For all property owners who are stuck between crooked builders and unethical civic officers to get khatas for their properties here’s a good news as the Karnataka High Court has called the methods of issuing ‘B’ Khatas as illicit. The HC has directed the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) to take all properties in the Form A Register.
What is ‘B’ Khata Properties?
‘B’ Khata properties are unapproved properties in the city built on lands without viable approvals and sanctions. ‘B’ Khata does not entitles a property but it is an acknowledgement that tax for the relevant property is paid to the government. It is just an identification entered in a register titled ‘B’ and it is not a title deed hence it is called as ‘B’ Khata and it’s 8 percent is considered as invalid Khata extract.
The Karnataka High Court has ordered the BBMP to issue property identification numbers (PIN) to all the properties regardless of being evaluated or not for charging property tax. This order by the HC is considered to be double-whammy to the BBMP.
This order by HC would help more than two lakh property owners with ‘B’ Khatas as their property does not meet the BBMP rules and this move is also said to support ambitious property owners to avail loans to buy properties.
The Karnataka High Court issued this order with respect to the petition filed by 20 members in 2011 who had dispute with the BBMP’s issuance of ‘B’ Khata to them.
Orders of HC says:
- It is the responsibility of BBMP commissioner to ensure required changes to the rule if it so desires and to include in Form B register assessment of tax on properties, which do not have approvals and sanctions under various relevant enactments, falling within purview of section 108-A (3) of the act, rather than include them in Form A register.
- Further, it has to ensure that the allocation of property identification numbers to all properties falling within its jurisdiction, regardless of being evaluated or not to charge of property tax.
- Remarkably, the HC also comprehended that until BBMP does such practices there would be no righteous for BBMP to take in individual properties in Form B register and issue extracts and other documents.
- Further, the order made by the HC also made it clear that the BBMP plans to record the evaluation of property tax in respect of properties that fall under section 108-A (3) of the act in a separate register, shall make available to the owners all relevant material details to enable petitioners to file their dispute and thereafter pass orders according to the law.
