Mumbai: In a major relief for farmers and the general public, the Maharashtra government has completely waived registration fees on partition deeds of ancestral agricultural land, making the process of land division simpler and more affordable.

The decision, announced by Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule, comes through a circular issued by the Revenue Department. The move is expected to reduce financial burden and help resolve long-pending land disputes across the state.

What the New Rule Says

Under the updated directive, no registration fee will be charged on partition deeds of ancestral agricultural land:

• Filed under Section 85 of the Maharashtra Land Revenue Code, 1966
• Submitted directly to the Sub-Registrar office with mutual consent among family members

Previously, while Section 85 allowed fee exemption for partitions handled at the Tehsildar level, there was no clarity for cases registered directly at Sub-Registrar offices, leading to fees being charged in many instances.

Government Clarifies Policy

The state government had earlier issued a notification on June 23, 2025, stating that no registration fee would be levied on partition deeds among family members under Section 85, where authority lies with Tehsildars.

However, many citizens opted to directly register partition deeds at Sub-Registrar offices. Due to lack of clear guidelines, these offices continued to charge registration fees.

To eliminate this confusion, the Revenue Department has now clarified that:

• No fee will be charged, whether the partition is processed through a Tehsildar or directly at a Sub-Registrar office
• The exemption applies when all legal heirs jointly submit the partition deed for ancestral farmland

Big Relief for Farmers

This decision is expected to:

• Reduce the cost of land partition
• Simplify legal procedures
• Help settle family land disputes faster
• Benefit thousands of farmers across Maharashtra

Minister’s Statement

Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule said the clarification was necessary to remove confusion among citizens:

“A decision had already been taken to waive registration fees on partition of ancestral land within families. However, due to lack of clarity, fees were still being charged at Sub-Registrar offices. With this clarification, no fee will be required whether the process is done through a Tehsildar or directly at the registration office. This will benefit farmers across the state.”

The decision was taken following directions from Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.