J-K Cong holds protest against grant of registration powers to revenue dept

The Congress on Monday held a protest here in support of lawyers who are on a strike demanding revocation of the government's decision to grant powers of registration of property documents to revenue officials in Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.

"We have extended our support to the demand of lawyers who are protesting for over a month," said District Congress Committee (DCC) president, Samba, and former minister Manjit Singh.

Members of the Jammu and Kashmir High Court Bar Association (JKHCBA) have been on an indefinite strike for over a month against the J and K government's decision to divest judicial courts of powers to register documents related to immovable properties.

Singh said to "restore faith" among the people, Lt Governor G C Murmu should reconsider the decision and hand over registration powers of judiciary to judicial magistrates.

On October 23, the state administrative council (SAC) headed by then governor Satya Pal Malik accorded sanction to the creation of a new department, under the overall administrative control of the revenue department, to provide hassle-free and speedy services to citizens for registration of documents pertaining to immovable properties.

The documents include those related to sale, gift, mortgage, lease and bequest, among others.

Earlier, the revenue department was involved in only issuing documents such as 'Fard Intikhab" (authentication of property with reference to original record) and cost estimation of land on the ground of which registry of the same was being done by judicial officers.