Landowners in Punjab will no longer have to struggle through a maze of archaic Persian and Urdu words that were, otherwise, an integral part of the language in land records. Making everyday property transactions simpler, the Punjab Government has replaced 35 Persian and Urdu words in land records — swapping the traditional jargon in an attempt to dismantle a system where an ordinary citizen required a specialised deed writer (Arzi Navees) or lawyer just to read their own property records. The changes took effect on July 20.

Words like Bainama (sale deed), Ghair Majrua (uncultivated land), and Fak-ul-Rahin (release of mortgaged property) have been replaced by direct terms like Vikri Nama, Anvahya Khet, and Gehne Pai Sampatti Nu Chhadauna, respectively.

Officials in the Revenue Department said the chief objective of the overhaul is to ensure that buyers and sellers can independently verify ownership details, terms, and mutation entries (Intkaal) without being at the mercy of middlemen. While earlier revenue officials were fluent in Persian-Urdu legal terms, the younger generation of buyers, sellers, and even newer administrative staff often struggled with the vocabulary.

A former kanungo from Ferozepur said changing the archaic words was a welcome step, but with a caveat. “For the reform to deliver genuine relief to land buyers and sellers, the procedural simplification must be matched by digitised record maintenance and clear public communication during this period of vocabulary transition,” he said. Since old records cannot be changed, they could create confusion and harassment for landowners visiting public offices, he added.

For centuries, the vocabulary governing land ownership in the state was inherited from the Mughal administration, preserved through Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s Durbar, codified by the British Raj, and maintained virtually unchanged in the post-Independence era.

However, language enthusiasts see this as a loss of a multi-century administrative heritage. Critics point out that terms like Fard, Arzi, and Mushtari Hoshiarbash were not merely legal labels — they represented an intertwined linguistic heritage shared across the broader region.

Revenue, Rehabilitation, and Disaster Management Minister Hardeep Singh Mundian said the complex language used in property registration documents often created difficulties for ordinary citizens. “Keeping public convenience at the forefront, the government has decided to replace the old and difficult terms with simpler Punjabi words so that no citizen faces difficulty in understanding documents related to land or property,” he said.

The Minister said that instructions have been issued to the Inspector General of Registration and all Deputy Commissioners to ensure that the new terminology is adopted in property registration documents across the state.

Additional Chief Secretary (ACS), Revenue, Anurag Verma said that to make the transition smooth, training for tehsildars, patwaris, kanungos, and sale deed writers is currently being conducted.

Ujr: Itiraz

Ujrat: Fees

Arzi: Zameen

Sakin: Vasneek

Sakin Deh: Pind Da Vasneek

Hasab Zabta: Kanoon Anusar

Hiba: Daan

Kaifiyat: Vishesh Kathan

Ghair Majrua: Anvaheya Khet

Gareenda: Lain Wala

Zar: Raqm

Tabe: Anusar/Mutabik/Adheen

Takavi: Kheti Karza

Tarmeem: Sodh/Darusti

Tasabbur/Tasavvur: Mann Laina

Talbana: Kharcha

Deh: Pind

Dakhil Kharij: Intkaal

Fak-ul-Rahin: Gehne Pai Sampatti Nu Chhadauna

Faut: Maut

Fard: Nakal Jamabandi

Fareeq: Dhir

Fareeq Awwal: Pehli Dhir

Fareeq Doem: Dooji Dhir

Badastoor: Pehlan Di Tarah

Bainama: Vikri Nama

Bazariya: Raheen

Bayaa: Vechhan Wala

Makhsus: Khaas

Mushtarka: Sanjha

Muntqil: Tabdeel

Mazkoor: Uparokat

Mansookh Karna: Radd Karna/Kharij Karna

Mushtari Hoshiarbash: Khareed-daar Chukanna Rahe

Murtahin: Zameen Gehne Lain Wala