Uttarakhand enforces stringent law restricting sale of land after governor approves
Only Haridwar and Udham Singh Nagar are exempt from the new restrictions, though sales there will require state government approval rather than district-level authorisation
Dehradun: Uttarakhand’s revised land law, effectively banning the sale of agricultural and horticultural land to outsiders across most of the state, has officially come into effect following governor Lt Gen (retd) Gurmit Singh’s approval, a statement released on Thursday evening by the state government said.
The Uttarakhand state assembly and the cabinet passed the stringent amendments to the land law in February this year.
“With this law, the uncontrolled sale of agricultural and horticultural land in Uttarakhand has been completely banned, aligning with the sentiments of the people. For purposes such as residential use, education, hospitals, hotels, and industries, individuals from other states will now need to follow a strict process and meet the standards set by the law,” chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said.
He said that the law is a “preventive measure” against demographic shifts in the region. “The implementation of this strict land law will curb attempts to alter the state’s demographic composition. I thank the Governor for approving this crucial legislation, which reinforces Uttarakhand’s cultural and social identity,” said Dhami, adding actions are being taken against the people violating the provisions of the Land Act.
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“A comprehensive campaign is being run and such lands are being vested in the state government,” he said.
The new legislation, formally titled ‘Uttarakhand (Uttar Pradesh Zamindari Abolition and Land Reforms Act, 1950) (Amendment) Act, 2025’, permits non-residents to purchase only 250 square metres of residential land, with strict one-purchase-per-family restrictions. Only two districts - Haridwar and Udham Singh Nagar - are exempt from the new restrictions, though sales there will require state government approval rather than district-level authorisation.
All district magistrates will have to submit reports related to land purchase to the state revenue council and the state government. The land falling under the municipal limits can be used only according to the prescribed land use. If a person uses the land against the rules, then that land will be vested in the government.