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Section 52: Duties of registering officer when document presented

Registration Act • Official Statutory Text & Practice Guide

Statutory Regulation
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Competent Court / Tribunal
Act 1908
Section 51 All 93 Sections of Registration Act Section 53

Legal Commentary & Landmark Judgments: Section 52

Section 52 prescribes the day-and-hour endorsement duties of the registering officer upon presentation of a document, mandating issuance of a formal statutory receipt and secure preservation in the registry.

  • Day and Hour Endorsement: Registering officer shall endorse on every document the day, hour, and place on which the same is presented, and the signature of the person presenting it.
  • Statutory Receipt: A receipt for the document shall be given to the person presenting the same, recording document particulars and fee paid.
  • Order of Copying: Documents admitted to registration shall without unnecessary delay be copied into the appropriate register book in order of admission.
  • Preservation & Return: The document is safely preserved until copying and formal registration endorsements under Section 60 are completed.
Key Landmark Precedents:
  • Gurbax Singh v. Kartar Singh, (2002) 2 SCC 611: The Supreme Court noted that the day-and-hour endorsement under Section 52 establishes the exact time of presentation, which governs priority of registration under Section 47.
  • Ameen v. State of Kerala, 2022 SCC OnLine SC 1191: Reaffirmed that the registering officer must issue a receipt and cannot refuse to receive a document presented in compliance with Section 52.
Courtroom Practice & Strategic Litigation Guidance:

Always obtain and retain the original Section 52 presentation receipt; it serves as conclusive legal proof of the date of presentation and is required to claim the original registered deed upon release.

Section 51 All 93 Sections of Registration Act Section 53