What is mutation entry?
Also called: ferfar, dakhil kharij, intkal, namantaran
A mutation entry is the note made in the land revenue record when ownership changes through sale, inheritance, gift or court order. It updates the name on records like the 7/12, khatauni or jamabandi, and each entry carries its own number and date.
Every state has its own word for it. Maharashtra calls it ferfar, recorded in the mutation register (Village Form VI) with a number that then appears beside the new name on the 7/12. In UP it's dakhil kharij, ordered by the tehsildar under the UP Revenue Code. Haryana and Punjab call it intkal, entered by the patwari and attested by the revenue officer, then carried into the next jamabandi. In municipal areas the parallel step is khata or property tax transfer.
The process is broadly similar. After registration, the registration office forwards details or the buyer applies. Notice goes to interested parties, and if nobody objects within the period allowed, the officer certifies the entry. Maharashtra's e-ferfar system has made the notice step largely automatic after online registration. UP buyers can follow the case on the revenue court portal, vaad.up.nic.in.
The legal status is often misunderstood. The Supreme Court has repeatedly said, including in Jitendra Singh v State of Madhya Pradesh (2021), that a mutation entry is for fiscal purposes, to collect land revenue, and does not create or extinguish title. A person can be named in the records without owning the land, and a true owner can be missing from them.
That's why a lawyer reads the mutation register entry by entry, not just the current name. A chain like "sale 1998, inheritance 2009, sale 2021" with no gaps or rejected entries is reassuring. A certified entry followed by a court case, or a string of rejected ferfars, is a warning.
Buying agricultural land near Nashik, a buyer sees ferfar number 2317 on the 7/12. The register shows it was certified in 2022 for an inheritance, but an earlier ferfar, 1984, was rejected after a sister objected, which needs explaining before any payment.
Treating the mutation entry as proof of ownership. It shows who pays land revenue; title comes from the registered deeds and succession documents.
Questions people ask about mutation entry
What happens if mutation is not done after buying land?
Your sale deed is still valid, but the revenue record will show the seller, which causes trouble with loans, compensation, resale and the next sale. Apply soon after registration.
Can a mutation entry be challenged?
Yes. An aggrieved person can appeal against a mutation order to the higher revenue officer within the period allowed, and title disputes can go to the civil court.