Haryana to tighten rules on delayed property registration for higher revenue

The Haryana government is taking strict action against delayed property registrations to increase its revenue. If property buyers (allottees) do not register their property within a set time, they will have to pay stamp duty based on the latest collector rates. This move aims to encourage people to complete their property registration on time and generate more income for the state.

Strict rules for property registration

Real estate developers, builders, and cooperative housing societies must ensure that properties transferred to allottees are properly registered. This rule will also apply to properties given to buyers many years ago but were never officially registered.

Under the Registration Act, 1908, it is necessary to register a property to make the transfer legally valid. However, the law does not currently require people to pay stamp duty based on the latest collector rates for pending registrations. To enforce this, the Haryana government may introduce new rules. Officials believe that if people know they will have to pay a higher stamp duty in the future, they will register their property sooner. The revenue department will soon issue instructions regarding this.

Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini has emphasized that property transfers without proper registration cause financial losses for the government. The government loses revenue from stamp duties when buyers delay completing their conveyance deeds. To solve this issue, new measures are being introduced.

The state government is facing financial pressure due to various welfare schemes. For example, the Lado Lakshmi Yojana, a scheme launched as part of the BJP's 2024 election promises, provides ₹2,100 per month to women in Haryana. A budget of ₹5,000 crore has been allocated for this scheme in 2025-26. However, the government is now considering setting eligibility criteria to limit the number of beneficiaries and reduce the financial burden.

According to the 2025-26 budget estimates, Haryana's revenue deficit is expected to be around ₹20,599 crore. This is the difference between the state's earnings and its spending. The government is looking for ways to reduce this gap, and one solution is to increase revenue from stamp duty.

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Legal challenges and proposed solutions

The Registration Act, 1908, allows four months for property registration from the date of execution. If there is a delay due to unavoidable reasons, the law permits an extension of another four months, but with a penalty of up to ten times the registration fee.

Legal experts say that under the current law, the government cannot force buyers to pay stamp duty at the latest collector rates. However, the state can introduce a special amendment to impose stricter penalties for those who do not register their property within the given time. This would encourage timely registration and increase government revenue.

The Haryana government has set higher revenue targets from stamp duty in its 2025-26 budget. It aims to collect ₹16,555 crore, which is more than the ₹14,048 crore collected in 2024-25. The previous year's budget had set a target of ₹15,101 crore, but the state failed to meet it.

By enforcing timely registration of properties, the government hopes to reach its revenue goals and reduce financial losses.