Bengaluru, Karnataka – The Karnataka government’s ambitious E-Khata initiative, aimed at digitizing real estate transactions, is facing a severe setback as property registrations have plummeted by 95% in major cities like Bengaluru, Mangaluru, and Mysuru. The drastic decline stems from significant technical glitches that have hindered the smooth implementation of the mandatory E-Khata registration system.
Initially launched on September 9 in four districts to combat fraudulent property transactions, the E-Khata system was rapidly expanded to eight districts by September 23 and was scheduled to be fully operational across the entire state by October 7. Despite these efforts, the stamps and registration department’s attempt to boost revenue by keeping select sub-registrar offices open on weekends has not yielded the expected results.
In the first two quarters of this fiscal year, property registrations had shown a modest 5% increase compared to the previous year, generating ₹11,550 crore in revenue, up from ₹9,419 crore during the same period. However, the introduction of E-Khata has now caused registrations to drop sharply. A sub-registrar from Bengaluru noted, “Normally, a sub-registrar office registers 50-60 properties a day, but this has plummeted to just five to six due to technical glitches with the E-Khata mandate.”
Out of Karnataka’s 257 sub-registrar offices, only 26 in Bengaluru are exempt from the E-Khata requirement. Currently mandatory in Basavanagudi and Gandhinagar, the system is set to expand to Jayanagar, Rajajinagar, and Shivajinagar next week. E-Khata documents, which serve as legal proof of property ownership for tax purposes, require property owners to download draft documents and submit various electronic IDs, including sale deeds, Aadhaar e-KYC, a 10-digit Bescom number, GPS details, and property photographs, along with encumbrance details.
However, many users have encountered difficulties due to reported portal glitches and a general lack of awareness about the new process. To address these challenges, Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda held a meeting with BBMP and revenue officials, particularly focusing on Bengaluru. “I have informed Deputy CM DK Shivakumar, who has directed BBMP officials to resolve these issues promptly. These are initial glitches, and once the system stabilizes, people will benefit from the digitization,” Gowda assured.
He also comforted property owners by stating that there is no immediate deadline for obtaining an E-Khata. “Only those looking to sell their properties need to secure it now; others can take their time,” he added. To facilitate the transition, helpdesks have been established at various locations, including the BBMP ARO office, Bengaluru One, and local body offices in rural areas.
As the Karnataka government works to rectify the technical issues, stakeholders remain hopeful that the E-Khata initiative will eventually streamline property transactions and enhance transparency in the real estate sector.
