Govt moves to curb police role in land disputes
By Arun Pratap Singh
Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 6 Apr: In a significant policy shift aimed at addressing long-standing concerns over police intervention in civil matters, particularly property disputes, Uttarakhand government has decided to curtail the direct role of the police in land-related disputes. The Government has now made it mandatory for cases of alleged land fraud to be first examined by a designated committee before any FIR is registered by the police. The decision is being viewed as a major administrative reform in a state where disputes over land, particularly in Dehradun and other plains districts, have posed persistent challenges due to rising instances of questionable transactions, alleged fake registries and encroachments.
It may also be recalled that Haridwar MP and former Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat has been quite vocal in demanding this reform in the past few months.
Under the new arrangements clear instructions have been issued that no FIR will be lodged in land-related fraud cases without prior recommendation from the Land Fraud Committee. The move comes in the backdrop of repeated allegations over the past several years that excessive police involvement in such disputes has often led to civil matters being unnecessarily converted into criminal cases, thereby complicating resolution mechanisms and escalating tensions between parties.
Sources claim that complaints have frequently highlighted how police entry into disputes of a predominantly civil or revenue nature tends to aggravate situations rather than resolve them on merit. There have also been regular reports and claims in administrative and public circles that, in several instances, senior police officers have been found to be informally acting as arbitrators in property disputes and, at times, allegedly adopting a biased approach favouring one party over the other instead of proceeding strictly on objective legal grounds. The new arrangement is therefore aimed at ensuring that such concerns are addressed institutionally by introducing a layer of scrutiny before criminal proceedings are initiated by the Police.
As per the revised mechanism, any complaint relating to land fraud or dispute will first be placed before the Land Fraud Committee for detailed examination and verification. Only if the committee establishes prima facie evidence of criminality such as encroachment or fraud registries, etc., will the police be directed to register an FIR and proceed with further investigation. The government has maintained that this system will help draw a clear distinction between civil disputes, which fall within the domain of revenue and administrative authorities, and genuine criminal offences warranting police action.
The issue has also been a subject of political and administrative debate for some time. Former Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat had earlier flagged concerns over the disproportionate time and resources being spent by the police on land disputes, arguing that such matters should primarily be handled through the revenue administration. He had maintained that reducing police involvement in these cases would allow law enforcement agencies to focus more effectively on maintaining law and order and tackling serious crime.
In line with this approach, a meeting of the Land Fraud Committee was convened here today under the chairmanship of Garhwal Commissioner and Secretary to the Chief Minister Vinay Shankar Pandey. The meeting reviewed a large number of pending cases and took several key decisions to expedite their disposal. It emerged during the review that a substantial number of land-related cases have remained unresolved since 2021, reflecting the scale and complexity of the issue.
In the Garhwal region alone, more than 200 cases of alleged land fraud were found to be pending. The committee has decided to launch a focused drive to address these cases, directing officials to submit detailed reports within 15 days. It was announced that regular meetings would now be held to monitor progress and ensure timely resolution of disputes. So far, around 40 cases have reportedly been disposed of in the region, while approximately 160 cases are still awaiting resolution. Another meeting of the LFC has been scheduled within the next fortnight to review progress and push for expedited action.
During today’s meeting, the committee also identified certain cases where clear indications of fraudulent activity were found. In about eight such instances, directions have been issued to the police to register FIRs and initiate criminal proceedings. In addition, officials handling ongoing inquiries have been instructed to submit their reports without delay.
The review further revealed that a large number of cases also remain pending at the level of tehsildars and sub-divisional magistrates (SDMs). Directions have been issued to ensure that such matters are resolved within a maximum period of three months, with the aim of clearing long-pending disputes that have lingered for years.
The government has expressed confidence that the new system will bring greater transparency and procedural clarity to the handling of land disputes and also curb intervention by Police officers with vested interests and also prevent unnecessary criminal litigation. However, in order to ensure efficient and rapid handing of cases, the committee would be required to hold regular meetings.
