Avinash Azad
The investigation undertaken by the Hidden News exposes how few revenue officials in Tehsil Akhnoor are allegedly misusing their authority to deliberately harass applicants seeking Fard (land record extract) under the Public Services Guarantee Act (PSGA).
Fresh findings reveal that the online status of a pending application was deliberately manipulated to portray ‘deficiencies’ on the applicant’s part, in clear violation of the officials’ mandate to assist citizens and ensure transparency.
E-services are meant to provide a non-linear model of communication, where applicants are notified of deficiencies and given a fair chance to rectify them. But in Akhnoor, this very system has been reduced to a mockery — with applications being rejected twice without even without allowing the applicant to address the so-called shortcomings, exposing sheer arbitrariness and misuse of authority.
The latest status of the application reads: “As reported by NT (Niab Tehsildar) Akhnoor and PH concerned, consent of cosharer is not uploaded by applicant.” The excuse, sources say, has been crafted after The Hidden News on September 9 carried an exclusive report titled “Fard Denied Twice: ‘Rejection on Recommendation of Field Staff’ — Revenue Officials Defy Law in Akhnoor.”
One applicant narrated his ordeal: “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 vague remark. On September 2, I filed a third application, which is still pending.”
He added that instead of pointing out deficiencies in time, officials twice rejected his applications without justification — a clear indication of ill will.
Insiders told The Hidden News that revenue officials are feeling the heat after the media exposure. In what appears to be a face-saving tactic, the officials have now cited the absence of “cosharer consent” — a requirement not uniformly enforced in other cases — as grounds for delaying issuance of the Fard. “There is clear tension among those directly responsible for disrespecting their mandate. Instead of addressing lapses, they are resorting to flimsy excuses to mislead higher authorities,” sources revealed.
What makes the matter more damning is the selective application of rules. While genuine applicants are made to wait endlessly, revenue officers have allegedly allowed illegal construction of a commercial establishment on government land near the Government Degree College (GDC), Palluwan, Akhnoor.
“Those with connections get approvals overnight, even on encroached government land, while innocent applicants fulfilling all paperwork are humiliated and denied their legal rights,” said sources who claim to possess documentary evidence. This episode adds to growing allegations that “Akhnoor’s revenue machinery functions in a discriminatory and opaque manner”, often siding with influential encroachers while common citizens face systemic harassment.
The misuse of PSGA — a law designed to ensure time-bound delivery of services — not only undermines public faith but also raises questions about accountability within the revenue hierarchy. The ball is now in the court of higher authorities — whether they continue to ignore these deliberate violations or initiate strict action against erring officials.
