Document Guide · Andaman & Nicobar

How to Check Tribal Reserve Area in Andaman & Nicobar — Complete Guide 2026

Tribal Reserve Andaman is a legally notified zone where outsiders face a total bar on entry and land purchase under the Protection of Aboriginal Tribes Regulation, 1956. Tribal reserves in Andaman and Nicobar cover large island areas with no exceptions for private buyers. This guide covers the law, verification steps, and what to check before any transaction.

Quick Reference

Also calledReserved Area, PAT Reserve, Aboriginal Tribal Reserve

Issued byTribal Welfare Department, Andaman and Nicobar Administration

Valid forPermanent notification unless de-notified by Lieutenant Governor

CostNo fee for status verification;

Time takenConfirm with Tribal Welfare Department ANN.

Online portalandaman.nic.in

notePurchase of any interest in land inside a tribal reserve by an outsider is void under Section 6 of PAT Regulation 1956. This applies to Indian citizens and foreign nationals equally.

What is Tribal Reserve Area in Andaman and Nicobar?

Definition

A Tribal Reserve Area in Andaman is a zone declared by the Lieutenant Governor under Section 3 of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands (Protection of Aboriginal Tribes) Regulation, 1956, to protect aboriginal tribes. Within a reserved area, outsiders cannot enter, own land, or conduct business without prior sanction from the Chief Commissioner.

Six tribes are recognised under PAT 1956: Andamanese, Jarawas, Onges, Sentinelese, Nicobarese, and Shom Pens. Each tribe has designated reserved areas. These are not boundaries on a general map. They are legally notified zones, gazetted by the administration, with criminal consequences for violation. North Sentinel Island is a tribal reserve. So is 853 sq km of Great Nicobar Island. The Jarawa Reserve in South and Middle Andaman runs along the Andaman Trunk Road.

Section 6 of PAT 1956 is the clause that matters most for buyers. No outsider can acquire any interest in land inside a reserved area. No outsider can carry on trade or business there. The law does not provide a private purchase route, regardless of whether a seller is willing. Even a registered sale deed inside a tribal reserve carries no legal validity. The administration has prosecuted land transactions in violation of this section, and courts have upheld the prohibition without exception.

State-specific note: Tribal reserves in Andaman carry a complete entry and purchase bar for all outsiders. No sale deed, no court order, and no administrative assurance can override Section 6 of PAT 1956. Verify reserve status before signing anything.

How to Get Tribal Reserve Status Verification in Andaman: Step-by-Step

There is no online self-check portal for tribal reserve boundaries in Andaman as of 2026. Verification requires direct contact with the Tribal Welfare Department. Have the land survey number and island name ready before visiting.

Online method (recommended)

Check andaman

nic.in Go to andaman.nic.in and navigate to the Tribal Welfare Department section. Some gazetted notifications listing reserved area boundaries are published here. Search by island name.

Cross-Check with Revenue Records Access land records through the South Andaman Deputy Commissioner's office portal

Revenue maps sometimes mark reserve boundaries. Absence of a marking is not confirmation of non-reserve status.

Reserve boundaries are defined in gazette notifications, not on standard revenue maps. The gazette is the only authoritative source.

Request Written Confirmation Email or write to the Tribal Welfare Department, Andaman and Nicobar Administration, Port Blair, citing the survey number and requesting written confirmation of reserve status

Obtain No-Objection in Writing If the plot is confirmed outside a tribal reserve, request a written non-reserve status letter

Confirm format and fee with Tribal Welfare Department ANN.

Offline method (Sub-Registrar Office)

Visit Tribal Welfare Department Go to the Tribal Welfare Department office, Port Blair

Carry survey documents, patta copy, and location map showing the plot relative to island coastline.

State Your Query in Writing Submit a written query asking whether the identified survey number falls within any gazetted tribal reserved area under PAT 1956

Check Gazette Notification Ask the officer to show you the gazette notification for any reserved area on that island

This is the primary legal document. Match your plot's location against the notified boundary.

Collect Written Confirmation Insist on a dated, signed letter stating the plot's reserve status

Verbal clearance from any official holds no legal value.

Revenue officials and Sub-Registrars are not the right authorities here. Only the Tribal Welfare Department or the Deputy Commissioner can confirm reserve status under PAT 1956.

What Does a Tribal Reserve Area Certificate Contain in Andaman?

A tribal reserve status document or confirmation letter from the Tribal Welfare Department records the following fields.

Field	Description	What to Verify
Reserved Area Name	The official name of the tribal reserve as gazetted	Match against the gazette notification, not the revenue map
Gazette Notification Number	The official notification declaring the area a reserve	Verify on indiacode.nic.in or andaman.nic.in gazette archive
Tribe Covered	Which aboriginal tribe the reserve protects	Each tribe has a separate reserve; confirm which applies to that island
Geographic Boundary Description	The notified limits of the reserved area	Compare against survey sketch; any overlap means the plot is inside the reserve
Survey Numbers Included	Specific survey numbers falling within the reserve, if listed	Cross-check your plot's survey number against this list
De-notification Status	Whether any part of the reserve has been de-notified	Check gazette for de-notification order; absence of de-notification means the restriction stands

Good sign: The Tribal Welfare Department letter is dated, signed by an authorised officer, cites the gazette notification number, and explicitly states that the plot's survey number falls outside any notified tribal reserve under PAT 1956.

Common Issues With Tribal Reserve Andaman in Land Transactions

These are the mistakes that have burned buyers in Andaman.

Seller Claims Land is Outside Reserve Without Documentation Sellers routinely state that a plot is outside any tribal reserve without producing gazette evidence

This is not enough. Reserve boundaries are in gazette notifications, not in seller declarations.

Fix: Ask for the gazette notification number for that island. Cross-check boundaries yourself.

Revenue Records Show No Reserve Marking Revenue maps in Andaman do not consistently mark tribal reserve boundaries

A clean revenue record does not mean the land is outside a reserve.

Fix: Go directly to the Tribal Welfare Department. Revenue records are not the authoritative source for reserve status.

Sale Deed Registered Despite Reserve Status Sub-Registrars have, in some cases, registered sale deeds without verifying tribal reserve status

Registration does not make the transaction legal. Section 6 of PAT 1956 overrides a registered deed.

Fix: Verify reserve status before registration, not after. A registered deed inside a tribal reserve is void, not voidable.

Land Marketed Near Jarawa or Onge Reserve Boundaries Land near the Andaman Trunk Road corridor has been marketed without disclosing proximity to the Jarawa Reserve

Even plots adjacent to a reserve can trigger legal complications if boundaries are disputed.

Fix: Get written confirmation from the Tribal Welfare Department specifically for plots near any designated tribal area on South or Middle Andaman.

De-notification Assumed for Infrastructure Corridors Buyers have assumed that land near the Great Nicobar project corridor was available post-de-notification

De-notification happened for a specific government project, not for private sale.

Fix: Confirm current reserve status directly with the Tribal Welfare Department. Project-related de-notification does not open land to private buyers.

Why Tribal Reserve Andaman Matters for Land Buyers

No land restriction in Andaman is more absolute than tribal reserve status.

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Purchase is Void, Not Just Restricted Land inside a tribal reserve cannot be purchased by any outsider, period

The transaction is not merely restricted; it is legally void under Section 6 of PAT 1956. No amount of money paid, no registered deed, and no possession changes that.

⚠

Entry is Also Banned The outsider land purchase ban in Andaman tribal zones comes with a matching entry prohibition

Going onto a tribal reserve without the Chief Commissioner's sanction is itself a criminal offence. Buyers who visit such plots to inspect them may already be in violation.

🏦

Banks Will Not Finance It No lender will sanction a loan against land inside or adjacent to a tribal reserve

Due diligence teams flag reserve status at the title verification stage. A buyer who discovers reserve status after paying the seller has no recourse.

🔍

Andaman-specific: PAT 1956 Has No Equivalent Elsewhere This law exists only for Andaman and Nicobar

Buyers who have purchased coastal or rural land in other Indian states have no frame of reference for it. The prohibition applies to Indian citizens and foreign nationals alike. There is no workaround.

Red flag: If a seller cannot show a written Tribal Welfare Department confirmation that the plot is outside any gazetted tribal reserve, treat the land as restricted. Gazette notifications, not seller assurances, are the only legal proof.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is Tribal Reserve Andaman and does it affect land buyers?

Tribal Reserve Andaman is a gazetted zone under PAT Regulation 1956 where all outsider entry and land purchase are banned. Any sale deed executed inside a tribal reserve is legally void. It affects every buyer looking at land in Andaman, regardless of nationality or intent.

Can outsiders buy land inside a tribal reserve in Andaman?

No. Section 6 of PAT 1956 prohibits any outsider from acquiring any interest in land inside a reserved area. Registration of a sale deed does not override this. The transaction is void from the start, not merely challengeable later.

How do I check if a plot is inside a tribal reserve in Andaman?

Visit the Tribal Welfare Department in Port Blair and request written confirmation citing your survey number. Cross-check against the gazette notification for that island. Revenue maps are not sufficient for this verification.

Which islands in Andaman have tribal reserves?

Major reserves include North Sentinel Island (Sentinelese), areas of South and Middle Andaman along the Jarawa Reserve, Little Andaman (Onge), and 853 sq km of Great Nicobar Island (Nicobarese and Shompen).

What happens if someone buys land inside a tribal reserve in Andaman?

The purchase is legally void under Section 6 of PAT 1956. The buyer gets no valid title. Depending on the circumstances, entry onto the reserve may also constitute a criminal offence. There is no legal path to regularise such a transaction.

Who issues tribal reserve status confirmation in Andaman?

The Tribal Welfare Department under the Andaman and Nicobar Administration is the authorised body. The Deputy Commissioner's office may also confirm status. Sub-Registrars and revenue officials are not the right authorities for this verification.

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