RTI in Odisha: Bhulekh Land Records, Electricity Distribution, and State Administration

Odisha's governance landscape is distinctive in several ways: its land records system uses unique terminology, its electricity distribution was pioneered as one of India's first privatisation experiments, and its tribal land protection regime creates a special category of RTI inquiries that exist in few other states. This guide is a focused companion to the general Odisha RTI guide already on this site. It covers Bhulekh land records, electricity distribution, and key urban institutions — with attention to where Odisha's specific legal framework creates particular RTI needs.

All state government bodies in Odisha are subject to the Odisha Information Commission (OIC) under Section 19(3) of the RTI Act, 2005 for second appeals. Central Government bodies go to the Central Information Commission. The privatised electricity DISCOMs in Odisha require special attention — a separate section explains the correct RTI strategy for those.

Part 1: Bhulekh — Odisha Land Records

The Bhulekh System

The Revenue and Disaster Management Department of Odisha maintains land records through the Bhulekh Odisha portal. The portal makes basic ROR (Record of Rights) data viewable online, but an RTI application or a formal application to the Tehsil office is required for certified copies and the full document trail.

The frontline revenue officer in Odisha is the Revenue Inspector (RI), who functions below the Tehsildar. The Tehsildar heads the Tehsil office and is the appropriate CPIO for most land record RTI applications. Above the Tehsildar is the Sub-Collector and the Collector. Appellate revenue matters are heard by the Board of Revenue of Odisha.

Key Land Record Concepts in Odisha

Plot Number

The Plot Number is the basic cadastral identifier for a parcel of land in Odisha. Every village has a cadastral map on which each plot is numbered. The plot number is the entry point to all other land records.

Khata Number

The Khata Number is the ownership account number under which a landholder's holdings are grouped. One Khata may contain multiple plots held by the same owner. The Khata number is the primary identifier used in the Record of Rights.

ROR (Record of Rights)

The ROR is the foundational land ownership document in Odisha. For each plot, the ROR shows:

• The Khata number and Plot number
• The name of the owner (Raiyat)
• The area of the plot
• The land classification (Raiyati, Gochara, Jungle, or Government)
• Any encumbrances or mutations recorded
• The nature of possession (owned outright, mortgaged, in dispute)

The ROR is the document most commonly requested in Odisha land disputes. A Plot-wise ROR gives the information for a specific plot, while a Khata-wise ROR gives all plots held by a specific Khata holder.

Mutation — Dakhil Kharij / Bhu-Andolan

Mutation in Odisha is called Dakhil Kharij (also sometimes referred to as Bhu-Andolan in certain state documents). It is processed at the Tehsil level. The process mirrors that in other states: application, RI field inspection, public notice, objection hearing, Tehsildar order, and ROR update.

Mutation is critical in Odisha because many rural landholders carry old names in their ROR — including deceased ancestors — while actual possession has passed by inheritance or sale. RTI gives access to the complete mutation file.

Land Classifications in Odisha

• Raiyati land: Privately held land with permanent, heritable rights — the most common category of rural land
• Gochara: Common grazing land belonging to a village community; legally not privately transferable
• Jungle: Forest or scrub land under the Revenue Department's jurisdiction (distinct from forest land under the Forest Department)
• Government land: Land vested in the state, including roads, water bodies, and government buildings
• Ceiling surplus land: Land acquired from large landholders under the Odisha Land Reforms Act, 1960, and redistributed to the landless

Sample RTI Questions for Bhulekh / Revenue Records

ROR — certified copy

"Please provide a certified copy of the current Record of Rights (ROR) for Plot number X in Khata number X, Village X, RI Circle X, Tehsil X, District X. Please confirm: the date of the last update to this ROR and the name of the Revenue Inspector responsible for the RI Circle."

Mutation history

"Please provide the complete mutation (Dakhil Kharij) history for Plot number X in Village X, Tehsil X, District X from the year X to date. For each mutation, please provide: the mutation case number, the date of the Tehsildar's order, the names of the parties involved, the reason for mutation (sale/inheritance/gift/partition/court decree), and whether any appeal was filed against the order."

Court attachment or encumbrance

"Please inform me whether any court attachment, lis pendens notation, government acquisition notice, or other encumbrance is currently recorded against Plot number X in Khata X, Village X, Tehsil X, District X in the Revenue Department's records. If yes, please provide a copy of the relevant entry and the case or order number."

Pending mutation status

"Please provide the current status of mutation application case number X filed at the Tehsil Office, Tehsil X, District X on date for Plot number X, Village X. Please state: whether the Revenue Inspector has submitted the field inspection report; whether a public notice was published; whether any objection was received; and the date of the last hearing in the case."

Land classification

"Please clarify the classification of Plot number X in Village X, Tehsil X, District X as maintained in the current ROR: whether it is Raiyati (private), Gochara (grazing), Jungle, Government land, or any other category. Please provide the basis of this classification and any order that changed the classification if it has been modified since the original survey."

Odisha Land Reforms and Ceiling Surplus Land

Under the Odisha Land Reforms Act, 1960, large landholders were required to surrender land above specified ceiling limits. This land was to be distributed to the landless. RTI can be used to verify whether surplus land was properly recorded and distributed.

"Please provide the list of ceiling surplus land parcels taken over by the government from name of landowner, if known in Village/Tehsil/District under the Odisha Land Reforms Act, 1960. For each parcel, please state the Plot number, area, and whether it was distributed to landless beneficiaries, and if so, to whom and when."

OSATIP — Tribal Land Protection in Scheduled Areas

The Odisha Scheduled Areas Transfer of Immovable Property (OSATIP) Regulation, 1956 prohibits the transfer of immovable property from a Scheduled Tribe member to a non-tribal in Scheduled Areas of Odisha, except with the Collector's prior written permission. Violations of OSATIP have led to widespread tribal land alienation, and RTI is a powerful tool for investigating whether illegal transfers have occurred.

RTI for OSATIP compliance

"Please provide a list of all applications received by the Collector, District, under the OSATIP Regulation 1956 seeking permission for transfer of immovable property from Scheduled Tribe members to non-tribal persons in specified village/tehsil/district during the period from date to date. For each application, please state: the names of the transferor and transferee, the Plot numbers involved, whether permission was granted or refused, and the date of the order."

RTI for illegal transfers

"Please inform me whether any transfer of land from a Scheduled Tribe member to a non-tribal person has been registered in Village X, which is in a Scheduled Area, during the period year to year without the prior written permission of the Collector required under the OSATIP Regulation, 1956. If yes, please provide details of such transfers and any action taken by the Revenue Department."

Part 2: Electricity Distribution in Odisha

The Privatisation Context

Odisha was among the first states in India to privatise electricity distribution, beginning in the late 1990s. After a period of multiple private operators, the distribution network was consolidated. Since 2020-21, four zone-wise distribution companies under Tata Power hold electricity distribution licences in Odisha:

The RTI Problem with Private DISCOMs

All four Tata Power DISCOMs are private companies. The question of whether a private electricity distribution licensee qualifies as a "public authority" under Section 2(h) of the RTI Act is legally contested. The company would argue it is private; some Information Commissions have held that distribution licensees are public authorities given their statutory obligations and monopoly nature. However, the reliable and uncontested approach is to use two alternative routes:

Route 1: RTI to OERC

The Odisha Electricity Regulatory Commission (OERC) is a statutory body established by state law. It is unambiguously a state public authority, subject to the Odisha Information Commission for second appeals. The OERC sets tariffs, issues distribution licences, prescribes quality of supply (QoS) standards, and receives quarterly compliance reports from all DISCOMs. RTI to OERC can yield:

• DISCOM-specific complaint statistics (aggregated)
• Quality of supply compliance data (interruption frequency, duration)
• Tariff orders and their basis
• DISCOM annual reports filed with OERC
• Action taken by OERC on consumer complaints escalated to it

"Please provide the quarterly compliance reports filed by TPCODL/TPWODL/TPNODL/TPSODL with the OERC for the period quarter/year to quarter/year, as required under OERC's Distribution Licence conditions. Specifically, please provide data on average supply interruption frequency and duration for district/zone for this period."

"Please provide the details of any show-cause notice, penalty order, or regulatory action issued by OERC against TPCODL/TPWODL/TPNODL/TPSODL during year related to quality of supply or consumer service failures in area/district."

Route 2: GRIDCO and OHPC

GRIDCO (Grid Corporation of Odisha Ltd) is the state-owned bulk electricity transmission and trading company. It remains fully government-owned and is subject to the Odisha Information Commission. GRIDCO purchases power from generators and sells it to the distribution licensees.

OHPC (Odisha Hydro Power Corporation Ltd) is the state PSU that owns and operates Odisha's major hydroelectric projects (Hirakud, Burla, Chiplima, and others). OHPC is also subject to OIC.

RTI to GRIDCO for power purchase data:

"Please provide the power purchase agreements currently in force between GRIDCO and the generating companies supplying electricity to Odisha — specifically, the contracted capacity, the per-unit rate agreed, and the term of each agreement."

Consumer Grievance Strategy for Private DISCOMs

If you have a billing or service dispute with a Tata Power DISCOM in Odisha:

1. File a complaint with the DISCOM's Consumer Grievance Redressal Forum (CGRF), which is a mandatory statutory body under the Electricity Act, 2003.
2. If the CGRF does not resolve the matter, escalate to the OERC's Ombudsman.
3. File RTI with OERC seeking data on the complaint resolution timelines, decisions taken by the CGRF in similar matters, and the OERC's regulatory position.

Part 3: Urban Bodies in Odisha

BDA — Bhubaneswar Development Authority

The Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA) is the statutory planning and development authority for the Bhubaneswar urban agglomeration. It is a state statutory body subject to OIC.

Building plan approval

"Please provide: (a) a copy of the approved building plan for the construction at plot number, sector/locality, Bhubaneswar bearing approval number X; (b) the date of sanction and the name of the approving officer; (c) whether a completion certificate or occupancy certificate has been issued; and (d) if not issued, the current status of the completion certificate application."

Layout plan approval

"Please provide the approved layout plan for the colony/housing development at location, BDA jurisdiction, bearing approval number X. Please also state: whether the developer complied with the infrastructure development conditions attached to the layout approval, and whether any enforcement action was taken for non-compliance."

BMC — Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation

The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) is the urban local body for the capital city. It is a state body subject to OIC.

Property tax assessment

"Please provide the property tax assessment for the property at address, Ward X, BMC. Please state: the annual rental value or capital value assessed, the date of last assessment, and the total outstanding dues. Please also provide the basis of the current assessment category — whether it is residential, commercial, or mixed use."

Civic complaint status

"Please provide the details of complaint number X filed with the BMC regarding water supply/road/drainage issue at address on date: the department to which it was assigned, the name of the officer responsible, the action taken, and the date on which the complaint was closed or the reason it remains open."

RERA Odisha

The Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA), Odisha is established under the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016. It is a state statutory body subject to OIC.

"Please provide the RERA registration details for the project project name by developer developer name in city/district, bearing RERA registration number X. Please also provide the latest quarterly progress report filed by the promoter and details of any complaints or enforcement action filed against this project."

Part 4: Central Government Bodies in Odisha

Odisha hosts several major Central Government establishments — particularly in the minerals, steel, and research sectors. RTI to these bodies goes to the CIC, not OIC.

Note on minerals: Odisha holds vast reserves of iron ore, bauxite, manganese, and coal. Mining leases for major minerals are granted by the Central Government under the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957, though administered by the state. RTI about the grant, renewal, and compliance of major mineral leases should be directed to the Ministry of Mines (CIC) as well as to the Odisha Mines Department (OIC).

Practical Filing Tips for Odisha

RI Circle is the key geographic unit: Unlike many states that use Patwari Halka, Odisha organises revenue records by RI Circle (Revenue Inspector Circle). When addressing an RTI application, specify the RI Circle name, not just the village.

Plot number before Khata number: In Odisha, the Plot number (not the Khata number) is the primary identifier in land records and cadastral maps. When requesting records, lead with the Plot number.

OSATIP requires the Collector: For tribal land protection matters under OSATIP, the Collector is both the licensing authority and the enforcement authority. RTI should be addressed to the Public Information Officer, Office of the Collector, District.

Private DISCOM strategy: Do not address RTI directly to TPCODL/TPWODL/TPNODL/TPSODL if you want a reliable response backed by an Information Commission's appellate jurisdiction. Use OERC instead.

Fee: ₹10 under RTI (Regulation of Fee and Cost) Rules, 2005. BPL cardholders are exempt under Section 7(5). Payable by Indian Postal Order or demand draft for state bodies.

Response deadline: 30 days under Section 7(1). File First Appeal under Section 19(1) within 30 days of expiry if no response. Second appeals go to OIC.