6,500 Leave and Licence Agreements Await Registration in Pune, PCMC

• Registration backlog grows as tenants rush to complete police verification and formalise rental arrangements

Pune : Thousands of tenants and landlords in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad are facing delays in registering Leave and Licence agreements, with nearly 6,500 documents reportedly awaiting processing at sub-registrar offices across the region.

The issue has become a concern for tenants who depend on registered rental agreements as proof of residence for several official and personal requirements. The Association of Service Providers has also alleged that some applicants have complained of being asked for money to speed up the registration process.

Pune’s large student, IT professional and competitive-exam aspirant population means a substantial number of residents live in rented houses. A registered Leave and Licence agreement is therefore frequently required for purposes such as RTE admissions, bank accounts, vehicle purchases, passport applications, marriage registration, gas connections and housing society admissions. The document is also used for GST registration and obtaining various licences for commercial establishments.

According to the association, the backlog has increased amid a push for compulsory police verification of tenants. The Home Department has directed police to initiate action against landlords and tenants who have failed to complete the verification process. As more people move to regularise their rental arrangements, the existing workload at registration offices has reportedly increased.

Representatives of the Association of Service Providers recently met Pune division Deputy Inspector General Abhay Singh Mohite and brought the registration delays to his attention. Association president Sachin Shingvi said they were assured that steps would be taken to clear the pending applications within a week and improve facilities for citizens.

The number of online Leave and Licence registrations has risen considerably since provisions under the rent control law came into effect. Although applicants can complete much of the process online, including payment of stamp duty and registration charges, the final processing at sub-registrar offices has emerged as a bottleneck.

Online Leave and Licence documents are processed through Sub-Registrar Offices 1 to 27 in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad, along with Haveli No. 28 at the new administrative building. Applicants submit the required documents online and pay the applicable stamp duty and registration fees before the registration process is completed by the concerned office.

The association estimates that around 10 to 15 offices are handling backlogs of nearly 1,500 documents each. It said the accumulated workload has taken the total number of pending Leave and Licence agreements to approximately 6,500, causing inconvenience to citizens who need the documents for residence and other official purposes.