Punjab Board of Revenue restores Commissioners’ revision powers in land partition cases

The Punjab Board of Revenue has issued a clarification restoring the revision powers of Commissioners in land partition cases under the Punjab

LAHORE: The Punjab Board of Revenue has issued a clarification restoring the revision powers of Commissioners in land partition cases under the Punjab Land Revenue Act, 1967, bringing an end to confusion over the authority of divisional-level revenue officers to hear such matters.

According to an official letter issued by the Board of Revenue on October 1, 2026, the earlier instructions regarding the implementation of the Punjab Land Revenue Act, 1967 have been partially modified. The letter has been circulated to all Commissioners and Deputy Commissioners across Punjab.

The clarification, issued under letter No. BOR/Rev/0/28105/10184, was signed by Secretary Revenue, Board of Revenue Punjab, Shafqat Ullah Mushtaq.

The latest order modifies an earlier office letter, No. BOR/AinM/InM/O/260803/0022, dated August 3, 2026, issued by the Secretary of the Audit, Inspection and Monitoring Wing of the Board of Revenue.

Under the new instructions, the words indicating that revision before Commissioners had been omitted from the section dealing with partition of land and instruments of partition and transfer of possession are to be deleted.

The Board has further clarified that Commissioners may continue to hear and decide revision petitions filed under sub-section (2) of Section 164 of the Punjab Land Revenue Act, 1967, as amended in 2026, until further orders.

The clarification also directs Commissioners to hear and decide revision petitions already pending before them in accordance with the applicable law and rules.

The Board of Revenue stated that all other guidelines and instructions contained in its earlier letter of August 3 would remain unchanged and continue to be followed.

The latest development comes after the August instructions created uncertainty regarding the forum where revision petitions arising from land partition proceedings could be filed. The reference to revision before Commissioners being omitted led to questions among lawyers, litigants and revenue officials about whether Commissioners could continue exercising powers under Section 164(2).

Land partition cases, commonly referred to as taqseem matters, often involve disputes among joint owners concerning the division, possession and transfer of jointly held property. Such proceedings can also arise in connection with inheritance and other ownership-related disputes.

The new clarification provides a specific direction to field formations and confirms the continuation of the Commissioners’ role in deciding revision petitions under the relevant provision of the Punjab Land Revenue Act.

The Board has instructed the concerned authorities to ensure compliance with the latest clarification. Pending revision petitions before Commissioners are to be dealt with according to law and the applicable rules.

The restoration of the revision mechanism is expected to provide greater procedural clarity for landowners, lawyers and revenue officials dealing with partition disputes across Punjab. It also establishes that, for the time being, Commissioners will continue to exercise the revision jurisdiction provided under Section 164(2), unless further instructions are issued by the competent authority.

The October 1 clarification therefore replaces the disputed portion of the August instructions while keeping the remaining directions intact, providing a clearer framework for the handling of revision petitions in land partition and related possession matters.