Section 82 of the Registration Act, 1908: False Statements and Impersonation at Registration

Section 82 explained: this guide covers what it means, who it applies to, the step-by-step process, documents required, fees, due dates and penalties in India — so you can stay compliant with confidence and avoid costly mistakes.

Section 82 is the offence section for the people who come to a registration office. As per the text of the Act consulted, it punishes four kinds of conduct: intentionally making a false statement in a proceeding under the Act, intentionally delivering a false copy or translation of a document or a false copy of a map or plan, falsely personating another, and abetting anything made punishable by the Act. The punishment for each is imprisonment which may extend to seven years, or fine, or both.

Anyone who intentionally makes a false statement before an officer acting under the Act, intentionally delivers a false copy or translation of a document (or a false copy of a map or plan) under section 19 or 21, falsely personates another and in that character presents a document, makes an admission or statement, or does any other act in a proceeding, or abets anything made punishable by the Act, is punishable with imprisonment up to seven years, or with fine, or with both.

The four limbs of section 82

The section opens "Whoever" and then lists four clauses, (a) to (d), followed by one penalty that applies to all four.

Registration is run by the States, and your State may have amended section 82 or made rules under section 69. This article explains only the central text; check the State position and any later amendment. If you are concerned about a document that may have been presented through impersonation, or about a false statement made in a registration proceeding, our legal dispute resolution service can assess the position with you.

Clause (a): a false statement

Four features of clause (a) stand out.

1. Intention. The word "intentionally" qualifies the conduct. The clause does not reach a statement made by honest mistake.
2. On oath or not. The statement need not be on oath. This links to section 63, under which the registering officer may administer an oath and record the substance of a statement at his discretion.
3. Recorded or not. It does not matter whether the statement has been recorded.
4. Place. It must be made "before any officer acting in execution of this Act, in any proceeding or inquiry under this Act". The proceeding includes the enquiry before registration (section 34) and the enquiry on a denial of execution (section 74).

Clause (b): false copies, translations, maps and plans

Clause (b) is about the papers that accompany a document in two named proceedings. Section 19 requires a true translation and a true copy where the document is in a language the registering officer does not understand and which is not commonly used in the district; see our article on documents in an unknown language and with blanks or alterations. Section 21 deals with the description of property and with maps and plans; our article on description of property, maps and plans covers it.

The clause punishes the person who "intentionally delivers" a false copy or translation of a document, or a false copy of a map or plan, in a proceeding under section 19 or 21. The delivery is to a registering officer.

Clause (c): false personation

Personation has two parts: the person "falsely personates another", and "in such assumed character" does one of the listed acts. Those are:

• presents any document;
• makes any admission or statement;
• causes any summons or commission to be issued; or
• does any other act in any proceeding or enquiry under the Act.

The last item is wide: "any other act". The text of the section does not define personation, and this article does not import a definition from another law.

Clause (d): abetment

"Abets anything made punishable by this Act". The word abets is not defined in the Act as printed. The clause is not limited to the offences in section 82; it covers anything made punishable by the Act. The Indian Penal Code is named elsewhere in the Act, in sections 81 and 84; the copy does not tie the word "abets" in section 82 to it, and this article does not explain that Code. Check the current law for the corresponding provision.

The punishment

The closing words apply to all four clauses: "shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to seven years, or with fine, or with both."

• The maximum imprisonment is seven years. It is a ceiling, not a fixed term.
• The Court may impose fine instead of imprisonment, or both.
• The section prints no fine amount, and none is stated here.

Where the prosecution is begun and which Court tries the offence are dealt with in section 83, which says a prosecution for an offence coming to the knowledge of a registering officer in his official capacity may be commenced by or with the permission of the Inspector General, the Registrar or the Sub-Registrar concerned, and that offences punishable under the Act are triable by any Court or officer exercising powers not less than those of a Magistrate of the second class. Our article on offences by registering officers and prosecution takes up sections 81, 83 and 84.

What it means for the people who sign and appear

• Say only what you know to be true when you are examined. If you do not know a fact, say so.
• Do not let anyone pretend to be you. Presenting a document in the assumed character of the executant is the very conduct in clause (c).
• Make sure a translation or copy supplied under section 19 is a true one.
• Do not assist another in any of these acts; clause (d) reaches abetment.

If you act through an agent, the Act has its own rules on who may present a document, set out in sections 32 and 33.

An example

Dinesh, who owns a plot, is abroad. His cousin Mohan goes to the registration office and, giving Dinesh's name, signs a sale deed and tells the Sub-Registrar that he is Dinesh. Mohan has falsely personated another and, in the assumed character, presented a document and made an admission and statement in a proceeding under the Act, which falls within clause (c). The friend who accompanied him and helped to arrange the visit, knowing the plan, may be said to have abetted the act under clause (d). The maximum for each is imprisonment which may extend to seven years, or fine, or both. Whether and how the matter would be charged against the particular people depends on the facts and on a prosecution commenced as section 83 provides.

Need help where a registration may have been procured by impersonation?

If you suspect that a document was registered through impersonation or a false statement, the steps to take depend on the documents and the State's practice. Our legal dispute resolution team can examine the registered papers and advise.

Key takeaways

• Section 82 has four limbs: false statements, false copies or translations, false personation and abetment.
• False statements are punishable whether on oath or not and whether recorded or not, if made intentionally before an officer acting under the Act.
• Clause (b) covers false copies or translations of documents and false copies of maps or plans delivered in proceedings under section 19 or 21.
• The punishment for all four is imprisonment up to seven years, or fine, or both; no fine amount is printed.
• Check your State's amendments and rules and any later amendment.

Read next

• Offences by registering officers and prosecution: sections 81, 83 and 84
• Application to the Registrar when execution is denied: sections 73 and 74
• Who can present a document for registration
• Refusal to register: grounds and remedy

Disclaimer: Based on a print of the Registration Act, 1908 marked as last updated on 9 July 2020, as consulted on 2 October 2026. State amendments and rules, later amendments, registration fees and stamp duty are not covered and should be checked. This article is general information, not legal advice; check the official text before acting.