The central land and property laws of India stand on the Transfer of Property Act, 1882 and the Registration Act, 1908 — and reach through stamp duty, land acquisition, RERA and SARFAESI to the secured-asset machinery of modern lending.
Land is a concurrent subject under the Constitution: the States hold the records, tenancy and ceiling laws, while the Centre legislates the transfer, registration and acquisition framework. For buyers, the practical law is the pair of the Transfer of Property Act and the Registration Act, applied through State stamp and registration rules — in Odisha, through the Odisha Stamp Act and the e-Registration system.
This page lists the principal central land and property statutes, what each covers, and links to authoritative texts. All acts here are central laws enacted by Parliament — state-enacted laws are covered separately. State-specific laws — beginning with Odisha — will follow in a dedicated library.
Contents
Transfer and Registration
| Act | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Transfer of Property Act, 1882 (4 of 1882) | The law of transferring property by sale, mortgage, lease, exchange and gift; defines the rights and liabilities of transferors and transferees. |
| Registration Act, 1908 (16 of 1908) | Mandatory registration of documents affecting immovable property, the records of rights system, and the effect of non-registration. |
| Indian Stamp Act, 1899 (2 of 1899) | Stamp duty on instruments; States levy and collect duty, with Odisha applying its own Stamp Act and rules. |
| Indian Easements Act, 1882 (5 of 1882) | Easements and licences: rights of way, light and air, and the creation and extinguishment of easements. |
| Indian Succession Act, 1925 (39 of 1925) | Wills, intestate succession for non-Hindus, executors, administrators and probate; Hindus are governed by the Hindu Succession Act, 1956. |
Acquisition, Housing and Security
| Act | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013 (30 of 2013) | Land acquisition by the State: social impact assessment, consent thresholds, compensation multiples and R&R entitlements; replaced the 1894 Act. |
| Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016 (16 of 2016) | RERA: mandatory registration of projects, the 70% escrow rule, carpet-area disclosure and the adjudicating machinery. In Odisha it is administered by ORERA under the Odisha Real Estate Rules, 2017. |
| Securitisation and Reconstruction of Financial Assets and Enforcement of Security Interest Act, 2002 (54 of 2002) | SARFAESI: enforcement of security interest without court intervention — the 13(2) demand, 13(4) possession and the DRT/DRAT machinery. |
| Prohibition of Benami Property Transactions Act, 1988 (45 of 1988) | Prohibits benami transactions and vests confiscated benami property in the central authority; strengthened by the 2016 amendment and rules. |
For the debt-recovery side, see our central civil and commercial laws library; for succession and family property, our central family and personal laws library.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which law governs the sale of immovable property in India?
The Transfer of Property Act, 1882 governs the transfer itself; the Registration Act, 1908 requires the deed to be registered, and the applicable Stamp Act fixes the duty payable.
Is registration compulsory for a sale deed?
Yes. A deed transferring immovable property of value above one hundred rupees must be registered under section 17 of the Registration Act, 1908; an unregistered deed does not pass title and is inadmissible in evidence.
Which RERA authority governs Odisha?
The Odisha Real Estate Regulatory Authority (ORERA), constituted under the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016 and working through the Odisha Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Rules, 2017.
This page is a general library guide published for the Knowledge Centre and is not legal advice. For advice on a specific matter, please contact the firm.