Assam Cabinet mandates registration of property pacts, PoAs, bank guarantees to curb fraud

In a significant move aimed at enhancing transparency and preventing disputes in property transactions, the Assam Cabinet on July 25 approved sweeping reforms to the state's registration framework by expanding the list of documents that will require compulsory registration.

Announcing the decision after the Cabinet meeting, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the reforms would modernise the registration system through the introduction of virtual and faceless registration, improved classification of instruments and an expanded ambit of mandatory registration.

The most significant reform is the inclusion of several property-related instruments under compulsory registration. Under the new framework, agreements for sale, development agreements, property-related powers of attorney, short-term leases, equitable mortgages, sale certificates, bank guarantees, conveyance through merger or demerger, and partnership arrangements involving immovable property will all have to be compulsorily registered.

The government believes the move will bring greater transparency to property transactions, reduce fraudulent transfers and strengthen legal safeguards for buyers, financial institutions and other stakeholders.

Apart from the registration reforms, the Cabinet also approved the Assam Ayurvedic Health Service Rules, 2026, providing a structured recruitment and service framework for Ayurvedic Medical Officers.

In another decision, the Cabinet authorised the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED) as the nodal agency for procuring masur dal and sugar for distribution through the Public Distribution System (PDS), with the aim of streamlining procurement and ensuring timely supply of essential commodities.