The Uttar Pradesh Revenue Code (Amendment) Bill, 2026 was introduced in the State Legislative Assembly on 4 August 2026. It replaces ordinances promulgated earlier this year and amends Section 80(8) of the Uttar Pradesh Revenue Code, 2006, the provision under which agricultural land is declared for non-agricultural use. It is deemed to have come into force on 8 April 2026.
What changed
Under the new proviso, where land lies in the notified area of a development authority, industrial development authority, regulated area, special area development authority or the UP Housing and Development Board, and a building permission, development permission or layout plan approval has already been granted under the relevant State law, that approval is treated as a declaration under Section 80(2).
After a prescribed inquiry, the entry must be recorded in the revenue records within fifteen days. No fee is to be charged for this declaration. The Bill repeals the earlier ordinances (Nos. 6 and 14 of 2026) and saves action taken under them.
Why it matters
Developers and landowners have long faced a two-step process: a building or layout approval from the authority, and a separate Section 80 declaration from the revenue side, which could take months. Lenders and buyers often insisted on both. The amendment removes the second step where a valid approval exists.
It does not change planning law. Land use under the master plan must still permit the proposed use, and approvals under the UP Urban Planning and Development Act, 1973 or the UP Industrial Area Development Act, 1976 remain necessary. Commentators have also noted that the Revenue Code Rules, 2016 had not, at the time, been amended to set out the inquiry procedure, so practice at tehsil level may vary. In Noida, Greater Noida and YEIDA, where most land is acquired and leased, the change will matter mainly for private land within notified areas.
Practical points
- Where a sanctioned building or layout plan exists, ask the tehsil to record the deemed declaration within the fifteen-day window and keep a copy of the entry.
- For due diligence, check both the approval and the revenue record entry; one without the other may still be questioned.
- Do not pay a declaration fee that the amendment says is not chargeable without seeking written reasons.
- Land outside notified authority areas remains under the existing Section 80 procedure.
Sources: PRS Legislative Research (Bill text), Aug 2026; Free Press Journal, 23 Mar 2026.
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General legal information only; not legal advice or solicitation.
