Supreme Court Advocates for Reform of Colonial-era Property Laws and Adoption of Blockchain Technology
The Supreme Court has called for a comprehensive restructuring of century-old property laws, including the Transfer of Property Act (1882), Registration Act (1908), and Stamp Act (1899). Justice P.S. Narasimha noted that property disputes account for 66% of civil litigation in India, describing the buying process as 'traumatic.' The court directed the Law Commission of India to prepare a report on aligning these laws with modern technology. Crucially, the court urged the Centre to adopt blockchain technology for property registration to ensure transparency, immutability, and ease of tracking ownership history and encumbrances.
Key Points
- Property disputes constitute approximately 66% of all civil litigation in India, highlighting the need for legal reform.
- The court identified fake documentation, land encroachments, and 'intermediaries' as major hurdles in current property transactions.
- Blockchain technology is recommended to create a distributed, time-stamped ledger for land titles and ownership history.
- The court emphasized that while land is a 'State subject,' the Centre should lead the adoption of modern registration technologies.
Exam Facts
- Transfer of Property Act, 1882; Registration Act, 1908; Stamp Act, 1899.
- Property disputes account for 66% of civil litigation in India.
- Land is a 'State subject' under the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution.
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