Collectors get powers to regularise minor land breach cases; MLRC amendment passed

Pune: Citizens facing minor breach-of-condition issues on leased or occupied govt land will soon be able to resolve them at the district level, following unanimous passage of the Maharashtra Land Revenue Code (Second Amendment) Bill, 2026, in the state assembly on Tuesday.The amendment decentralises powers to district collectors and divisional commissioners, allowing nearly 90% of cases to be resolved locally. Revenue minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule, who introduced Bill No. 28, stated that the move aims to simplify procedures and reduce the administrative burden on Mantralaya while making the system more citizen-friendly."Earlier, even for minor breach-of-condition cases, files had to be sent to Mantralaya. This created a massive workload and forced common people to make repeated trips to Mumbai for routine approvals," Bawankule told the assembly. "By decentralising these powers, cases involving values up to Rs1 crore will now be decided at the district or divisional level. Only high-value matters will reach the ministry."Senior revenue officials said the amendment addresses a significant legal gap. Until now, the Maharashtra Land Revenue Code (MLRC) lacked an explicit statutory provision to regularise breaches in lands granted by the govt on an occupancy or leasehold basis. The process was previously governed by administrative circulars, which often led to litigation and delays.To provide formal legal backing, the amendment introduces Sections 37A and 328A into the code. This creates a structured mechanism for regularisation, ensuring greater transparency and reducing the likelihood of legal disputes.The bill received unanimous support from members across party lines. Legislators welcomed the shift toward administrative efficiency, noting that it would allow the state govt to focus on complex, high-value matters rather than routine local issues.Revenue officials from Pune told TOI that the reform has been a long-standing demand. The changes are expected to streamline govt land transactions, reduce pendency, and bring much-needed legal clarity to land governance across Maharashtra.