Raghav Chadha Urges Centre to Launch National Blockchain Property Registry

• Proposes tamper-proof, time-stamped digital land records

• Claims 66% of civil disputes in India are land-related

• Cites Sweden, UAE, and Georgia as global examples

Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha has called on the Central government to introduce a National Blockchain Property Registry, arguing that India’s existing land record system is outdated, dispute-prone, and vulnerable to fraud.

Speaking during the Budget Session debate in Parliament on February 9, the Aam Aadmi Party leader said digitising land and property records through blockchain technology could make ownership data tamper-proof, speed up dispute resolution, and improve tax compliance.

Raghav Chadha described India’s land administration system as “structurally fragile,” claiming that ordinary citizens often face delays and middlemen while navigating property registrations. He alleged that issues such as unclear titles, circle rate manipulation, fake documentation, encroachments, and prolonged court battles continue to plague the sector.

Citing available figures—without specifying their source—he stated that:

• Nearly 66% of civil disputes in India are land-related

• Around 45% of properties lack clear titles

• Nearly 48% of properties are under dispute

He also claimed that about 6.2 crore property documents remain undigitised, adding that a simple property sale can take anywhere between two to six months, while disputes may take an average of seven years to resolve in civil courts.

According to Raghav Chadha, a blockchain-based system would create a time-stamped, transparent, and tamper-proof digital ledger of ownership. Every sale, inheritance, or mutation would be recorded in real time, making title verification instant and traceable.

He pointed to countries such as Sweden, Georgia, and the United Arab Emirates as examples where blockchain technology has been used to modernise property transactions. According to him, such systems have significantly reduced transaction time and dispute rates.

“India must move from chaos to clarity,” Chadha said, urging policymakers to adopt technology-driven reforms.

What Is Blockchain in Property?

In simple terms, blockchain acts as a secure digital ledger that records property ownership and transaction history. Once data is recorded, it cannot be altered without leaving a trace, making it highly resistant to fraud.

If implemented, a blockchain registry could:

• Prevent multiple sales of the same property

• Reduce document tampering

• Provide instant access to verified ownership data

• Improve transparency for banks, buyers, and government agencies

Supreme Court Observations

The debate around land records gained renewed attention after recent observations by the Supreme Court of India. In judgments delivered in November and April 2025, the Court clarified that registration of a property document does not automatically establish ownership.

The Court struck down state-level rules that attempted to make sub-registrar offices verify ownership like mini-courts. It emphasised that registration records transactions—not ownership rights—and described India’s land record framework as “structurally fragile.”

In its November ruling, the Court also suggested exploring blockchain technology as an “alternative paradigm” to integrate registration systems with conclusive property titling.

India’s real estate market is one of the largest in the world, yet land ownership disputes remain a major bottleneck for growth. A secure, technology-driven registry could bring greater investor confidence, faster transactions, and stronger legal clarity.

Whether the government adopts Chadha’s proposal remains to be seen. However, the call for reform highlights growing pressure to modernise India’s property registration system in line with global best practices.

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