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Section 51

Register-books to be kept in the several offices

(1)
The following books shall be kept in the several offices hereinafter named, namely:— A—In all registration offices— Book 1, “Register of non-testamentary documents relating to immovable property”; Book 2, “Record of reasons for refusal to register”; Book 3, “Register of wills and authorities to adopt”; and Book 4, “Miscellaneous Register”. B—In the offices of Registrars— Book 5, “Register of deposits of wills”;
(2)
In Book 1 shall be entered or filed all documents or memoranda registered under sections 17, 18 and 89 which relate to immovable property, and are not wills.
(3)
In Book 4 shall be entered all documents registered under clauses (d) and (f) of section 18 which do not relate to immovable property.
(4)
Nothing in this section shall be deemed to require more than one set of books where the office of the Registrar has been amalgamated with the office of a Sub-Registrar.
State amendments (5 · Karnataka, Tripura, Kerala, Orissa, Uttarakhand)

These are amendments made by State legislatures to this section as it applies in that State. The central text above remains the base law; verify the current local text against the State gazette.

Karnataka[Vide Karnataka Act 55 of 1976, s. 8]

Amendment of section 51.--In Section 51 of the principal Act, for clause (c) of sub-section (1), the following clause shall be substituted, namely:-- (a) for sub-section (2), the following sub-section shall be substituted, namely:- "(2) In Book No.1 shall be filed,- (i) true copies of all documents; and (ii) all memoranda registered under sections 17, 18 and 89 which relate to immovable property, and are not wills.";

(b)
in sub-section (3), for the words "entered all documents", the words "filed true copies of all documents" shall be substituted;
(c)
after sub-section (4), the following sub-section shall be inserted, namely:- "(5) If, in the opinion of the Registrar, any of the books mentioned in sub-section (1) is in danger of being destroyed, or becoming illegible wholly or partially, the Registrar may, by a written order, direct such book or such portion thereof as he thinks fit, to be recopied and authenticated in such manner as may be prescribed under section 69, and the copy prepared and authenticated under such direction shall for the purposes of this Act, be deemed to have taken the place of and to be the original book or portion and all references in this Act, to the original book or portion shall be deemed to be references to the book or portion so prepared and authenticated."
Tripura[Vide Tripura Act 7 of 1982, s. 6]

Amendment of Section 51.-In section 51 of the principal Act,- (a) for sub-section (2), the following sub-section shall be substituted, namely:-

(2)
In Book I shall be (i) pasted true copied of all documents and (ii) filed all memoranda registered under Section 17, 18 and 89 which relate to immovable property, and are not wills and (b) in sub-section (3), for the word “entered”, the words “pasted true copies of” shall be substituted.
Kerala[Vide kerala Act 7 of 1968, s. 7]

Amendment of section 51.-In section 51 of th3 principal Act,- (a) for sub-section (2) the following sub-section shall be substituted, namely:- “(2) In Book I shall be filed--- (i) true copies of all documents; and (ii) all memoranda, Registered under sections 17, 18 and 89 which related to immovable property, and are not wills.” (b) in sub-section (3), for the words “entered all documents”, the words “filed true copies of all documents” shall be substituted.”

Orissa[Vide Orissa Act 14 of 1989, s. 6]

Amendment of section 51.—In the Principal Act, in section 51,— (a) for sub-section (2), the following sub-section shall be substituted , namely:— “(2) In Book I shall be filed,— (i) true copies of all documents; and (ii) all memoranda registered under sections 17, 18 and 89 which relate to immovable property and are not wills.”;

(b)
in sub-section (3), for the “entered all documents”, the words “filed true copies of all documents”, shall be substituted;
(c)
after sub-section (4), the following sub-section shall be inserted, namely:— “(5) If in the opinion of the Register any of the books mentioned in sub-section (1) is in danger of being destroyed or becoming illegible wholly or partly, the registrar may, by written be recopied and authenticated in such manner as may be prescribed under section 69 and the copy so prepared and authenticated under such direction shall, for the purpose of this Act and of the Evidence Act, 1872 be deemed to have taken the place of, and to be, the original book or portion, as the case may be, and all references in this Act to the original book or portion shall be deemed to be reference to the book or portion so prepared and authenticated.
(6)
Notwithstanding anything contained in this Act, copies of any of the books mentioned in sub-section (1) or any portion of such books prepared and authenticated before the commencement of the Registration ( Orissa Amendment) Act, 1989 in pursuance of an order of the Registrar or the Inspector-General of Registration, shall, for the purposes of this Act, and of the Evidence Act, 1872 be deemed to have taken the place of, and to be, the original book or portion, as the case may be, and all references in this Act to the original book or portion shall be deemed to be references to the book or portion so prepared and authenticated”.
Uttarakhand[Vide Uttarakhand Act 24 of 2014, s. 9]

Amendment of section 51.— In placed of sub-sections (2), (3) and (5) of section 51 of the Principal Act, the following sub-section shall be substituted as follows; namely:- "(2) In Book 1, shall be filed true copies of all documents or memoranda registered under sections 17, 18 and 89 which relate to immovable property, and are not wills;

Proviso

Provided that where Book is in electronic form, all documents, other than wills, registered under aforesaid sections or true copies thereof, as the case may be, or memoranda shall be scanned in it and a printout, thereof shall be kept permanently in Book 1,

(3)
In Book 4, shall be filed true copies of all documents registered under clauses (d) and (f) of section 18 which do not relate to immovable property;
Proviso

Provided that where Book is in electronic form, all documents registered under the aforesaid clauses or their true copies, as the case may be, shall be scanned in it and a printout thereof shall be kept permanently in Book 4.

(5)
Where due to fire, tempest, flood, excessive rainfall, violence of any army or mob, or other irresistible force and for any other reason or all of the books specified in sub-section (1) are destroyed, or become illegible either wholly or partially, and the State Government is of the opinion that it is necessary, or expedient so to do it may, by order, direct such book or such portion thereof, as it thinks fit, to be re-copied, authenticated, or reconstructed in such manner as may be prescribed, and the copy so prepared, authenticated or reconstructed, shall for the purposes of this Act, and of the Indian Evidence Act, 1872, be deemed to have taken the place of, and to be the original book or portion.”