CONSTITUTIONAL DIMENSIONS OF DIGITAL LAND RECORDS: LEGAL AND ETHICAL IMPLICATIONS FOR PROPERTY RIGHTS IN INDIA

AUTHOR – SWATHI K, LL.M SCHOLAR (DEPARTMENT OF PROPERTY LAW), SCHOOL OF EXCELLENCE IN LAW, TNDALU, CHENNAI-600113, TAMIL NADU.

BEST CITATION – SWATHI K, CONSTITUTIONAL DIMENSIONS OF DIGITAL LAND RECORDS: LEGAL AND ETHICAL IMPLICATIONS FOR PROPERTY RIGHTS IN INDIA, ILE CONSTITUTIONAL REVIEW, 4 (1) of 2025, Pg. 27-35, APIS – 3920 – 0006 | ISSN – 2583-7168.

Abstract:

     The digitalization of land records in India marks a significant transformation in property administration, aimed at enhancing transparency, minimizing land disputes, and ensuring record management in light of fundamental rights, such as the right to property (Article 300A), the right to equality (Article14), and the right to privacy (Article 21). It critically examines the legal framework surrounding digital land governance, including the Digital India Land Records Modernization Programme (DILRMP), and assesses the role of the state in ensuring due process and procedural fairness in land titling. The article further investigates ethical concerns related to data security, digital exclusion, and misuse of state power in a technologically evolving land record system. Case laws such as Rajiv Sarin v. State of Uttarakhand and K.S. Puttaswamy v. Union of India are analyzed to contextualize judicial interpretation of property and data rights. The study emphasizes the need for robust legislative safeguards and inclusive digital policies to uphold constitutional guarantees while modernizing land record systems in India.

Keywords:

Digital Land Records, Constitutional Law, Property Rights, Article 300A, Right to Privacy, Article 21, Article 14, Digital Exclusion, Data Security, Rajiv Sarin Case, Puttaswamy Judgement, E- Governance, Digital India.