Jharbhoomi Jharkhand: Register II, Khatiyan and Online Mutation (2026 Guide)

At a glance

Jharkhand's land records are kept circle by circle. A Circle Office (anchal) handles mutation and rent for a group of villages (mauzas), with the Circle Officer as the deciding authority on mutation. Jharbhoomi brings these records online under the Digital India Land Records Modernization Programme (DILRMP).

Register II and khatiyan: what each shows

Jharkhand buyers hear two record names, and they do different jobs.

Khatiyan (खतियान) is the survey record of rights prepared during the cadastral or revisional survey of a village. It records the raiyat (tenant-holder) for each khata, the plots in it, their area and class, and, importantly, the kind of tenancy and any rights or restrictions recorded at survey time. The khatiyan is the base document many title opinions in Jharkhand start from.

Register II (पंजी-2 / Panji-II) is the current rent-roll or jamabandi register kept at the Circle Office. It shows who is now recorded as paying rent (lagan) for a holding, with the jamabandi number, khata and plot numbers, area, and the mutation history that brought the holding to its present name. Register II changes every time a mutation is approved; the survey khatiyan does not.

A sound purchase file needs both: the khatiyan to show where the holding started and what kind of land it is, and Register II to show who holds it today. If the two do not connect through a clean line of deeds and mutation orders, ask why before paying anything. Our 30-year chain of title guide explains how to build that line.

Step by step: check Register II and khata details

Jharbhoomi's screens are revised from time to time, so the steps describe the flow rather than exact menu names.

1. Open jharbhoomi.jharkhand.gov.in on a desktop browser.
2. Choose the option to view Register II, or the option for khata and khesra details.
3. Select the district, then the circle (anchal), then the halka where asked, then the village (mauza). Use the official mauza name, which may differ from the local or advertised name.
4. Search by the details you have: khata number, plot (khesra) number, jamabandi number or the raiyat's name, depending on the options shown.
5. Open the matching record and read the raiyat name, jamabandi number, plots and area, and any mutation entries.
6. Save a PDF or screenshot and note the date. Online views are for checking; for a certified copy, apply at the Circle Office. We could not confirm the fee or delivery time.
7. For the survey khatiyan, ask the seller for a copy and cross-check it with a certified copy from the district record room. We could not confirm whether every district's survey khatiyan is downloadable on the portal.

Online mutation in Jharkhand

Mutation, called dakhil-kharij (दाखिल-खारिज) locally, is the process that removes the old holder's name from Register II and enters the new one. Jharkhand runs it online. According to NIC Jharkhand, the flow is:

1. The applicant files the mutation application online, and the system generates a case number with an SMS alert.
2. The case is checked in turn by the dealing assistant, the circle inspector and the revenue sub-inspector, and handled by the circle official.
3. A mutation notice is issued so that anyone with an objection can respond.
4. The Circle Officer gives the final order and a correction slip is generated, after which Register II shows the new holder.
5. A person dissatisfied with the order may appeal to the DCLR.

You can check the status of a mutation application on Jharbhoomi. We could not confirm the current fee, the statutory time limit for disposal, or the time limit for appeal; check at the Circle Office or with a local advocate. For the general process across states, see our mutation guide.

Village maps and land rent (lagan)

NIC reports that Jharbhoomi has village maps available for 34,179 villages. A map shows the plot's shape, its neighbouring plot numbers and any road, river or government land it touches. Use our guides on Bhu Naksha maps and matching a plot to the map to read it, and confirm boundaries on the ground through official measurement.

Land rent, called lagan (लगान), is paid against the jamabandi, and Jharkhand collects it online through e-GRAS. A current rent receipt in the seller's name, for the same jamabandi number shown in Register II, is useful supporting evidence of the seller's recorded holding. It does not by itself prove title.

CNT and SPT Acts: a check, not a footnote

Large parts of Jharkhand are governed by two tenancy laws that restrict how raiyati land can be transferred. This section only points to what to check; it is not a legal opinion on any plot.

• Chota Nagpur Tenancy Act, 1908: section 46 restricts transfers by a raiyat. Under its first proviso, an occupancy-raiyat who is a member of a Scheduled Tribe may transfer the holding by sale, exchange, gift or will only to another Scheduled Tribe member resident within the local limits of the police station where the land lies, and only with the previous sanction of the Deputy Commissioner. Other categories have their own conditions.
• Santhal Parganas Tenancy (Supplementary Provisions) Act, 1949: section 20 says a raiyat's transfer is not valid unless the right to transfer is recorded in the record of rights, and only to the extent recorded. The Act applies across the Santhal Parganas division.

What this means for a buyer: before relying on Register II, look at the khatiyan entry for the holding, the raiyat's recorded category, and the district and police station. If any of these point to a restricted transfer, take a written opinion from a local advocate and check with the Circle Office before any payment.

What to check before you rely on it

• The raiyat name in Register II matches the seller, and every co-sharer in the jamabandi is joining the sale or has a clearly defined share.
• The plot numbers and area in the draft sale deed match Register II and the khatiyan.
• The khatiyan shows the land's original tenancy type and any transfer restriction, and the CNT or SPT position has been reviewed by an advocate.
• Register II shows an approved mutation in the seller's name, not a pending or rejected case.
• Lagan receipts are current and in the seller's name.
• The map shows the parcel where the seller says it is, with the access you were promised. See our site visit checklist.
• Encumbrances and earlier deeds have been checked at the registration office, and there is no pending case on the land.

Register II is evidence of who is recorded, not a guarantee of title. Our land due diligence checklist covers the remaining checks.

Frequently Asked Questions

Sources

• Government of Jharkhand: Jharbhoomi land records portal
• Ramgarh District Administration: Land Records service page
• Deoghar District Administration: Jharbhoomi service page
• NIC Jharkhand State Centre: e-Governance projects presentation, May 2022 (Jharbhoomi and online mutation)
• LBSNAA: The Chota Nagpur Tenancy Act, 1908 (text)
• LBSNAA: Santhal Parganas Tenancy (Supplementary Provisions) Act, 1949 (text)