ORISSA HIGH COURT : CUTTACK

WP(C) No.29417 of 2025

An application under Articles 226 & 227 of the Constitution

of India.

Laxmikanta Padhi … Petitioner

-VERSUS-

State of Odisha and others … Opposite Parties

Counsel appeared for the parties:

For the Petitioner : Mr. S.K. Nayak-2, Advocate.

For the Opposite Parties : Mr. G. Mohanty,

Learned Standing Counsel(for

the State)

P R E S E N T:

HONOURABLE

MR. JUSTICE ANANDA CHANDRA BEHERA

JUDGMENT

Date of hearing : 23.10.2025 / date of judgment : 23.10.2025

A.C. Behera, J. This writ petition under Articles 226 and 227 of the

Constitution of India, 1950 has been filed by the petitioner praying for directing the Sub-Registrar, Dhusuri (Opposite Party No.3) in the

district of Bhadrak to receive the deed for sale (original of Annexure-2) of the petitioner for registration, because, the Sub- Registrar, Dhusuri(Opposite Party No.3) orally refused to receive that deed for sale of the petitioner for registration.

2. Heard from the learned counsel for the petitioner and learned Standing Counsel for the State.

3. The law is very much clear that, the Sub-Registrars like Opposite Party No.3 i.e. Sub-Registrar, Dhusuri in the District of Bhadrak cannot orally refuse to receive any document, when the same is presented for registration. He/she is either to register the document or to refuse to register the same indicating the reasons for non-registration, if that document is not legally fit for registration.

According to The Registration Act, 1908 and The Orissa Registration Rules, 1988, when a document is presented for registration, it is the duty of the Sub-Registrar to receive the same, but if the said document is not in compliance with the provisions of law, the Sub-Registrar may refuse to accept that document for registration assigning the reasons in writing about such refusal.

4. On this aspect, the propositions of law has already been clarified in a decision between North East Infrastructure Private Limited and Ors. vrs. The State of Andhra Pradesh and Ors.

reported in 2025 (2) Civ.C.C. 220 (Andhra Pradesh) and in a case between Antaryami Nayak vrs. State of Odisha & Others in WP(C)

No.18548 of 2025 decided on 11.07.2025 that, “the Sub-Registrar/Registrar, cannot orally refuse to receive the document and would consider the fitness of it for registration or otherwise. Section 71 of the Registration Act, 1908 empowers the Registration Authorities to receive a document which is presented for registration and process the same.”

5. Therefore, the oral refusal of the Sub-Registrar, Dhusuri (Opposite Party No.3) to receive the deed for sale (original of Annexure-2) of the petitioner for registration cannot be held legal in view of the propositions of law enunciated in the ratio of the above decision.

For which, there is no justification under law to disallow the writ petition filed by the petitioner.

6. Therefore, the writ petition filed by the petitioner is to be allowed.

7. In result, the writ petition filed by the petitioner is allowed.

The Sub-Registrar, Dhusuri (Opposite Party No.3) is directed to receive the deed for sale (original of Annexure-2) of the petitioner, if the same is presented by the petitioner annexing the certified copy of this judgment and to act upon the same as per The Registration Act, 1908 and The Orissa Registration Rules, 1988.

If the said deed (original of Annexure-2) is registered, then, after registration of the same, the Sub-Registrar, Dhusuri (Opposite Party No.3) shall return that sale deed to the petitioner within 3(three) days of its registration after complying all the formalities thereof as per the Rule 100 of The Orissa Registration Rules, 1988 and Notification No.2915 dated 02.08.2017 of I.G.R of Odisha.

8. As such, the writ petition filed by the petitioner is disposed of finally.

(A.C. BEHERA)

Judge Orissa High Court, Cuttack The 23^rd of September, 2025/ Jagabandhu, P.A.

Signature Not Verified Digitally Signed Signed by: JAGABANDHU BEHERA Designation: Personal Assistant Reason: Authentication