Bengaluru Begins Mandatory eKhata Registration for 25 Lakh BBMP Properties

Bengaluru has mandated eKhata registration for all properties under the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), effective from July 1, 2025. The digitisation initiative aims to curb land-related fraud, bring unregistered properties into the tax net, and streamline building plan approvals using verified online databases.

The eKhata, a digital version of the traditional paper-based Khata certificate, has now become the single point of reference for property-related transactions within BBMP limits. It records essential details such as ownership, property boundaries, built-up area, and tax assessments. This digital identifier, referred to as an eProperty Identification (EPID) number, is now compulsory not only for homeowners but also for developers seeking building approvals through the Online Building Plan Approval System (OBPS). The city’s transition to a fully digital land records system began in October 2024, when the BBMP first launched the eKhata portal. Since then, over 5.34 lakh properties have migrated to the system. However, the civic body has set a much more ambitious target—bringing all 25 lakh properties in the city under the digital net by the end of the 2025–26 financial year.

To accelerate the process and ensure inclusive citizen participation, the BBMP will conduct a month-long “eKhata Mela” throughout July 2025. Residents can visit their respective ward offices to complete the digitisation process with the help of trained personnel. The initiative is designed to assist especially those unfamiliar with online documentation or digital systems, ensuring equitable access to essential civic services. As part of the process, property owners must upload specific documents to the official E-Aasthi portal, including Aadhaar identification, the latest sale deed, an Encumbrance Certificate, and a recent photo of the property. Once verified, the eKhata is generated and becomes part of an authenticated, tamper-proof digital land registry. Officials noted that the verification system is designed to eliminate long-standing loopholes that have enabled property duplication, tax evasion, and unregulated constructions in Bengaluru.

The integration of EPID numbers with the OBPS system represents a major advancement in civic compliance. Developers and property owners applying for layout sanctions or construction permits must now enter their unique eKhata credentials. This ensures that only properties with clean tax records and verified ownership are eligible for further development, bringing much-needed accountability to the construction and real estate ecosystem. Urban governance experts have hailed the eKhata system as a milestone in digitised municipal reform. With real-time tracking, automated record-keeping, and reduced manual oversight, Bengaluru’s civic administration is expected to become more agile and citizen-friendly. The use of integrated data is also expected to reduce approval timelines for construction and renovation projects, particularly for planned housing developments and commercial buildings.

Officials have clarified that eKhata registration does not confer legal title in itself, but serves as a recognition of the property’s inclusion within BBMP’s tax network. For properties with disputed titles or those located in unregularised areas, the onus is on owners to regularise documents through proper legal channels before applying for the digital certificate. From an economic standpoint, the mandatory rollout of eKhata is projected to significantly improve property tax collection, currently one of BBMP’s most underutilised revenue streams. Officials estimate that expanding the property tax base through verified ownership and digitised billing will lead to a substantial increase in civic revenue. This, in turn, is expected to support infrastructure upgrades and maintenance in rapidly expanding wards on the city’s periphery.

The move is also seen as part of a broader strategy to build sustainable, well-governed, and transparent cities in line with the National Urban Digital Mission. By bringing every property into a verified digital registry, Bengaluru is not only reducing its administrative opacity but also laying the groundwork for improved zoning, urban planning, and environmental accountability. However, urban policy researchers and citizen groups have raised concerns about inclusivity. Many marginalised communities living in informal settlements often lack the documentation required for eKhata registration. While the BBMP has promised targeted support and flexible processing norms in such cases, the success of this reform will ultimately depend on the government’s ability to balance digitisation with on-ground accessibility.

What makes this transition especially timely is Bengaluru’s position as a rapidly growing metropolis with mounting pressure on land and infrastructure. The eKhata system, if implemented efficiently and equitably, could serve as a model for other urban centres in India grappling with fragmented land records, corruption in property transfers, and unreliable tax databases. For now, Bengaluru’s shift to a compulsory eKhata regime marks a pivotal step in modernising urban administration. Whether it succeeds in transforming governance or deepening digital divides will depend on its execution in the months ahead.

Bengaluru Begins Mandatory eKhata Registration for 25 Lakh BBMP Properties