Glossary · Offices & officials
What is Tehsildar?
Also called: Tahsildar, Mamlatdar (Maharashtra, Gujarat, Goa), Taluk Tahsildar, Naib tehsildar (deputy), Circle officer (Bihar, Jharkhand)
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.
A district is split into tehsils (or taluks, mandals or circles), and the tehsildar heads the revenue administration of each, supervising the kanungos and patwaris beneath them. They report to the sub-divisional officer (SDM) and the district collector.
The tehsildar or naib tehsildar decides many mutation cases, hears objections, orders demarcation of boundaries and issues certificates such as legal heir, income and residence certificates. In several states they can also act against encroachment on land records and in revenue disputes.
In Maharashtra, Gujarat and Goa the equivalent post is often called mamlatdar, and in Bihar and Jharkhand much of this work sits with the circle officer (anchal adhikari).
Why it matters if you live abroad
The tehsil office is where most NRIs’ land problems are fixed — demarcation applications, disputed mutations and heir certificates usually start with the tehsildar.
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