e-Khata in Bengaluru: The Complete Guide (2026)

If someone has told you that you need an e-Khata before you can sell, buy, or mortgage a property in Bengaluru, they are almost certainly right, and it is easy to get stuck part way through. This guide explains, in plain language, what an e-Khata actually is, why it became so important in 2025, how to get one or check the one you already have, and what to do when the record does not match your papers.

One thing to be clear about at the very start, because it is the most common and most costly misunderstanding: an e-Khata is not proof that you own the property. It is a municipal and property-tax record. Ownership is proved by your title documents, such as a registered sale deed. Keep that difference in mind and most of the rest of this makes sense.

What is an e-Khata?

An e-Khata is the electronic property record kept by the local authority. It records details such as the property identification number, the owner’s details, the property description, and property-tax information.

It replaces the older paper khata with an online record. In Bengaluru, the current e-Khata system runs on a platform called e-Aasthi, which lets you search, view, and download property records online. The e-Aasthi platform went live in October 2024, when roughly 22 lakh draft e-Khata records were published for properties across the city.

The word “khata” simply means “account”. Historically it was the account the municipality kept to know who was liable to pay property tax on a given property. The e-Khata is the same idea, now digital.

Why is an e-Khata mandatory now?

This is the change that sent everyone looking for answers.

Since 1 July 2025, a verified e-Khata is required to register a property sale in Bengaluru. The state’s registration system, Kaveri 2.0, will not complete a sale registration without a valid e-Khata reference for the property. In practice this means a valid e-Khata has become a pre-condition for a number of everyday transactions: registering a sale or transfer, mortgaging the property for a loan, and applying for building-plan approval.

When you get to the registration itself, our guide to stamp duty and registration charges in Bangalore shows what you will pay, with a calculator.

At the same time, the authority itself changed. The old BBMP (Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike) was dissolved, and the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) was set up under the Greater Bengaluru Governance Act, 2024. Bengaluru is now organised into five city corporations, North, South, East, West, and Central, which handle khata, tax, and local services for their areas. So when older articles and even some officials still say “BBMP”, the khata and property-record functions now sit with the GBA and these corporations, working through the same e-Aasthi platform.

Who does this affect? Broadly, anyone who owns property in the city and expects to sell it, pass it on, raise a loan against it, or build on it. If none of that is on your horizon, there is less urgency, but it is still worth knowing where your record stands.

Is a khata proof of ownership?

No. This deserves its own section because so much goes wrong here.

A khata, e-Khata included, is a municipal and property-tax record. It tells the corporation who is treated as responsible for the civic dues on a property. It does not, by itself, establish who legally owns that property. Courts have consistently held that a khata transfer is not a transfer of title.

Ownership is established through the chain of title documents: a registered sale deed, gift deed, partition deed, or other legally valid document, running back through the previous owners. So the right way to read an e-Khata is alongside the title documents and the other property records, not instead of them. A clean e-Khata with a broken chain of title is still a problem. A property with clear title but a khata in the wrong name is usually fixable.

e-Aasthi or e-Swathu: which one applies to your property?

Before you do anything, work out which system your property belongs to. Using the wrong one wastes time.

e-Aasthi is the electronic property-record system for properties under Bengaluru’s city corporations (formerly BBMP, now GBA). It provides e-Khata, property searches, and property-record services. If your property is inside the city corporation limits, this is almost certainly your system.

e-Swathu is the record system generally used for properties under a Gram Panchayat, that is, rural and peri-urban areas administered through the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj system. Many properties on the edges of the city fall here.

The practical first step is to check which local authority actually has jurisdiction over your property. Do not assume that every property described as being “in Bengaluru” is handled through the city-corporation portal. Jurisdiction is what decides it, not the postal address.

There is a third case. Properties in BDA (Bangalore Development Authority) layouts, or allotted by BDA, may need the BDA’s own records examined as well, in addition to the applicable corporation or panchayat records. A BDA-approved layout does not mean every later khata matter is handled exactly like an ordinary corporation property.

Documents you need before you apply

Having the right papers ready avoids most rejections. The documents commonly required are:

• Registered sale deed or title deed
• Gift deed, release deed, partition deed, or other title document, where applicable
• Existing khata certificate, extract, or endorsement, if you have one
• Latest property-tax paid receipt
• Owner’s identity document (for Aadhaar-based e-KYC on the portal)
• Owner’s, and any joint owners’, photograph
• Photograph of the property
• Encumbrance Certificate (EC), especially where a sale or transfer is planned
• A-Khata related documents, wherever applicable

The official e-Aasthi document list specifically calls for the owner’s photograph, a property photograph, identity proof, the title deed, the existing khata document, and the current property-tax receipt.

The two documents people most often struggle with are a correct, complete title or link document and an up-to-date property-tax record. If the ownership chain or the property particulars do not line up, the application will usually need a correction before the e-Khata can be finalised.

How to get your e-Khata: the step-by-step process

Update, October 2026: e-Aasthi 2.0 went live on 21 September 2026.

The exact route depends on which authority your property falls under.

For a city-corporation (BBMP/GBA) property, on e-Aasthi

1. Start on the e-Aasthi portal. It lets you search an e-Khata using your SAS or property-tax details, check e-Khata status, download the draft e-Khata, and apply for a new khata where no manual khata exists.
2. For the final e-Khata, the portal asks for additional information: the registered deed, Aadhaar-based e-KYC, the SAS property-tax application number, and a property photograph. An Encumbrance Certificate is specifically called for where an immediate sale or transfer is planned.
3. Submit and track the status on the portal.

One caution the portal itself makes: the draft e-Khata is generated from the existing property-tax register. A draft record is preliminary and is not, on its own, accepted by banks or sub-registrars. The final e-Khata is the one issued after your documents are verified and the record is approved. So a buyer should never assume that a draft record establishes clear title.

For a Gram Panchayat property, on e-Swathu

For a property under Gram Panchayat jurisdiction, the electronic record system is generally e-Swathu, not e-Aasthi. Search the property in e-Swathu and verify the owner, property number, extent, and other details. If the record needs mutation, correction, or a fresh entry, follow the applicable Gram Panchayat process and submit the supporting title and tax documents. Do not use e-Aasthi simply because the property is in Bengaluru district.

For a BDA property

BDA properties need a slightly different approach. First verify the BDA allotment letter (if any), the lease-cum-sale agreement or sale deed, the possession certificate (if any), the BDA approval and layout records, the existing khata and property-tax records, and any subsequent registered transfer documents. Then confirm the applicable khata or mutation process with the authority that currently has jurisdiction over the property.

Timeline and fees. There is no single timeline that fits every property. How long it takes depends on whether the existing record is already correct, whether your documents are complete, and whether there are discrepancies or objections to resolve. The portal shows processing and status information for your application. The fees are modest, typically a small service charge, though the exact amount can change, so check the current figure on the portal before you rely on it.

How to check or download an e-Khata that already exists

Before you download or rely on any khata, first identify which authority issued and maintains it.

City-corporation (BBMP/GBA) property. Use e-Aasthi to search the property by its available SAS, property-tax, or ePID details. The portal has an option to search the e-Khata using SAS property-tax details and to check e-Khata status. When you open the record, check: the owner’s name, the ePID or property number, the property address, the site or flat number, the extent (area), the property classification, the tax details, and whether the record is marked draft or final. The system also lets you view and download Form A and Form B records.

Gram Panchayat property. Check the record through e-Swathu or the concerned Gram Panchayat. Verify the owner’s name, the property or e-Swathu number, the survey or site details, the extent, the property description, the tax details, and whether the record matches your registered title deed.

BDA property. Do not rely on a general khata search alone. Trace the full chain: BDA allotment or approval, then possession or lease documents, then the BDA sale deed if applicable, then any later registered sale deeds, and finally the present khata or property-tax record. This matters most where the property has since been sold on to another owner.

In every case, compare the downloaded khata against your registered title deed, the EC, the tax-paid receipts, and the other property documents. Our complete property document verification checklist walks through each of these documents and what to look for. If the online record and the registered document differ, resolve that before you use the record for a sale.

Common errors and rejections, and the first step for each

This is the section most people came looking for, because they are stuck here.

The name is spelt differently across documents. If the name on the e-Khata differs from the sale deed, Aadhaar, or other records, the authority may ask for clarification or correction. First step: compare the spelling across the registered deed, the existing khata, the tax record, and your identity documents. If it is only a minor spelling variation, work out the correct correction route rather than submitting inconsistent papers.

The area or measurement does not match. If the extent shown in the e-Khata does not match your registered deed, there may be a property-record discrepancy. First step: compare the measurements in the sale deed, the previous khata, the tax record, and the survey records. Do not simply accept the e-Khata figure as correct.

There is a missing link in the ownership chain. If you acquired the property through a sale, gift, partition, release, or inheritance but a supporting link document is missing, the authority may not be able to establish the mutation. First step: trace the chain of ownership and obtain the missing registered document or a certified copy where possible.

The property shows in someone else’s name. This is more serious and should not be treated as a simple spelling correction. First step: compare the registered title deed, the previous khata, the tax records, and the EC. If your title documents support your ownership but the municipal record shows another person, get legal advice before you attempt any correction or sale.

When to bring in a lawyer

Some situations are worth a professional review before you spend more time or money. A lawyer should be involved where there is a name mismatch that will not resolve simply, a missing link document, an inheritance issue, multiple owners, conflicting khata records, a B-Khata or A-Khata question, an extent mismatch, a property shown in another person’s name, or a proposed sale where the e-Khata and the title documents do not agree.

What a property lawyer does in a khata matter is straightforward: review the title chain and the municipal records together, work out whether the issue is a simple khata correction or a deeper title problem, and advise on the documents and the correction process that actually fit your case. This is part of the title verification and written legal opinion work we handle. Getting that judgment right early is usually what saves the transaction later.

If your property has a B khata, our guide to B khata to A khata conversion explains the 5% fee, who can apply and how long it takes.

Frequently asked questions

Is an e-Khata mandatory to sell my property? An e-Khata is now an important requirement for property transactions in Bengaluru, and since 1 July 2025 a verified e-Khata is needed to register a sale through Kaveri 2.0. Whether a specific sale can proceed still depends on the property’s records and the current requirements of the relevant authority, so always check the current position for your property before committing.

Can a sale be registered without an e-Khata? Do not assume registration is possible just because you hold a registered title deed. Since mid-2025 the registration system generally expects a verified e-Khata, and discrepancies in the property record can hold up registration even where the title deed itself is sound. Check the current e-Khata requirement for your specific property and transaction first.

Is a B-Khata property eligible for an e-Khata? A B-Khata does not automatically mean the property has no electronic record. The current system provides e-Khata and property-record services, and there is a separate service for B-to-A Khata and single-plot khata matters. But getting an e-Khata is not the same as converting a B-Khata property into an A-Khata property. The underlying approval and property-status issues have to be examined separately.

My name is spelt differently on my sale deed and my Aadhaar. Will my application be rejected? Not necessarily, but the difference should be identified and explained, not ignored. Compare the name across the registered deed, the existing property records, and your identity documents, and follow the applicable correction or KYC process so the records are consistent.

Does an e-Khata prove I own the property? No. An e-Khata is a municipal and property-tax record and should not be treated as conclusive proof of ownership. Ownership is established through the relevant title documents and the complete chain of title.

How long does it really take? There is no single timeline that applies to every property. It depends on whether the existing record is correct, whether your documents are complete, and whether there are discrepancies or objections to clear. The portal provides processing and status information, and timelines differ in practice from one authority to another.

The portal shows someone else’s name on my property. What do I do? Do not rush to submit a correction based only on the portal entry. First compare the e-Khata with your registered sale deed, previous khata, tax records, and EC. If your title documents support your ownership, take the discrepancy up with the appropriate authority, and get legal advice if there is a competing ownership claim or a break in the chain of title.

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If you are dealing with an e-Khata in Bengaluru and the record does not match your papers, or you simply want it checked properly before you buy, sell, or apply, message Aakarshanam Associates on WhatsApp and we will tell you plainly where you stand and what the next step is.