Land is a state subject, so there is no national land records portal. Each state built its own, named it differently, and digitised a different amount of its archive.
The result is that the first question in any Indian land search is simply: what is the portal called here, and what can I actually get from it?
The portals, by state
| State | Portal | What you pull |
|---|---|---|
| Karnataka | Bhoomi | RTC / Pahani, mutation status |
| Telangana | Bhu Bharati (replaced Dharani) | ROR, pattadar passbook |
| Andhra Pradesh | Meebhoomi | 1B, Adangal |
| Tamil Nadu | TNREGINET / e-Services | Patta, chitta, FMB sketch |
| Maharashtra | Mahabhumi / Bhulekh | 7/12 extract, 8A |
| Uttar Pradesh | Bhulekh UP | Khatauni |
| Rajasthan | Apna Khata | Jamabandi |
| Punjab, Haryana | Jamabandi portals | Jamabandi, mutation |
| West Bengal | Banglarbhumi | Khatian, plot information |
| Kerala | e-Rekha / ReLIS | Survey records, thandaper |
| Gujarat | AnyROR | 7/12, 8A |
| Bihar | Bhulekh Bihar | Jamabandi, khatiyan |
Direct links and current URLs for each are kept in the land record portal directory, which is maintained separately because state portals change addresses more often than you would expect.
What the online copy gives you
The current holder's name. The single most important field, and the one to check against the seller's identity documents.
The extent. In the state's official units -- acres and guntas, hectares and ares, or square metres. Compare this against what you were quoted. See the land unit cheat sheet if the units are unfamiliar.
The survey or plot number, which is the key every other search depends on.
Classification -- dry, wet, garden, nanjai, punjai -- which drives valuation and permitted use.
Cultivation history, where the state records it. This is the most underused field on any Indian land record: an independent, government-held account of what was actually grown, season by season.
Charges and tenancy entries, where recorded. On a Karnataka RTC these sit in the liabilities and tenancy columns.
What it does not give you
This is the part that matters most, and it is why an online pull is the start of due diligence rather than the end.
It is not title. A revenue record reflects possession for revenue administration. Ownership comes from the chain of registered sale deeds. Where the two disagree, that is a red flag, not a tie-breaker. See understanding land titles and documentation.
It does not show unregistered claims. Oral family partitions, unregistered agreements to sell, and informal tenancies leave no trace. In agricultural land these are extremely common.
It does not show encumbrances registered elsewhere. For that you need an Encumbrance Certificate from the sub-registrar, for thirty years, not thirteen.
It may be out of date. Digitisation coverage and update frequency vary a great deal by state and district. A record that has not caught up with a recent mutation looks exactly like a record where no mutation happened.
It does not prove the parcel is where you think. Only the survey sketch and an on-the-ground check do that. See verifying a survey number.
How to pull a record properly
Pull it yourself. Never rely on the copy a seller or broker hands you. A supplied record can be stale by several mutations or, occasionally, fabricated. You control the parameters when you pull it, and the parameters are exactly where a record can be made to look clean.
Pull it twice. Once when you start, and again immediately before registration. Things change, and the second pull is cheap.
Get the survey number right first. Everything depends on it, including the EC search. Where a village has been re-surveyed, obtain the correlation statement and pull under both the old and new numbers.
Take a certified copy for anything that matters. Online copies are fine for screening. For a transaction of any size, a certified copy from the taluk or tahsildar's office carries more weight if the matter is ever contested.
Then do the rest
The online record is step one of about six. The sequence that actually protects you:
- Read the revenue record -- holder, extent, classification, cultivator
- Pull a thirty-year Encumbrance Certificate
- Trace the chain of title to the mother deed
- Verify the survey number on the ground
- Check eligibility -- 79A and 79B in Karnataka, ceiling limits, FEMA for NRIs
- Pay duty, register, then mutate
State-specific walkthroughs: Karnataka, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.
Browse listings: farmland near Bangalore, agricultural land around Hyderabad, or farmland near Coimbatore.
This article is general information, not legal advice. Portal names, URLs and coverage change -- verify current requirements with a local property lawyer before making any purchase decision.
Written by
Agriva Editorial
The Agriva Editorial team writes practical, field-tested guides for buyers, sellers, and brokers navigating India's farmland and niche real estate market.