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Informist, Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026

 

NEW DELHI – The Supreme Court Thursday said that it was necessary to suggest to the Centre and state governments about systemic reforms and an urgent need for the digitisation of registered documents and land records using secure, tamper-proof technologies such as Blockchain. Many experts believe that Blockchain, a shared, digital record book system would ensure that once a transaction of a sale or mortgage or like nature is recorded, it becomes immutable and cryptographically secured, said the top court. 

 

A bench of Justice Rajesh Bindal and Justice Manmohan said these reforms were essential to minimise the scourge of forgery and "clever drafting" that clogs the judicial system. Registered documents must inspire absolute confidence to ensure the ease of doing business and to uphold the sanctity of property titles in a modern economy, the bench added.

 

A blockchain is a decentralised, shared digital ledger that securely records transactions in "blocks" linked chronologically using cryptography, creating an unchangeable, transparent record of data across a network of computers. It removes the need for a central authority, with all participants verifying updates through consensus, making it highly resistant to tampering and ideal for tracking assets, facilitating secure digital transactions like cryptocurrency, and managing data for supply chains, voting, and healthcare. 

 

Hearing a case regarding a property, the top court said that the sale deed and rental agreement signed by Tukaram with Hemalatha was not a sham. Initially, Tukaram had sold his house to Hemalatha for payment of mortgage on the property to some other person. Thereafter, Hemalatha leased the property to Tukaram as the latter and its family did not have a place to stay. Tukaram defaulted on dues, after which Hemalatha filed a suit for recovery of money and delivery of possession of the house. However, Tukaram, as a counter, filed a suit seeking a declaration that the sale deed and rent agreement signed between the parties was a sham.

 

The top court said that registration of property is not a mere procedural formality but a solemn act that imparts a high degree of sanctity to the document. Consequently, a court must not lightly or casually declare a registered instrument as a "sham", said the bench. 

 

"...this Court must caution against the growing tendency to challenge registered instruments 'at the drop of a hat'," said the apex court. If the sanctity of registered documents is diluted, it would erode public confidence in property transactions and jeopardise the security of titles, said the top court. In a society governed by the Rule of Law, registered documents must inspire certainty; they cannot be rendered precarious by frivolous litigation, the court added.  End

 

Reported by Surya Tripathi

Edited by Akul Nishant Akhoury

 

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