Sri Lankan experience in introducing land titling

Jayathilake, W.M. & P.M.P. Udayakantha

There was a systematic procedure for land registration in place in 1800. Due to the difficulties in survey of lands, this process did not continue and in 1863, with the introduction of Registration of Documents Ordinance, situation changed. Transactions on Lands (Deeds) were registered instead of registration of Land or the Title. Registrar Generalls Department is entrusted with the registration activity. It was well known that this system has inherent weaknesses but as there was no alternative at the time. In the meantime several attempts were made but no success was achieved due to complexity in land ownership and problems in surveying all land parcels. Several attempts have been made subsequently to introduce land titling but did not produce successful results. There have been three Land Commissions appointed and operated in Sri Lanka. In all three their reports it was strongly recommended that a systematic registration of Title should take place in order to establish a strong registration system to strengthen the land ownership and rights, ensure reliability of transactions, utility of land as a capital generating instrument and to provide an opportunity for scientific land management.

Event: Decision Makers Meeting on Good Administration of Land in Asia and the Pacific : Land Administration for Poverty Reduction and Economic growth

Document type:Sri Lankan experience in introducing land titling (53 kB - pdf)