Essential Land Law Terminology for the Indian Lawyer: A Comprehensive Glossary
A. Revenue Records and Documentation
Patta (पट्टा) A document issued by the revenue authorities, typically the Tehsildar or Sub-Divisional Magistrate, conferring upon a person the right to occupy and cultivate a particular piece of land.
It is essentially a certificate of title or tenancy issued by the State. In most states, patta is issued in favour of the actual cultivator or occupant and serves as the foundational revenue document establishing a person’s right over agricultural land.
A patta does not always confer absolute ownership, it may confer occupancy rights, tenancy rights, or bhumidhari rights depending on the state’s revenue law. In Uttar Pradesh, patta issued under the UP Zamindari Abolition and Land Reforms Act, 1950 confers specific rights depending on the category of the grantee.
Khatauni (खतौनी) The register of cultivators maintained at the village level by the Lekhpal (revenue officer). The Khatauni records the names of persons in possession or cultivation of each plot of land, the area of each plot, the nature of possession (owner, tenant, sub-tenant), and the revenue payable.
It is updated periodically typically every five years in a quinquennial settlement and serves as the primary evidence of possession and cultivation rights. In UP, the Khatauni is maintained under the UP Revenue Code, 2006.
Khasra (खसरा) The field measurement register maintained at the village level. The Khasra records each plot of land in a village with its unique plot number (Khasra number), area, nature of soil, the crop grown, the name of the cultivator, and the name of the owner. The Khasra number is the unique identifier of every plot of agricultural land in a village and is essential for identification of land in any revenue or civil proceeding. When a lawyer refers to “Khasra No. 142” in a sale deed or plaint, this is the number appearing in the Khasra register.
Khatoni Number / Khata Number The account number assigned to a landholder in the Khatauni register. A single Khata may encompass multiple Khasra plots held by the same person. The Khata number is used for revenue assessment and collection purposes and groups together all holdings of one revenue payer.
Jamabandi – A periodically prepared revenue record, prevalent particularly in Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, and Rajasthan, consolidating information about ownership, possession, cultivation, and revenue liability for each plot in a village. It is prepared every four years. The Jamabandi is the equivalent of the Khatauni in these states and is the most important revenue document for establishing title and possession in those jurisdictions. Courts have consistently held that entries in the Jamabandi are relevant evidence under Section 35 of the Indian Evidence Act as entries made by a public officer in the discharge of public duty.
Shajra / Shajra Nasb (शजरा) – The village map or cadastral map showing the boundaries, shape, and relative position of every plot of land in a village. The Shajra is prepared during the settlement survey and serves as the visual complement to the Khasra, together they form the complete picture of land holding in a village. The Shajra is essential in boundary disputes, partition suits, and cases involving encroachment.
Misal Haqiyat – The record of rights prepared during the original settlement of a district. It is the foundational document from which all subsequent revenue records derive. In states where a comprehensive land settlement was carried out — particularly in northern India — the Misal Haqiyat is the earliest and most authoritative record of customary rights, tenures, and ownership.
Fard / Fard Badar A certified extract from the revenue records issued by the revenue authority. A Fard Badar is the official copy of an entry in the Jamabandi or Khatauni that a party obtains for use in court proceedings or registration offices. It is the revenue equivalent of a certified copy of a court order.
Intiqal / Mutation (दाखिल खारिज) – The process of recording a change of ownership or possession in the revenue records following a transfer, succession, partition, or court decree. When a sale deed is registered, the new owner must apply for mutation, Dakhil Kharij, before the revenue authority, so that the Khatauni and other records are updated to reflect the new ownership. Mutation itself does not confer title, it is merely a fiscal record for revenue purposes, but the absence of mutation is a relevant circumstance in possession and title disputes. The Supreme Court has consistently held that mutation entries are not conclusive proof of title but are relevant evidence.
Dakhil Kharij (दाखिल खारिज) Literally “entry and deletion.” The formal process of mutation — entering the new owner’s name and deleting the old owner’s name from the revenue records. An application for Dakhil Kharij is made before the Tehsildar or Sub-Divisional Magistrate after registration of a sale deed, transmission by succession, or pursuant to a court decree. In UP, the procedure is governed by the UP Revenue Code, 2006 and the rules made thereunder.
Lathband / Lath – The demarcation or measurement of land boundaries on the ground by revenue officials using measurement rods. A Lathband proceeding involves physical measurement and marking of boundaries to resolve disputes about the precise location of a plot.
Tatima – A detailed map or diagram of a specific plot prepared during a survey or measurement proceeding, showing the boundaries, dimensions, and relationship of that plot to adjacent plots. The Tatima is used in court proceedings to establish the physical identity and boundaries of the disputed land.
B. Units of Land Measurement
Gaj (गज) A unit of linear measurement equivalent to one yard, 36 inches or approximately 0.914 metres. In land measurement, a square gaj is one square yard. Commonly used in urban property transactions, particularly in North India. Plot sizes in urban areas — especially in cities like Lucknow, Kanpur, and Delhi — are frequently expressed in square gaj or gaj. One square gaj equals 9 square feet.
Bigha (बीघा) – One of the most commonly used units of land measurement in North India, particularly in UP, Bihar, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and West Bengal. The bigha is not uniform across states, its size varies significantly by state and even by district. In UP, one bigha is traditionally equal to approximately 2,500 square yards or 20 biswas. In Rajasthan, one bigha equals approximately 1,618 square metres. In Bengal, one bigha equals approximately 1,333 square metres. Always ascertain the local definition of bigha applicable to the land in question, relying on a generic conversion can produce serious errors in area calculation.
Biswa (बिस्वा) – A sub-unit of the bigha. One bigha is divided into 20 biswas. The biswa is frequently used for smaller parcels of agricultural land. Like the bigha, the actual area represented by a biswa varies by locality.
Biswansi (बिस्वांसी) – A further sub-unit of the biswa. One biswa is divided into 20 biswansis. Used for very precise measurement of small parcels, particularly in partition proceedings where land is divided among multiple claimants.
Acre – A unit of area equal to 4,840 square yards or approximately 4,047 square metres. One hectare equals approximately 2.47 acres. Widely used in agricultural land transactions across India, particularly in South India and Maharashtra.
Hectare – The metric unit of area equal to 10,000 square metres. Used in government records, consolidation proceedings, and increasingly in revenue records as India moves toward metrication of land measurement.
Guntha / Gunta – A unit of area used in Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana. One guntha equals 101.17 square metres or approximately 1,089 square feet. Forty gunthas equal one acre.
Cent – Used in South India — Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and parts of Andhra Pradesh. One cent equals one-hundredth of an acre, or approximately 435.6 square feet.
Marla – Used in Punjab, Haryana, and Himachal Pradesh. One marla equals 25 square yards or approximately 20.9 square metres. Twenty marlas equal one kanal; eight kanals equal one acre.
Kanal – Used in Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, and Jammu and Kashmir. One kanal equals 500 square yards or approximately 418 square metres. Eight kanals equal one acre.
Square Feet and Square Metres – The universally understood metric and imperial units used in urban property transactions, apartment sales, commercial lease agreements, and RERA registrations. Under the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016, all carpet area calculations are mandated in square metres.
Chatak – Used in Bengal and Assam. One chatak equals approximately 45 square feet. Sixteen chataks equal one katha; twenty kathas equal one bigha (Bengal bigha).
Katha – Used in Bihar, Bengal, and parts of UP. One katha equals approximately 720 square feet in Bihar. As with all traditional units, the exact area varies by locality.
C. Land Tenure and Rights Terminology
Bhumidhar (भूमिधर) – The highest category of land rights holder under the UP Zamindari Abolition and Land Reforms Act, 1950. A Bhumidhar has permanent and heritable rights over agricultural land, can transfer the land by sale, mortgage, or gift subject to statutory restrictions, and pays a fixed land revenue. There are two categories — Bhumidhar with Transferable Rights (who can sell freely) and Bhumidhar with Non-Transferable Rights (who cannot sell except back to the State). The distinction is critical in UP land transactions, a sale deed by a Bhumidhar with Non-Transferable Rights is void.
Asami (आसामी) – The lowest category of land rights under the UP land revenue system. An Asami holds land temporarily — either as a sub-tenant or on a yearly tenancy and has no right of transfer. An Asami’s rights are extinguishable and do not give rise to permanent tenure. Transactions involving Asami land require careful examination as the holder’s capacity to deal with the land is severely limited.
Sirdar – An intermediate category of land rights that existed under the pre-1978 UP land tenure system. Sirdars had permanent and heritable rights but initially could not transfer. By amendment, Sirdars were gradually converted to Bhumidhars. The term still appears in older title documents and must be understood in historical context.
Ryot / Raiyat – A cultivating tenant or peasant cultivator. Ryotwari is a system of land tenure prevalent in South India and parts of Maharashtra where each cultivating ryot holds land directly from the State and pays revenue directly to the government without intermediary zamindars.
Zamindari – The system of land tenure under which zamindars held large estates and collected revenue from tenants, paying a fixed sum to the colonial government. Zamindari was abolished across India following independence through state-level legislation in UP by the UP Zamindari Abolition and Land Reforms Act, 1950. Understanding zamindari is essential for title searches involving land held before 1950 in UP.
Maafi / Inam Land – Land granted revenue-free by the sovereign either the colonial government or a princely state to individuals, religious institutions, or families in recognition of services rendered or for charitable purposes. Maafi grants are also called Inam grants. Post-independence legislation in most states resumed or regulated Inam lands. Title documents claiming origin from a Maafi or Inam grant require verification of whether the grant survived legislative resumption.
Waqf Land – Land dedicated by a Muslim for religious, pious, or charitable purposes under Islamic law. Waqf land is inalienable, it cannot be sold, mortgaged, or transferred. Any purported sale of Waqf land is void. The Waqf Act, 1995 governs Waqf properties and establishes State Waqf Boards as regulatory authorities. Before purchasing any land with a Muslim background, a search of Waqf records is essential.
Nazul Land– Land that vested in the State upon the abolition of zamindari or upon escheat, and which the State holds for specific purposes typically urban development, housing, or government use. Nazul land is leased to occupants by the State; it is not freehold. Transactions involving Nazul land require permission from the State Government or the designated Nazul authority.
Abadi Land (आबादी) – The residential area within a village, the area where village habitations are located, as distinguished from the agricultural land (Khet) surrounding it. Abadi land is typically governed by different rules from agricultural land. In UP, Abadi plots are administered by the Gram Panchayat and the revenue authorities and are recorded separately in revenue records.
Banjar Land (बंजर) – Waste or uncultivated land. Banjar Qadim refers to land that has been uncultivated for a long period (old waste), while Banjar Jadid refers to land that has recently gone out of cultivation (new waste). The classification of land as Banjar has implications for revenue liability and rights of cultivation.
Grove Land (Grove / Bageecha) – Land used for growing trees, orchards, or groves. In revenue records, grove land is classified separately from agricultural land and is subject to different rules of transfer and inheritance in some states.
Gaon Sabha Land (ग्राम सभा भूमि) – Land vesting in the Gaon Sabha, the village body constituted under state panchayat legislation. Gaon Sabha land includes common lands, ponds, pathways, and waste lands of the village. Gaon Sabha land cannot be transferred by private individuals, any encroachment upon or purported sale of Gaon Sabha land is illegal and void. Identifying Gaon Sabha land in a title search is essential to avoid purchasing disputed property.
Siraha / Sir Land – Under the zamindari system, Sir land referred to the land that a zamindar cultivated personally with his own stock and labour. Sir rights carried special protections for zamindars and were recognised separately from their rights over tenanted land. Post-zamindari abolition, former Sir holders were typically recognised as Bhumidhars.
D. Survey and Settlement Terminology
Settlement – The process by which the revenue authorities survey and assess agricultural land, prepare revenue records, and fix the revenue liability of each holding. A Settlement may be a regular settlement (carried out every thirty to forty years), a revision settlement, or a special settlement. The records prepared during settlement — Khasra, Khatauni, Shajra — are the foundational documents of all subsequent land transactions.
Settlement Officer – The revenue officer — typically a senior IAS officer — who presides over the settlement proceedings for a district. The Settlement Officer’s decisions on rights and boundaries are quasi-judicial in nature and have significant evidentiary weight.
Consolidation of Holdings – The process by which fragmented agricultural holdings of a cultivator scattered across multiple small plots in a village are consolidated into a single compact holding. Governed in UP by the UP Consolidation of Holdings Act, 1953. During consolidation proceedings, original Khasra numbers change and new consolidated plots (called Chaks) are assigned. Lawyers must be alert to whether land in dispute has passed through consolidation, as pre-consolidation Khasra numbers may be entirely different from post-consolidation numbers.
Chak – The consolidated plot assigned to a cultivator after consolidation of holdings proceedings. A Chak replaces the multiple scattered Khasra plots that existed before consolidation.
Sarvey Number / Survey Number – The unique identifying number assigned to each plot of land during a cadastral survey. In South India, the Survey Number is the equivalent of the Khasra Number in North India. Every parcel of agricultural land has a Survey Number, and all revenue records, title documents, and court proceedings refer to land by its Survey Number.
Sub-Division Number – Where a Survey Number has been divided by partition, sale of part, or otherwise, each sub-parcel receives a Sub-Division Number prefixed to the original Survey Number. For example, Survey No. 142 may be divided into Sub-Division Nos. 142/1, 142/2, and 142/3.
Dag Number – Used in Bengal and parts of Assam and Bihar. The Dag Number is the plot identification number in Bengal revenue records, equivalent to the Khasra Number in UP. The Dag Number appears in the Record of Rights (ROR) and is used in all property transactions.
Tippan – A field measurement sketch prepared by the revenue surveyor showing the measurements and boundaries of a specific plot. The Tippan is used in boundary disputes and encroachment cases to establish the precise dimensions of a plot on the ground.
E. Court and Litigation Terminology in Land Law
Encumbrance Certificate (EC) – A certificate issued by the Sub-Registrar’s office showing all registered transactions sales, mortgages, leases, charges affecting a property for a specified period. An EC is essential due diligence in any property purchase and reveals whether the property is free from registered charges and claims.
Dum Dama / Dum – In revenue parlance, a small portion or strip of land. Used colloquially in revenue proceedings to refer to marginal land or a disputed boundary strip.
Kabza (कब्जा) – Physical possession of land. Kabza is the starting point of many land disputes who has actual physical possession, when was possession taken, and whether possession is lawful or unlawful are central questions in suits for possession, injunction, and ejectment.
Benami Transaction – A transaction where property is held by one person, the ostensible owner, but the consideration is paid by and the property is held for the benefit of another, the real owner. Benami transactions are prohibited under the Prohibition of Benami Property Transactions Act, 1988 as amended in 2016. The benami property is liable to confiscation by the State.
Lis Pendens – Section 52 of the TPA. The doctrine that during the pendency of a suit involving immovable property, no transfer of the property by a party to the suit shall affect the rights of the other party under any decree that may be passed. Essential to check in title search whether any suit is pending in relation to the property.
Adverse Possession – The acquisition of title to land by continuous, open, hostile, and exclusive possession for the statutory period, twelve years against private owners under Article 65 of the Limitation Act, 1963, and thirty years against the Government. A successful plea of adverse possession defeats even a registered title.
F. Urban Land and Development Terminology
FSI / FAR (Floor Space Index / Floor Area Ratio) – The ratio of total built-up floor area to the total plot area permitted under the applicable development regulations. FSI = Total Floor Area / Plot Area. A FSI of 2.0 on a plot of 1,000 square metres permits construction of 2,000 square metres of floor area. FSI is the single most important parameter in urban development and determines the economic value of urban land.
Carpet Area -The net usable floor area within the walls of an apartment or unit, excluding the thickness of the walls. Under RERA, all residential apartments must be sold on the basis of carpet area — not super built-up area — and developers must disclose carpet area precisely.
Super Built-Up Area – The carpet area plus the proportionate share of common areas — lobbies, staircases, lifts, and amenities — allocated to each unit. Often used by developers as the basis of pricing before RERA, leading to significant disputes about actual area delivered.
Built-Up Area – The carpet area plus the area of the walls enclosing the apartment. Intermediate between carpet area and super built-up area.
TDR (Transferable Development Rights) – A mechanism by which the development potential of a plot of land can be separated from the land itself and transferred to another plot, allowing higher construction on the receiving plot. Used extensively in Mumbai and other metropolitan areas to compensate landowners whose land is acquired for public purposes without cash payment.
Layout Plan / Sanctioned Plan – The plan of a development — showing plots, roads, open spaces, and amenities — approved by the competent planning authority. Purchase of a plot in a layout without a sanctioned plan carries the risk of regularisation issues and demolition proceedings.
This glossary covers the foundational terminology across revenue law, measurement units, tenure systems, survey practice, and urban development that every land lawyer in India — and particularly in Uttar Pradesh — must command fluently. The terms are not merely definitional — each one represents a distinct legal concept with its own body of case law, statutory framework, and procedural significance.