NEW DELHI: The Delhi government is preparing the Delhi Land Records Bill, 2026, a proposed legislation aimed at creating a comprehensive digital land records system for the national capital. If approved, every property in Delhi will be assigned a unique ‘Property Aadhaar Card’ after a scientific survey, in a move the government says will improve ownership records, reduce disputes and simplify property transactions.The Bill is expected to be placed before the Delhi Cabinet soon. While it is unlikely to be introduced during the upcoming Monsoon Session of the Assembly, the government plans to bring it for approval in a special session at a later stage.
What is the ‘Property Aadhaar’ initiative?
Under the proposed law, every residential, commercial and other category of property across Delhi will undergo a scientific survey. Based on the findings, the government will create a digital land record and issue each property a unique digital identity in the form of a Property Aadhaar Card.Unlike existing land records, the exercise will extend beyond villages to cover the entire National Capital Territory. The government also plans to create a digital record for every floor of every building, ensuring no property remains outside the database.The initiative builds on the government’s pilot under the Centre’s SVAMITVA Scheme, where smart property cards were prepared for 30 rural villages using drone surveys and technical assistance from the Survey of India.Using this experience, the Delhi government now plans to undertake a city-wide survey to digitally map land and property ownership.
Why is the government introducing it?
According to the Delhi government, the absence of a unified land records system has long created problems in establishing ownership, transferring property, securing loans, obtaining building approvals and settling inheritance matters. It has also contributed to prolonged land disputes before courts.Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said the initiative is intended to provide every property with a secure and authenticated identity.“Just as the Aadhaar card has provided every citizen with a trusted form of identity, every property in Delhi will now be given a secure and authentic digital identity.”She added that authenticated digital property records would help eliminate ambiguity, improve transparency and significantly reduce land-related disputes.“With the new system in place, authenticated digital property records will be available, eliminating ambiguity, improving transparency and significantly reducing land-related disputes.”
What could it mean for property owners?
Once implemented, the digital land records system is expected to:
- Provide a verified digital ownership record for every property.
- Simplify property sale and purchase transactions.
- Make inheritance and ownership transfers more transparent.
- Facilitate bank loans by providing authenticated property records.
- Streamline approvals for building plans and other civic permissions.
- Help reduce litigation arising from ownership disputes.
If enacted, the Delhi Land Records Bill, 2026, would mark one of the capital’s biggest land record modernisation exercises, extending digital property mapping from rural villages to every residential and commercial property across the city.
