Purchasing real estate or commercial land in Maharashtra requires exhaustive legal due diligence to ensure marketable title free from encumbrances, pending litigation, or revenue restrictions.
Under the Maharashtra Land Revenue Code 1966 and the Transfer of Property Act 1882, a mere sale deed execution without thorough revenue record verification can expose buyers to severe ownership disputes.
1. 30-Year Search Report at Sub-Registrar Office (SRO)
A certified Title Search Report issued by a practicing Advocate requires examining index register entries at the concerned Sub-Registrar Office for a minimum continuous period of 30 years to trace the unbroken chain of ownership.
2. Revenue Record Inspection: 7/12 Extract & Mutation Entries (Ferfar)
In agricultural and converted land matters across Pune and Maharashtra, verifying the 7/12 Extract (Saat Bara Utara) and Mutation Entry (Ferfar Patrak) is mandatory:
- 7/12 Extract: Verifies occupant status (Class-I occupant vs Class-II restricted tenure requiring Collector permission).
- Mutation Entries: Traces historical transfers through inheritance, sale, partition, or court decrees.
- Property Card (CTS): Required for urban properties under Municipal Corporation limits.
3. Public Notice & Encumbrance Verification
Prior to executing a Sale Deed or Development Agreement, publishing a formal Public Notice in two local newspapers (English & Marathi) inviting claims within 14 days is essential to protect buyer bona fides under Section 52 of the Transfer of Property Act.
4. RERA & Non-Agricultural (NA) Permissions
For residential layouts and commercial developments, advocates must verify Non-Agricultural (NA) conversion orders under Section 44 of the MLRC, Town Planning layout sanction, and MahaRERA registration compliance.