Dewan calls for investigation into alleged property registrations without NOC, seeks robust monitoring mechanism

Ludhiana, November 1, 2026: Accusing the Tehsil Office at Transport Nagar, barely five kilometres from the residence of the Revenue Minister, of emerging as a hub of alleged corruption, former President of the District Congress Committee, Ludhiana (Urban) and former Chairman of the Punjab Large Industrial Development Board, Pawan Dewan, has alleged that property registrations are being executed in blatant disregard of prescribed norms, without the mandatory No Objection Certificate (NOC). He further alleged that such registrations are being facilitated in exchange for illegal gratification. Seeking an independent and time-bound inquiry into the matter, Dewan demanded strict action against all those found responsible.
Elaborating on the matter, Dewan said that ever since the government allowed property registrations to be carried out at any tehsil, irrespective of the tehsil under whose jurisdiction the property falls, the Tehsil Office at Transport Nagar has witnessed an overwhelming rush, with a majority of property registrations being executed there. “Besides giving rise to corruption, this has also resulted in unprecedented overcrowding, forcing people to wait for up to two months to get their properties registered,” Dewan rued.
Dewan alleged that the officials and staff posted at the concerned Tehsil Office are allegedly facilitating property registrations in violation of prescribed norms, including cases where the mandatory NOC is not being obtained. Such practices not only undermine the regulatory framework governing property transactions but may also result in substantial loss to the government exchequer. 
Dewan further said that there have been widespread allegations that property registrations without NOC are being processed in exchange for illegal gratification paid to certain officials. “Given the seriousness of these allegations, the matter warrants a thorough, impartial and high-level investigation to ascertain the facts and fix accountability,” he demanded. 
Dewan also alleged that the situation presents a glaring irony. “While property registrations allegedly being carried out without the mandatory NOC are allowed to proceed unchecked, objections are frequently raised in cases where applicants have fulfilled all prescribed requirements and complied with the relevant norms,” he said. Such arbitrary functioning, he claimed, not only causes undue harassment to law-abiding citizens but also raises serious concerns about transparency, consistency and fairness in the registration process.
Dewan demanded that the Punjab Government must order a comprehensive and time-bound inquiry to scrutinise all property registrations carried out in recent years to ascertain registrations that were executed without the mandatory NOC. He said that strict departmental as well as legal action must be initiated against every official or individual found responsible for any irregularities. Dewan further called for the establishment of a robust monitoring mechanism to ensure that every property registration is processed strictly in accordance with the prescribed norms and only after verification of all mandatory approvals, including the NOC. He also said that a delegation led by him would soon meet the Punjab Governor and submit a memorandum in this regard.