Maharashtra Decentralises Land Regularisation: Local Authorities to Manage 90% Cases

The Maharashtra legislature on Wednesday unanimously passed the Maharashtra Land Revenue Code (Second Amendment) Bill, 2026, empowering district-level authorities to regularise most cases involving breach of land-use conditions. This legislation, introduced by revenue minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule, marks a significant shift from a centralised system to a decentralised framework, enabling collectors and divisional commissioners to handle nearly 90% of such cases locally.

The move is expected to reduce pendency, bureaucratic delays, and improve access to administrative remedies for citizens. "Earlier, even minor cases of breach of conditions were referred to the Mantralaya, putting enormous workload on the secretariat and forcing common citizens to make repeated trips to Mumbai," Bawankule said during the discussion. "We are now decentralising the powers. Only cases of exceptionally high value will continue to be referred to the Mantralaya."

Until now, the absence of a clear statutory provision in the Maharashtra Land Revenue Code meant that such regularisation was carried out through government resolutions and circulars, often leading to legal ambiguities and prolonged litigation. The amendment addresses this gap by introducing a specific legal framework under newly inserted provisions, including Section 37A.

Officials said the lack of codified rules resulted in numerous cases remaining unresolved for years, with applicants facing procedural uncertainty. By granting statutory backing, the government aims to streamline the process and ensure uniformity in decision-making across districts.

The Bill received bipartisan support, with members across political lines acknowledging the need to simplify land-related procedures and make governance more responsive. Legislators said that delays in regularisation often affected small landholders and businesses disproportionately, reinforcing the need for reform.

While high-value or complex cases will continue to be handled at the state level, the new system is designed to ensure that routine matters are resolved within districts, minimising delays and procedural bottlenecks. The amendment is expected to have wide-ranging implications for land administration, legal clarity, and ease of doing business in Maharashtra, particularly as the state continues to position itself as a key investment destination, as per the revenue officials.