Uttarakhand’s New Land Law

February 20, 2025

The Uttarakhand government has recently approved a draft law that restricts land purchases by non-residents in most districts. This law is a response to long-standing public demands to protect local resources and cultural heritage. The revised legislation will be tabled in the assembly budget session, which will end on February 24, 2025.

Key Provisions of the New Law

The new draft law prohibits people from outside Uttarakhand from buying agricultural and horticultural land in 11 out of 13 districts.
The only exceptions are Haridwar and Udham Singh Nagar.
The law also reinstates previous land purchase limits and introduces a tracking portal for all transactions.

Revocation of Previous Amendments

The law annuls the 2018 amendments made under the Trivendra Singh Rawat government.
These amendments had increased the land purchase limit in hilly areas and transferred approval authority from the state government to district magistrates.
The new law reverses these changes, putting control back in the hands of the state administration.

Mandatory Affidavits and Reporting

Under the new regulations, non-residents must submit an affidavit when purchasing land.
This measure aims to prevent fraud and ensure transparency.
District magistrates will be required to report all land purchases to the Revenue Council regularly.

Land Use Restrictions

Land within municipal boundaries will have designated uses. If land is used contrary to its designated purpose, it will revert to government ownership. This provision aims to prevent misuse and ensure proper land management.

Historical Context

Restrictions on land purchases by non-residents have existed since the early 2000s. The Congress government first imposed limits, which were later modified by the BJP government. The 2017 amendments lifted many restrictions, leading to public outcry over land hoarding by outsiders.

Opposition Response

The opposition has criticized the government for retracting previous changes. They argue that thousands of acres of land have been sold to outsiders since the 2018 amendments. Calls for transparency and accountability regarding land transactions have intensified.

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