DEED WRITERS SLAM HARYANA’S HASTY PAPERLESS REGISTRY ROLLOUT, CLAIM PUBLIC INCONVENIENCE HAS INCREASED, ASSOCIATION DEMANDS TEHSIL OFFICES BE MADE FULLY FACELESS, NOT MERELY PAPERLESS, DEED WRITERS SEEK REFORM COMMITTEE; DEMAND EXCLUSIVE RIGHTS TO UPLOAD REGISTRATION DOCUMENTS 

Deed writers across Haryana have strongly criticized the state’s new paperless registry system, alleging that the government’s hurried and incomplete implementation has increased public inconvenience rather than reducing it. Speaking at a meeting held at the Chandigarh Press Club, Haryana Deed Writers Welfare Association president Pradeep Kumar Sharma said that while the association welcomes the idea of a paperless registry, the system was launched without adequate preparation. According to him, with proper groundwork, Haryana could have set a national example, but instead the shortcomings of the system are now becoming more visible. 

THE MAJOR ISSUE: TYPISTS UPLOADING DOCUMENTS USING CITIZEN IDs

The association raised serious concerns over the current method of uploading documents, stating that although the system treats the use of a Citizen Seller’s ID as legal consent, the actual uploading of documents is being done by typists working in tehsil and sub-tehsil offices. They noted that while a citizen may have only a few registrations in a year, typists reportedly upload up to five documents daily—potentially over a hundred in a month—creating the risk of legally questionable registrations. The association argued that if the government truly intends to curb corruption, tehsil offices must be made both paperless and faceless, similar to passport offices, so that transparency increases and human intervention is minimized. 

KEY DEMANDS OF THE ASSOCIATION

During the meeting, several key demands were presented. The association insisted that computer operators should be mandatorily transferred every three months as per existing rules, rather than remaining at the same posting for years. It also called for a separate online portal to handle old property transfers, particularly those 10 to 20 years old, which many citizens are currently unable to complete. The association further demanded that registered deed writers be given the authority to correct minor errors in Jamabandi records, including minor name corrections, and argued that the requirement to scan Jamabandis—often 100 to 200 pages long—should be removed. 

WHY PHYSICAL COPIES OF AADHAAR AND PAN IN A PAPERLESS SYSTEM?

Members questioned why physical copies of Aadhaar and PAN are still being demanded in a supposedly paperless system and pointed out that even document numbers are being handwritten instead of generated automatically by software. Additionally, the association demanded an immediate increase in Will-writing fees and that Will-writing licenses be renewed for five years. They also emphasized that no objections should arise after documents are uploaded, so that citizens are not forced to pay repeated reversion fees. Another strong demand was that only citizens and registered deed writers should have the right to upload deeds, given that these documents are sensitive and legally significant. The association also suggested that the government could create new employment opportunities without additional salary expenses by establishing new posts of Vakil Navees in newly formed districts, tehsils, and sub-tehsils.

The meeting was attended by a large number of deed writers and Vakil Navees from across Haryana, including association secretary Bhupinder Singh, vice-president Gyan Singh, executive members Surendra Singla, Gopi Chand Jindal, and Jasvir Singh, among others.