For urban property in Karnataka, two records matter and people conflate them. E-Aasthi is the property register maintained by the Urban Local Body — BBMP, City Corporations, CMCs and TMCs — recording owner, ward, extent, usage and tax position. The E-Khata is the digitally signed certificate issued from that register, and it is what the Sub-Registrar, the bank and the planning authority actually ask for.
You cannot get a clean E-Khata out of a dirty E-Aasthi record. That single fact explains most rejections: the application is fine, the underlying register entry is not. This guide covers how the two fit together, how to apply, what A-Khata and B-Khata really mean, and the five specific conditions that block issuance.
E-Aasthi and E-Khata: two records, one dependency
| E-Aasthi | E-Khata | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | The ULB's property register entry | A digitally signed certificate issued from that entry |
| Cost | Viewable free | Prescribed municipal fee |
| Shows | Owner, ward, extent, usage, tax status, mutation notices | Owner, extent, usage, ward, officer signature and QR |
| Needed for | Diligence — checking status before you buy | Registration, home loan, building plan approval, utility connections |
| If it is wrong | Correct it at the ULB | Cannot be issued until the E-Aasthi entry is corrected |
Check the E-Aasthi record before you apply for the E-Khata, and before you pay an advance. It is free, it takes minutes, and it tells you whether the certificate is even obtainable.
A-Khata and B-Khata: what the distinction actually costs you
A-Khata property is fully compliant — lawful construction, approved layout, taxes in order. B-Khata property is recorded by the ULB for tax purposes but flagged as irregular, typically because of unauthorised construction, an unapproved layout, or a sub-division that never received sanction.
The distinction is not cosmetic. B-Khata property is materially harder to finance, harder to build on and harder to sell, and that discount is why B-Khata parcels are advertised at prices that look like a bargain.
| Can you... | A-Khata | B-Khata |
|---|---|---|
| Get a home loan from a mainstream bank | Yes | Generally no |
| Get building plan approval | Yes | Generally no |
| Sell without a discount | Yes | No |
| Obtain trade licences and utility connections easily | Yes | Often obstructed |
| Pay property tax | Yes | Yes — this is the one thing B-Khata does permit |
Paying property tax on a B-Khata property does not regularise it. Sellers present tax receipts as evidence of legitimacy. The receipt proves the ULB accepted the money, not that the construction is lawful.
Regularisation of B-Khata to A-Khata has been the subject of repeated policy proposals and schemes in Karnataka, and the position has changed more than once. Do not buy on the expectation that a pending scheme will convert your B-Khata — verify the current position with the ULB for that specific property before you commit.
How to apply for the E-Khata
- 1Look up the property on E-Aasthi for the relevant Urban Local Body and read the entry in full — owner name, extent, usage classification, ward and tax position.
- 2Fix any mismatch first. If the owner name, extent or usage does not match your sale deed, correct the E-Aasthi record before applying. The certificate will simply reproduce whatever the register says.
- 3Clear outstanding property tax. A live demand blocks issuance, and arrears attach to the property rather than to the previous owner.
- 4Check the mutation notices tab. If a transfer is already in progress against the property, wait for it to complete — otherwise the certificate will name the wrong owner.
- 5Apply for the E-Khata against the property identifier through the ULB's E-Aasthi service and pay the prescribed fee.
- 6The ULB verifies the record and issues the digitally signed certificate.
- 7Download the signed PDF and scan the QR code to confirm it validates on the municipal portal. Share the original file, never a printed-and-rescanned copy — rescanning breaks the signature.
The five things that block issuance
- Outstanding property tax. The most common and the easiest to fix. Clear the demand and reapply.
- Unauthorised construction beyond the sanctioned plan. If the built-up area recorded by the ULB is smaller than what physically exists, the excess is unauthorised and it stops the application. This is not an administrative issue — it is a compliance one.
- A mismatch between the E-Aasthi entry and the sale deed. Records migrated from manual registers carry name and extent errors. Correction takes considerably longer than the certificate itself, which is why you check before you need it.
- A mutation already in progress. Someone has applied to transfer the property. If you are the buyer and you did not initiate it, find out who did before you do anything else.
- B-Khata status. Where the property is flagged as irregular, an A-Khata certificate is not available at all, and the route runs through regularisation rather than through the application form.
An active mutation notice on a property you are buying, that you did not initiate, is the highest-priority signal on this page. Stop and pull the Encumbrance Certificate and the deeds before releasing any further payment.
Where E-Aasthi fits in a purchase
For urban property, E-Aasthi does a job no other record does: it tells you what the municipality thinks about the property, including liabilities that follow the land.
- 1Confirm the property is inside a ULB boundary at all. Peri-urban land often sits outside every municipal limit, in which case there is no E-Aasthi record and the parcel is governed by the revenue records — the RTC and Mutation Register — instead.
- 2Read the owner name and compare it against the Encumbrance Certificate and the sale deed. Three records, one name; any divergence needs explaining.
- 3Compare the recorded built-up area against what is physically standing. A gap is unauthorised construction.
- 4Check the tax demand and payment history. Arrears transfer to you at purchase.
- 5Check the mutation notices for a transfer already in flight.
- 6For converted agricultural land, confirm the conversion order and plan approval exist before expecting an A-Khata.
The full sequence for converted land inside a town is: DC conversion order, then building plan approval, then the E-Aasthi entry, then the E-Khata. Buyers who stop at the conversion order discover the rest when the bank declines the loan.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between E-Aasthi and E-Khata?
E-Aasthi is the Urban Local Body's property register entry — owner, ward, extent, usage, tax position and mutation notices. The E-Khata is the digitally signed certificate issued from that entry. You need the E-Khata for registration, loans and plan approval, and it can only be issued if the underlying E-Aasthi record is clean.
What is the difference between A-Khata and B-Khata?
A-Khata property is fully compliant — lawful construction, approved layout, taxes in order. B-Khata property is recorded for tax purposes but flagged as irregular, usually due to unauthorised construction or an unapproved layout or sub-division. B-Khata property generally cannot be used for a mainstream home loan or a building plan approval.
Is E-Khata mandatory in Karnataka?
For urban property inside a ULB, effectively yes. The Sub-Registrar requires it to register a transfer, lenders require it for a home loan, and the planning authority requires it for building plan approval.
Why was my E-Khata application rejected?
The five usual causes are outstanding property tax, unauthorised construction beyond the sanctioned plan, a mismatch between the E-Aasthi record and the sale deed, a mutation already in progress on the property, and B-Khata status. In almost every case the problem is in the underlying register entry rather than in the application.
Can B-Khata be converted to A-Khata?
Regularisation has been the subject of repeated schemes and policy proposals in Karnataka and the position has changed more than once. Do not buy on the assumption that a pending scheme will convert your B-Khata — verify the current position with the Urban Local Body for that specific property before committing.
Do property tax arrears transfer to the buyer?
Yes. Property tax attaches to the property, not to the person. Once you purchase, the outstanding demand becomes your liability, which is why the tax position on E-Aasthi should be checked before an advance is paid rather than at registration.
My land has no E-Aasthi record. Is that a problem?
Not necessarily. It usually means the parcel lies outside every Urban Local Body boundary and is governed by the revenue records instead. In that case verify through the RTC and the Mutation Register. If the property is plainly inside city limits and still has no record, that is worth investigating.
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This guide is general information about Karnataka land records, not legal advice. Records, fees and procedures change. Verify the current position for your specific property with the relevant department before acting on anything here.