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A village accountant or karanam (Andhra Pradesh), patwari (Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Telangana, West Bengal), patowary (Assam), talati (Gujarat, Karnataka, Maharashtra), lekhpal (Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand), village officer (Kerala) is a government role in rural areas of the Indian subcontinent. Introduced during the early 16th century, it was maintained by the British Raj. The official, as a representative of the state, is responsible for keeping land records, agricultural records and collecting taxes and acting as the revenue police in certain areas where they were given special jurisdiction.
They are Revenue Village-level revenue officials responsible for maintaining land records, collecting land revenue, and assisting in land surveys and verification. While the titles vary across states, their functions are broadly similar.
In 1814, duties of the Talati included preserving village records, monitoring daily activities, and gathering information about individuals (including and other village elites). The 1882 Gazetteer of the Bombay Presidency records the Talati as a village accountant, in charge of eight to ten villages, whose annual salary was £12-£18 (Rs. 120–180). The Talati was expected to live in one of the villages and visit each village every month to learn villagers needs and report them to the sub-divisional manager at the sub-divisional office. The Talati was also required to give each landholder an account with the landholder's dues. In August 1891, a talati salary was recorded as low.
In 1884, Mountstuart Elphinstone was reported as saying that the talati promoted the government but reduced the authority of the patel; Elphinstone recommended minimising the interference. The appointment of a talati was viewed negatively by village chiefs, who saw him as a government representative in the absence of a kulkarni or Vatandar. The talati was also involved in collecting annual census data after Mrigashīrsha. Talatis are known as patwari in Bengal, karanam in Andhra Pradesh and North India, and kanakku pillai in Tamil villages.
Among the administration, the talati has the closest connection with the villagers. Generally in charge of a group of villages known as a saza, they are required to reside in the saza unless authorized by the Collector; however, most talatis were found to be in violation of the rule. Part of the Brahmin caste in most cases, the talati is generally considered a representative of the government.
As the lowest state functionary in the revenue-collection system, their job encompasses visiting agricultural lands and maintaining a record of ownership and tilth. The government of India has developed a Patwary Information System (PATIS), software which was deployed in at least two districts by 2005; deployment at the tehsil level is underway. (2025). 9780761933472, Sage Publications India. ISBN 9780761933472 A patwari reports to the tehsildar, a higher-level tax officer. A patwari can wield significant power and influence, and corrupt patwaris have escaped punishment due to their political connections. They have three main duties:
In the hilly regions of Indian state of Uttarakhand, British administration had given additional law enforcement powers and functions to patwaris. Known as income police, these officials continue to have the primary jurisdiction of law and order in these areas.
In India and Pakistan, jamabandi are land records maintained for each village in a tehsil (township). Jambandi Haryana , Haryana Revenue Department. Belgaum Jamabandi . A jamabandi includes the name of the owners, the area of cultivation (or land), owner shares, and other rights. It is revised periodically. A jamabandi is prepared by a patwari, and certified by the division revenue officer. Two copies are made: one for the government's record room, and the other for the patwari. In a number of states, land records have been computerized and are available on the Internet.
Lal Dora, a term introduced by the British Raj in 1908, is a red line drawn on revenue maps that delineates the village population from nearby agricultural land. It enables villagers to build houses without the Change in Land Use (CLU) authorization which would otherwise be needed to convert agricultural land to commercial or residential use. What is Lal Dora , Daily Pioneer, 11 June 2013.
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