 1961

Historically, a village headman or chief. In revenue terminology, sometimes used for the head of a patti (section) of a village who was responsible for revenue collection.

The official process of rearranging fragmented agricultural holdings in a village to give each owner a compact block of land. Carried out by consolidation authorities under state legislation.

Legal Reference: East Punjab Holdings (Consolidation & Prevention of Fragmentation) Act, 1948

Record of rights — the master revenue register of a village maintained by the patwari containing details of ownership, possession, rents, and customs of the village.

Legal Reference: Punjab Land Revenue Act, 1887

Plot number or survey number assigned to each parcel of land during settlement/survey. Same as khasra number in many areas. Used to identify specific land parcels in revenue records.

Mutation — the process of recording change in ownership or possession of land in revenue records. Dakhil means entry (of new owner) and Kharij means removal (of old owner). Does not itself confer title.

Legal Reference: Section 35, Punjab Land Revenue Act, 1887

Document or deed — any written legal document relating to land such as sale deed, gift deed, mortgage deed, lease deed, or will. Must be registered if relating to immovable property above specified value.

Legal Reference: Registration Act, 1908

Village — the basic unit of revenue administration. Each deh has its own set of revenue records including jamabandi, shajra, and khasra girdawari.

Section (of an Act or law). Also used colloquially for a stream or watercourse that serves as a boundary between fields or villages.

Riverine land — land situated on the banks of rivers that is subject to periodic flooding, erosion (diluvion), and accretion (alluvion). Ownership of diara land involves complex legal questions.

Area or jurisdiction — a defined geographical area under the charge of a revenue officer. Each elaqa has specific revenue boundaries for administrative purposes.

The reversion of property to the State when a person dies intestate (without a will) and without any legal heirs. The State becomes the ultimate heir under Indian Succession Act provisions.

Legal Reference: Article 296, Constitution of India

Property left behind by persons who migrated to Pakistan during Partition (1947). Such properties were managed by the Custodian and allotted to refugees from Pakistan.

Legal Reference: Displaced Persons (Compensation and Rehabilitation) Act, 1954

An extract or copy of revenue records — particularly an extract from the jamabandi showing ownership details of a specific khasra number. Commonly called fard jamabandi or fard badar.

A correction entry in revenue records. When an error in the jamabandi is discovered, a fard badar is issued to correct the entry. Requires approval of the revenue officer.

An extract from the Record of Rights (Jamabandi) showing ownership, area, land type, and revenue assessment for specific khasra numbers. Commonly required for property transactions and legal proceedings.

Crop or harvest. Revenue records note two fasals per year — Rabi (spring harvest, sown Oct–Nov, harvested Mar–Apr) and Kharif (autumn harvest, sown Jun–Jul, harvested Oct–Nov).

The division of agricultural land into small, uneconomic, and scattered parcels through successive inheritances. Consolidation (chakbandi) is the remedy for fragmentation.

Legal Reference: East Punjab Holdings (Consolidation & Prevention of Fragmentation) Act, 1948

Uncultivable land — land which cannot be cultivated due to its nature such as land under roads, railways, buildings, ponds, rivers, hilly terrain, or graveyards.

Non-hereditary tenant — a tenant who does not have hereditary occupancy rights over the land. Such tenants have weaker rights compared to maurusi (hereditary) tenants.

Legal Reference: Punjab Tenancy Act, 1887

Crop inspection register — a record prepared by the patwari twice a year (rabi and kharif) showing the actual crop grown, condition of land, source of irrigation, and occupant of each khasra number.

Legal Reference: Punjab Land Revenue Act, 1887; Rule 38, Land Revenue Rules

Abstract or summary statement — a statistical summary of village revenue records showing total area, cultivated area, land revenue demand, and other aggregated data.

Village-level self-governance body. In Haryana, gram panchayats manage village common lands (shamlat deh), collect certain local taxes, and maintain village infrastructure.

Legal Reference: Haryana Panchayati Raj Act, 1994

Passage or right of way through another person's land. Also called rasta or rahdari. Disputes over gujar rights are common in revenue courts.

Legal Reference: Indian Easements Act, 1882

The lowest-level revenue official responsible for maintaining all revenue records of a group of villages (halqa). Prepares jamabandi, girdawari, mutations, and nakal records.

Legal Reference: Punjab Land Revenue Act, 1887

A person entitled to rights — particularly ownership rights in land. Used in revenue records to denote a person who has a legal claim or right to the property.

Right of pre-emption — the preferential right of certain persons (co-sharers, adjoining owners, villagers) to purchase agricultural land before it is sold to an outsider.

Legal Reference: Punjab Pre-emption Act, 1913

According to the spot/local conditions. A report prepared after physical inspection of the disputed land by the revenue officer or a commission.

Co-sharer or co-owner — a person who owns an undivided share in joint land. All hissadars have equal rights to possession and use of common land until formal partition.

Legal Reference: Punjab Partition of Immovable Property Act, 2012

Extract or selection — a summarized extract from revenue records, particularly a list of khasra numbers owned by a specific person along with areas and land types.

Mutation or transfer — the recording of change in ownership of land in revenue records. Intiqal can be by way of sale, inheritance, gift, exchange, partition, or court decree.

Legal Reference: Section 35, Punjab Land Revenue Act, 1887

Permanent settlement — a revenue settlement where the land revenue demand is fixed permanently and not subject to periodic revision. Used historically in parts of India.

The primary Record of Rights maintained for every village. It contains details of each khasra number including ownership, area, soil type, land revenue, tenancy, encumbrances, and mutations. Prepared every 5 years and updated annually. The most important revenue document for any land.

Legal Reference: Sections 31-36, Punjab Land Revenue Act, 1887

Crop-wise statement — a statistical register showing the total area under each crop (wheat, rice, sugarcane, etc.) in a village during a particular harvest season.

A unit of land measurement used in Punjab and Haryana. 1 Kanal = 20 Marla = 505.857 square yards = 4500 square feet (approximately). 8 Kanals = 1 Acre.

Revenue supervisor above the patwari. Responsible for supervising patwaris, checking revenue records, inspecting girdawaris, and assisting the Tehsildar. Each kanungo circle covers several patwari halqas.

Legal Reference: Punjab Land Revenue Act, 1887

Debt or loan secured against agricultural land. Historically, excessive karja led to widespread land alienation, leading to protective legislation.

Legal Reference: Punjab Relief of Indebtedness Act, 1934

Plot number — each piece of land in a village is assigned a unique khasra number during settlement/survey. The khasra number is the primary identifier for any land parcel in revenue records.

The field-wise crop inspection register prepared by the patwari for every harvest. Shows the khasra number, area, crop grown, source of irrigation, cultivator name, and land condition for each field.

Legal Reference: Rule 38, Land Revenue Rules

A record showing all land holdings of a particular person in a village — essentially an owner-wise compilation from the jamabandi. Lists all khasra numbers owned with areas and revenue.

Account number — a unique number assigned to each owner in the jamabandi of a village. All khasra numbers owned by that person are grouped under this khatauni number.

Ownership column in the jamabandi. The khewat number groups all co-owners of a particular holding. Contains the names of owners and their share in the land.

The number assigned to each group of co-owners in the jamabandi. Multiple khasra numbers owned by the same person(s) are listed under a single khewat number.

A unit of land measurement. 1 Killa = 1 Acre = 8 Kanals = 160 Marla = 4840 square yards. Most commonly used unit in Haryana and Punjab for agricultural land.

Field map or cadastral map — same as Shajra Nasb. A detailed map of the village showing every field with its khasra number, boundaries, roads, canals, and other features.

Attachment — the process of seizing property (movable or immovable) by a court or revenue authority for recovery of dues. Land may be attached for non-payment of land revenue.

Legal Reference: Section 72, Punjab Land Revenue Act, 1887

Land revenue or rent — the periodic payment made to the State as the sovereign owner of land. Also refers to rent paid by a tenant to the landlord for use of agricultural land.

Legal Reference: Punjab Land Revenue Act, 1887

A red line drawn on the village map demarcating the abadi deh (inhabited area) of the village. Land within the Lal Dora was historically exempt from building regulations and required no NOC for construction. In Haryana, reforms now require certain permissions.

Legal Reference: Haryana Development and Regulation of Urban Areas Act, 1975

Village headman appointed by the government to assist in revenue collection, maintain peace, and report births and deaths. Receives a commission (panchhotra) on land revenue collected.

Legal Reference: Section 28, Punjab Land Revenue Act, 1887

A measuring chain or tape used by the patwari for land measurement. The standard latha used in Haryana/Punjab is usually 55 feet (one kanal side) or a fraction thereof.

Revenue-free land — land exempted from payment of land revenue by the government. Mafi grants were historically given for religious, charitable, or service purposes.

Land in actual physical possession of a person. The person in makbuza (possession) may or may not be the legal owner — distinguishing possession from ownership is a key revenue dispute.

Revenue payer or landlord — a person responsible for paying land revenue to the government. Historically, the intermediary between the cultivating tenant and the State.

Ownership or proprietary rights in land. Distinguished from mere possession (qabza). Malkiyat is recorded in the jamabandi and can only be changed through mutation based on valid legal instrument.

A unit of land measurement. 1 Marla = 25.2929 square yards = approximately 272.25 square feet. 20 Marla = 1 Kanal. Commonly used for residential plots in Haryana/Punjab.

Revenue village — same as Deh. The smallest unit of revenue administration with its own independent set of revenue records (jamabandi, shajra, girdawari).

Hereditary tenant — a tenant who has hereditary occupancy rights over the land. Maurusi rights pass from generation to generation and cannot be easily terminated.

Legal Reference: Punjab Tenancy Act, 1887

Exemption from land revenue — same as Mafi. Land granted revenue-free by the State, typically for religious institutions, charitable purposes, or as reward for services.

General Power of Attorney — a document authorizing a person to act on behalf of the principal in all matters including sale, purchase, mortgage, and management of property.

Legal Reference: Powers of Attorney Act, 1882

Cultivable land — land which is capable of being cultivated even if not currently under cultivation. Opposite of gair-mumkin (uncultivable).

A unit of land measurement. 1 Murabba = 25 Acres = 200 Kanals. Used for large agricultural holdings in Haryana and Punjab. Literally means "square" (as in a square of 5 killas × 5 killas).

A copy or replica — particularly a traced copy of the village map (shajra) prepared by the patwari. Used for providing copies to landowners and courts.

Tenant or lessee — a person who cultivates or occupies another person's land under a lease agreement (patta). The mustajir pays rent (lagan) to the malguzar/landlord.

Legal Reference: Punjab Tenancy Act, 1887

The recording of any change in ownership, possession, or encumbrance of land in revenue records. Types include: inheritance, sale, gift, exchange, partition, mortgage, and court decree. Mutation itself does not confer title — it is merely an administrative record.

Legal Reference: Sections 35-42, Punjab Land Revenue Act, 1887

Canal-irrigated land — land irrigated through government canals. Nahri land commands higher land revenue and higher market value than barani (rainfed) land.

Deputy Tehsildar — a revenue officer who assists the Tehsildar in administrative and quasi-judicial functions. Has powers to sanction mutations and hear revenue disputes.

Legal Reference: Punjab Land Revenue Act, 1887

Certified copy — an authenticated copy of any revenue record (jamabandi, girdawari, mutation register, etc.) issued by the patwari or tehsil office. Used as evidence in courts.

Map or plan — particularly the village map showing boundaries, fields, roads, and water bodies. Same as shajra kishtwar.

The office or status of a Lambardar/Nambardar. A hereditary or appointed position of village headman who assists in revenue collection and village administration.

Rights acquired by a tenant through long and continuous occupation of land. An occupancy tenant has stronger rights than an ordinary tenant and cannot be easily evicted.

Legal Reference: Punjab Tenancy Act, 1887

Proprietor of land — the person in whose name land is recorded in the ownership column (khewat) of the jamabandi. Includes individual owners, joint owners, and institutional owners.

Land vested in the Gram Panchayat for public purposes — including schools, cremation grounds, ponds, playgrounds, and community buildings. Cannot be alienated to private persons.

Legal Reference: Punjab Village Common Lands (Regulation) Act, 1961

Register or statement — particularly the girdawari register maintained field-wise showing crop and cultivation details for each season.

Division of jointly owned land among co-owners/co-sharers into separate defined portions. Can be by mutual agreement (razinama) or through revenue court/civil court proceedings.

Legal Reference: Sections 135-140, Punjab Land Revenue Act; Partition Act, 1893

Lease deed — a document granting tenancy or lease rights over land for a specified period and rent. Patta can be for agricultural land (kisan patta) or for residential/commercial use.

Legal Reference: Transfer of Property Act, 1882

A co-sharer who belongs to a patti (section or subdivision) of a village. Pattidar system is common in Haryana/Punjab villages where the village is divided among different lineage groups.

The village-level revenue official responsible for maintaining all land records — jamabandi, girdawari, mutation register, shajra map, and other revenue documents. The most critical functionary in the revenue system.

Legal Reference: Sections 27-28, Punjab Land Revenue Act, 1887

The path or road running around the perimeter of the abadi deh (village habitation). Phirni land is typically common land and encroachment on it is illegal.

The right of certain persons to purchase immovable property in preference to other buyers. In Haryana, co-sharers and adjoining landowners have pre-emption rights over agricultural land sales.

Legal Reference: Punjab Pre-emption Act, 1913 (as applicable to Haryana)

Possession — actual physical control over land. Qabza may be lawful (with ownership or valid lease) or unlawful (encroachment). Revenue records show both malik (owner) and qabza (possessor).

Same as Kanungo — the revenue supervisor between patwari and tehsildar who checks and supervises patwari work and revenue records.

Installment schedule — the schedule specifying when land revenue or other government dues are to be paid, typically in two installments corresponding to rabi and kharif seasons.

Area or extent of land. The total rakba of a khasra number or a person's holdings is recorded in the jamabandi in kanals and marlas.

Path or right of way — a passage over another person's land. Can be a public road (sarvajanik rasta) or a private easement (niji rasta). Rasta disputes are among the most common revenue matters.

Legal Reference: Indian Easements Act, 1882

Daily diary or register maintained by the patwari recording all daily transactions, complaints, field inspections, and events in his halqa.

Compromise or settlement deed — a written agreement between parties settling a land dispute by mutual consent. A razinama in revenue court has the force of a decree.

Courts established under the Punjab Land Revenue Act to decide revenue matters including mutation disputes, partition, land revenue assessment, and boundary disputes. Hierarchy: Tehsildar → Collector → Commissioner → Financial Commissioner → High Court.

Legal Reference: Sections 10-15, Punjab Land Revenue Act, 1887

A defined area for which a separate record-of-rights (jamabandi) is maintained. Usually corresponds to a village (mauja/deh) but can also include hamlets and sub-divisions.

Legal Reference: Section 4, Punjab Land Revenue Act, 1887

Any officer appointed under the Punjab Land Revenue Act to perform revenue functions — includes Patwari, Kanungo, Tehsildar, Naib Tehsildar, Collector, Commissioner, and Financial Commissioner.

Legal Reference: Section 9, Punjab Land Revenue Act, 1887

Head Kanungo at the district level — supervises all kanungos in the district, maintains the district land records, and assists the Collector in revenue administration.

A measuring unit. 1 Sarsahi = 1 square kadam (pace). Used traditionally in field measurement along with the latha (measuring chain).

Miscellaneous income or dues from village common land — such as income from fishery rights, tree-felling, mineral extraction, or grazing fees on shamlat land.

The official process of surveying all land in a district, classifying it, determining ownership, and fixing the land revenue demand for a period of years. The last regular settlement in Punjab/Haryana was done during British era.

Legal Reference: Chapters 4-5, Punjab Land Revenue Act, 1887

Village map (cadastral map) — a field map drawn to scale showing every khasra number with its boundaries, area, roads, canals, ponds, and other features. The master map of the village.

A chit or slip containing genealogical details of landowners showing inheritance lines. Used to determine succession and mutation rights in cases of death of a landowner.

Village common land — land owned collectively by the village community or panchayat for common purposes such as grazing, cremation, ponds, schools, and community use. Cannot be sold or partitioned for private use.

Legal Reference: Punjab Village Common Lands (Regulation) Act, 1961

Interest — particularly interest on mortgage money or debt secured against land. Revenue laws historically regulated maximum interest rates to prevent peasant exploitation.

Red entries or headings — the column headers in the jamabandi written in red ink. Also refers to important highlighting or flagged entries in revenue records.

Partition or division — particularly the division of joint agricultural land among co-sharers. Taksim can be done through revenue court (under Punjab Land Revenue Act) or civil court (under Partition Act).

Legal Reference: Section 135, Punjab Land Revenue Act

Destroyed or wasted — land that has been damaged by flood, erosion, waterlogging, or other natural calamity rendering it unfit for cultivation. Revenue remission may be granted for talaf land.

Supplement or appendix — an addition to the jamabandi recording changes that have occurred between two regular preparations. Tatima mutations update the record between settlement cycles.

Market fee or vendor fee — a fee charged by the municipal/panchayat authority for using a public place for selling goods or setting up a stall in the market area.

A sub-division of a district for revenue administration. Each tehsil is headed by a Tehsildar and contains multiple kanungo circles and patwari halqas. The tehsil office is the primary center for revenue matters.

Legal Reference: Section 9, Punjab Land Revenue Act, 1887

The head revenue officer of a tehsil. Has judicial powers to decide mutation applications, partition cases, and other revenue disputes as a Revenue Court of first instance. Also performs executive functions including revenue collection and land administration.

Legal Reference: Sections 10-13, Punjab Land Revenue Act, 1887

Compensation — particularly the compensation paid for land acquired by the government. Under the new RFCTLARR Act, tawan includes market value plus solatium (100%), and additional compensation for affected families.

Legal Reference: RFCTLARR Act, 2013

Deserted or depopulated — a village or habitation that has been abandoned by its residents. Ujar land may revert to government ownership after prolonged desertion.

The right to use and enjoy the profits and advantages of another person's land without damaging or diminishing it. A usufructuary mortgagee enjoys the land's produce in lieu of interest on the mortgage money.

Legal Reference: Section 58(d), Transfer of Property Act, 1882

A type of mortgage where the mortgagee takes possession of the land and receives its income (rent, crops) in lieu of interest. Very common in rural Haryana/Punjab. The mortgagee retains possession until the debt is repaid.

Legal Reference: Section 58(d), Transfer of Property Act, 1882

Land belonging to the village community as a whole — used for grazing, cremation, ponds, playgrounds, and other common purposes. Strictly regulated to prevent encroachment and alienation.

Legal Reference: Punjab Village Common Lands (Regulation) Act, 1961

Inheritance — the transfer of land ownership upon the death of the owner to legal heirs. Virasat mutation is the most common type of intiqal in revenue records. Governed by personal law of the deceased.

Legal Reference: Hindu Succession Act, 1956; Indian Succession Act, 1925

Village Administration Paper — a record of customs, rights, and usages of the village prepared at the time of settlement. Contains rules regarding common land, irrigation turns, grazing rights, tree-felling, and other village customs. Has evidentiary value in courts.

Legal Reference: Section 44, Punjab Land Revenue Act, 1887

Heirs or legal successors — persons who are entitled to inherit the land of a deceased person according to personal law or succession law.

Legal Reference: Hindu Succession Act, 1956

Uncultivated and uncultivable land — land that is barren due to salinity, waterlogging, sand, rocky terrain, or other factors. Government wasteland development programs aim to reclaim such land.

Land or landed property — the most general term for any piece of land regardless of type, use, or ownership status.

Landowner — traditionally a person who holds proprietary rights in land and was responsible for paying land revenue to the government. After land reforms, all cultivating owners are effectively zamindars.

Agricultural — pertaining to agriculture. Zarai zameen means agricultural land, governed by different laws than non-agricultural (ghair zarai) land regarding sale, transfer, and use.

Legal Reference: Punjab Land Preservation Act, 1900

Interim or incidental orders passed during the course of revenue proceedings — not the final order but directions given at various stages such as stay orders, adjournments, or directions for evidence.