Sada Bainama

Sada Bainama land registrations for rural agricultural lands in Telangana state involve executive property transactions on while papers. Transfer of land title through such transactions, despite not having legal sanctity, are popular in rural Telangana. Lakhs of poor people who have purchased small pieces of agricultural land through un-registered/plain paper transactions (Sada Bainama) do not have pattas in Telangana.

Thousands of people who have inherited land also do not have patta in their name as mutations have not been taking place regularly. It is said that about one lakh inam lands are yet to be settled. Even if executed on bond papers with stamp, or notarised, Sada Bainama papers do not qualify to be legal documents if not registered.

Those exercising control over such unregistered lands need to apply to Tahsildar for regularisation. If they are no more, their family members can seek regularization and obtain pattas. In case the seller or his kin raise objections with valid papers, the official can reject regularization plea. Some people acquire assigned lands through Sada Bainama.

They need to be aware that sale or purchase of assigned lands is not legally valid. The purchasers even face a fine or a six-month imprisonment or both. The Telangana government is launching a special drive soon to resolve the issues of Sada Bainamas. Lands up to 5 acres which were only recorded on the papers will be regularised under this scheme.

There will be no stamp duty and registration charges for Sada Bainama registrations. Already, certificates of regularization have been issued in respect of about 40 per cent of such Bainamas, the government has stated.