Glossary · Land records

What is Demarcation?

Also called: Nishandehi, Hadbandi, Paimaish, Land measurement

Demarcation is the official measurement of a plot by the revenue or survey department to fix its boundaries on the ground according to the village map and records.

When a boundary is disputed, the owner can apply to the revenue department for demarcation. An official measures the land against the village map and marks the boundary, often with notice to neighbours.

It goes by different names locally — nishandehi, hadbandi, paimaish, or simply measurement or survey in southern states.

Demarcation is often a first step before a legal case over encroachment, because it establishes exactly where your land ends and a neighbour’s begins.

Why it matters if you live abroad

If monitoring suggests a neighbour has started using part of your field, demarcation is usually how you confirm it officially — a local lawyer or relative can apply on your behalf.

Read the full guide

Nishandehi

Where does your land end?

📜 Land records explained 7 min read

Land Demarcation Process in India: Nishandehi Guide for NRIs

How land demarcation (nishandehi, hadbast, mojani) works in India: who measures, documents, notice to neighbours, attending from abroad, and disputing a report.

Related terms

Khasra
A khasra is the unique number given to a single plot or field on the village revenue map in north India, used to identify that land in every record.
Kabza
Kabza means physical possession of land. ‘Illegal kabza’ is the everyday term for someone occupying or using land that isn’t theirs without the owner’s permission.
Adverse possession
Adverse possession lets someone who has openly, continuously and hostilely possessed private land for 12 years claim title to it under Article 65 of the Limitation Act, 1963.
Patwari
A patwari is the village-level revenue official who keeps the land records, village map and crop register for a group of villages and reports to the tehsildar.
Shajra
Shajra usually means the shajra kishtwar — the village revenue map showing every numbered field. Shajra nasab is a different record: the landholders’ family tree kept with the jamabandi.
Tehsildar
A tehsildar is the revenue officer in charge of a tehsil or taluk — overseeing land records, mutations, demarcation and certificates, and acting as a revenue court.

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