Pune: IGR department has proposed making Aadhaar authentication mandatory for all property registrations and has sent draft legal amendments to state govt for approval. The proposal follows the Mundhwa land scam, recommendations of the Vikas Kharge committee, and an internal IGR review aimed at strengthening safeguards in the property registration system.Joint IGR Rajendra Muthe told TOI, “The recommendations have been proposed and the proposal has been submitted to state govt. It is awaiting approval.”At present, Aadhaar linkage during property registration is optional, with the registration software allowing sub-registrars to bypass authentication through a “skip” option. The department has proposed removing this provision, making Aadhaar authentication compulsory before any property transaction can be registered.Officials said the post-Mundhwa scam review exposed gaps in identity verification and underscored the need for stronger checks against impersonation, forged documents and fraudulent transactions. “Mere production of identity documents is not sufficient if there is a possibility of impersonation or use of forged documents. Aadhaar authentication will provide an additional layer of verification and create a stronger audit trail,” a senior official said.They said the proposal could not be implemented immediately, as amendments to relevant laws and rules were required. It would take effect only after state govt grants approval.Maharashtra records nearly 50 lakh property registrations annually, making the Registration and Stamps Department one of the state’s key revenue-generating departments.The officials said the objective was to strengthen the verification framework and ensure fraudulent transactions were flagged or prevented at the registration stage itself. Welcoming the proposal, activist S Joshi said, “Aadhaar-based verification would help authenticate both individuals and the documents being registered, reducing the scope for fraud.”
