BENGALURU: The Karnataka govt’s initiative to digitize property transactions by making e-khata mandatory for registration has run into technical glitches, resulting in a 95% decline in registrations, particularly in Bengaluru, Mangaluru and Mysuru.
The sharp drop comes at a time when the stamps and registration department is attempting to ratchet up revenues by keeping select sub-registrar offices open on weekends. In the first two quarters of this fiscal, property registrations increased by 5% over last year, raking in Rs 11,550 crore, up from Rs 9,419 crore in the same period last year.
The e-khata was made mandatory in September to check fraudulent transactions. The system was launched on Sept 9 in four districts, was expanded to eight districts on Sept 23 and rest of the state by Oct 7. “Normally, a sub-registrar office registers 50-60 properties a day. It has fallen to mere five to six,” said a sub-registrar in Bengaluru, referencing to teething problems in the e-khata mandate.
Of Karnataka’s 257 sub-registrar offices, only 26 in Bengaluru are exempt from the e-khata mandate. Bengaluru city has 43 sub-registrar offices spread across five registration districts. At present, e-khata is mandatory in Basavanagudi (which has seven sub-registrar offices) and Gandhinagar, which has 10. Implementation is set to extend to three additional districts — Jayanagar, Rajajinagar and Shivajinagar — next week.
Local bodies are responsible for issuing e-khata documents, which serve as legal proof of property ownership for tax payments.
BBMP has published draft e-khatas online for Bengaluru, which has 2.1 million properties. To secure the final e-khata, property owners must download the draft and submit electronic IDs, including the sale deed, Aadhaar e-KYC, a 10-digit Bescom number, GPS details, and a photograph of the property, along with encumbrance details. However, numerous issues —ranging from reported glitches on the portal to a general lack of awareness among citizens —have hindered many from acquiring their e-khatas.
In response to the ongoing issues, revenue minister Krishna Byre Gowda convened a meeting with BBMP and revenue officials and acknowledged the challenges, particularly in Bengaluru.
“I’ve brought this to the notice of deputy CM DK Shivakumar, who has instructed BBMP officials to rectify the situation at the earliest. These are initial glitches, and people will enjoy the benefits of digitization once the system settles down,” Gowda said.
He assured property owners that there is no deadline for obtaining e-khata. “Only those who wish to sell their properties need to secure it now; the rest can take their time,” he added. Additionally, helpdesks have been established at locations like the BBMP ARO office, Bengaluru One, and local body offices in rural areas for those requiring assistance with e-khata.
