Land Records
What is RTC (Pahani)?
Karnataka's land record. Not to be confused with the khata, which is a different document doing a different job — a distinction that costs Bengaluru buyers a great deal.
The short answer
The RTC — Record of Rights, Tenancy and Crops, also called the Pahani — is Karnataka's land record. It shows the owner, the extent, the land classification, any encumbrances, and what has been cultivated.
It is free on the Bhoomi portal. And it is not the same thing as a khata — a distinction that costs Bengaluru buyers a great deal.
What an RTC contains
- Survey number and hissa (subdivision) number
- The owner's name and the extent held
- The land classification — and whether it is agricultural
- Encumbrances — loans, charges, court orders
- Tenancy details
- Crops grown, season by season
- Mutation register (MR) numbers — the history of transfers
- Soil type and irrigation source
RTC vs Khata — two different documents
The RTC is a revenue record, maintained by the revenue department, for agricultural land. It is identified by survey number.
The khata is a municipal record, maintained by the BBMP or another urban body, recording who is liable for property tax on an urban property.
They are different records, maintained by different departments, for different land, for different purposes.
Neither of them is title.
A buyer of a flat in Bengaluru needs to think about the khata (and whether it is an A or a B). A buyer of land on the outskirts needs the RTC. A buyer of a plot in a layout on converted land may need to look at both, plus the conversion order.
How to read an RTC
- The owner's name — does it match the seller, exactly?
- The extent — does it match what is being sold?
- Column 9 / 11 — the classification. Is it agricultural? Then it must be converted before it can be built on.
- The encumbrance column. Any loan, any charge, any court order?
- The MR (mutation register) numbers. The history of transfers. Read them against the chain of title.
- The tenancy column. A tenant with rights on agricultural land is a serious complication.
- Are there multiple owners? If the RTC names several and only one is selling, ask where the others are.
Every transfer of the land generates an MR number, and the RTC lists them.
Read that list against the chain of title the seller has produced. They should tell the same story.
Where the RTC shows a transfer that isn't in the deeds — or an owner nobody mentioned — you have found exactly the kind of thing you are looking for.
Bhoomi — how to get it
- Go to the Bhoomi portal (Karnataka land records). Search for it by name; don't follow a seller's link.
- Select district, taluk, hobli, village.
- Enter the survey number and hissa number.
- View or download the RTC. It is free to view.
- For a digitally signed copy, use the appropriate service — a screenshot is not a record.
If you're buying a flat in Bengaluru
You will not have an RTC in your own name, and that is correct — a flat owner holds an undivided share of the land, which cannot appear as an individual record.
What to check instead:
- The RTC for the project land, in the promoter's or landowner's name.
- The DC conversion order — if the land was ever agricultural, it must have been converted.
- The khata — and whether it is an A khata or a B khata. This is the number-one thing for a Bengaluru flat buyer.
- Your undivided share (UDS), in the sale deed.
Frequently asked questions
What is an RTC in Karnataka?
The Record of Rights, Tenancy and Crops — also called the Pahani — Karnataka's land record for agricultural land. It shows the owner, the extent, the classification, any encumbrances, the tenancy position and the crops grown. It is free to view on the Bhoomi portal.
What is the difference between RTC and khata?
The RTC is a revenue record for agricultural land, maintained by the revenue department and identified by survey number. The khata is a municipal record showing who is liable for property tax on an urban property, maintained by the BBMP or another urban body. Different departments, different land, different purposes — and neither of them is title.
How do I check an RTC on Bhoomi?
Go to the Bhoomi portal — search for it by name rather than following a seller's link — select the district, taluk, hobli and village, then enter the survey number and hissa number. Viewing is free. For a digitally signed copy, use the appropriate service; a screenshot is not a record.
Does an RTC prove ownership?
No. It is a revenue record showing possession and revenue liability. Indian courts have consistently held that revenue records do not confer title. You still need the registered sale deed, the chain of title and a 30-year encumbrance certificate.
What should a Bengaluru flat buyer check instead of an RTC?
The RTC for the PROJECT land in the promoter's name, the DC conversion order if the land was ever agricultural, the khata — and crucially whether it is an A khata or a B khata — and your undivided share as stated in the sale deed.