The special survey now running across Bihar is preparing a new record of rights (khatiyan) and map for every revenue village. If your name, plot, area or type of land is recorded wrongly, that entry will be presumed correct once it is finally published. The law gives you a remedy at every stage, but each one has its own time limit and officer. Acting at the right stage saves years of litigation.
The process is governed by the Bihar Special Survey and Settlement Act, 2011 and the Bihar Special Survey and Settlement Rules, 2012. The Rules were amended in 2024 and 2025 (listed on the Directorate of Land Records and Survey website), so check the current text before relying on any time limit below.
Stages of the survey, and where mistakes happen
- Self-declaration and family tree: landholders file a self-declaration in Form 2 with their papers, and a genealogical table is prepared (Section 5; Rule 6). The Rules allow 30 working days from the survey notification, extendable by 15 working days. The Government has extended the self-declaration deadlines several times; it can be filed online on the DLRS portal.
- Kistwar and khanapuri: plots are measured and the basic record is written up in the village (Sections 6 and 7). Most errors begin here: wrong boundaries, wrong area, land of a deceased person not divided among heirs, or private land shown as government land.
- Draft record of rights: the draft khatiyan and map are published in the village for 30 days (Section 8; Rule 12).
- Final publication: after objections are decided and records are checked, the Settlement Officer publishes the final record (Section 11).
Your remedy at each stage
1. During khanapuri
An objection can be filed in Form 8 at the camp. It is to be decided within 30 working days (Rules 9 and 10). Ask for the receipt in Form 9 and keep it.
2. Against the draft record of rights
Any landholder or interested person can file a claim or objection in Form 14 within 30 days of publication of the draft record. There is no fee. It is heard by the Assistant Settlement Officer, Circle Officer or Consolidation Officer and is to be decided within 60 days (Section 9; Rule 13). This is the most important stage: attach your registered deed, jamabandi, rent receipts, mutation order, partition deed or court decree, and attend the hearing.
3. After final publication
A claim against the final record can be filed within 3 months of final publication, before an officer not below the rank of Deputy Collector Land Reforms (Section 11(2); Rule 15, Form 21). It is to be decided within 90 days.
When the Patna High Court comes in
Section 23 of the Act says that, until the record of rights is finally published, no court other than the Patna High Court and the Supreme Court can entertain a case questioning an order under the Act. So while the survey is running, a writ petition under Article 226 is the route against an order that is passed without notice or hearing, is beyond the officer's power, ignores documents on record, or where an objection is not being decided at all. The High Court usually asks first whether the remedy under the Act was used, so file the objection or claim on time and keep the record.
Ownership itself is a question for the civil court. In Birendra Kumar v. State of Bihar, CWJC No. 20084 of 2025, decided on 6 January 2026 (judgment on the Patna High Court website), the Patna High Court observed that title can be decided only in a properly framed title suit, that the survey cannot take away possession already vested in the petitioners, and left them free to file a declaratory suit.
Does the new khatiyan decide ownership?
No. Under Section 12(3), every entry in the finally published record is presumed correct unless it is proved by evidence to be incorrect. The presumption is strong in practice, which is why errors should be corrected before final publication. A title deed or decree remains the basis of ownership.
Documents to keep ready
- Registered sale, gift or partition deed, or court decree
- Old khatiyan (cadastral or revisional) and jamabandi details
- Rent receipts and mutation order
- Family tree and death certificates for inherited land
- Copies of your self-declaration and every receipt issued at the camp
Frequently asked questions
How long do I have to object to the draft khatiyan?
30 days from publication of the draft record of rights in the village, in Form 14 at the survey camp, free of cost (Rule 13 of the 2012 Rules). Check whether a later amendment or notice has changed this in your district.
My objection was rejected. What next?
After final publication, a claim can be filed within 3 months before an officer not below the rank of DCLR. Where the order is illegal, for example passed without hearing you, a writ petition before the Patna High Court may lie.
Can I file a civil suit during the survey?
Section 23 bars courts other than the Patna High Court and the Supreme Court from questioning orders under the Act until final publication. A title suit on ownership can be considered after that.
Will the survey cancel my registered deed?
No. The survey records rights; it does not decide title. A wrong entry can be rebutted by evidence, and ownership disputes are decided by the civil court.
Private land has been shown as government land. What should I do?
File an objection at the khanapuri or draft stage with your deed, old khatiyan and rent receipts. If it is recorded in the final record, file a claim within 3 months and take advice on a writ or civil suit.
Where can I see survey forms and rules?
On the Directorate of Land Records and Survey, Bihar website (dlrs.bihar.gov.in), which lists the Act, the Rules and their amendments.
This article is general information about the Bihar special survey and is not legal advice. Time limits and procedures are amended from time to time; check the current Rules and notices, or consult an advocate about your own matter.
Related on this site: Property & Title in Patna · How to check land before buying in Bihar · Jamabandi correction through Parimarjan · Mutation Appeal to the DCLR
Official sources (links checked 4 November 2026): Bihar Special Survey and Settlement Act, 2011 · Rules, 2012 · DLRS Acts and Rules · DLRS self-declaration · Birendra Kumar v. State of Bihar (Patna HC, 2026)
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