In Chennai, 20-25 Non-Traceable Certificates are issued a month by the Police Department, the list generally released on Thursdays. Sought by those who have lost any original property-related document or misplaced an educational certificate that cannot be traced, getting a Non-Traceable Certificate serves as an official document in such cases.

The Certificate is required to be submitted to apply for a duplicate copy to get claims and for other government-related transaction or to prevent any fraud.

In April 2022, then Director General of Police, C. Sylendra Babu, issued a circular listing out various guidelines that should be followed by the petitioner while seeking such a certificate, along with timelines that should be followed by the police department as well.

Many a time, the entire exercise extends for months with various departments including police station in the petitioner’s area of jurisdiction, Sub Registrar Office and Central Crime Record Bureau in the picture.

Documents to submit

The petitioner is required to furnish certified copies of the documents that are lost (obtained within a month prior to the presentation of the petition at the police station from the Sub Registrar Office concerned). Along with this, a recent photograph of the petitioner, a copy of the Aadhar Card, Voter ID or Passport; and newspaper advertisements placed in an English and a vermicular paper are to be submitted.

In case of death of the legal owner of the property, his or her legal heir should present the petition along with death certificate issued by a local body and legal heir certificate issued by designated Revenue Authority.

An encumbrance certificate for the property in question, for the last 20 years or from the date of registration of missing document, obtained from the Sub Registrar office, must also be furnished.

The petitioner is also required to submit an undertaking along with the petition that if the missing document is traced later, the Station House Officer (SHO) will be intimated who in turn has to inform the Sub Registrar Office.

Once an application is submitted, the Station House Officer (SHO) issues a CSR to the petitioner.

Later, a letter addressed to the Deputy Superintendent of Police/ Assistant Commissioner of Police of the DCRB/CCRB is sent informing loss of document along with a certificate.

This is followed by publishing the matter in Crime and Occurrence Sheet within a week from the date of receipt of the letter from the SHO.

The circular insists all police stations to paste it on its notice board and state police website and CCTNS citizen portal to post the circular.

Applications for issuing a Non-Traceable Certificate are also accepted online.

Experience from a resident: ‘A process that consumes time, induces tedium’

From my own experience, I can say the procedures involved in getting a Non-Traceable Certificate is tiring, time-consuming and tedious.

I been running around for the last nine months to get the Certificate (CSR No 778 2025) despite producing all supporting documents.

Three officers who were handling my case were transferred and I am back to square one. Now, the new police officers at Thirumangalam Police Station who have taken charge are asking all the documents again as those filed with the officers are not found. I cite this experience not to meet my ends but to help other petitioners who will be desperately running behind these three agencies, namely the Station House Officer (SHO), Commissioner of Police Office (CPO) and Sub-Registrar’s Office (SRO).

The current system must be amended. For instance, the petitioner may be directed to file their petition with the Magistrate Court with all supportive documents, which could then be forwarded to the police station concerned, with proper instructions for action and report within a stipulated time. The magistrate on receipt of the report with all supportive documents can issue the ‘Non Traceable Certificate” instead of the SHO doing it.

General information on the procedures and documents required should be made available with every police station. The police personnel at stations are not familiar with the procedures and need proper orientation. The officer should also give acknowledgement for the documents received from the complainant as supportive documents for the loss of property documents also get lost at the police stations.

C.B. Paul Chellakumar is a resident of 13th Main Road, Anna Nagar