PATNA, Jan. 28 -- The Patna High Court has ruled that a person's land title is not affected by changes of that person's name in municipal records. The ruling is significant in that it comes during Bihar's ongoing special land survey.

"Title flows from transfer as well as devolution of holding, which can only be adjudicated in a properly framed title suit. However, a person who is in possession of a holding is liable to pay holding tax," said the bench of Justice Purnendu Singh in its order uploaded last week.

The ruling came during a hearing of nine petitioners from Khagaria district, who wanted their various land holdings - gairmajarua khas, baksat and sarvasta land - to be officially reclassified as raiyatee land in the ongoing survey...