Most disputes over farmland are not about who owns a field but about where it ends. In Uttar Pradesh, boundary disputes are decided by the Sub-Divisional Officer (SDM) under Section 24 of the UP Revenue Code, 2006, a process known as paimaish (पैमाइश). Civil courts cannot decide them. This guide explains how it works and how to apply online.

हिंदी में

पैमाइश क्या है

खेत की सीमा को लेकर विवाद होने पर उत्तर प्रदेश राजस्व संहिता, 2006 की धारा 24 के तहत उप ज़िलाधिकारी पैमाइश कराकर सीमा तय करते हैं। सीमा से जुड़े प्रश्न दीवानी न्यायालय में नहीं, राजस्व व्यवस्था में तय होते हैं। आवेदन अब ऑनलाइन किया जा सकता है।

Key facts at a glance

  • The SDM decides boundary disputes under Section 24, on application by a person interested or on his own motion
  • Fee: ₹1,000 for the demarcation of a gata or attached gatas, under the 2020 amendment to the Rules
  • Target: proceedings to be concluded, as far as possible, within three months of the application
  • Appeal: to the Commissioner within 30 days
  • Apply online on vaad.up.nic.in under “धारा 24 (पैमाइश)”, with a mobile OTP

What Section 24 says

  • Who acts. The SDM, on his own motion or on an application by a person interested.
  • How boundaries are fixed. By summary inquiry, on the basis of the existing survey maps (or maps revised under the Consolidation of Holdings Act). Where that is not possible, boundaries are fixed on the basis of actual possession.
  • Possession. If possession is unclear, the SDM decides who is best entitled; a person wrongfully dispossessed can be restored to possession before the boundary is fixed.
  • Time. Proceedings are to be concluded, as far as possible, within three months of the application.
  • Appeal. To the Commissioner within 30 days of the order.
  • No civil suit. The determination of boundaries and fixing of boundary marks is listed among matters civil courts cannot decide.

The procedure under the Rules

Rule 22 of the Revenue Code Rules, as substituted by the 2020 amendment, sets the process:

  1. Application in two copies to the SDM, giving the gata number and tenure holder’s details for your land and the adjoining gatas, with a current khatauni.
  2. Fee of ₹1,000 for the demarcation of the gata or attached gatas.
  3. Registration and notice. The case is registered on RCCMS, and notices are served on the adjoining tenure holders through the Revenue Inspector and Lekhpal.
  4. Demarcation within one month of the SDM’s order, with the report and site memo sent to the SDM within a week. Objections are heard within 15 days of notice.
  5. Order and compliance. The SDM decides, and boundary marks are fixed within two weeks of the order. Police assistance can be directed if needed.
हिंदी में

पैमाइश की प्रक्रिया

उप ज़िलाधिकारी को आवेदन में अपने और पड़ोसी गाटों की संख्या तथा खातेदारों का विवरण और वर्तमान खतौनी लगती है। शुल्क ₹1,000 है। वाद आरसीसीएमएस पर दर्ज होता है और राजस्व निरीक्षक व लेखपाल के माध्यम से पड़ोसी खातेदारों को सूचना दी जाती है। आदेश के एक माह के भीतर पैमाइश होती है, आपत्तियाँ सुनी जाती हैं और आदेश के बाद सीमा चिन्ह लगाए जाते हैं। आदेश से असंतुष्ट पक्ष 30 दिन में आयुक्त के यहाँ अपील कर सकता है।

How to apply online

  1. On vaad.up.nic.in, under online applications, choose “धारा “24” (पैमाइश)”.
  2. On the “पैमाइश लॉगिन” page, enter your mobile number, click “मोबाइल नम्बर पर ओ० टी० पी० भेजें”, then enter the OTP and captcha and click “लॉगिन करें”.
  3. Fill in the application form and pay the fee online (the Revenue Council’s online system, launched in 2022, accepts net banking and UPI).
  4. The case moves from the SDM to the Tahsildar to the Revenue Inspector, who fixes the date and time of the measurement and reports back; the SDM then gives the final order.
  5. Track it under “वाद खोज विधि” on the RCCMS home page by computerised case number, case number or party name. You can also check whether a gata is under litigation.

Recent developments

  • GNSS-rover survey campaign (2026). In July 2026 the state launched a special land-measurement campaign using GNSS rovers, from 1 July to 15 August, when about 79,000 Section 24 cases were reported pending. A September 2026 report put the number of rovers at 504, with accuracy claimed at a few centimetres.
  • High Court guidelines (December 2025). In Meena Devi v. State of UP, the Allahabad High Court held that a Section 24 case is not complete until boundary marks are physically placed, that compliance reports should carry GPS geo-tagged photographs uploaded to RCCMS, and that filing an appeal does not stay execution unless a stay is expressly granted.

Boundary marks: whose job?

Under Sections 21–23, every tenure holder must maintain the boundary marks of their holding at their own cost; if a mark is destroyed, the Lekhpal reports it and the SDM can order it restored, recovering the cost. Under Section 227, wilfully destroying or removing a boundary mark can attract a penalty of up to ₹1,000 per mark.

Why buyers should care

A sale deed transfers a khasra, not a set of pegs in a field. If the boundaries on the ground do not match the map, get paimaish done, or at least compare the field with Bhu-Naksha : before you pay. See our guides to khatauni and mutation and dividing jointly held land, and the land measurement units guide.

Common questions

On vaad.up.nic.in, choose “धारा 24 (पैमाइश)”, log in with your mobile number and OTP, fill in the application and pay the fee online. The case goes to the SDM, and the Revenue Inspector fixes the date of measurement.

₹1,000 for the demarcation of a gata or attached gatas, under Rule 22 as substituted in 2020.

Section 24 says proceedings should be concluded, as far as possible, within three months of the application. The Rules set a month for demarcation after the SDM’s order and two weeks for fixing boundary marks after the final order.

No. The determination of boundaries and fixing of boundary marks are matters for the revenue authorities under the UP Revenue Code; civil courts cannot decide them.

To the Commissioner, within 30 days of the SDM’s order, under Section 24(4).

Please verify before you apply. Fees, procedures and portals change. This is general information, not legal advice; the tehsil and your advocate are the authority on any specific dispute.

Buying land with unclear boundaries? Talk to our team.

Sources

  1. Uttar Pradesh Revenue Code, 2006: updated text (Sections 20–24, 227, Second Schedule)
  2. UP Revenue Code (Third Amendment) Rules, 2020: Rule 22
  3. RCCMS: online paimaish application and user guide (2022)
  4. Amar Ujala: online paimaish system launched (6 April 2022)
  5. SCC Online: Allahabad High Court guidelines on Section 24 orders (January 2026)
  6. Webdunia: GNSS rover land-measurement campaign (1 July 2026)
  7. Kisan India: GNSS rovers in UP tehsils (15 September 2026)