Revenue authorities cannot withhold land-record extracts absent a specific legal bar.

The petitioners claimed ownership and possession of land at Baghat Barzulla, Srinagar, purchased under a registered sale deed, and relied on a Khasra Girdawari showing their ownership and possession.

They had constructed a commercial building and sought revenue extracts/Fards to execute formal lease deeds with tenants.

The Tehsildar allegedly declined to issue the extracts because the village map/Aksa Latha was unavailable in the Tehsil Office.

The petitioners sought a direction requiring the revenue authorities to issue the extracts and argued that the delay violated the Jammu and Kashmir Public Services Guarantee Act, 2011, and their rights under Article 300-A of the Constitution.

1. Whether the revenue authorities could refuse to issue revenue extracts/Fards because the village map/Aksa Latha was unavailable.

2. Whether the petitioners were entitled to a direction requiring issuance of the requested extracts on the basis of the available revenue record.

The Court referred to the Jammu and Kashmir Public Services Guarantee Act, 2011, and the Divisional Commissioner’s communication of 9 September 2026 directing compliance with government instructions and the Act.

It held that revenue authorities, as custodians of land records, must issue extracts strictly in accordance with the available record and cannot refuse issuance unless it is expressly and specifically barred by an order of a Revenue or Civil Court, or another competent authority.

Issuing an extract does not alter recorded entries; relevant court orders, government instructions, or other matters may instead be noted by way of a footnote.

No judicial precedent was cited.

The Court considered the refusal based on the unavailable village map insufficient to justify withholding an extract.

The petitioners had produced a registered sale deed and a Khasra Girdawari, which the Court said reflected their ownership and possession.

Applying its stated rule that extracts must be issued according to the available record, and that issuance does not itself change recorded entries, the Court found the matter suitable for disposal by direction at the threshold stage.

The writ petition and connected applications were disposed of.