Every land deal, partition suit and bank loan in Punjab and Haryana begins with the same document: the Jamabandi, or its certified copy, the Fard. It is full of Urdu-Persian words that buyers, and even young lawyers, find hard to read: Khewat, Khatauni, Khasra, Mustatil, Killa, Min, Intkal. This guide explains each term in plain English, with a worked example and the land units you will meet in the record.
Quick glossary
| Term | What it means |
|---|---|
| Jamabandi | The record of rights of a village: who owns which land, who cultivates it, its area, type and revenue. In Punjab and Haryana, the Patwari prepares a fresh Jamabandi every five years (quinquennial). |
| Fard (Fard Jamabandi / Nakal) | A certified copy (extract) of the Jamabandi for particular land, issued by the Patwari or the Fard Kendra. |
| Khewat number | The ownership account number. It groups the owner or co-owners of a holding. Also called the Patta number or Jamabandi number. |
| Khatauni number | The cultivation account number. It shows who actually cultivates or possesses the land. One Khewat can contain several Khataunis. |
| Khasra number | The survey number of a field in the village map. It identifies the actual piece of land. |
| Mustatil / Murabba | A rectangle of land in a village where consolidation of holdings (chakbandi) has taken place. One Mustatil normally contains 25 Killas. |
| Killa | A field within a Mustatil, normally of about one acre (8 Kanal). |
| Min (Minjumla) | “Part of.” Written after a Khasra or Killa number, or a Khewat, it means only a portion of it is meant, not the whole. |
| Hissa | Share. For example, “1/3 hissa” means a one-third share in the holding. |
| Intkal (Mutation) | The entry recording a change in ownership, such as by sale, inheritance or gift, in the register of mutations, after it is sanctioned by the revenue officer. |
| Khasra Girdawari | The harvest inspection record. The Patwari inspects fields crop by crop, each harvest, and notes the crop and who cultivates it. |
| Shajra Kishtwar | The village field map (cadastral map) showing every Khasra or Killa. |
| Shajra Nasab | The pedigree table of landowning families in the village. It is useful in inheritance and partition disputes. |
| Khudkasht | Self-cultivated: the owner cultivates the land himself. |
| Gair Marusi | A non-occupancy tenant or possessor. This entry shows possession, not ownership. |
| Lal Dora / Abadi Deh | The inhabited area of the village, traditionally outside the regular Jamabandi entries. |
Khewat and Khatauni: owner versus cultivator
The Khewat answers “who owns it”. The Khatauni answers “who tills or occupies it”. If the owner farms the land himself, the cultivation column reads Khudkasht. If someone else is in possession, his name appears in the Khatauni, for example as a tenant or as Gair Marusi. Before buying, check both. A seller may be the owner, yet a third person may be recorded in possession.
Khasra, Mustatil and Killa: locating the land
In villages where consolidation has been done, land is divided into large rectangles called Mustatil (or Murabba), each split into numbered Killas. The Khasra number is then written as Mustatil number // Killa number, for example 45//12. This means Killa 12 in Mustatil 45. In villages without consolidation, a simple Khasra number is used, such as 312.
What “Min” means
Min is short for Minjumla, meaning “out of the whole” or “part of”. An entry such as 45//12 min means only a part of Killa 12 is involved, not the full Killa. The exact area is shown in the area column. When a Fard shows “min”, ask for the exact area and, ideally, a demarcation (nishandehi) on the ground, because “min” land is not a whole, separately marked field.
Land units used in Punjab and Haryana
| Unit | Equal to | Square feet |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Sarsahi | 1 square karam (5.5 ft × 5.5 ft) | 30.25 |
| 1 Marla | 9 Sarsahi | 272.25 |
| 1 Kanal | 20 Marla | 5,445 |
| 1 Killa / Acre | 8 Kanal | 43,560 |
| 1 Mustatil / Murabba | 25 Killa (25 acres) | 10,89,000 |
Area in a Fard is usually written as Kanal-Marla, for example 7-12, meaning 7 Kanal 12 Marla. Some areas, especially older records, use Bigha-Biswa instead, and the size of a Bigha differs from place to place. Always check which unit the record uses.
Kinds of land (Kism Zamin)
- Nehri: irrigated from canals.
- Chahi: irrigated from wells or tube wells.
- Barani: dependent on rain.
- Gair Mumkin: barren or unculturable, or used for non-agricultural purposes such as a house, road or pond (for example “Gair Mumkin Makan”, “Gair Mumkin Rasta”).
- Banjar: land left uncultivated.
Reading a Fard: a worked example
Suppose a Fard shows: Khewat 112, Khatauni 140, owner “Ram Singh s/o Hari Singh, 1/2 hissa”, cultivation “Khudkasht”, Khasra 45//12 min, area 4-0, Nehri. In plain English: Ram Singh owns a half share in ownership account 112. He cultivates the land himself. The land is part of Killa 12 in Mustatil 45, measuring 4 Kanal (half an acre), and is canal-irrigated. Now read the remarks column. Mutations, mortgages, court orders and stay entries are noted there, often in red ink.
Mutation is not title
An Intkal (mutation) is made mainly for revenue purposes. It records a change in ownership but does not by itself create or extinguish title. The Supreme Court has repeatedly held this, for example in Suraj Bhan v. Financial Commissioner (2007). Title depends on the registered sale deed, the will, inheritance law or a court decree. See our post: Mutation in revenue records cannot extinguish title.
Under Section 44 of the Punjab Land Revenue Act, 1887 (which also applies in Haryana), an entry in the record of rights is presumed to be true until the contrary is proved. That presumption can be rebutted with evidence.
Checklist before buying agricultural land
- Get the latest Fard and match the owner’s name and parentage with his identity documents.
- Check the Khatauni and Girdawari to see who is actually in possession.
- Read the remarks column for mortgages, stays and pending mutations.
- If the entry says “min”, insist on a demarcation and a clear area.
- Check that every co-owner (each hissa) is joining the sale, or only buy the seller’s share.
- Verify the record online: Haryana at jamabandi.nic.in and Punjab at jamabandi.punjab.gov.in.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Khasra and Khewat?
Khasra identifies the piece of land (the field). Khewat identifies the owner’s account. One Khewat may cover many Khasras, and one Khasra may be split between Khewats.
How many Kanal make one acre?
8 Kanal make one acre (one Killa). One Kanal is 20 Marla, or 5,445 square feet.
Does a Fard prove ownership?
It is strong evidence and carries a presumption of truth, but it is not conclusive title. A registered deed, inheritance or a decree is the source of title.
This guide gives general information on land records in Punjab and Haryana. Local practice can vary, so check the record with the Patwari or a lawyer before any transaction.