Thiruvananthapuram: To regularise the assignment of land in line with the Land Assignment (Amendment) Rules, deemed regularisation can now be availed by applying through the Revenue Department’s online portal `ReLIS' (Revenue Land Information System).

According to Revenue Minister K Rajan, a separate system that enables the instant issue of certificates upon submission of the application form, affidavit, and fee will soon be introduced in the portal, which is currently used for land tax payments. The certificate of regularisation will be generated automatically upon submitting the name of the property owner, district, taluk, thandaper (ownership certificate), along with an affidavit on an e-stamp paper worth ₹50. Regularisation is required only if land originally assigned for house construction has been diverted for other purposes.

For aided educational institutions, public buildings and commercial buildings with a built-up area up to 3,000 sq ft, applicants are required to submit Form A1 along with the prescribed application fee to the authority concerned. If no response is received within 90 days, the application will be considered as deemed regularised. In case of errors in the form, it will not be returned. Instead, the applicant will be allowed to make necessary corrections.

Applicants will be given up to one year to submit applications for regularising the diversion of land from its assigned purpose.

Under the Land Assignment Act, the term assignee (owner) includes the person who was originally assigned the land, their legal heirs, as well as those who obtained its ownership after violating the assignment norm. To establish ownership, only valid documents need to be submitted by the current landholder.

Only the portion of land that has been diverted in violation of the original purpose will be considered for regularisation. The remaining portion of the property will continue to be subject to assignment rules while issuing the pattaya (title deed). Any further diversion of such land will require special permission.

However, land in areas classified under the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ), Ecologically Fragile Zones (EFZ) and those covered by the Paddy and Wetland Act cannot be regularised under this provision. On the other hand, quarries that lost approval solely due to conditions under the Land Assignment Act can be regularised through this new mechanism.