Patta Chitta: A Complete Guide to Tamil Nadu Land Ownership Records

With the digitization of land records in the landscape, Tamil Nadu has become a giant leap forward by integrating its land management system. And, at the heart of this are two prime land documents of ownership-Patta and Chitta. So, for the owners, those wanting to buy it, and the investor, all three must know what Patta is and how to check Patta online to earn the benefit of legal possession and clear land disputes.

In this detailed guide, we’ll take a deep interest in Patta Chitta, how to do a Patta check, or Patta check online, and explain why these land records are important in Tamil Nadu.

What is Patta Chitta?

In Tamil Nadu, the two most crucial documents relating to a person’s land ownership are the patta and the chitta. They contain vital aspects of the legal status, classification, and ownership of that land. Where these two used to be treated as distinct documents, the Government of Tamil Nadu merged both of them in 2015 into a single document, easing the task of the owner.

What is Patta?

Patta is a legal document that serves as proof of ownership over any piece of land. The Tamil Nadu government issues a patta, and it states vital information regarding the property as follows:

• District, taluk, and village where the property is located
• Patta number
• Owner’s name
• Survey number and subdivision.
•Nanjai and Punjai Nilam, Tamil for wet and dry land respectively
•Extent of land and tax collection details

Patta is not just a record of ownership but plays a more important role as a reference document for sales of the property, taking building permissions, and settling disputes over the land.

What is Chitta?

Chitta, on the other hand, is a record related to land revenue that is preserved by the VAO and Taluk office. It offers more information about the land. Such information may even include the size and ownership of the land, and it even distinguishes land into certain categories. Two major types by which land was classified were:

1. Nanjai (Wetland): Land under irrigated agriculture.
2. Punjai (Dryland): Dryland, which relies on more seasonal rainfall for irrigation.
Since the year 2015, these documents have been merged into one under the heading Patta Chitta, which makes it easier for landowners to make all relevant details available in a single document.

Why Is Patta Chitta Important?

The Patta Chitta is a paper that validates the landowner’s name. Typically, it is sent under the following scenarios.

1. Land Transfer and Selling of Lands:

A Patta Chitta will be required to prove legal ownership of the property.

2. Loan:

Banks and other financial institutions normally demand the Patta Chitta to avoid any disputes or legal liabilities on the land.

3. Land Disputes:

In all issues concerning the land, Patta Chitta is the evidence of lawful ownership.

Building and land development permissions: It is indispensable to perform a Patta check before taking any permission for constructing anything.

In other words, the Patta check is tough without which it becomes very difficult to do any kind of fair legal deal or, in other words, to claim any ownership of any piece of land.

How to Perform a Patta Check Online?

Online Patta checking helps lands’ owners to enjoy digital services. It can be accessed through the Tamil Nadu government’s e-services website. The ease of this service has minimized the physical visits that would have to offices. Below is the step-by-step guide to perform an online Patta check.

Step 1: Access the Tamil Nadu Patta Chitta Website

First, visit the government website of Tamil Nadu, which is bilingual and can be accessed in both English and Tamil languages. The website has been created to enable you to access the Patta and Chitta document rapidly.

Step 2: Click ‘View Patta & FMB/Chitta/TSLR Extract’

Upon the website, under the ‘View Patta Copy/A-Register Extract’, click ‘View Patta & FMB/Chitta/TSLR Extract’.

Step 3: Enter Location Details

The third type of question you will encounter here is the location of your property. You have to provide information from a dropdown menu about the district and then ensure whether the land falls under an urban or rural category.

Step 4: Patta or Survey Number

You will view the Patta Chitta document either by entering the Patta number or by using the Survey number of the property. Ensure all the information like the subdivision number in case available is correct.

Step 5: Submit and View Document

Then the system generates a certificate from the Town Survey Land Register after all the details are introduced into it after passing the authentication check. This certificate would contain relevant details such as land type, ownership, and whether the land falls under the Nanjai or Punjai categories.

Benefits of Patta Chitta Digitization

The digitalization of Patta Chitta has significant benefits for both the administration and the general population.

1. Ease of Access:

The procedures to be followed for a Patta check or for the verification of any land records are no longer necessarily done physically by going to government offices. Information is readily available over the internet and hence accessible in light of openness and ease of access.

2. Reduction of Land Disputes:

Digitization offers less possibility of fraud or property ownership disputes as land records are more accessible.

3. Highly secure and reliable:

Digital records are much more secure than paper-based documents, which might be lost or forged.

4. Saving time:

They would access and validate the Patta Chitta documents with just a few clicks on the buttons and download them to save time and effort.

Checking the Status of Your Patta Chitta

To view the status of the Patta Chitta online, follow these steps:
1. Look at the Tamil Nadu e-District portal.
2. Enter your Application ID and the values of the Captcha.
3. Click the “Get Status” button to see the status of your Patta Chitta.

Validity of Patta Chitta

Now, you can check if your Patta Chitta document is available or not simply by logging online. For this, you have to do the following steps:
­1. Login to the website of Tamil Nadu Patta Chitta
­2. In the section of ‘Verify Web Issued Patta/A-Register Extract’, select the ‘Verify Patta’ option
­3. Input your reference number of your Patta certificate and click SUBMIT
4. After that, you can view and verify the validity of your Patta certificate.

It is possible to obtain the Patta certificate free of cost from the Tamil Nadu government through online services. The chargeable fee is very nominal, just Rs. 100.

Conclusion

Understanding what is Patta and how a Patta check can be done online will benefit those handling land ownership or any other transactions in Tamil Nadu. The process of digitization has made retrieval of such crucial documents much easier, highly secured and significantly more transparent. Whether you are a landowner trying to confirm your property or a buyer, the Patta check feature on the Tamil Nadu e-services website can provide reliable information that helps you make timely and informed decisions.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the difference between Patta and Chitta?

Patta is a legal document proving land ownership, while Chitta is a land revenue document providing further details like land classification. Both documents were merged into Patta Chitta in 2015.

2. How do I check Patta online?

You can log onto the website of the Tamil Nadu Patta Chitta and choose ‘View Patta & FMB/Chitta/TSLR Extract’. You should enter your land details to view the document.

3. Is it Compulsory to get Patta for Land Registration?

Patta is not mandatory but a very important document used to establish ownership of the land

4. Can I transfer Patta online?

No. Till now you have to apply off-line in the Taluk or Village Administration Office.

5. How much does it charge to get the Patta certificate online?

A fee of just Rs 100 is levied to get the Patta certificate online.