Ranchi, Sept. 3: Property registration activities were taken a beating at the sub-registrar office at Kutchery Chowk, Ranchi, on Thursday when deed writers went on an indefinite stir against new rules that, they alleged, were badly affecting their business.

A total of 128 deed writers threatened to continue their pen-down protest till the authorities relaxed the rules, which have apparently been made stringent to prevent any illegal transfer of government and raiyati (private) plots.

Protesting under the banner of Jharkhand Dastawej Navis Sangha on the premises of Ranchi civil courts, the deed writers alleged that they had been receiving only around 30 clients a day since the new rules came into effect on August 1 as against over 50 earlier.

On Thursday, however, hardly 3-4 persons could get their work done.

Baivabh Vishal, one of the members of Sangha, told The Telegraph that the authorities were now demanding more ownership and title-ship-related documents for allowing registration, slowing down the entire work.

"Now, a prospective seller needs to provide certified details of his family tree, original khatiyan (land record) of the plot to be sold, revenue (tax) receipts, mutation papers, among others. All formalities need to be fulfilled for selling or buying a plot, which is not possible in a day. Prospective sellers and buyers from rural areas are the worst sufferers. Many sellers are procrastinating their plans due to the strict norms and the long-drawn process, which, in turn, affecting our work and hitting the department's revenue generation," he claimed.

Further, Vishal added the official website of the land registration had not been working after 2.30pm, adding to their woes.

State registration department secretary K.K. Soan said: "If people have problem, they may approach government authorities. How can we believe that the claims made by deed writers are true? As far as making rules stringent is concerned, it has been done to prevent illegal transfer of land and other properties."