When the recorded owner of agricultural land in Uttar Pradesh dies, the land does not pass to the heirs in the records automatically. The succession has to be reported and entered in the khatauni, a process known as varasat (वरासत). It can now be started online. This guide explains who inherits, how to apply, and why buyers of farmland should care.
वरासत क्या है
खातेदार की मृत्यु के बाद ज़मीन अपने-आप वारिसों के नाम दर्ज नहीं होती। उत्तराधिकार की सूचना देकर खतौनी में वारिसों के नाम दर्ज कराने की प्रक्रिया को वरासत कहते हैं। यह आवेदन अब ऑनलाइन किया जा सकता है।
Key facts at a glance
- Report the succession to the Revenue Inspector under Section 33 of the UP Revenue Code, 2006
- Undisputed cases are recorded by the Revenue Inspector; disputed ones go to the Tahsildar
- Apply online on the RCCMS varasat portal with a mobile OTP (form R.C. 9)
- Who inherits is set by Section 108 (for a male landholder) and Section 110 (for a female landholder)
- No entry is made until land revenue due has been paid
The law in brief
- Section 33. A person who obtains possession of land by succession must report it to the Revenue Inspector. If the case is undisputed, the Revenue Inspector records it in the khatauni; otherwise he inquires and reports to the Tahsildar. Anyone left out, or dissatisfied, can apply to the Tahsildar.
- Section 35. The Tahsildar issues a proclamation and inquires; in a disputed case he decides the dispute. An appeal lies to the Sub-Divisional Officer within 30 days.
- Section 36(2). The succession is not recorded until land revenue due up to date has been paid.
- Section 39. A mutation order does not stop anyone from establishing their rights through a regular suit.
Who inherits: the order under Section 108
For land held by a man, Section 108(2) (as substituted in 2020) sets the order of heirs. Heirs in the same clause share equally, and an earlier clause excludes all later ones:
| Clause | Heirs |
|---|---|
| (a) | Widow (or third-gender spouse), unmarried daughters, third-gender issue, and male lineal descendants in the male line, per stirpes |
| (b) | Mother and father |
| (c) | Married daughter |
| (d) onwards | Brother, unmarried sister and further relatives, in the order set out in the Code |
A widow or widowed mother inherits only if she has not remarried. Section 110 sets a separate order for land held by a woman, beginning with her son, unmarried daughter and son’s son, then her husband, then married daughters.
Married daughters. In 2025 it was reported that the Revenue Council had drafted an amendment to remove the distinction between married and unmarried daughters in Section 108. At the time of writing we found no amendment passed, and reports said any change would apply only to successions after it takes effect.
वारिस कौन होगा
पुरुष खातेदार की भूमि के लिए राजस्व संहिता की धारा 108(2) में वारिसों का क्रम दिया गया है। पहले क्रम में विधवा, अविवाहित पुत्रियाँ और पुरुष वंशज आते हैं; इनके न होने पर माता-पिता; फिर विवाहित पुत्री; और उसके बाद भाई, अविवाहित बहन आदि। एक ही क्रम के वारिस बराबर हिस्सा पाते हैं। महिला खातेदार की भूमि के लिए अलग क्रम धारा 110 में दिया गया है।
How to apply online
- On vaad.up.nic.in, choose “उत्तराधिकार / वरासत हेतु आवेदन (प्रपत्र आर० सी० 9…)”. This opens the varasat portal.
- On the login page (“उत्तराधिकार / वरासत ऑनलाइन आवेदन लॉग इन”), enter your mobile number, click “ओ0 टी0 पी0 भेजें”, and log in with the OTP and captcha.
- Fill in the form in four parts: the applicant’s details; the details of the deceased landholder, including the basis of succession and the date of death; the land: village, gata number, khatauni and share; and each heir’s name, age and relationship.
- Submit the self-declaration and save. The portal issues a computerised application number.
- Track the application under “उत्तराधिकार/वरासत हेतु आवेदन की स्थति जाने” on vaad.up.nic.in, using the application number.
The Lekhpal and Revenue Inspector then verify the report through their own logins. Under the Revenue Code Rules, 2016, the Revenue Inspector gives prior notice in the village by beat of drum, and in an undisputed case orders the entry and gives the heir a certified extract. Claims based on a will, and disputed claims, go to the Tahsildar.
The online form labels above are taken from the portal’s form; the screens after login may differ slightly. We found no fee in the online form. Keep the death certificate and the family’s details to hand, and ask the Lekhpal if any document is needed.
वरासत का ऑनलाइन आवेदन
vaad.up.nic.in पर “उत्तराधिकार / वरासत हेतु आवेदन” चुनें। मोबाइल नंबर डालकर “ओ0 टी0 पी0 भेजें” दबाएँ और ओटीपी व कैप्चा से लॉग इन करें। फॉर्म के चार भागों में आवेदक का विवरण, मृतक खातेदार का विवरण व मृत्यु का दिनांक, भूमि का विवरण (ग्राम, गाटा संख्या, खतौनी, हिस्सा) और सभी वारिसों के नाम, उम्र व खातेदार से संबंध भरें। सुरक्षित करने पर कंप्यूटरीकृत आवेदन संख्या मिलती है, जिससे “आवेदन की स्थति जाने” में स्थिति देखी जा सकती है। इसके बाद लेखपाल और राजस्व निरीक्षक जाँच करते हैं। विवाद होने पर मामला तहसीलदार के पास जाता है।
How long it takes
The Rules ask for the report “as soon as possible” and set no fixed day limit for the Lekhpal and Revenue Inspector stage. Where a case goes to the Tahsildar, the Rules as originally notified set a target of 45 days for undisputed and 90 days for disputed cases. The Revenue Council has monitored pending varasat cases district by district and ran a special statewide varasat campaign from December 2020 to February 2021.
Why it matters if you are buying land
- Until varasat is recorded, the khatauni still shows the deceased. A sale by heirs should wait until they are recorded. Check the current khatauni on UP Bhulekh.
- Every heir holds a share. Heirs in the same clause inherit together, so all of them must join the sale, or the shares must first be divided.
- A mutation entry is not the last word on title. Section 39 keeps open the right to file a suit, so a recent, contested succession deserves extra care.
- Do not buy on a power of attorney from one heir. See why POA and agreement-to-sell deals are risky.
Common questions
On vaad.up.nic.in, choose the succession/varasat application, log in with a mobile OTP, and fill in the applicant, deceased landholder, land and heir details. You receive an application number to track the case; the Lekhpal and Revenue Inspector then verify it.
For land held by a man, Section 108(2) of the UP Revenue Code sets the order: first the widow, unmarried daughters and male lineal descendants; then the mother and father; then a married daughter; then brothers, unmarried sisters and others. Section 110 sets the order for land held by a woman.
Under Section 108(2) as it stood at the time of writing, a married daughter inherits only if there are no heirs in the earlier clauses. An amendment to remove the married/unmarried distinction had been reported as proposed in 2025, but we found none passed.
The Revenue Inspector reports the case to the Tahsildar, who issues a proclamation, inquires and decides. An appeal lies to the Sub-Divisional Officer within 30 days, and a regular suit remains open under Section 39.
Until the heirs are recorded, the khatauni shows the deceased as owner, and a buyer cannot verify the sellers against the record. Get varasat recorded first, and make sure every heir joins the sale deed.
Please verify before you commit. Portal screens, rules and the law of succession can change. This is general information, not legal advice; the tehsil and your advocate are the authority on any specific case.
Buying land from heirs? Talk to our team. We check the records before you commit.
Sources
- Uttar Pradesh Revenue Code, 2006: updated text (Sections 33, 35–37, 39, 108–110)
- Uttar Pradesh Revenue Code Rules, 2016 (Rules 29–34)
- RCCMS: revenue court portal (varasat links)
- Varasat online application: login and application status (accessed 1 October 2026)
- Amar Ujala: proposed amendment on married daughters (7 September 2025)
- Patrika: special varasat campaign (20 December 2020)
- ETV Bharat: online varasat and Revenue Council monitoring (13 September 2022)