Bihar revenue officers’ strike enters 3rd day, land dispute resolution grinds to a halt

The agitation, which began on Monday, stems from fears that the new cadre will erode the authority of existing revenue officers, particularly in resolving land disputes and determining ownership rights, while offering no clear promotional pathway for those posted as SDROs

The indefinite strike by circle officers (COs) and revenue officers affiliated with the Bihar Revenue Service Association (BiRSA) continued for the third consecutive day on Wednesday, severely disrupting land-related work across the state. Survey, mutation, and measurement processes have come to a near standstill, leaving farmers and landowners in long queues outside circle offices with little hope of immediate relief.

Bihar revenue officers’ strike enters 3rd day, land dispute resolution grinds to a halt

BiRSA president Anand Kumar remained adamant, stating that the agitators would not withdraw their protest until the recent cabinet decision to create the post of sub-divisional revenue officers (SDROs) at par with deputy collector land reforms (DCLR) is completely revoked. “We are firm on our demand to scrap the SDRO post. The strike will continue until the cabinet decision is taken back,” Kumar told reporters.

The agitation, which began on Monday, stems from fears that the new cadre will erode the authority of existing revenue officers, particularly in resolving land disputes and determining ownership rights, while offering no clear promotional pathway for those posted as SDROs. Around 1,200 officers are believed to be participating, paralysing routine revenue administration in most districts.

Despite assurances from Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Sinha, who also holds the revenue and land reforms portfolio, the association has shown no signs of relenting. After meeting a BiRSA delegation earlier this week, Sinha announced the formation of a three-member committee — comprising the department’s principal secretary, an additional secretary, and a BiRSA representative — to examine grievances related to promotions, service rights, and other issues. He emphasised the government’s commitment to addressing genuine concerns and urged officers to maintain public trust.

The department, however, acted tough with the striking officers. Principal secretary of the revenue and land reforms department CK Anil issued directives invoking the “no work, no pay” rule, ordering district magistrates to withhold salaries for the strike period, recover government vehicles, office keys, and record room access from absent officers, and reassign duties to block development officers and other available staff to keep essential services running.