A new Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) has been released by the Odisha Revenue and Disaster Management Department to govern part plot registration throughout the state.

The resolution, which was made public on Monday, attempts to clear up a lot of confusion among registrants. The agency claims that many Registering Officers are not completely familiar with the terms of the Registration (Odisha Amendment) Act of 2013, the Odisha Registration Rules of 1988, and the Registration Act of 1908.

The SOP, which offers thorough instructions on part plot registration, takes precedence over all earlier notifications and resolutions.

Key Provisions for Registration

The SOP clarifies the legal and procedural requirements for different categories of properties:

• Rural Areas (outside urban or development authority limits): Subdivision of plots is generally permitted without conditions, except for ‘Jalasaya Kissam plots’, which can only be transferred as full plots.
• Urban Areas and Rural Areas within Development or Town Planning Authority limits: Subdivision generally requires written permission from the respective Development Authority or Town Planning and Improvement Trust. However, exemptions have been introduced under the 2025 Second Amendment Rules.
• Certain Categories Are Exempt
  Under certain conditions, the SOP permits part plot registration without previous authorisation:
  
  Family Subdivisions: Under the Odisha Land Reforms Act of 1960, land or bye-plots divided among family members are eligible for free registration.
  
  Small Subdivisions: Subplots under 500 square meters are exempt from taxes once, as long as they are not used for real estate projects and their self-declaration is adequate to ensure compliance.
• Plots that have been jointly inherited or purchased may be divided among co-owners with their approval, provided that the total area does not exceed 500 square meters.
  
  Pre-existing Small Plots: Plots under 500 square meters that were recorded prior to the 2025 Amendment Rules' announcement may be subdivided.
  
  Agricultural Plots: Where land use stays agricultural, subdivision is permitted for agricultural plots. Executors are required to submit a self-declaration attesting to the plot's exclusive agricultural usage.

• Immediate Implementation

  Registering officers are instructed to verify the authenticity of maps, boundaries, and self-declarations before registration.

  All required documents must be in order, and self-declarations incorporated in deeds are to be preserved as part of the official record. Once the authority is satisfied that parties are present and admit execution of the deed, the document must be registered, subject to procedural compliance.

• The notification added that the SOP comes into force immediately, with the government requiring strict adherence by all registering officers.