What a patta is, and why buyers ask for it first

If you have looked at land in Tamil Nadu, someone will have used the word patta within the first ten minutes. It is worth understanding precisely, because it is routinely described as proof of ownership, and that is not quite what it is.

What it actually is

A patta is a revenue record. It records, for a given survey number, who the revenue department recognises as the holder of that land. It is maintained by the state, and it is the record used when the state needs to know whom to deal with over a piece of land.

What it is not

A patta is not the instrument that transfers ownership. That is the sale deed, registered at the sub-registrar's office. Ownership passes by the registered deed; the patta record is then brought into line with it.

This distinction is the source of most confusion. It is possible for a deed and a patta to disagree — usually because the record has not yet been updated after a transaction, occasionally for reasons that matter a great deal. Either way, a mismatch is a question to ask, not a detail to skip.

Patta and chitta

Chitta is a related revenue record dealing with the classification of the land — broadly, how it is categorised. The two are commonly mentioned together, and in practice both are worth seeing.

What to look for

• That the name on the patta is the name of the person selling to you
• That the survey number matches the land you are being shown
• That the extent recorded is consistent with the plan and the deed
• That any subdivision of the original survey number is reflected

After you buy

Once the sale is registered, the revenue record needs to be transferred into your name. Treat this as part of the purchase rather than as paperwork to get to later — an out-of-date record is inconvenient exactly when you need it, which is usually when you come to sell or to build.