Understanding Legal Importance Of 7/12 Extract Document

There are a number of documents required to buy a property in India to ensure if the asset bought is legally free of any claims and litigations. One of such documents required for the purchase of the property in Maharashtra is 7/12 extract. This is an important piece of paper required when the buyer is investing in plots in the rural or semi-rural areas of the state. Since the state has scrapped the usage of this document in the urban areas of Maharashtra including suburban areas of Mumbai, the document holds importance only in those locations where land plots do not have city survey number. 

What is 7/12 extract Document?

The 7/12 extract is an information document prescribing details about a specific piece of land such as survey number, area, date and more particulars about the existing owner's name. This extract is a combination of two forms. Form 7 talks about the details of the land owners and his rights while Form 12 lists specifics about the land type and usage. 'Saat-Baara-Utara' is the regional term for 7/12 Extract Document in Maharashtra. The document is maintained by the revenue department of the state for tax collection purpose. The extract is issued by the Tehsildar or the concerned land authority. Buyer can get the copy of the document after paying the official fee or file petition under Right to Information Act to get the copy. 

Why is 7/12 Extract important?

7/12 extract Documents is an important indicator of the legal status of the plot. It is used for finding information about the ancestral information of any particular land. Past disputes, litigation, court orders etc, that could affect the land ownership or its legal stature can be found in this piece of document. Apart from this, 7/12 Extract is a record of all the activities done on the land in the past. It is important to document so as to identify the land to establish the exact location along with its physical nature. For agricultural land, the extract also keeps a record of the crops that were last grown on the land.

“The land title document (7/12 extract) in one's name, is very important and it is widely used in rural and semi-rural areas, for identifying owners, for sanctioning of agriculture and non-agricultural loans, etc. These documents are available (in digital format) online now,” says Maharashtra revenue minister, Chandrakant Patil.

How to get 7/12 Extract Online?

This document can be derived from the Tehsildar's office which has jurisdiction over the city where the land is location.  You can obtain the extract for the desired tenure. Alternatively, you can obtain the 7/12 document online by following these steps-

1)      Visit Maharashtra government's website or click here

2)      Select the division, district, Taluk  and village name from the list given on the website

3)      You can search the extract by feeding in any of the following details-

1)      Survey Number/Group Number of the property

2)      First Name of the Owner

3)      Ancestral Owner of the Property

4)      Last Name of the Owner

5)      Full Name of the Owner

Click on Find Out and View 7/12 Extract.

From May 1 onwards, land owners would be able to print 7/12 land record receipts online with digital signature that would ensure authenticity. 

Can you transfer the title in 7/12 Extracts?

Industry experts say that 7/12 Extract is a land record for tax collection purpose and can be produced as a proof to show the possession rights of the land. But, the document is not a proof of an established title. Therefore, one cannot transfer the title on the basis of 7/12 as it does not act as a proof of ownership.