Can a Pahani be treated as proof that someone owns the land?

No. In India no revenue record, Pahani included, conclusively proves ownership. It is prima facie evidence that the other side can rebut. The courts say such records show only who possesses the land and pays the tax, and that registered sale deeds and title documents are the principal proof. Check the Pahani alongside title chain verification and an encumbrance certificate.

How does a 7/12 extract differ from an 8A extract?

The 7/12 Extract gives ownership, area, cultivation and present status. The 8A Extract shows the history of ownership changes (mutations) for a survey number over time. For full property verification in Maharashtra, ask for both: the 7/12 for current status and the 8A for the ownership history.

How frequently do revenue records get updated?

It depends on the state. Yearly: Punjab and Haryana (Jamabandi is revised each year during the crop survey) On mutation: Telangana and Andhra Pradesh (Pahani changes when ownership changes) Periodically: Maharashtra and Karnataka (updated when the Talathi or VAO does a field check) Real time: Some digitised systems, such as Telangana's Dharani, update as soon as a mutation is approved Check the "last updated" date on any record you download. A record older than 1-2 years may not show recent transactions.

Can I buy a property just on the strength of its revenue records?

Definitely not; that belief is risky. A revenue record is a single piece of a full due diligence. Also examine the registered sale deeds (30-year title chain), the encumbrance certificate (15-30 years), a court case search covering civil and criminal matters, property tax receipts for the past 5 years, the land survey/FMB for boundaries, the Patta or Khata for urban properties, and development authority approvals where applicable. Revenue records can be stale, doctored or mistaken, which is why banks and NBFCs want several documents before sanctioning a home loan.

How can a mistake in a revenue record be fixed?

For a wrong name, wrong area or missing ownership update, proceed this way. First gather proof: sale deed, earlier encumbrance certificate, property tax receipts and survey papers. Next go to the revenue office; depending on your state that means the Talathi, Patwari, MRO or Village Officer. Submit a written rectification request with the documents and prescribed fee. An official then inspects the property and checks the papers. If satisfied, the official passes a correction order and amends the record. Finally, download the record again and check that the portal shows the change. Expect 2-4 weeks in digitised states and 2-3 months where systems are manual. Complicated disputes might need a mutation application or an approach to the revenue appellate authority.

Are online revenue records legally valid?

Yes. A digitally signed record from an official state portal is valid for most uses. Most lenders accept it for bank loan applications. It counts for government applications such as building plan approvals and subsidies, serves as proof of ownership in property tax assessment, and can be attached to a mutation application. For court proceedings or registration, however, some sub-registrar offices want certified copies bearing the revenue office's physical seal. Ask your local office before you register.

Expert Views

Land Revenue Records Across India: Pahani, 7/12, Khatauni and More

A plain guide to Indian land records: Pahani in AP and Telangana, the 7/12 extract in Maharashtra, Khatauni in UP, ROR, and where to download each one online.

By The Land and Law Desk

15 Feb 2026Updated 22 Oct 202614 min read

Who this affects

Worth a read

Read this if you need to check or download state revenue records (Pahani, 7/12 Extract, Khatauni, Jamabandi, RTC) for due diligence.

Buyers
Explains how to verify land ownership using state revenue records (Pahani, 7/12, Khatauni) and online portals.
Owners
Describes what information (ownership, area, encumbrances, tax history) appears in state revenue records and how to access them.
Lawyers & registrars
Useful reference for the names, contents and online access procedures for ROR documents across states.

Signals in this story

Political
Financial
Legal
Regulatory
Local

Legal signal is strongest — the piece explains Record of Rights, encumbrances, mutations and their evidentiary limits.

Anyone buying property in India needs to understand revenue records. They are the base for checking ownership, yet their names and formats change from state to state. You may meet a Pahani in Telangana, a 7/12 Extract in Maharashtra or a Khatauni in Uttar Pradesh. This guide covers what you should know about revenue records, also called ROR or Record of Rights, and how to fetch them online.

State revenue departments maintain these records. They hold key facts about land ownership, cultivation, encumbrances and tax payments. For a buyer, they matter as much as the title deed and the encumbrance certificate.

Defining Revenue Records

Revenue records, widely called Record of Rights (ROR) or land records, are official government documents that describe agricultural and non-agricultural land parcels. Revenue officials keep them at village or taluk level, such as the Patwari, Talathi or Village Administrative Officer.

A revenue record typically carries this information:

Survey / Khasra number, the identifier of the parcel
Name of the owner and of the owner's father, which show current ownership
Total land area in acres, guntas or hectares
Classification of the land: agricultural, residential, commercial or industrial
How the land is held: freehold, leasehold or government grant
For agricultural land, the crop and whether it is irrigated or dry
Encumbrances noted against it: mortgages, charges, disputes
Tax assessment and what has been paid, as property tax or land revenue

The records change over time to show new owners, mutations, land conversions and tax payments. They are prima facie evidence of ownership, but they do not settle the matter alone.

Revenue Record Types by State

India is a federation, so each state runs its own system with its own names, formats and update procedures. This is an overview:

Andhra Pradesh · Record: Pahani / Adangal · Maintained by: Mandal Revenue Officer (MRO)
Telangana · Record: Pahani / Adangal · Maintained by: Mandal Revenue Inspector (MRI)
Maharashtra · Record: 7/12 Extract (Satbara Utara) · Maintained by: Talathi
Uttar Pradesh · Record: Khatauni · Maintained by: Lekhpal
Karnataka · Record: RTC (Record of Rights, Tenancy and Crops) · Maintained by: Village Accountant
Punjab · Record: Jamabandi / Fard · Maintained by: Patwari
Haryana · Record: Jamabandi · Maintained by: Patwari
Tamil Nadu · Record: Patta / Chitta / Adangal · Maintained by: Village Administrative Officer (VAO)
Gujarat · Record: 7/12 (Satbara) · Maintained by: Talati
Rajasthan · Record: Jamabandi / Khasra · Maintained by: Patwari
Bihar · Record: Jamabandi / ROR · Maintained by: Circle Officer
West Bengal · Record: ROR / Bhu-Naksha · Maintained by: Block Land & Land Reforms Officer
Madhya Pradesh · Record: Khasra / B-1 · Maintained by: Patwari
Odisha · Record: ROR (Record of Rights) · Maintained by: Revenue Inspector
Kerala · Record: Pattayam / Aadharam · Maintained by: Village Officer

The names differ, but the job is the same: to show the chain of ownership and the present status of the land.

Pahani / Adangal in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana

Pahani, called Adangal in some districts, is the main revenue record of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. It is a village-level register listing every land holding.

The Contents of a Pahani

Survey number identifying each parcel
Sub-division number, used if the survey number was split
Land extent in acres and guntas (40 guntas make 1 acre)
Owner's name, father's name and address
Whether the land is dry, wet, garden or residential
Whether it is agricultural, non-agricultural or government land
Tenant farming details, if tenants cultivate the land
Soil type, which feeds agricultural assessment
Crops grown in the current season
Remarks covering encumbrances, court cases and prohibitory orders

Getting a Pahani Online

Andhra Pradesh: go to meebhoomi.ap.gov.in

Pick the district, mandal and village
Type the survey number
Download the Pahani / Adangal PDF

Telangana: go to dharani.telangana.gov.in

Click "View and Download Passbook"
Choose district, mandal and village
Enter the survey number or owner name
View and download the Pahani

Important: Check the Pahani against the Encumbrance Certificate and Patta to make your due diligence complete.

7/12 Extract / Satbara Utara in Maharashtra

The 7/12 Extract (said as "saat-bara") is Maharashtra's revenue record. Its name comes from two registers:

Form 7 — holds the land ownership details
Form 12 — holds the cultivation details

Together they form the 7/12 Utara, also called the Satbara Utara.

The Contents of a 7/12 Extract

Gat number, the survey sub-division
Hissa number, a further split of the Gat
Total area in hectares or acres
Name of the current title holder (owner)
Occupant, if someone other than the owner farms the land
Whether land is irrigated or non-irrigated
Use of the land: agricultural, residential or industrial
Crops cultivated this season and earlier
Mortgages, legal notices and pending mutations
Property tax assessment and payment status
Remarks on restrictions or special conditions

Getting a 7/12 Extract Online

Go to mahabhulekh.maharashtra.gov.in

Pick the district, taluka and village
Search either by survey number or by owner name
Fill in the details and the verification captcha
View and download the digitally signed 7/12 Extract

Key point: A 7/12 Extract is not conclusive proof of ownership. It shows who pays the taxes and who cultivates. Verify it against the registered sale deed and the encumbrance certificate.

Khatauni in Uttar Pradesh

Khatauni, sometimes written Khatoni, is the record of agricultural land in Uttar Pradesh. The Lekhpal, the village-level revenue officer, prepares it each year, and it lists every land holding in a village.

The Contents of a Khatauni

Plot identified by Khasra number
Account number of the landowner, the Khata / Khatauni number
Name of the Khatedaar, the owner
Area measured in bigha, biswa or hectares
Whether land is agricultural, residential or barren
Source of irrigation: well, canal or rain
Rabi and kharif crops sown
Tenancy rights, if any
Land tax still payable
Remarks on disputes, encumbrances and court orders

Getting a Khatauni Online

Go to upbhulekh.gov.in

Click "Khatauni (Adhikaar Abhilekh) ki Nakal Dekhen"
Enter the captcha and continue
Choose district, tehsil and village
Search by Khasra number, Khata number or owner name
View and download the Khatauni copy

Digital signature: UP land records carry a unique computer-generated transaction ID that you can use to verify them. Check the watermark and signature to confirm they are genuine.

Jamabandi in Punjab and Haryana

Jamabandi, also known as Fard, is the full land ownership record in Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and a few other northern states. It is revised every year and carries both ownership and cultivation details.

The Contents of a Jamabandi

Khasra, Khewat and Khatoni numbers (the parcel can carry several IDs)
Proprietor's name
Area, measured in kanals and marlas (20 marlas make 1 kanal)
Yearly land revenue assessment
How the land is used: barani for rainfed, chahi for irrigated, ghairmumkin for uncultivable
Kind of ownership: proprietary, tenancy or shamlat (common land)
Recent mutations, meaning changes in ownership
Remarks on encumbrances, disputes or special conditions

Getting a Jamabandi Online

Punjab: go to jamabandi.punjab.gov.in Haryana: go to jamabandi.nic.in

Choose district, tehsil and village
Select the year of the Jamabandi
Enter the owner name, Khewat number or Khasra number
View and download the Fard copy

Annual update: Each year the Jamabandi is revised during Girdawari (crop inspection), so always use the newest edition.

RTC (Record of Rights, Tenancy and Crops) in Karnataka

RTC is Karnataka's complete land record, and it took the place of the older Pahani and Adangal system. It is kept under the Karnataka Land Revenue Act and shows full ownership and cultivation details.

The Contents of an RTC

Survey and Hissa numbers identifying the parcel
Name of the current proprietor
Total extent in acres, guntas and square meters
Whether the land is agricultural, non-agricultural or government
How it is held: absolute ownership, tenancy or lease
Dry, irrigated, garden or residential land
Crops grown this season
Mortgages, charges and court attachments
Khata details linking to urban property tax records
Remarks on restrictions or disputes underway

Getting an RTC Online

Go to landrecords.karnataka.gov.in/service27

Choose district, taluk, hobli and village
Search by survey number or owner name
Fill in the details and the verification code
Download the RTC PDF with a digital signature

Urban properties: In Bengaluru and other cities, compare the RTC with the BBMP Khata for a full check on ownership.

Online Access to Revenue Records: Portals by State

Most Indian states have put land records online. This table lists the official portals:

Andhra Pradesh · Portal: meebhoomi.ap.gov.in · Record: Pahani / Adangal
Telangana · Portal: dharani.telangana.gov.in · Record: Pahani Passbook
Maharashtra · Portal: mahabhulekh.maharashtra.gov.in · Record: 7/12, 8A
Karnataka · Portal: landrecords.karnataka.gov.in · Record: RTC, Mutation Extract
Tamil Nadu · Portal: eservices.tn.gov.in/vlrsweb · Record: Patta, Chitta, FMB
Uttar Pradesh · Portal: upbhulekh.gov.in · Record: Khatauni, Khasra
Gujarat · Portal: anyror.gujarat.gov.in · Record: 7/12, 8A, 6
Rajasthan · Portal: apnakhata.raj.nic.in · Record: Jamabandi, Nakal
Punjab · Portal: jamabandi.punjab.gov.in · Record: Fard, Mutation
Haryana · Portal: jamabandi.nic.in · Record: Jamabandi
Madhya Pradesh · Portal: mpbhulekh.gov.in · Record: Khasra, B-1
Bihar · Portal: biharbhumi.bihar.gov.in · Record: Jamabandi
Odisha · Portal: bhulekh.ori.nic.in · Record: ROR
West Bengal · Portal: banglarbhumi.gov.in · Record: ROR, Plot Information
Kerala · Portal: villageofficer.lsgkerala.gov.in · Record: Pattayam

Tip: Download digitally signed copies that show a transaction ID or reference number. Banks and courts may not accept unsigned printouts.

Reasons Revenue Records Matter to Buyers

Revenue records are central to property due diligence for several reasons:

1. They Show Who Owns the Land

A revenue record names the person currently recorded as owner. Compare it with registered sale deeds to confirm the seller really owns the property.

2. They Confirm the Survey Number

The survey number must be the same in the revenue record, the sale deed, the property tax receipts and the encumbrance certificate. If it differs, suspect fraud or a survey error.

3. They Fix the Area

The record gives the officially measured area. A gap between the stated area and the real measurement can lead to disputes.

4. They Show How the Land May Be Used

Agricultural land cannot be freely sold or converted. The record tells you whether construction needs land conversion approvals.

5. They Reveal Encumbrances

Many records note mortgages, court attachments or legal disputes under "Remarks." That warns the buyer about hidden encumbrances.

6. They Show Whether Tax Is Paid

The record tells you if property tax or land revenue has been paid on time. Any unpaid dues pass to the new owner after the sale.

7. They Show Mutation Status

A recent mutation (change of ownership entry) may be marked "pending" or "in process," which means the seller's title may not be fully updated.

8. They Point to Court Orders

Revenue officials often record court orders, lis pendens or government acquisition notices. For a buyer these are critical red flags.

Key point for buyers: Revenue records alone are NOT enough for due diligence. Check them against encumbrance certificates, title chain documents, court case searches and land survey records.

How LegiScore Checks Revenue Records Automatically

LegiScore's AI-powered verification checks revenue records automatically as part of the full LPS rating:

Automatic Analysis of Revenue Records

State portal integration: LegiScore pulls the latest records for your property straight from state revenue portals such as Dharani, MeeBhoomi and MahaBhulekh.
Owner-name matching: Our AI engine compares the owner's name in revenue records with the sale deed, encumbrance certificate and property tax receipts, and reports any mismatch.
Survey-number validation: It confirms that the survey number agrees in every document, which helps prevent common property frauds.
Land-classification check: It flags agricultural land sold for housing without conversion approvals, a frequent cause of illegal construction risk.
Encumbrance extraction: It reads the "Remarks" sections to find mortgages, court attachments or prohibitory orders that may not show in encumbrance certificates.
Tax-arrears detection: It reviews the history of property tax or land revenue payments to find dues that will pass to the buyer.
Pending-mutation alert: It identifies recent sales where mutation is not complete, a hint that the seller's title may be incomplete.

Revenue Records Inside Your LPS Rating

Checking revenue records is a main part of the Revenue Records dimension of your Legal Property Score (LPS):

AAA/AA rating — All revenue records current, owner names fully matching, no encumbrances, taxes paid
A/BBB rating — Small discrepancies (spelling variations, an old address) but ownership is clear
BB/B rating — Mutations pending, records out of date, or minor tax arrears
C rating — Major mismatches, encumbrances not disclosed, or large tax dues

Get your free LPS rating and see the health of your property's revenue records in minutes, with no portal hopping and no confusion over reading documents.

Frequently asked questions

Can a Pahani be treated as proof that someone owns the land?: No. In India no revenue record, Pahani included, conclusively proves ownership. It is prima facie evidence that the other side can rebut. The courts say such records show only who possesses the land and pays the tax, and that registered sale deeds and title documents are the principal proof. Check the Pahani alongside title chain verification and an encumbrance certificate.
How does a 7/12 extract differ from an 8A extract?: The 7/12 Extract gives ownership, area, cultivation and present status. The 8A Extract shows the history of ownership changes (mutations) for a survey number over time. For full property verification in Maharashtra, ask for both: the 7/12 for current status and the 8A for the ownership history.
How frequently do revenue records get updated?: It depends on the state. Yearly: Punjab and Haryana (Jamabandi is revised each year during the crop survey) On mutation: Telangana and Andhra Pradesh (Pahani changes when ownership changes) Periodically: Maharashtra and Karnataka (updated when the Talathi or VAO does a field check) Real time: Some digitised systems, such as Telangana's Dharani, update as soon as a mutation is approved Check the "last updated" date on any record you download. A record older than 1-2 years may not show recent transactions.
Can I buy a property just on the strength of its revenue records?: Definitely not; that belief is risky. A revenue record is a single piece of a full due diligence. Also examine the registered sale deeds (30-year title chain), the encumbrance certificate (15-30 years), a court case search covering civil and criminal matters, property tax receipts for the past 5 years, the land survey/FMB for boundaries, the Patta or Khata for urban properties, and development authority approvals where applicable. Revenue records can be stale, doctored or mistaken, which is why banks and NBFCs want several documents before sanctioning a home loan.
How can a mistake in a revenue record be fixed?: For a wrong name, wrong area or missing ownership update, proceed this way. First gather proof: sale deed, earlier encumbrance certificate, property tax receipts and survey papers. Next go to the revenue office; depending on your state that means the Talathi, Patwari, MRO or Village Officer. Submit a written rectification request with the documents and prescribed fee. An official then inspects the property and checks the papers. If satisfied, the official passes a correction order and amends the record. Finally, download the record again and check that the portal shows the change. Expect 2-4 weeks in digitised states and 2-3 months where systems are manual. Complicated disputes might need a mutation application or an approach to the revenue appellate authority.
Are online revenue records legally valid?: Yes. A digitally signed record from an official state portal is valid for most uses. Most lenders accept it for bank loan applications. It counts for government applications such as building plan approvals and subsidies, serves as proof of ownership in property tax assessment, and can be attached to a mutation application. For court proceedings or registration, however, some sub-registrar offices want certified copies bearing the revenue office's physical seal. Ask your local office before you register.

Sources

We summarise published reporting in our own words and link to the original. Publishers can ask for a correction or removal at editor@landandlaw.in. We act within 48 hours. Editorial policy

General information only. This is not legal advice; consult a qualified property lawyer for your situation.

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