Haryana Enacts Law to Vest and Record Ownership Rights in Abadi Deh Areas

The State of Haryana has enacted The Haryana Abadi Deh (Vesting, Recording and Resolving of Ownership Rights) Act, 2025, designated as Haryana Act No. 4 of 2026. This legislative instrument, which received the Governor's assent on January 12, 2026, and was published for general information on January 19, 2026, addresses the long-standing issue of unrecorded ownership rights within the inhabited village areas, known as 'abadi deh'. The Act is deemed to have come into force with effect from November 26, 2025. It provides a statutory framework for identifying, recording, and resolving existing rights of occupiers within these areas, ultimately vesting ownership rights in them. The legislation specifies that all rights, title, and interests in land within the abadi deh of a village, where a built-up structure such as a dwelling, residential unit, courtyard, vacant land, plot, shop, or establishment exists, are deemed to have vested in the occupier of such land on the appointed day, March 8, 2019. This vesting, however, is subject to the detailed procedure for preparing a standing record of rights as outlined in the Act. Importantly, land previously vested in the Panchayat under the Haryana Village Common Lands (Regulation) Act, 1961, will continue to remain with the Panchayat, except in cases where possession was acknowledged or authorized under the 1961 Act. The Act establishes a comprehensive process involving survey and mapping, preparation of a standing record of rights, and a mechanism for inviting and resolving objections. It mandates the constitution of village committees, led by the Assistant Collector 2nd Grade, to identify ownership rights. Upon finalization of the record, a SVAMITVA Rights Certificate, Property Identification Right Certificate, Certificate, Deed of Title, or Ownership will be issued to the recorded owner. The Act also outlines a clear hierarchy for appeals, review, and revision, involving Assistant Collector 1st Grade, Collector, and Commissioner, ensuring due process. It explicitly bars civil courts from entertaining or deciding questions related to matters falling under its purview, and entries in the standing record of rights are presumed true until proven otherwise.

The legislative intent behind The Haryana Abadi Deh (Vesting, Recording and Resolving of Ownership Rights) Act, 2025, is to endow proprietary rights upon occupiers in the abadi deh areas of Haryana, thereby providing statutory recognition to a process initiated through the SVAMITVA scheme (Survey of Villages Abadi and Mapping with Improvised Technology in Village Areas). Historically, while possessory and proprietary rights in agricultural land were formalized through settlement processes, the inhabited areas of villages, or abadi deh, were often measured as a single unit and not assessed for land revenue, leading to a lack of formal record of rights. The common rule of ownership in these areas, where ownership followed possession, was never formally acknowledged or documented, causing significant hardship in transferring property rights and leading to frequent disputes over boundaries and identification of rights. The Act addresses these statutory gaps by providing a legal basis for the ongoing efforts, including drone mapping and issuance of property cards under the SVAMITVA scheme, which commenced with a Memorandum of Understanding signed on March 8, 2019, between the Survey of India and the State Government. The legislation provided: “Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in any other State law for the time being in force including clause (b) of sub-section (1) of section 4 of the Haryana Village Common Lands (Regulation) Act, 1961 (Punjab Act 18 of 1961), all rights, title and interests whatever in the land including ownership, which is situated within the abadi deh of a village whereupon a built-up structure in the form of dwelling and residential unit along with its courtyard, vacant land, plot, shop and establishment exist, shall be deemed to have been vested in the occupier of such land on the appointed day.” This core provision aims to regularize and formalize ownership, enabling occupiers to monetize their property through financial assistance and contributing to the planned development of villages by improving civic services and enhancing land value. The Act also repeals The Haryana Abadi Deh (Vesting, Recording and Resolving of Ownership Rights) Ordinance, 2025, while saving actions taken under the repealed ordinance.

Keywords: Haryana, Abadi Deh, Ownership Rights, SVAMITVA Scheme, Land Records, Property Rights, Revenue Act, Village Lands, Haryana Act 2026, Land Vesting

Geo Tags: India, Haryana District: Not Applicable