Presence of seller and buyer must during registration

NEW DELHI: From now on, documents will be accepted for the purpose of registry at the office of the sub registrar only if an applicant or purchaser presents himself to the staff. The new directive of the revenue department is part of measures taken to crack down on touts acting as middlemen at the sub registrar offices in nine districts of the capital.

To ensure that the applicant is not harassed, a five-day period has been fixed for delivery of documents from the time of acceptance of the same by the staff. The order states that failure to comply with the directions will invite disciplinary action.

The order states that documents will be accepted from and delivery will be made only to the applicant or purchaser, unless the documents are presented by a person duly authorized through a special power of attorney by the applicant.

The attested photographs and signatures of the authorized person should be provided by the applicant along with the written instructions for delivery of documents. "Even if the applicant authorizes any other person to present or receive documents, the formal cash receipt of documents against which delivery is to be made will be handed over only to the applicant and no one else," says the order.

Besides regulating the application process, the revenue department has also decided to regulate the delivery of the service to the applicant. To cut down on red tape, it has been decided that delivery of documents will be ensured "as soon as possible but in any case within a maximum of five days of its acceptance for registration." The order adds, "If even after acceptance, the document is not delivered within five days, reasons for not doing so shall be conspicuously displayed on a public notice board."

"In case the document is not accepted for registration, a reasoned refusal order shall be passed within a maximum of three days of presentation," said the revenue department in its order.

"Documents that are neither registered nor denied registration for a period exceeding five days shall be reported to the registrar or special inspector general on the fourth day of receipt of such documents," states the order. To cut down on delay, the department asks the registrar offices to use e-mail to communicate and follow-up later with hard copies.