Maharashtra is set to make Aadhaar-linked biometric verification mandatory for property registration, with the state Registration and Stamps Department expected to issue a notification that will take effect immediately, according to a report by Loksatta – Mumbai.
The proposed system will connect property registration documents with Aadhaar-based identity verification. Before a transaction is finalised, an online process is expected to verify the buyer’s fingerprints and iris scans. The stated aim is to establish the identity of participants more reliably and reduce the use of forged or duplicated identity documents in land and property transactions.
At present, people registering property documents can use identity documents such as a PAN card, passport or voter identity card. The report says these documents have sometimes been misused to create duplicate or false identities. It also says that dishonest buyers have used fabricated identities to purchase land under false names.
The proposed Aadhaar process would link a centralised biometric system directly with the property registration portal. This would allow the state government to verify a buyer’s identity online before completing the transaction. The change is expected to reduce the need for citizens to submit several different identity documents during registration, while making identity checks more uniform across the system.
The report also distinguishes the proposed notification from the current practice of asking for an Aadhaar card copy during property-document registration. According to Loksatta, Aadhaar copies have been requested in some cases, but there has so far been no legal basis or compulsory requirement for that practice. The proposed notification is expected to formally establish the new requirement for registration services.
Loksatta reports that the notification will be issued under Section 7 of the central Aadhaar Act, 2016. Under the provision cited in the report, Aadhaar authentication or proof of possession of an Aadhaar number would become necessary for accessing the relevant registration services. The report does not provide the text of the proposed notification or details of any alternative process for people who cannot complete biometric authentication.
The change would affect one of the most document-intensive interactions between citizens and the state. Property registration involves buyers, sellers, witnesses, document writers and registration offices, with identity verification forming a key part of the transaction record. Moving that verification to a linked biometric system would alter how these participants complete the final stage of a sale or transfer.
The immediate implementation of the proposed notification will depend on the formal instructions issued by the Registration and Stamps Department. Those instructions are expected to clarify the operational process, the documents required and how Aadhaar authentication will be completed at registration offices.
