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Hindustan Times
3 days ago
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Despite a 48-hour promise, e-khata issues drag Bengaluru homebuyers back to local municipality offices
Despite the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike's (BBMP) promise to issue e-khatas within 48 hours, many Bengaluru property owners say they continue to face delays and bureaucratic hurdles that force them to visit government offices, defeating the purpose of the digital, paperless system. A key issue reported by applicants is the mismatch between full names and initials across documents such as sale deeds, Aadhaar, and passports, a common practice in southern India. This inconsistency often leads to rejections or prolonged delays, they say. Despite BBMP's 48-hour e-khata promise, Bengaluru property owners face delays and must visit offices, defeating the purpose of a digital system. (Representational Image) (Unsplash ) Another major challenge arises in the case of jointly owned properties. Applicants say the e-khata is being issued in the name of only one co-owner, usually the one whose Aadhaar was uploaded first, even though others are mentioned in the registered sale deed. They say that currently, the online system does not allow applicants to correct or update such errors during the application process. They say the system's rigid data-matching protocols and software limitations are forcing many to take time off work, queue up at Assistant Revenue Offices, and manually correct issues that should ideally be handled online. In March, BBMP said that homeowners no longer need to visit the Bengaluru municipal corporation offices to obtain the e-khata, an electronic version of the traditional khata certificate, a digital record that validates the ownership details of a property in Karnataka. The final e-khata will be issued within two days of the application submission, as per a statement from BBMP Special Commissioner (Revenue) Munish Moudgil. Bengaluru citizens within BBMP limits can now obtain their final e-khata within two days of application submission, he had said in June. Also Read: No need to visit BBMP offices: Homeowners can now receive final e-khata within 48 hours of submitting the application Initials vs full names: A digital mismatch One of the most common problems plaguing applicants is the mismatch between full names and initials across different documents, a common way of writing names in southern India. For example, a property owner named E.V. Ramasamy, whose name appears as Erode Venkatappa Ramasamy on his Aadhaar but E.V. Ramasamy on his sale deed, was unable to generate an e-khata online. "This is because the BBMP system attempts to validate all fields across documents, including full names, rather than relying on key identifiers like Aadhaar number and OTP-based verification," said Dhananjaya Padmanabhachar, director of the Karnataka Homebuyers Forum. 'This issue affects many owners who use initials in documents like sale deeds or Aadhaar,' he said. 'The system should be validating against key fields, not every detail. Due to this, people are being forced to physically visit BBMP offices just to validate or correct names, an option that is not even available on the official website.' Joint ownership issues persist Another major bottleneck affects jointly owned properties, where the e-khata system is generating certificates with only one owner's name, typically the person whose Aadhaar was uploaded first, leaving out co-owners despite them being listed in the registered sale deed, point out property owners. One user, Krishna Thatvam, wrote on the social media platform X, "You kept an error for joint owners applying e-khata online. We're forced to visit the ATO office to resolve it like it's the 90s. We have to sacrifice a day off at work! At least give a proper email reply to queries we ask.' According to BBMP Special Commissioner (Revenue) Munish Moudgil, the e-khata system integrates with the Kaveri software, which houses the official sale deed. If names are listed in a single line in the deed, the system only pulls in one name, The Hindu reported. However, he said, there is a feature to correct this. 'There is an option called 'Add Owner' in the BBMP system. Adding names under this option will lead to the generation of e-khata with all names of the property owners,' Moudgil told The Hindu. Also Read: BBMP receives 50,000 e-Khata applications, launches a drive to recover ₹800 crore in dues from 3.75 lakh property owners Digital doesn't always mean hassle-free, say homeowners BBMP had promised a hassle-free digital system that would eliminate the need for repeated visits to government offices. But for many, the e-khata process has only become another tech-enabled bottleneck. 'There's no option to correct or update details while applying for e-khata online,' said Padmanabhachar. 'If there's even a small mismatch in the documents, such as initials versus full names or joint ownership issues, applicants are forced to visit the BBMP office in person. This defeats the very purpose of a digital, citizen-friendly system and adds unnecessary delays and inconvenience for homebuyers.' With technical inconsistencies, a lack of proactive user support, and non-intuitive workflows, homebuyers say they are stuck between a digital promise and an offline reality. 'It's high time the BBMP refined the system to be citizen-centric,' said Padmanabhachar. 'Otherwise, all it's doing is pushing people from one queue to another, this time, just behind a screen.' A list of queries has been sent to BBMP. The story will be updated once a query is received. What is an e-khata? E-khata is an electronic version of the traditional khata certificate, introduced by the BBMP in Bengaluru and other local bodies in October 2024. This digital record is available online, where property owners can apply for, download, and verify their khata without visiting the municipal office. Since launching the digital khata system in October 2024, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has processed and issued approximately 2.75 lakh e-khatas, according to official data. As of July, BBMP has received over 50,000 applications for new Khatas, and BBMP chief commissioner Maheshwar Rao has instructed officials to process these as a priority, noting that timely approvals could significantly boost property tax revenue.
Time of India
01-08-2025
- Time of India
RTO detects misuse of eKYC-based faceless system, 3 learner licences cancelled
1 2 Nagpur: The Regional Transport Office (Nagpur City) cancelled the learner licences of three individuals after detecting misuse of the eKYC-based faceless system. The action followed an internal probe which revealed that the candidates shared their Aadhaar-linked OTPs with third parties, who then took the online test on their behalf. Assistant Motor Vehicle Inspector Dhwaj Dakhne lodged a complaint with Sitabuldi Police Station on July 10, 2025, seeking an investigation into the matter. According to RTO officials, the faceless system was designed to eliminate human intervention by using biometric verification and OTP-based authentication, but this case exposed vulnerabilities in its implementation. According to the RTO's findings, three candidates allegedly shared their eKYC-generated OTPs with third-party representatives, who then appeared for the learner licence test on their behalf. The RTO submitted that all relevant evidence, including audio recordings, will be provided to the police. I by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like This Could Be the Best Time to Trade Gold in 5 Years IC Markets Learn More Undo n the complaint, officials also requested that the three learner licences be blocked on the Sarathi portal to prevent the candidates from proceeding to apply for permanent licences. Personal notices are expected to be issued to the candidates to seek their explanation before further departmental action. A senior official from Sitabuldi Police Station confirmed receipt of the complaint and said coordination is ongoing with the RTO. "We have asked the RTO to verify the case at their level and identify the three individuals who indulged in malpractice. Once we receive proper documentation and evidence to the matter, legal action will follow," the official said. "This incident is a serious breach of the faceless service system, which was introduced to simplify the licensing process. Sharing OTPs to let someone else take the test is a clear violation of the law and undermines the system's credibility," said Kiran Bidkar, Regional Transport Officer, Nagpur (City). Bidkar added that the licences have already been cancelled and a formal police complaint has been lodged. "Citizens are strictly advised not to misuse the faceless system. If any such fraud is found, we will take stringent action in the interest of road safety and system integrity," he said.
New Indian Express
27-07-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Rollback new kharif paddy registration norms: Odisha Farm body
BARGARH: Protests against the revised kharif paddy procurement registration policy continued to escalate as the Paschim Odisha Krushak Sangathan Samanwaya Samiti (POKSSS) voiced strong opposition to the state government's new guidelines on Saturday. The POKSSS demanded immediate rollback of the revised paddy procurement registration policy, warning of intensified protests across western Odisha. Addressing a press conference at Bargarh, POKSSS convenors Lingaraj and Ashok Pradhan alleged that the new norms requiring biometric and iris scans, OTP verification and submission of legal heir documents of all the persons named in the land records are impractical for farmers, especially at a time when they are already engaged in peak agricultural activity. 'The process is so burdensome that nearly 70 per cent of genuine cultivators may be excluded from selling their paddy at government mandis,' the leaders said. Questioning the timing and intent of the policy, they alleged farmers are being forced to run between revenue inspector and tehsil offices for verification instead of being provided benefits like the promised bonus of `800. The farmer's body demanded immediate withdrawal of the new norms and reinstatement of a simple, farmer-friendly system that does not penalise anyone for documentation hurdles. 'The recent changes in kharif registration have triggered confusion and anxiety among farmers. We see this as a deliberate conspiracy to overcomplicate the process so that many farmers opt out of the registration process. This will ease the government's burden of paying the input subsidy introduced last year,' Lingaraj said. Pradhan said that field reports indicate even genuine cultivators are struggling to complete the biometric and OTP-based verification due to lack of access, internet connectivity, or outdated mobile registrations. Accusing the state government of plotting to deny procurement benefits to farmers under the pretext of transparency reforms, Pradhan warned that if the government failed to revise the guidelines and restore a practical, inclusive system, protest will be intensified across the region. On Thursday, Bargarh's BJD unit also demanded policy withdrawal, warning of mass agitation.
New Indian Express
23-07-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
DMK updates app after Madras HC order, OTP not needed now
The Madurai Bench of Madras High Court on Monday passed the interim order, directing DMK not to carry out OTP-based verification to enrol members. The order was based on a PIL that raised concerns over data protection and privacy. 'The nervousness of AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami to block our party's membership drive shows just how far the campaign has reached among the people,' he said. However, Bharathi said the court refused to ban the membership drive but allowed it to carry it out without OTP. He said people are coming forward to enrol as members themselves due to the welfare schemes and good governance of the Dravidian Model government. 'OTP was just a procedure for confirmation. However, respecting the court's direction, the party cadre have been asked to go ahead with the membership drive through alternative procedure.' In revised guidelines to the party cadre, he said although OTP verification is not needed in the mobile application used for the campaign, collecting of mobile numbers and ensuring them that they are not wrong are important.
New Indian Express
16-07-2025
- Business
- New Indian Express
After IRCTC makes Aadhaar must, tatkal tickets in reach of common man
CHENNAI: The implementation of Aadhaar authentication for booking tatkal tickets online from July 1 has greatly reduced the long-standing issue of tickets selling out within seconds. Users are now reporting ticket availability up to 10 minutes after bookings open for tatkal seats. After bookings open at 10am, AC tatkal tickets were found to be available until 10.10am. Similarly, non-AC tickets which open at 11am were available from 11.05am to 11.08am, said passengers. According to regular train travellers, tatkal tickets are available for more than five minutes even on high-demand routes such as Chennai-Howrah, Chennai-New Delhi, and others. 'Aadhaar authentication has had a positive impact on bookings. Particularly, on the Chennai-Thanjavur/Kumbakonam/Tiruchy routes, tatkal tickets now remain available for 5-10 minutes after the bookings open, which wasn't the case earlier,' A Giri, former member of the Divisional Rail Users Consultative Committee (DRUCC) for the Tiruchy division, said. Meanwhile, the OTP-based tatkal ticket booking system, which was scheduled to be launched on Tuesday by the Indian Railways, has been postponed as the integration of IRCTC portal with the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) is taking longer than expected. The roll-out for OTP authentication in tatkal bookings will be announced soon, official sources told the TNIE.
