Online leave and licence registration to resume

In August, the state registration department had scrapped the authorised service provider (ASP) scheme, under which trained personnel were permitted to execute online L&L agreements for citizens

Maharashtra revenue minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule has directed officials to resume the online leave and licence (L&L) registration service discontinued earlier this year.

The decision had triggered strong reactions, with many fearing increased costs and longer processing times. (HT)

The minister gave the instruction to Ravindra Binwade, Inspector General of Registration and Stamps, on Saturday, after learning that the facility — widely used in cities like Mumbai, Pune and Thane — had been halted.

“This is an essential service, especially in big cities where visiting registration offices takes hours,” Bawankule said while interacting with editors. “I have asked officials to restart the service immediately, and the process will resume from Monday.”

In August, the state registration department had scrapped the authorised service provider (ASP) scheme, under which trained personnel were permitted to execute online L&L agreements for citizens. The decision had triggered strong reactions, with many fearing increased costs and longer processing times.

In its August 28 circular, the registration department cited rising digital literacy and complaints against some ASPs as reasons for ending the decade-old scheme. “It was difficult to monitor such a large number of providers, and complaints were increasing,” a senior official had said, adding that citizens could instead seek help from lawyers or agents.

Introduced in 2015, the ASP scheme had trained and authorised over 3,500 individuals to execute online rental agreements — either at their offices for ₹700 or at citizens’ doorsteps for ₹1,000. The ASPs managed all technical requirements, including biometric verification and webcam-based signings.

Following the discontinuation, many citizens expressed frustration over the cumbersome offline process.

Abhinav Joshi, an IT engineer from Kothrud, said he had to take leave from work to complete the registration. “It took over two hours at the sub-registrar’s office. I had no choice but to take a day off,” he said.

Residents pointed out that the move was particularly inconvenient for the elderly. “The decision is unfair to senior citizens who wish to rent out their flats but find it difficult to handle the technical formalities,” said Namara Adhikari, a Pune resident.

The resumption of online registration is expected to bring relief to thousands of tenants and landlords across urban Maharashtra.