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VOL. 11, ISSUE 11 (2025)
Institutional fragility and legal vacuums in Indian land governance: A study of corruption, allocation scams, and systemic accountability gaps
Authors
Sangamithirai V
Abstract
The land in India is
more than just a physical dimension- it is one of the most very important
determinants of economic security, social hierarchy and political power. Land
represents the intersection of governance, justice and development as a source
of livelihood and a legal right. However, the system of land governance
continues to be deeply institutionalised and archaistic with bureaucratic
cloudiness in India. Under the rule of numerous laws, powers, and rules, the
existing system has facilitated institutionalized corruption in land
allocation, land registration and land transfer. Benami transactions,
fraudulent documentation, proxy ownership as well as forged title deeds have
become a norm that continues to perpetuate inequity and dispossession. Besides
undermining the sanctity of ownership rights, these malpractices undermine the
constitutional vision of distributive justice found in Articles 14, 21 and
300A. The challenges of proving land frauds due to the rigidity of the
procedures, the inefficiency of the verification system, and the lack of the
authenticity of records also hinder the provision of justice. Although the
Digital Land Records Modernisation Programme (DLRMP) was seen as a radical
intervention to digitize and unite land databases, its effect has been limited
due to the jurisdictional overlap, outdated administrative strategies and
technological synergy. Through this study, the suggested establishment of an
Integrated Land Governance Code with a single legal framework underpinning
property registration, land use regulation, and ownership verification is
recommended. Institutional coherence would be enforced by the establishment of
a National Land Authority with the mandate to harmonize registration, record
management and dispute resolution. At the same time, with a blockchain-anchored
record architecture, along with Aadhaar authentication, satellite mapping and
AI-informed analytics, a verifiable and interoperable land database that is
impossible to tamper with could be established. It also suggests Special Land
Governance Tribunals to be adjudicated faster and more severe criminalization
of land frauds and mandatory cancellation of forged deeds. Finally, it renews
the moral principle of the State as a trustee of territory and strengthens accountability
and distributive justice in all operations.
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Pages:39-44
How to cite this article:
Sangamithirai V "Institutional fragility and legal vacuums in Indian land governance: A study of corruption, allocation scams, and systemic accountability gaps". International Journal of Law, Vol 11, Issue 11, 2025, Pages 39-44
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