Documents and Checks Before Bidding at a Bank Auction

Get the complete लिलामी सूचना (lilami suchana) from the bank and note the property details it gives: the owner’s name, the kitta number (कित्ता नम्बर), the area, the location down to the ward, and any conditions attached to the sale. Every document below should match these details. If something does not match, ask the bank to explain before you go any further.

The लालपुर्जा (lalpurja) is the land ownership certificate issued by the Land Revenue Office (मालपोत कार्यालय). Ask the bank for a copy and compare the owner’s name, kitta number, area and location with the notice. Then check the record at the Land Revenue Office itself, where you can confirm the current ownership and whether any other claims, restrictions or holds are recorded against the land. A photocopy on its own does not prove the current position.

The trace map, or ट्रेस नक्सा, is issued by the Survey Office (नापी कार्यालय). It shows the shape of the plot, its position next to neighbouring plots and, usually, the roads or paths beside it. Take it with you when you visit. Check that the plot you are shown matches the map, that its shape and frontage look right, and that the access road on the map really exists and can be used. Where there is any doubt, a licensed surveyor can measure the plot and compare it with the official record.

The चार किल्ला (char killa) describes what lies on each of the four sides of the plot, such as neighbouring plots, roads or rivers. It is commonly obtained through the local ward office (वडा कार्यालय). Compare it with the trace map and with what you see on site. Walls, fences or buildings that cross the boundary, and disagreements with neighbours, are far easier to discover before you bid than after you have paid.

If the property includes a building, ask for the approved building drawings, often called the blueprint or naksa pass (नक्सा पास) documents, and any building completion certificate (निर्माण सम्पन्न प्रमाणपत्र) issued by the municipality. Compare the drawings with the building in front of you. Floors or extensions that were never approved can cause problems later, when you want to register, extend or sell. The municipality’s records are the place to confirm what was approved.

Unpaid land revenue (मालपोत) or property tax owed to the municipality can hold up registration. Ask the bank for the latest tax receipts (तिरो रसिद) and check with the ward office or municipality whether anything is still owed. The notice should say whether the buyer or the bank is responsible for any arrears; if it does not, ask before you bid. For an apartment, also ask whether service or maintenance charges are owed to the building management.

Documents only tell part of the story. Before you bid, it is worth checking:

• Whether anyone is living in or using the property, whether there are tenants, and how the bank expects possession to be handed over.
• Road access in practice, and whether it is a public road or a private path.
• Drainage, electricity and water supply.
• Whether building is restricted on the land, for example near a river or along a road that may be widened.
• What neighbours and the ward office can tell you about local issues that do not appear in any document.

Get your own papers ready early: your citizenship certificate, your PAN if the bank asks for it, and, for a company, its registration and tax documents. Make sure your deposit can be arranged in the form the bank requires. If you plan to use a loan, ask the lender what it will need to see about the property. For a checklist of expenses, read costs to budget for.

A lawyer can review the notice and the title documents, and a licensed surveyor or engineer can check the land or the building. It is usually far easier to deal with a problem before bidding than after paying. When you are ready, browse land auctions, house auctions or apartment auctions, and take your questions to the listing bank.