The Authority will maintain records of all transactions. It will be an autonomous statutory body, headed by a chairperson, having "not less than three members".

Chief Secretary Rakesh Mehta said the government wants to replace the practice of deed registration with title registration. He also said the Union Urban Development Ministry has asked the state to prepare a similar blueprint for the rest of the country.

The Bill mentions: "Lack of conclusiveness of land titles has become a growth constraint for real estate development in India." It adds: "Considering the potential of the real estate development in India and especially in Delhi, it is strongly felt that an electronic system of dealing with title records of immovable properties should be introduced."

The Bill is based on a USAID project carried out on behalf of the state government. The USAID report had stated that due to the absence of a title registration system, title (ownership), possessor rights (such as lease) and other property rights are not readily verifiable.

Government officials said this system is followed in developed countries. It will facilitate property transactions, encourage investment, and reduce disputes and uncertainty over ownership.

The USAID report said buyers and mortgagers always face a risk if there is difficulty in proving the ownership of a property. There is also a risk to banks and housing finance companies they may be unable to foreclose a mortgage. Moreover, many households are unable to prove legitimate ownership and are often not able to access mortgage finance. This, in turn, deprives banks and finance companies of a significant part of the potential market.

The absence of a verifiable titling and record system has led to excessive litigation in the city, said a senior government official. He said: "The number of property disputes, particularly over ownership of a plot, is one of the highest in Delhi."