The Bihar government has implemented a major policy change regarding the role of police in land disputes. Effective from February 1, 2026, the police department has been strictly prohibited from direct intervention in land-related matters. This announcement was made by Deputy Chief Minister and Revenue Minister Dr. Vijay Kumar Sinha to curb arbitrary actions in civil disputes. The Home Department and Revenue Department have issued a joint order to all districts to ensure these rules are followed immediately.
What are the new restrictions for police officers?
The new guidelines clearly state that the primary role of the police is limited to maintaining law and order. Officers are no longer allowed to help any party take possession of land or oversee construction activities. The police cannot stand by to assist in building boundary walls unless there is a specific order from a competent authority. The government has warned that any police officer found intervening in land matters without a valid order will face strict disciplinary action. While police can still use Section 107 and 116 to maintain peace, these cannot be used as a tool to interfere in the actual dispute.
New procedure for handling land cases
To ensure transparency, the government has mandated a strict process for recording land disputes at police stations. Every complaint must be entered into the station diary with complete details including the names of both parties and land specifications like Khata, Khesra, and area. The Station House Officer is now required to share this information with the Circle Officer (CO) immediately. To improve coordination between departments, the following steps have been made mandatory:
- Station In-charge must send written information to the CO via email or portal.
- Weekly coordination meetings will be held every Saturday between the CO and police station in-charge.
- The station diary entry must mention which revenue court has jurisdiction over the case.
- Progress reports of these meetings will be uploaded to the departmental portal.
