Tamil Nadu makes first-sale plot and flat registration fully online

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay on Monday launched compulsory 'Presence-less Registration' for first-sale housing plots and apartments in multi-storeyed buildings. The system, which replaces physical visits to sub-registrar offices, is the first phase of the Registration Department's transition to the advanced STAR 3.0 system, according to a government press release.

Under the new process, builders, buyers, and witnesses must create accounts on the TNREGINET portal and upload Aadhaar cards for biometric authentication via fingerprint or iris. The Hindu reports that documents must be processed within 24 hours by registers – who can approve, return for correction, or reject them. Documents sent back for rectification can be resubmitted within 30 days. India Today adds that the initiative marks a mandatory shift for first-sale plots and flats only.

To prevent forgery, registered documents carry a digital signature, a dynamic five-colour endorsement, and a QR code on every page. Certified copies of the documents will be available for download from the beneficiary's login for 60 days after registration.