‘Anywhere Registration’ to soon be mandatory for property documents in Tamil Nadu

Chennai: Tamil Nadu registration department is set to make its ‘Anywhere Registration’ facility mandatory for select categories of property documents. The move to fully digitise the registration process will be rolled out in a few weeks. Applicants can upload and submit documents from any location at any time through the department’s portal. Once approved by the sub-registrar, the registered document, bearing the officer’s digital signature, will be sent to the applicant via WhatsApp.

According to a notification, the proposal will cover first-sale plot transactions, first-sale flat registrations, sale deeds executed by Tamil Nadu Housing Board, and mortgage and receipt documents related to bank loans. The department has asked the public, builders, document writers, banks and lawyers to create user accounts on the portal and familiarise themselves with the process. Aadhaar details of all parties involved in a transaction, including witnesses, must be uploaded, and verification will be carried out through fingerprint or iris authentication.

The department has also specified the need for internet connectivity, UIDAI-approved biometric devices and a webcam. “The move will simplify registration procedures, reduce footfall at sub-registrar offices and improve the speed and transparency of property transactions,” said an official.

Every year, about 36 lakh documents are registered in the state, of which 5.5 lakh are memoranda of deposit of title deed (MOD) and 3.5 lakh are receipt deeds. About 26,000 apartments are registered every month across the state’s 582 sub-registrar offices.

A few years ago, online registration was introduced for MODs, receipt deeds and residential lease deeds (within five years), but it was not mandatory. “While stakeholders will need time to adapt, the initiative is a welcome step towards modernising the property registration ecosystem and improving the overall ease of doing business in the state,” said Sanjay Chugh, director of Anarock Property Consultants Pvt Ltd.

S Ramprabhu, chairman of DTCP committee, Builders Association of India, said developers will benefit too as it reduces the hassle of coordinating multiple visits to sub-registrar offices.

Officials said the move will simplify registration procedures, reduce footfall at sub-registrar offices and improve the speed and transparency of property transactions