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Kerala Government Land Assignment (Regularization of Contraventions) Rules, 2025

Kerala Government Land Assignment (Regularization of Contraventions) Rules, 2025

Revenue (U) Department

Government of Kerala

Notification

Published in Kerala Gazette Extra No. 3678 Dt. 16.10.2025 by G. O. (P) No. 418/2025/RD. Dated 14th October, 2025

S. R. O. No. 1201/2025

In exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (1) of section 4 A read with clause (oa) and (q) of sub-section (1) of section 7 of the Kerala Government Land Assignment Act, 1960 (30 of 1960), the Government of Kerala hereby make the following rules for regularizing the contraventions of the conditions attached to the patta and that of the rules made under the Act, namely:—

RULES

1. Short title, commencement and applicability.—(1) These rules may be called the Kerala Government Land Assignment (Regularization of Contraventions) Rules, 2025.

(2) It extends to the whole of the State of Kerala.

(3) It shall come into force at once.

(4) The provisions of these rules relating to regularization shall apply to the contraventions of the conditions attached to the patta and that of the assignment rules, made on or before the 7th day of June, 2024 in respect of the lands assigned under the assignment rules included in the schedule I.

2. Definitions.— (1) In these rules, unless the context otherwise requires,

(a) “Act‖”means the Kerala Government Land Assignment Act, 1960 (30 of 1960);

(b) “any other purpose” means purpose other than for which the land was assigned to the assignees under the assignment rules included in schedule I;

(c) “assignee”means a person to whom the land has been assigned under the assignment rules and his heirs or successors in interest and transferees, including those transferees in favour of whom the land was transferred in violation of assignment rules and conditions attached to patta, as the case may be;

(d) “assigned land” means the land granted on registry under the assignment rules;

(e) “assignment rules” means the rules issued under the Act and included in schedule I;

(f) “authorized officer” means an officer not below the rank of Tahsildar, authorized by the Government, as contemplated under rules 4 and 5 of these rules, by notification in the Official Gazette;

(g) “building” means building constructed in the assigned land in violation of conditions attached to the patta and/or the assignment rules;

(h) “commercial building” means any building constructed by the assignee in the assigned land in violation of the conditions attached to the patta and that of the assignment rules for any of the purposes enumerated in sub-sections (4) and (15) of section 2 of the Kerala Shops and Commercial Establishment Act, 1960 (34 of 1960) and includes a factory, under the Factories Act, 1948 (Central Act 63 of 1948) as on the date of commencement of the Kerala Government Land Assignment (Amendment) Act, 2023 (10 of 2024);

(i) “competent authority” means the authority or the officer, not below the rank of Deputy Collector appointed by the Government, by notification in the Official Gazette, to exercise the powers and functions under these rules;

(j) “form” means forms appended to these rules;

(k) “patta” means the patta issued under the assignment rules included in schedule I;

(l) “public building” means building constructed in the assigned land owned and/or managed by the local self government institutions or any other governmental agencies, which was being used as such, as on the date of commencement of the Kerala Government Land Assignment (Amendment) Act, 2023 (10 of 2024);

(m) “public place” means an assigned land used or accessed by the public as on the date of commencement of the Kerala Government Land Assignment (Amendment) Act, 2023 (10 of 2024);

(n) “regularization fee” means the fee to be levied under these rules for regularizing any contraventions of the conditions attached to the patta and/or the assignment rules.

Explanation.—For calculating the regularization fee, in addition to the land, the extend and nature of contraventions, as the case may be, shall be taken into account;

(o) “regularization of contraventions” means the regularization of use of land for purposes other than for which the land was assigned under the assignment rules, including its transfer and alienation and not prohibited by any other law in force;

(p) “residential building” means a building or any other structure constructed for residential purpose only, by the assignee in the assigned land in violation of the conditions attached to the patta and that of the assignment rules, used as such, as on the date of commencement of the Kerala Government Land Assignment (Amendment) Act, 2023 (10 of 2024);

(q) “schedule” means schedule appended to these rules.

(2) Words and expressions used and not defined in these rules but defined in the Act or in the assignment rules shall have same meaning, as assigned to them in the Act or the assignment rules.

3. Regularization of residential buildings, public buildings, commercial buildings, public places and aided educational institutions in assigned lands.— (1) In the case of regularization of commercial buildings having a plinth area not exceeding 3000 sq.ft., all residential buildings in assigned land constructed or used in contraventions of the conditions in the patta and that of the assignment rules, the assignee shall submit an application in Form A. In the case of regularization of public buildings, public places and aided educational institutions in assigned land constructed or used in contraventions of the conditions in the patta and that of the assignment rules, the assignee shall submit an application in Form B. The applications are to be submitted before the competent authority along with an affidavit in Form F within a period of one year from the date of commencement of these rules or within such further time as may be extended by the Government, by notification in the Official Gazette. The applicant shall also remit the application fee, as may be fixed by the Government, from time to time. The application fee shall be remitted online to the Government treasuries under the relevant head of account. The treasury chalan receipt shall be attached to every application. On receipt thereof, the competent authority, shall issue orders in Form C with the approval of the Government.

Explanation.—Construction of residential building in an assigned land is not a contravention in the following cases:

1. Patta is issued for house sites;

2. Patta is issued without stating any purpose where the assignment rule permits assignment of land for house sites.

(2) If no decision is communicated to the applicant regarding the application which

is in order, within 90 days from the date of receipt of the application, the application is deemed to have been allowed and order in Form C shall automatically be generated, subject to the applicable terms and conditions.

(3) No regularization fee shall be levied for the regularization as per sub-rule (1);

Provided that no residential building shall be regularized under sub-rule (1) if such building is having a plinth area exceeding 3000 sq.ft. and a portion thereof is used for commercial purposes.

4. Application for regularization of contraventions not covered by rule 3.—(1) Every application for regularization of contraventions of the conditions attached to the patta and that of the assignment rules not covered under rule 3 declaring the details pertaining to the contravention of conditions shall be submitted by the assignee before the authorised officer, in Form D within a period of one year from the date of commencement of these rules or within such further time as may be extended by the Government, by notification in the Official Gazette, along with an application fee as may be fixed by the Government, from time to time. The application fee shall be remitted online to the Government treasuries under the relevant head of account. The treasury chalan receipt shall be attached to every application.

(2) Every application shall be accompanied by the following documents, namely:—

(i) copy of the patta or the order of assignment or the certificate of genuineness, if any, issued by the Revenue Department, to the assignee and subsequent deeds of assignments, wherever it is applicable;

Explanation:—For the purpose of clause (i), “certificate of genuineness” means, certificate of genuineness issued in accordance with the Government order issued from time to time.

(ii) copy of the latest land tax receipt in respect of the assigned land;

(iii) copy of the approved plan or building permit issued, if any, by the local authority concerned, in respect of the building constructed in the assigned land, as the case may be;

(iv) copy of the statutory permission, licenses or clearances, if any, issued in respect of the activities carried out in the assigned land, as the case may be;

(v) copy of the latest building tax receipt, if any, issued by the local authority concerned, as the case may be;

(vi) copy of the judgment/order, if any, and all other details of the court cases, if any, pertaining to or with reference to the assigned land;

(vii) other relevant information/details, if any, required by the competent authority;

(viii) An affidavit in Form F.

(3) Upon scrutiny of the application and documents submitted, if it is found that the same is not in order or incomplete, the authorized officer shall, return it to the applicant within 30 days, with a direction to rectify the defects and to resubmit the same.

5. Processing of the application submitted under rule 4.—(1) On receipt of the application, the authorized officer shall conduct or cause to conduct an enquiry as to the eligibility of the applicant and shall prepare a report and forward the same to the competent authority, along with the application.

(2) In respect of the contraventions mentioned in schedule II (a), if the competent authority, after considering the report, is prima facie satisfied that the violation could be regularized, shall direct the applicant to remit the regularization fee prescribed in that schedule within a period of 60 days from the date of such order, with the approval of the Government.

(3) In respect of the contraventions mentioned in schedule II (b), the competent authority, after considering the report, shall forward it with his specific remarks to the

Government within 30 days of the receipt of the same. The Government may, before taking a decision thereon conduct or cause to conduct any enquiry, if necessary. If the Government is of the opinion that the regularization could be allowed, shall issue an order, specifying the regularization fee and forward it to the competent authority for further action. If the Government is of the opinion that the regularization sought for cannot be allowed, it shall issue an order rejecting the application.

(4) The applicant shall remit the regularization fee in the State Government treasuries, under the relevant head of account and the treasury chalan receipt shall be submitted before the competent authority within one month from the date of receipt of intimation from the competent authority or from the Government, as the case may be. The applicant shall also furnish an undertaking that he shall abide by all and every terms and conditions, as the Government may fix and that the order of regularization shall be subject to the rules, regulations and orders issued by the Government from time to time. On receipt thereof, the competent authority, shall issue final orders granting regularization to the applicant in Form E.

(5) The Competent Authority shall maintain a register of all treasury remittances towards application fee and regularization fee as per rule 3 and rule 5 of these rules and the details of the orders granting regularization and shall forward reports thereon to the Government, through the Land Revenue Commissioner.

6. Effect of regularization.—(1) The regularization of the contravention sanctioned under these rules relates to the regularization of the unauthorized use of land in contravention of the conditions in the patta and that of the assignment rules, alone and it does not mean that any other statutory violations, if any, shall be regularized by this sanction.

(2) The land regularized as per these rules shall not be used for any purposes, other

than for which it was regularized and incidental thereto, without obtaining due permission from the authority concerned.

(3) The order of the regularization shall apply to that extent of the assigned land, the contravention of use of which has been regularized.

7. Duties, responsibilities and liabilities of the applicant.—(1) The applicant shall be responsible for the authenticity and the correctness of details furnished in the application and the documents submitted.

(2) If at any stage, it is found that the documents or details furnished or submitted are incorrect or fake or forged or if it is found that any information was omitted or suppressed by the applicant, then the application shall be summarily rejected and that the order of regularization shall be cancelled. Provided that the applicant shall be given a reasonable opportunity of being heard, before passing orders.

(3) The application fee and regularization fee remitted by the applicant, as the case

may be, shall not be refunded under any circumstances.

8. Power of the Government to cancel or revise the order etc.—Without prejudice to the generality of these rules, the Government on its own motion or on a report forwarded to the Government by the competent authority or upon an application by any person aggrieved, the Government shall have the power to cancel or revise any order issued under these rules, at any time, if found necessary, or if found that the applicant has made suppression or misrepresentation of facts, after giving an opportunity of being heard.

9. Cancellation of assignment.—If no application for regularization under these rules, with respect to the contraventions of the conditions of assignment in respect of any assigned land is received within the stipulated time, as prescribed in these rules or within any further extended time to be granted by the Government, as the case may be, and the Government or the competent authority, is satisfied that there is any contravention of the conditions of assignment or that of the rules, then the assignment shall be liable to be cancelled as per the procedure prescribed in the rules by which the land is assigned;

Provided that if different parts of the land granted under a patta are held by different persons by way of transfer and the contraventions in one or more of such land parcels are regularized, the patta of the land shall be cancelled only to the extent of the land in which the contraventions have not been regularized.

10. Removal of doubts.—The Government shall have power, if any doubt arises with regard to the interpretation or otherwise of any of the provisions of this rule or if any difficulty arises in the implementation of any of the provisions, to clarify the doubt or to issue necessary direction for removing such difficulty.

11. Special Provision regarding regularization by the Government.—Notwithstanding anything contained in these rules, the Government may, if they consider it necessary, so to do in public interest, regularize any of the contraventions contained in the assigned land dispensing with any of the provisions contained in these rules, subject to such conditions, if any, that may be imposed.

12. Delegation of Powers.—The Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, delegate all or any of the powers vested in them to any officer or class of officers under them, as the case may be, for the purposes of carrying out any provisions under these rules.

13. Amendment of Schedule.—The Government may add, alter, amend or delete any of the entries in the schedule either prospectively or retrospectively by notification published in the Official Gazette.

FORM B

[See Rule 3 (1)]

APPLICATION FOR REGULARIZATION OF CONTRAVENTIONS OF CONDITIONS

ATTACHED TO THE PATTA AND THAT OF THE RULES WITH RESPECT TO PUBLIC BUILDING/PUBLIC PLACE/AIDED EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS

1. Name/Description of the Public Building/                        :

Public Place/Aided Educational Institutions

2. Village, Taluk and District :

3. Name of the Head of office/authority concerned :

4. Parent Department concerned in Government :

5. Details of Patta (if available) :

6. Area of Public place :

7. Building No. and Plinth area :

8. Building Tax payment details :

DECLARATION

I,............................................................., hereby declare that the above mentioned facts are true and correct to the best of my knowledge and nothing material is concealed therein.

Signature :

Name of Applicant :

Designation :

Office Seal

Station.:

Date.:

FORM C

[See Rule 3(2)]

DEPARTMENT OF LAND REVENUE ORDER FOR DEEMED REGULARIZATION IN CASES OF CONTRAVENTIONS OF THE CONDITIONS ATTACHED TO THE PATTA AND THAT OF THE ASSIGNMENT RULES

An extent of …….. Ha. of land comprised in survey No./ re-survey No. …….. in block No. ……. in ……………. Village, ……….Taluk, ………… District, which was assigned for ………….. purposes vide patta number ………….. under the ………… Rules (name of rules) of …… (year), is currently held by the following person/s:

An extent of …….. Ha. of land included in the above patta was used for purposes other than for which the land was assigned prior to the date of commencement of the Kerala Government Land Assignment (Regularization of Contraventions) Rules, 2025 contrary to the conditions of the assignment rules and the conditions attached to the patta and the said extent of land is currently being used for …………. purpose/s.

The said …… Ha. of land currently has buildings/structures of the specifications given below:

In the light of above facts, the above contraventions effected by the applicant in the above patta land are deemed to be regularized by the Government under sub-rule (2) of rule 3 of the Kerala Government Land Assignment (Regularization of Contraventions) Rules, 2025.

Dated this the …… day of …….. 2025.

Name.:

Designation.:

Signature.:

Competent Authority

(QR code)

1. The order for regularization of contraventions has been issued on the basis of the

information provided by the applicant.

2. The above-mentioned land cannot be used for purposes other than for the purposes that have been now regularized.

3. If it is found at any time that this order was issued due to incorrect information provided by the applicant, this order will be cancelled after giving an opportunity of hearing.

4. The validity of this order can be verified by anyone at any time by scanning the QR code printed above.

Attachment : Affidavit in Form F

DECLARATION

I …………………………. hereby declare that the above-mentioned facts are true and

correct to the best of my knowledge and nothing material has been concealed therein.

Station : Name of Applicant

Date : Signature (OTP)

(FOR OFFICE USE ONLY)

VERIFICATION REPORT

The information in the application was cross-checked with the documents submitted by the applicant, the said documents were examined and the land/building was inspected.

The information obtained from the said examination is given below:

(i) The verification has confirmed that all the information in the application, as well as

the attached documents, are correct. []

(ii) The information provided by the applicant against serial numbers --, --, -- and -- is

incorrect and is not eligible for regularization as applied for. []

(iii) The verification process could not be completed because the required documents were not uploaded in serial numbers --, -- and --. []

 (iv) The applicant has not mentioned the information as per the document uploaded in serial number -- in the application. It is not possible to take further action on the application based on such a document. []

(v) Other remarks :

Application is recommended/not recommended for regularization of contravention made around ……………. (date) on ……………(extent in Ha.) of assigned land which is used for …………. ………….. (other purpose). ………………….

Name :

Designation :

Signature :

Authorised Officer

(Seal)

Number : Office Address

FORM E

[See Rule 5(4)]

DEPARTMENT OF LAND REVENUE ORDER FOR REGULARIZATION IN CASES OF CONTRAVENTIONS OF THE CONDITIONS ATTACHED TO THE PATTA AND THAT OF THE ASSIGNMENT RULES

An extent of …….. Ha. of land comprised in Survey No./Re-survey No. …….. in Block No. ……. in ……………. Village, ……….Taluk, ………… District, which was assigned for ………….. purposes vide patta number ………….. under the ……… Rules (name of rules) of …… (year), is currently held by the following person/s:

An extent of …….. Ha. of land included in the above patta was used for purposes other than for which the land was assigned prior to the date of commencement of the Kerala Government Land Assignment (Regularization of Contraventions) Rules, 2025 contrary to the conditions of the assignment rules and the conditions attached to the patta and the said extent of land is currently being used for …………. purpose/s.

The said …… Ha. of land currently has buildings/structures of the specifications given below:

Therefore, in exercise of the powers conferred under sub-rule (1) of rule 3 the Kerala Government Land Assignment (Regularization of the Contraventions) Rules, 2025,

as approved by the Government, I hereby order regularization of the contravention of conditions of assignment rules and the conditions attached to the patta in ….. Ha. of land included in the land assigned under the patta No. ……… for the purpose of ……………….. as mentioned above.

.

Dated this the …… day of …….. 2025.

Name:

Designation:

Signature:

Competent Authority

(QR code)

1. The order for regularization of contraventions has been issued on the basis of the information provided by the applicant.

2. The above-mentioned land cannot be used for purposes other than for the purposes that have been now regularized.

3. If it is found at any time that this order was issued due to incorrect information provided by the applicant, this order will be cancelled after affording an opportunity

of hearing.

4. The validity of this order can be verified by anyone at any time by scanning the QR code printed above.

FORM F

[See Rule 3(1)]

AFFIDAVIT TO BE SUBMITTED ALONG WITH THE APPLICATION IN

FORM A, B and D

Before the District Collector/Competent Authority..........................................(District Name)

I, …………………………..... (name),...............…………….. son/daughter of (name of

parent/ guardian),.....................................................................……..aged…….. (age) years, residing at...................................................................................................................(address),

do hereby solemnly affirm and state as follows:

An extent of …......….. Ha. of land situated in ……......................….. Village, ……………..Taluk, ……………. District, in Block Number …..and Re-survey Number ……. was assigned for …………………. purposes under the ………………..(name of assignment Rules) Rules of ……… (year of Rules). According to patta number ………….., and subsequent transfers, I am the rightful owner of a total extent of …………. hectares of land.

Currently, I/we hold …… hectares of land under Thandapper account number ……… situated in Block Number …..of…………. Village.

As part of …………….. (details of violation of patta condition), …… hectares of land out of the total ……. hectares was used for ……….. purpose without prior Government permission on ……….. (date of unauthorized contravention).

In connection with the above contravention, I have constructed ….. (number of buildings) buildings with respective plinth areas of …..sq. m. and …..sq. m., comprising …… and …..floors respectively.

All constructed buildings have been assigned building numbers ……. and …… by the ………….. Grama Panchayat/Municipal Corporation (OR) the buildings have been assigned unathorised number…………….

I have obtained relevant licenses for the operationalization of the aforementioned buildings, including a ………….. Certificate numbered …………… dated ………….. from the …………… department / authority, and a …………….. License numbered …………. dated ……………… from the ………….. department/authority, both still valid.

DECLARATION

I declare that the above-mentioned facts are true and correct to the best of my knowledge and belief.

This affidavit is submitted as per the provisions of the Kerala Government Land Assignment (Regularization of the Contraventions) Rules of 2025, to regularize the

aforementioned unauthorized contraventions.

I further affirm that in the event of any order being issued to cancel such deemed regularization based on the presentation of inaccurate information, I will not have any objection, even if I do not receive any notice regarding such cancellation.

Verification: I hereby verify that the contents of this affidavit are true and correct, and

nothing material has been concealed therein.

Place: Signature (OTP)

Date: Name

By order of the Governor,

M. G. RAJAMANICKAM,

Secretary to Government.

Explanatory Note

(This does not form part of the notification, but is intended to indicate its general purport.)

It has come to the notice of the Government that the land assigned as per the provisions of the Kerala Government Land Assignment Act, 1960 (30 of 1960) and the rules made thereunder have been used for the purposes other than for which the land was assigned. Moreover, the assignees have also violated the conditions attached to the patta. In order to resolve this, the Government have enacted the Kerala Government Land Assignment (Amendment) Act, 2023 (10 of 2024) by incorporating provisions regarding the regularization of any contraventions of the conditions attached to the patta and any of the rules made thereunder. Hence, the Government have decided to make rules for implementing the provisions of the said Act.

The notification is intended to achieve the above object.