How do I get land demarcation done in Odisha?

What land demarcation in Odisha means

Land demarcation in Odisha, called seemankan or simply jami mapa (land measurement), is the measurement of a plot on the ground against the village (cadastral) map so that its boundaries are identified and marked. It answers a physical question: where does plot number X end and plot number Y begin? It is useful before buying land, before building a boundary wall, when a neighbour is said to have moved a ridge or fence, before a partition, and when government land is said to adjoin or overlap your plot.

Demarcation works from the map and the Record of Rights as they stand. It does not decide who owns the land, and it does not correct a wrong record. For the map itself, see village maps in Odisha; for the record, the Record of Rights guide.

Who does the measurement

• Tahasildar: receives the application, registers a case, issues notices and fixes the date.
• Amin (revenue surveyor): measures the plot on the ground using the map sheet and the recorded area, usually with the Revenue Inspector of the circle supervising.
• Licensed surveyors: a state notification of 14 February 2020 allows licensed surveyors to be engaged, on payment of user charges (Rs 800 per application, of which Rs 700 goes to the surveyor). This is an optional route.
• Police: where a dispute is expected, the Tahasil may inform the local police station so the measurement can go ahead peacefully.

How to apply for land measurement at the Tahasil

1. Get the papers. A current RoR from Bhulekh (or a certified copy), your registered deed and mutation order if the record changed recently, a copy of the map sheet if you have one, and identity proof.
2. Write the application to the Tahasildar of the tahasil where the land lies, giving the mouza, khata and plot numbers, the area, the names of the adjoining owners and why demarcation is needed. If one khata has several plots, list them all.
3. Pay the prescribed fee under Rule 38 of the OSS Rules, 1962 and keep the receipt. The High Court's judgment records the Rule 38 rate as Rs 4 per plot; confirm any other process charge at the counter.
4. Notices. The Tahasil issues notice to the adjoining owners and other interested persons, so that they can be present or object.
5. Measurement day. Be present with your papers. The Amin locates fixed points shown on the map, measures, and marks the boundary, often with pegs or pillars. Ask that the neighbours' presence or absence be noted.
6. Report. The Amin or Revenue Inspector prepares a demarcation report and sketch. Apply for a certified copy; you may need it in a later dispute.

Under Section 8 of the Odisha Survey and Settlement Act, 1958, holders are expected to maintain survey marks on their land, and the Collector can repair neglected marks and recover the cost. Do not remove or shift boundary pillars once they are fixed.

Online demarcation and the 2026 High Court ruling

In October 2025 the Revenue Department introduced online applications for demarcation, with slot booking and user charges of Rs 800 per plot, through the Odisha Revenue Services portal. In at least one case a Tahasil then refused an offline application. In Sri Gadagadeswar Mahadev Bije v. State of Odisha, W.P.(C) No. 8548 of 2026, decided on 1 October 2026, the Orissa High Court held that:

• the online system and licensed-surveyor notifications operate only as an alternative for applicants who choose them;
• a landowner may apply offline on paying the fee under Rule 38, and cannot be made to pay Rs 800 per plot as a precondition;
• the portal must allow one application for several plots in the same khata.

If a Tahasil refuses an offline application, ask for the refusal in writing and refer to this judgment. You can still choose the online route if the faster slot booking suits you.

Boundary disputes with a neighbour

Most demarcations are uneventful. When they are not, keep the following in mind.

• Object in writing before or at the measurement if you think the wrong reference point or map sheet is being used, and ask for your objection to be recorded in the report.
• A demarcation report is evidence, not a decree. It does not transfer land or settle title. If the neighbour refuses to accept it and stays on your land, the remedy is a civil suit for declaration of title, recovery of possession and permanent injunction under the Specific Relief Act, 1963, filed in the civil court with jurisdiction. A suit for possession based on title must generally be filed within 12 years from when the other person's possession became adverse (Article 65, Limitation Act, 1963). See how a civil suit moves and adverse possession.
• Court measurement. In a suit, the civil court can appoint a survey-knowing commissioner under Order XXVI, Rule 9 of the Code of Civil Procedure to measure the land and report, with notice to both sides.
• Threat to peace. Where a land dispute is likely to cause a breach of the peace, the Executive Magistrate can act under Section 164 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (the old Section 145 CrPC). Forcible entry may also amount to criminal trespass under Section 329 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.
• Wrong map or record. If the measurement fails because the map or RoR itself is wrong, the remedy is a correction, not a fresh demarcation; see RoR correction in Odisha.

Walls, paths, drains and other disputes with neighbours are covered in neighbour boundary and right-of-way disputes.

If demarcation shows government land

Sometimes the measurement shows that a wall or structure stands on adjoining government land, a road or a water body. The Tahasil can then start proceedings under the Odisha Prevention of Land Encroachment Act, 1972; see encroachment cases in Odisha. Equally, if your land is shown as occupied by a public body without acquisition, keep the report: it is the starting point for any claim.

Before buying land

A demarcation, or at least a private survey checked against the map, before payment shows whether the plot on the ground matches the plot in the deed and the RoR. It is one of the checks listed in the land-buying checklist.

Related work handled is described under land and property and civil litigation; offices and courts are listed on the courts page.

Frequently asked questions

Official sources

• Sri Gadagadeswar Mahadev Bije v. State of Odisha, W.P.(C) 8548/2026 (judgment text)
• Orissa Survey and Settlement Rules, 1962 (LBSNAA library)
• Odisha Revenue Services portal
• Bhulekh: Odisha land records
• Report on the online demarcation service (OdishaTV, October 2025)

General information, not legal advice. Every matter turns on its own facts and documents, and the law and official procedures change. Check the current position with the concerned office, or take advice on your own facts, before acting.