RTI in West Bengal: Banglarbhumi Land Records, WBSEDCL Electricity, and Kolkata Civic Bodies

West Bengal's RTI landscape has some distinctive features that differ from most other states: a multi-layered land survey system with CS, RS, and LR khatians; a major private electricity utility (CESC) that is not a public authority under the RTI Act; and a dense urban governance structure in the Kolkata Metropolitan Area with multiple overlapping bodies. This guide focuses on three high-volume areas — Banglarbhumi land records, electricity (WBSEDCL and the CESC exception), and Kolkata civic bodies — and provides sample RTI questions for each.

A general RTI guide for West Bengal already covers the West Bengal Information Commission (WBIC) and broader filing procedure. This guide goes deeper into the specific records and systems within each domain.

All state government bodies covered here are subject to second appeals at the West Bengal Information Commission (WBIC) under Section 19(3) of the RTI Act, 2005.

Part 1: Banglarbhumi / Bhuiyan — West Bengal Land Records

The Multi-Layer Survey System

West Bengal's land record system is unique in India because it has multiple overlapping survey records from different historical periods. Understanding which record is relevant to your query is essential before drafting an RTI application.

CS (Cadastral Survey) Khatian: The oldest survey, conducted mostly during British administration. The CS khatian records were prepared mouza by mouza (mouza is the basic revenue survey unit in West Bengal, corresponding roughly to a village). CS records reflect pre-independence ownership. They are foundational to establishing a historical title chain but are not the operative record of current ownership.

RS (Revisional Survey) Khatian: The Revisional Survey was conducted after independence to update the CS records. RS khatians reflect ownership at the time of the survey (which varied by district). They remain critical for tracing the chain of title in court cases and mutation proceedings.

LR (Land Reforms) Khatian: After the land reform legislations of the 1950s–1970s (particularly the West Bengal Estates Acquisition Act, 1953 and the West Bengal Land Reforms Act, 1955), the government conducted the LR survey. LR khatians recorded the post-reform distribution of ownership, including vesting of land in the state and fresh pattas issued to sharecroppers and the landless. The LR khatian is more recent than CS and RS.

Current ROR (Record of Rights): The current ROR is the operative legal record of title. It is the product of the most recent consolidation and incorporates mutations since the LR khatian. The Block Land and Land Reforms Office (BLLRO) maintains current ROR at the block level.

Khatian vs Dag

A Khatian is a folio that groups together all the land owned by the same owner (or group of owners). It contains: the owner's name, the mouza (and JL number), the Dag numbers owned, the area of each Dag, the classification (agricultural, homestead, etc.), and conditions of tenure.

A Dag is the individual plot number — the unique survey identifier for a parcel of land within a mouza. One khatian can contain multiple Dags. One Dag can appear in multiple khatians if there are multiple owners or part-interests.

The JL (Jurisdiction List) number is the code identifying the mouza within a block/district. The Touzi number is a fiscal record number used in some older records.

The Banglarbhumi Portal

The Banglarbhumi portal is the West Bengal government's digital land records platform. It allows citizens to view ROR data, search by khatian or dag number, and apply for certain services. However, certified copies and the full mutation file must be obtained from the BLLRO office directly, or through an RTI application.

The Block Land and Land Reforms Officer (BLLRO) is the CPIO for land record queries at the block level. The Additional District Magistrate (Land Reforms) or the District Land and Land Reforms Officer (DLLRO) handles district-level appeals. Second appeals go to WBIC.

Sample RTI Questions for Land Records

Current ROR — certified copy

"Please provide a certified copy of the current Record of Rights (ROR / Khatian) for Dag number X in Mouza X, JL number X, Block X, District X. Please specify the khatian number(s) in which this Dag appears and the current owner(s) as recorded."

Full title chain across survey periods

"Please provide certified copies of: (a) the CS khatian for Dag number X in Mouza X, JL number X; (b) the RS khatian for the same Dag; (c) the LR khatian for the same Dag; and (d) the current ROR khatian. This is required to establish the historical chain of title for the said Dag number."

Mutation (Namjari / Hissakhori) history

"Please provide the complete mutation history for Dag number X in Mouza X, JL number X, Block X, District X. For each mutation, please provide: the mutation case number, the date of the mutation order, the names of the parties involved (predecessor and successor), the reason for mutation (sale/inheritance/gift/court decree), and the name of the officer who passed the mutation order."

Pending mutation status

"Please provide the current status of mutation application reference number X filed at BLLRO Block on date. Specifically: (a) the date of the last LR Court hearing; (b) whether a field inspection has been ordered; (c) whether any objection has been received; (d) the name and designation of the officer conducting the mutation proceedings; (e) the expected date of next hearing."

Encumbrances and disputes

"Please confirm whether any court attachment, mortgage, encumbrance, or ROR dispute notation has been recorded against Dag number X in Mouza X, JL number X in the current ROR. If yes, please provide the nature of the encumbrance, the court case or proceeding reference, and the date on which the notation was made."

Vested Land

Under West Bengal's land reforms, land above the ceiling held by large landowners was vested in the state. This vested land was then distributed or remains state land. RTI questions for vested land situations:

"Please provide: (a) a list of all vested land (khatian and Dag numbers) within Mouza X, JL number X, Block X; (b) whether the vested land in Dag number X has been distributed to any beneficiary or is still held by the state; (c) if distributed, the name of the beneficiary and the date of patta issuance."

"Please provide information on whether any vested land in Dag number X in Mouza X is currently encroached upon, and if so, the status of any eviction proceedings initiated by the Block Land Reforms office."

Pattas Under Government Schemes

The West Bengal government has issued homestead pattas under schemes such as Nijo Griha Nijo Bhumi (own house, own land) for rural landless households. RTI for:

"Please provide a list of pattas issued under the Nijo Griha Nijo Bhumi / scheme name scheme in Village / Gram Panchayat X, Block X during year range. For each patta, please specify the name of the allottee, the plot number, the area, and the date of issuance."

Part 2: WBSEDCL and the CESC Exception

WBSEDCL: The State DISCOM

WBSEDCL (West Bengal State Electricity Distribution Company Limited) distributes electricity in most of West Bengal — all districts except Kolkata city and some surrounding areas. WBSEDCL is a state government company and is a public authority under Section 2(h) of the RTI Act. Second appeals for RTI filed with WBSEDCL go to the WBIC.

The CESC Exception — Critical

CESC Limited (formerly Calcutta Electric Supply Corporation) supplies electricity to Kolkata city, parts of Howrah, and surrounding areas. CESC is a private company (RPG Group). It is not a public authority under Section 2(h) of the RTI Act, 2005. RTI does not lie against CESC directly.

If you have a billing dispute, meter complaint, or connection issue with CESC, the RTI route to CESC itself will not work. Your options:

• CESC's own consumer grievance redressal mechanisms
• Filing a complaint with the West Bengal Electricity Regulatory Commission (WBERC) for regulatory matters

WBERC (West Bengal Electricity Regulatory Commission): WBERC is a statutory body under the Electricity Act, 2003. It is a state body and is a public authority → WBIC. You can file RTI with WBERC for:

"Please provide: (a) the tariff order issued by WBERC for CESC for the financial year X including the schedule of charges and time-of-day rates; (b) whether CESC has submitted its annual performance report to WBERC for FY X and whether the same is publicly available; (c) whether any penalty or direction has been issued by WBERC to CESC for non-compliance with the Supply Code regulations during the period date range."

Sample RTI Questions for WBSEDCL

Meter reading records and billing dispute

"Please provide the meter reading register for consumer number X at Sub-Division X, Division X for the billing cycle months from month/year to month/year (12 months). For each month, please specify: the date on which an on-site physical reading was taken by an official, the reading recorded, whether the reading for any month was estimated (average) rather than actual, and if estimated, the regulatory basis for estimation."

New service connection status

"Please provide the current status of new service connection application reference number X at address, Sub-Division X. Specifically: (a) date of application; (b) date of site inspection and the inspection report; (c) whether any technical requirement — transformer capacity augmentation, line shifting, security deposit — is pending; (d) the expected date of connection."

Outage and feeder restoration

"Please provide: (a) the outage/fault report for area / feeder name on date; (b) the time at which the fault was detected and the time at which supply was restored; (c) the cause of the fault as recorded; (d) whether the outage exceeded the normative standard under the WBERC Supply Code; (e) whether any penalty for outage duration has been levied on the distribution company for this outage."

Part 3: Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) and Other Civic Bodies

KMC as a Public Authority

KMC (Kolkata Municipal Corporation) is established under the Kolkata Municipal Corporation Act, 1980. It is a local self-government body and a public authority under Section 2(h) of the RTI Act. The Municipal Commissioner is the head, and each department within KMC has a designated CPIO. Second appeals go to the WBIC.

Building Plan, Completion Certificate, and Occupancy Certificate

Building approval in Kolkata involves: submission of plans to KMC's Building Department, sanction of plans, construction, inspection, and issuance of a Completion Certificate (CC) and an Occupancy Certificate (OC). RTI for these records is critical when buying or selling property, or when investigating illegal construction:

"Please provide: (a) the sanctioned building plan for premises at address, bearing KMC premises number X; (b) the date of sanction and the sanctioned floor-area ratio (FAR) and total permissible built-up area; (c) whether a Completion Certificate has been issued for this premises — if yes, provide the date and the certifying officer's name; (d) whether an Occupancy Certificate has been issued — if yes, provide the date and the certifying officer's name."

Illegal construction query:

"Please provide: (a) any complaint received by KMC's Building Department regarding unauthorised construction at address; (b) the date and result of any building inspection; (c) whether a show-cause notice has been issued to the owner; (d) whether demolition proceedings have been initiated."

Property Tax

KMC assesses property tax through the Unit Area Assessment (UAA) system:

"Please provide: (a) the current property tax assessment for premises bearing assessee number X, Ward X; (b) the basis of valuation — the unit area value assigned, the Annual Value, and the tax rate applied; (c) the date of last assessment revision; (d) whether any arrear property tax is outstanding as of date and the arrear amount."

"Please provide the current owner recorded in KMC's property tax records for premises bearing assessee number X, Ward X. The date of last mutation in KMC records and the document on which the mutation was based."

Drainage and Road Complaints

"Please provide the status of complaint reference number X / complaints filed by name regarding drainage blockage / road damage / broken footpath at address on date. The date of inspection, the action taken, and the name of the official responsible for the work order."

Howrah Municipal Corporation

The Howrah Municipal Corporation (HMC) is the municipal body for Howrah city across the Hooghly River. It is a state body → WBIC. The RTI question formats for KMC apply equally to HMC, substituting HMC premises numbers and ward numbers.

KMDA — Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority

KMDA (Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority) is a statutory body for planning and development in the Kolkata Metropolitan Area (KMA) — a far larger region than just Kolkata city. It is a state body → WBIC. RTI for:

"Please provide: (a) the approved land use designation under the KMDA Development Plan for the land at Mouza X, Block X, District X; (b) whether any permission/NOC from KMDA is required for the proposed development at this location; (c) whether any development permission has been granted for survey number / Dag number X under KMDA's jurisdiction."

WBHIDCO — New Town Kolkata

WBHIDCO (West Bengal Housing Infrastructure Development Corporation) is the development authority for New Town, Kolkata (Rajarhat). It is a state body → WBIC. RTI for:

"Please provide: (a) the allotment details for Plot number X / Flat number X in New Town, Kolkata — the allottee's name and the date of allotment; (b) the current payment status on the allotment account number X; (c) whether a registered deed or lease document has been executed for the said plot/flat; (d) whether any transfer of allotment has been registered."

"Please provide whether any complaint has been registered by allottees in Block X, Action Area X in New Town Kolkata regarding delayed possession or infrastructure deficiencies, and the status of such complaints."

RERA West Bengal

The West Bengal Housing Industry Regulation Act, 2017 (Hira) and later the central RERA Act, 2016 coexist in West Bengal with some complexity — the state initially enacted its own legislation, but the central RERA Act now largely governs. The West Bengal Real Estate Regulatory Authority (WB RERA) is the state body for RERA matters → WBIC. RTI for:

"Please provide: (a) the registration status and details for project name by developer name; (b) the registered completion date, the last compliance update filed by the developer, and the current percentage of construction completed as reported; (c) any complaints pending against this project and their current status."

Navigating the WBIC: Key Points

The West Bengal Information Commission hears second appeals and complaints for all West Bengal state government bodies. Some important notes for West Bengal filers:

DVC (Damodar Valley Corporation) is Central: The DVC is a statutory corporation under the Damodar Valley Corporation Act, 1948 — a Central Government body. RTI filed with DVC goes to the CIC for second appeals, not the WBIC.

Central University bodies: Visva-Bharati University, the University of Calcutta (partially centrally funded), Jadavpur University (state), and Presidency University (state) have different RTI chains. Visva-Bharati is a Central University → CIC. Jadavpur and Presidency are state bodies → WBIC.

WBSEDCL vs CESC: Always confirm which utility supplies your premises before drafting the RTI. CESC has a distinct supply territory (Kolkata, parts of Howrah, some suburbs) — check your electricity bill header for the supplier's name.

Language: RTI applications in West Bengal can be filed in Bengali or English under Section 6(1) of the Act, which permits filing in "Hindi or in the official language of the area." Bengali is an official language in West Bengal.

No reasons required: Regardless of the domain — land records, electricity, or civic bodies — Section 6(2) of the RTI Act explicitly states that the applicant need not give any reason for the information request. Do not let any clerk or officer ask you to justify your query.

For specific, well-drafted RTI applications with exact identifiers — Dag number, consumer number, assessee number, complaint reference number — the WBIC has shown willingness to impose penalties under Section 20 on CPIOs who fail to respond without justification.