Sri Vijaya Puram, 29 August: The District Administration, South Andaman has taken a major step towards simplifying property transactions and promoting ease of doing business. In a significant decision, the mandatory requirement of producing a No-Dues Certificate from the Municipal Council, Sri Vijaya Puram for the registration of sale deeds and other property-related instruments in the Office of the Sub-Registrar, South Andaman has been withdrawn with immediate effect.
Until now, the checklist incorporated in the National Document Registration System (NGDRS) portal required parties to furnish a No-Dues Certificate issued by the Municipal Council before registering property-related documents. However, upon review, it has been observed that neither the Registration Act, 1908 nor the Transfer of Property Act, 1882 contains any statutory provision mandating such a requirement.
Section 17 of the Registration Act, 1908 specifies the documents which are compulsorily registrable, while Section 71 empowers the Sub-Registrar to refuse documents only on grounds of non-compliance with provisions of the said Act or the rules framed thereunder. Similarly, the Transfer of Property Act, 1882 does not impose the production of a No-Dues Certificate from the Municipal Council as a pre-condition for transfer or registration of property.
Recognizing that such additional requirements create avoidable hurdles for citizens, the A & N Administration has decided to remove this non-statutory condition. This decision is in line with the Government of India’s commitment to ensuring hassle-free citizen services, improving transparency, and reducing procedural bottlenecks under the Ease of Doing Business framework.
The Deputy Commissioner, exercising powers under the Registration Act, 1908, has therefore ordered that the requirement of producing a No-Dues Certificate from the Municipal Council, Sri Vijaya Puram, shall stand withdrawn with immediate effect. All concerned officers, including the Sub-Registrar, South Andaman, have been directed to ensure strict compliance with this order.
This reform is expected to provide significant relief to citizens by streamlining property registrations and removing an unnecessary step in the process.
