How to Cancel a Wrong Mutation (Intkal, Dakhil Kharij) in India
Wrong mutation on your land? How to object to, appeal or cancel an intkal, dakhil kharij or ferfar entry: who hears it, time limits, papers and when to sue.
By the PlotPehra Land DeskUpdated 6 min read
Undo a wrong mutation
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To challenge a wrong mutation in India, you file an objection if it is still pending, an appeal or revision to the next revenue officer up if it has been approved, and a civil suit if the mutation rests on a forged or disputed document. Revenue appeal time limits are short, so the first job is to get the mutation order and its date. This guide explains each route, who hears it, and what to file, whether the entry is called intkal, dakhil-kharij, ferfar, namantaran or a patta transfer.
What counts as a "wrong" mutation?
A mutation is wrong when the revenue record was changed on a basis that should not have been accepted. Common examples:
- A sale you never made, mutated on a forged or impersonated sale deed.
- An inheritance that left heirs out, often an NRI sibling, or showed wrong shares.
- A mutation on a will that the family disputes.
- A clerical error, such as a wrong area, khasra number or spelling, often from digitisation.
- A mutation on an old or misused power of attorney.
The route depends on which of these it is. Clerical errors go to the correction process. Disputes about who inherits or whether a document is genuine need an appeal and often a civil court. If your own name has disappeared from the record, start with our guide on a name removed from the land record.
What are the three ways to challenge a mutation?
Think of it as before, after, and above the revenue system.
| Route | When | Who hears it | What it can do |
|---|---|---|---|
| Objection | Mutation applied for but not yet approved | The revenue officer handling it, often the tehsildar or circle officer | Stop or change the entry before approval |
| Appeal or revision | Mutation already approved | The next officer up, such as the SDO, Assistant Commissioner, RDO or DCLR, then the Collector or Commissioner | Set aside the mutation order |
| Civil suit | Ownership is disputed, or a deed is forged or void | Civil court | Declare title, cancel the deed, grant an injunction |
These are not either-or. In a fraud case your lawyer may run a revenue appeal, a civil suit and a police complaint at the same time.
Who hears the appeal in each state?
Each state's land revenue law names the officer. The first appeal usually goes to the sub-divisional level, and a further appeal or revision to the district or division level. Titles differ:
| State | Common name for mutation | First appeal usually goes to |
|---|---|---|
| Punjab, Haryana | Intkal | Collector, under the Punjab Land Revenue Act |
| Uttar Pradesh | Dakhil-kharij, namantaran | Sub-Divisional Officer, within 30 days |
| Bihar | Dakhil-kharij | Deputy Collector Land Reforms (DCLR) |
| Maharashtra | Ferfar | Sub-Divisional Officer |
| Gujarat | Mutation entry, varsai | Deputy Collector (Prant officer) |
| Karnataka | Mutation (khata) | Assistant Commissioner |
| Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh | Namantaran | Sub-Divisional Officer |
| Tamil Nadu, Kerala | Patta transfer, transfer of registry | Revenue Divisional Officer |
The exact time limit is in your state's law and is usually counted from the date of the order, not from when you found out. Most are a matter of weeks to a few months. Late appeals can often be admitted if you explain the delay with sufficient cause, such as not being served notice while living abroad, but that is at the officer's discretion. Ask a local property lawyer for your state's limit on day one.
What should you do, step by step?
This order works in almost every state and can largely be done from abroad.
Pull the current record and the mutation entry
Download the record of rights and note the mutation number and date shown against the change. Our state-wise guide to checking land records online shows where to find it.Get certified copies of the order and its basis
Apply at the tehsil for a certified copy of the mutation order and the documents filed with it: the sale deed, will, heir list or power of attorney. An RTI application can help if the office is slow.Note the deadline
Work out the appeal deadline from the order date. If it has passed, prepare an application to condone the delay with your reasons and proof, such as living abroad and never receiving notice.File the objection or appeal
Through a local lawyer, file before the right officer with the certified copies, your title documents and a short, factual statement of why the mutation is wrong. Ask for a stay on further changes while it is heard.Add a civil suit if title is disputed
If the mutation rests on a forged deed or a disputed will, ask your lawyer about a suit to cancel the document and for an injunction against sale.File a police complaint for forgery
Forged documents and impersonation are crimes under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. A written complaint records the date and the facts.Check the record after the order
When you win, confirm the record has actually been corrected. Orders are sometimes passed but not entered.
When do you need a civil court as well?
When the real question is who owns the land. Mutation records ownership for revenue purposes; it does not decide it. The Supreme Court has said many times that mutation entries neither create nor extinguish title, and that title disputes belong in the civil court.
So if someone got the land mutated on a forged sale deed, winning the revenue appeal fixes the record, but the deed is still on the registry's books. A civil court can declare it void and order it cancelled under Section 31 of the Specific Relief Act, 1963. Such a suit generally has to be filed within three years of when you first learn the facts (Article 59 of the Limitation Act). Our guide to NRI property fraud covers the fraud side in more depth.
What documents will you need?
Your lawyer will ask for most of these. Gather them early.
- Certified copy of the mutation order and the mutation register entry
- The documents the mutation relied on, such as the deed, will or heir list
- Your own title documents: sale deed, gift deed, partition deed, or proof of inheritance
- Older copies of the record of rights showing the land before the change
- Death certificate and family tree, for inheritance cases
- An encumbrance certificate, where your state offers one, to see registered transactions
- Your ID, and proof you were abroad when the mutation happened
The property document checklist gives a printable list. If you are writing to the police or tehsil, the complaint letter generator helps you draft a clear first letter.
How do you stop it happening again?
Catch new entries while they are still pending, not years later. Most wrong mutations go through a notice period, and an owner who sees the application can object before it is approved, which is far easier than appealing.
PlotPehra checks the official land record every week in 19 states and flags any change: a new mutation entry, a new owner, or a changed share or area. A real person reviews it and explains what it means, by email and WhatsApp, in English and your home language, so you have the most time possible to act. No power of attorney, ever.
This is general information, not legal advice. Mutation procedures and time limits differ by state and change over time, so talk to a local property lawyer in the district where the land is before filing.
Questions people ask
Get a certified copy of the mutation order and the documents it relied on, then file an appeal or revision before the officer above the one who approved it, within the time limit. If the mutation rests on a forged or disputed deed, a civil suit to cancel that deed is usually needed too. A local property lawyer can file both.
It is set by each state's land revenue law and is usually short, often a matter of weeks. In Uttar Pradesh, for example, an appeal against a tehsildar's mutation order lies to the Sub-Divisional Officer within 30 days. Late appeals can sometimes be admitted if you show sufficient cause for the delay, so do not give up, but do not wait either.
Yes. Mutation usually involves a notice to interested people and a waiting period for objections. If you see a pending application on the portal or receive a notice, file a written objection with the revenue officer handling it and ask for a hearing.
No. Courts have repeatedly held that mutation entries are for revenue purposes and do not by themselves create or end ownership. But a wrong entry can be used to mislead buyers and banks, so correct it quickly.
Mostly, yes. A lawyer can file the appeal or objection for you, using a narrow power of attorney or a vakalatnama signed abroad and sent to India. Hearings in person are often not needed from the owner.
About the PlotPehra Land Desk
Our team reviews satellite and land-record changes on NRI-owned land across India, and writes these guides from the questions families ask us. We’re not lawyers — for legal decisions, always speak to a local property lawyer. More about us · How we research our guides.
