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The Tamil Nadu Land Reforms Department has issued fresh guidelines to all district collectorates and revenue offices to strengthen the maintenance and classification of land records. The directive aims to ensure better record management, transparency, and quicker responses to Right to Information (RTI) queries. It comes after the State Information Commission raised concerns about missing or untraceable files. The circular specifies the types of land-related records to be maintained, classification methods, safe storage practices, and a colour-coded filing system to clearly track pending and closed cases.
The Tamil Nadu Land Reforms Department recently released a detailed circular to all district collectorates and district revenue officers to improve the management and preservation of land records across the state. The move is aimed at creating a more transparent and reliable system for handling land-related documents and reducing delays in providing information under the Right to Information (RTI) Act. Advertisement
The department instructed that records related to patta transfers, land acquisition, ownership, reclassification, encroachment, leasing of government land, land surrender, and land tax schemes must be maintained properly at the district level. Copies of these documents should also be forwarded to the Land Reforms Department to ensure uniform monitoring and oversight.
The new directive follows observations made by the State Information Commission, which noted several cases where RTI petitions were rejected because relevant documents were either unavailable or untraceable. The Commission had earlier warned that such lapses could lead to administrative action. The department clarified that when RTI applications are received by the Land Reforms Department, they are redirected to the respective district collectorates under Section 6(3) of the RTI Act, making the district authorities responsible for processing and responding to such requests.
The circular outlines that all land-related files should be systematically classified into four categories retention disposals, disposals, standing orders, and current documents. Files marked as "retention disposals" are to be preserved permanently, while "disposals" may be destroyed after ten years. Standing orders and current documents are to be updated regularly.
To improve accessibility, the department has introduced a colour-coded system black ink for closed files and red ink for pending files along with proper serial numbering and document numbers for each record. This system is expected to make tracking and retrieval of files easier for both officials and citizens.
The department has also stressed the importance of physical storage conditions. Record rooms are advised to be located on ground floors, protected from sunlight, rain, dust, and pests. Confidential records should be stored separately with limited access to authorised personnel only. District offices have also been told to maintain a detailed register of the number of documents held, destroyed, or transferred each year to prevent data loss.
Officials have been reminded to periodically inspect the condition of files and digitise records wherever possible to safeguard information. The department noted that maintaining updated and accessible records is essential for resolving disputes, verifying ownership, and supporting transparent governance.
These reforms are part of Tamil Nadu's broader effort to modernise its land administration system. The state has been gradually working towards integrating physical and digital records, aligning with national land record modernisation initiatives promoted by the central government.
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