Documents to Check Before Buying a Plot in Pondicherry
A practical checklist of the title, revenue and approval documents to verify before you pay an advance on a plot or land in Puducherry.
By Thirumalai Properties · · 3 min read
Buying a plot is usually the largest purchase a family makes, and almost every land dispute can be traced back to a document that was not checked before the advance was paid. Before you sign an agreement or transfer money, make sure you have seen and verified the documents below.
1. The sale deed and the chain of title
Ask the seller for the current registered sale deed and the earlier deeds that show how the property passed from one owner to the next (the "parent documents"). A clean chain going back around 30 years is the usual expectation.
Check that:
- The seller's name on the latest deed matches their ID proof exactly.
- The survey number, extent (area) and boundaries are the same in every deed.
- There are no gaps. Every transfer, including inheritance, gift or partition, should be backed by a registered document.
2. Encumbrance Certificate (EC)
An Encumbrance Certificate from the Sub-Registrar's office lists every registered transaction on the property for the period you ask for: sales, mortgages, releases and so on. Request it for the same period as the title chain.
An EC tells you whether the land is mortgaged to a bank or has been sold to someone else. If a loan appears, make sure a registered release deed follows it.
3. Patta and revenue records
The patta shows who the revenue department records as the owner. It should be in the seller's name, with the same survey number and extent as the sale deed. If the seller recently bought or inherited the land, confirm that the patta has been transferred (mutated) to them.
Match the plot on the ground with the survey sketch. Plots are sometimes sold with the right survey number but the wrong physical location.
4. Layout and planning approval
For a plot in a layout, ask for the approved layout plan and its approval number from the planning authority. In Puducherry this is the Town and Country Planning Department / Puducherry Planning Authority. Check that your plot number, size and road widths match the approved plan.
Unapproved layouts can cause problems later with building permission, utility connections and bank loans.
5. Land use
Confirm that the land is classified for the use you intend. Agricultural land generally needs a change of land use before you can build a house on it, which can take time and is not guaranteed.
6. Tax receipts and dues
Recent property tax receipts show that the seller is the person paying the tax and that there are no arrears. For built property, also check the electricity and water connection bills.
7. If someone else is selling on the owner's behalf
If the seller is acting under a power of attorney, check that the power of attorney is registered, specifically covers the sale of this property, and is still valid. The owner must be alive, because a power of attorney ends on the owner's death. Whenever possible, speak to the owner directly.
Before you pay the advance
Get copies of all of the above, have them reviewed, and record the terms in a written sale agreement. Pay through a bank transfer or cheque so that every payment is traceable.
This article is general information, not legal advice. Have the documents for your specific property reviewed before you buy.
