Mumbai, April 20 (IANS) In a bid to provide significant relief to farmers and the general public, the Maharashtra government on Monday announced a total waiver of registration fees for the partition deeds of ancestral agricultural land. ​

The Revenue Department officially issued the circular regarding this exemption today.​

The waiver now extends beyond cases handled by Tahsildars under Section 85 of the Maharashtra Land Revenue Code, 1966. It also covers partition deeds of ancestral agricultural land brought directly to the Sub-Registrar’s office for registration through mutual consent. ​

This decisive step was taken by Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule, following directives from Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, the government circular said.​

According to Minister Bawankule, no registration fee will be charged for land partition among family members. The waiver applies whether the partition is processed via the Tahsildar’s office or registered directly at the Sub-Registrar’s office. By making the process free, the government aims to reduce pending land disputes and encourage formal documentation of family settlements.​

A notification issued on June 23, 2025, had previously exempted registration fees for partitions made under Section 85, for which Tahsildars are authorised. ​

However, many citizens preferred registering their mutual partitions directly at Sub-Registrar offices. ​

Due to a lack of explicit provisions in the original notification, Sub-Registrars continued to charge fees, leading to confusion and a financial burden on farmers, the government circular said.​

The clarification ensures that as long as the partition involves ancestral agricultural land among legal heirs or co-holders of the same family, no fees shall be levied, regardless of the office through which it is processed.​

“We had previously decided to waive registration fees for ancestral land partitions handled by Tahsildars. However, because many people were approaching the Sub-Registrar’s office directly, a lack of regulatory clarity led to fees continuing to be collected. We have now issued this clarification to ensure that no matter where a farmer goes, the Tahsildar or the Registration Office, they will not have to pay a single rupee in registration fees. This will benefit millions of farmers across the state,” said Minister Bawankule.

–IANS

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