The Jammu and Kashmir State Judicial Academy (JKSJA) today organised one day orientation programme for all Registrars/Sub-Registrars of Jammu Province on the topic “Registration Procedure and Process”.Additional Deputy Commissioners, Assistant Commissioners Revenue and Sub-Divisional Magistrates from various Districts of Jammu province, assigned with powers of Registering Officers participated in the orientation programme held here at the Judicial Academy Complex, Janipur.Financial Commissioner Revenue Dr. Pawan Kotwal, with powers of Inspector General of Registration, inaugurated the programme, which is first in the series of training programmes to be organised by the Judicial Academy.In his inaugural address, Dr. Kotwal highlighted the need to train the officers of the government, who now have been vested with the duties of Registrars and Sub-Registrars, under the provisions of the Registration Act. He also stressed on the need to learn from the experience of the Judicial Officers, who were earlier assigned with the registration work.He said that government is in the process of creating separate infrastructure and manpower in the Department of Registration, for which efforts are being made to expedite the process. “It is the need of the hour to educate the Registering Officers to ensure smooth and hassle free work of registration of documents,” he said. He exhorted upon the Registering Officers to work tirelessly to facilitate the general public in the matter of registration of documents. He also gave an overview of the ongoing process of digitisation of Revenue Record to streamline the functioning of the Revenue Department.
Special Judge Anti Corruption, Jammu Rajesh Sekhri and Principal District and Sessions Judge, Kathua Pawan Dev Kotwal were the resource persons for the training programme.Director, J&K State Judicial Academy, Rajeev Gupta, in his introductory address elaborated on the historical perspective of the registration and discussed the need to modernise the process of registration. He also discussed the need to educate Registering Officers about exercise of powers by them as Registrars and Sub-Registrars.The resource persons, after giving an overview and salient features of the Registration Act and the incidental matters, elaborated on the powers of the Registering Officers and the procedure required to be followed by them in registration of documents.The rules framed for practice and working, besides the precautions required to be taken by the Registering Officers were also discussed. Special emphasis was laid on the need to adopt a uniform approach by all Registering Officers to facilitate a smooth transition of powers of Registering Officers from the Judicial Officers to the officers of the government. The incidental matters, as to payment of stamp duty, registration fee and the provisions regarding exemptions from payment of such duty and fee were also elaborately discussed.During the interaction sessions, the Registering Officers cleared their doubts as to various matters falling in the domain of registration of documents.