Sada Bainama

What is Sada Bainama?

Sada Bainama means an unregistered sale deed (informal land transaction) executed on plain paper, without paying stamp duty and without registration in the Sub-Registrar’s office.
These documents were widely used in Telangana (particularly in rural areas) between 1970s–2000s, especially for agricultural lands, because people wanted to avoid stamp duty, registration fees, or lacked awareness.
Legally, such documents do not confer valid ownership rights. They are not recognized as “title deeds” under the Registration Act, 1908.

Since lakhs of acres in Telangana are under Sada Bainamas, successive governments have tried to regularize them:

Provided limited scope for regularization of unregistered sale transactions before June 2, 2014 (Telangana formation day).

Special law enacted to regularize Sada Bainamas executed before 2nd June 2014.
Beneficiaries could apply through MeeSeva centers by submitting:
- Copy of Sada Bainama deed
- Link documents, pahani/pattadar passbook
- Proof of possession (electricity bill, tax receipts, etc.)

Applications verified by Tahsildar & RDO.
Land extent and eligibility checked (e.g., no assigned land, no ceiling violations).
After clearance, land regularized and entered into Dharani Portal records, with pattadar passbooks issued.

Not all Sada Bainamas are accepted. Regularization is not permitted if:

The land is assigned land, ceiling-surplus land, government land, Wakf land, forest land, or endowment land.
The transaction is after 2nd June 2014.
The applicant cannot prove continuous possession.
The land falls under prohibited property list (Section 22-A of Registration Act).

Telangana High Court has repeatedly stated that Sada Bainama does not by itself confer ownership unless regularized by the government.
However, possession + other records (tax receipts, pahanis, Aadhaar linkage) can support claims in civil disputes until regularization.
Once regularized under the 2015 Act, it is treated as a valid registered sale deed for all purposes.

Estimates suggest over 15–20 lakh acres in Telangana are covered under Sada Bainamas.
Many farmers still hold only Sada Bainamas + pahanis as proof of ownership, which complicates sale, loan, and mutation processes.

Sada Bainama = informal unregistered sale deed (not a valid title by itself).
Regularization Scheme (2015 Act) allows such deeds executed before 2nd June 2014 to be legalized.
After regularization, owners get Dharani records + pattadar passbooks.
Without regularization, landowners face difficulty in sale, mortgage, or inheritance claims.

News Update in Aug 2025

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