Avinash Azad
Issuance of Fard (land record extract) under the Public Service Guarantee Act (PSGA) has reportedly been denied by the office of Tehsildar Akhnoor, Jammu district, merely citing “rejection on recommendation of field staff” without providing any specific reason.
An applicant said he applied twice for Fard of two different pieces of land measuring eight marlas and seven marlas, but both requests were rejected on the same vague ground. “I applied for Fards of my land falling under Khasra No. 161 in Palwan village, Patwar Halqa Sungal Lower-B, Akhnoor Tehsil. My first application was filed on July 31, 2025, and the second on August 19, 2025. Both were rejected with the same remark. On September 2, 2025, I filed a third application, which is still pending,” he said.
The applicant added, “I even approached the SDM Akhnoor, who directed the concerned staff to expedite the process, but till date no progress has been updated on the portal. In the past, several Fards for the same land were issued by the same staff. This is private land with no disputes. By delaying and denying our right, the revenue officials are clearly acting with ill will.”
Even as the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) and Enforcement Directorate (ED) probing multi-crore land scams in Jammu district, common citizens continue to face harassment at the hands of a revenue nexus that appears to openly defy PSGA.
The landowner, who has been running from pillar to post for months, said, “I applied thrice under PSGA, but instead of giving me the Fard, they keep saying the ‘report of field staff is not favorable.’ What does that even mean? They don’t give me a reason, just excuses.”
He further alleged that while Fards for the same land were issued earlier, “from Patwari to SDM, all are just buying time and harassing me deliberately.” When contacted, SDM Akhnoor, Mukhtar Ahmed Lone, said, “I am not aware of this case. I will look into the matter. If the land falls under the designated category for issuance of Fard, the same will be issued without further delay.” He added, “The process may have been delayed due to recent flash floods and heavy rains in the region, which affected routine work.”
