The BBMP office.
Credit: DH Photo
Bengaluru: In a relief for Bengaluru’s 22 lakh property owners, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has made the Encumbrance Certificate (EC) optional for obtaining the e-khata document.
The decision to remove the EC from the mandatory documents list followed widespread complaints from citizens regarding undue demands by Karnataka’s revenue officials.
The EC will still be required when the e-khata is intended for use in property registration at the sub-registrar’s office or for mutation purposes.
While property owners of post-2004 registrations were able to obtain the EC with relative ease, others faced difficulties, often having to pay substantial bribes. Brokers reportedly charged as much as Rs 5,000 per EC. Uploading the EC on the e-khata portal also posed challenges, as many documents failed to match the backend database.
"Since 98 per cent of properties are not sold or transferred frequently, we now allow final e-khata applications without the Encumbrance Certificate," a BBMP official stated, providing relief for many owners.
On the BBMP’s eAasthi portal, citizens can view a draft version of the e-khata and upload essential details such as eKYC (based on Aadhaar), the self-assessment scheme of property tax application number, and property photos to receive the final e-khata copy. No deadline has been set for these applications.
For assistance, citizens can email bbmpekhata@gmail.com or call the helpline at 1533.