Legal & Documents
What is E-Khata?
The paper khata could be forged, and was. The digital one can be checked in two minutes, by you, for free.
The short answer
E-khata is the digital version of Karnataka's khata record — issued online, and verifiable online.
Its purpose is straightforward: remove the middleman and reduce forgery. Paper khatas were forged. A digital record you can check yourself, against the municipal database, in two minutes, cannot be handed to you on fake letterhead.
What e-khata is
The same khata — the municipal account recording a property and who pays tax on it — issued and maintained digitally, with a unique identifier, verifiable on the BBMP or relevant municipal portal.
Karnataka has been moving steadily towards making it the standard, and it is increasingly required in practice for property transactions in BBMP areas.
Why it matters
1. You can verify it yourself
A paper khata is a piece of paper that someone hands you. It can be forged, and it has been forged, at scale, in Bengaluru.
An e-khata can be checked against the municipal database — by you, online, for free, in about two minutes.
Do that. Every time. Do not take a seller's paper at face value, however official it looks.
2. It removes the intermediary
Khata transfer had accumulated a substantial ecosystem of agents and facilitators. Digitising the process is intended to cut them out — and, with them, the opportunities for extraction that came with a slow, opaque, paper-based system.
3. It is becoming required
Karnataka has been tightening the link between the digital khata and property registration in BBMP areas. The practical implication: if the property does not have a valid e-khata, the transaction may not proceed smoothly.
Rules in this area have changed several times and continue to evolve. Check the current position with the BBMP or a local lawyer rather than relying on anything written six months ago — including this page.
How to get an e-khata
- Register the sale deed first. The khata follows registration.
- Apply on the BBMP portal (or the relevant municipal portal).
- Upload: the registered sale deed, previous khata, tax paid receipts, encumbrance certificate, ID.
- Pay the fee.
- Track the application online.
- Download the e-khata when issued, and verify the details — name, dimensions, property ID.
How to verify someone else's
- Go to the BBMP portal (or the relevant municipal portal).
- Enter the property ID or khata number.
- Check the name matches the seller, exactly.
- Check whether it is an A khata or a B khata. This is the number one thing.
- Check the dimensions and built-up area match what is being sold.
- Cross-check the property ID against the sale deed.
What an e-khata still isn't
An e-khata is still a khata. It records who pays the tax. It does not record who owns the land.
Digitising a record does not change what the record is. You still need the registered sale deed, the chain of title, and a 30-year encumbrance certificate.
What the e-khata gives you is confidence that the khata itself is genuine — which, given how many forged paper khatas have circulated in Bengaluru, is worth a great deal.
Frequently asked questions
What is e-khata?
The digital version of Karnataka's khata record — the municipal account showing a property and who is liable for its tax — issued and verifiable online. Its purpose is to remove intermediaries and reduce forgery.
Is e-khata mandatory in Bengaluru?
Karnataka has been tightening the link between the digital khata and property registration in BBMP areas, and in practice a valid e-khata is increasingly required for transactions to proceed. The rules have changed several times and continue to evolve — check the current position with the BBMP or a local lawyer rather than relying on anything written months ago.
How do I check an e-khata?
Go to the BBMP or relevant municipal portal, enter the property ID or khata number, and check the name against the seller, whether it is an A or B khata, and that the dimensions match what's being sold. It takes about two minutes and it is free. Do it every time — forged paper khatas are a real problem in Bengaluru.
Does an e-khata prove ownership?
No. It is still a khata — it records who pays the tax, not who owns the land. Digitising a record does not change what the record is. You still need the registered sale deed, the chain of title and a 30-year encumbrance certificate. What the e-khata gives you is confidence that the khata itself is genuine.