T.N. forms committee to resolve guideline value anomalies, says Minister

The Tamil Nadu government has constituted a committee to examine anomalies in guideline values for property registration, Minister for Registration and Commercial Taxes D. Lokesh Tamilselvan announced on Friday (August 14, 2026).

Guideline values are the minimum rates fixed by the state government for land and property transactions, used to calculate stamp duty and registration fees. Discrepancies in these values often lead to disputes and delays. The Minister clarified that there is no proposal to increase the guideline values at present. “There are anomalies. Hence, we have formed a committee, and we will take action based on the report of the committee,” he told reporters in Coimbatore.

The committee’s findings and recommendations are expected to be reviewed after the ongoing Assembly session concludes, he added.

The Minister was speaking at the inauguration of a workshop in Coimbatore for document writers, realtors, developers, and promoters on the new ‘presence-less’ registration system. This facility will be mandatory across Tamil Nadu from August 17.

Under the new system, individuals registering a first sale of a plot or apartment unit can do so from the office of the promoter or seller, without needing to visit a sub-registrar office. The registration process will be completed almost immediately. “Requirement of many documents will not be necessary since these are first-time sales,” Mr. Tamilselvan said.

The Minister said the presence-less registration will bring transparency and eliminate middlemen. Workshops on the system have already been held in Chennai, Madurai, Tiruchi, and Coimbatore. To assist the public, 24x7 call centres have been set up, he added.

Minister for Backward Classes V. Sampathkumar, who also attended the event, said the initiative reflects the government’s broader efforts to deliver schemes and welfare measures directly to citizens, reducing reliance on intermediaries.

Inspector General of Registration G. K. Arun Sundar Thayalan explained the technical process. He said registration involves three stages: execution, presentation, and registration. With the new system, once a sale is executed, the documents can be presented from anywhere, streamlining the entire procedure.