All kinds of property numbers in Karnataka should be cross-referenced: HC

Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court has directed the state government to appoint an IAS officer as a nodal official to coordinate with various departments and municipal bodies to prepare a dashboard where the public can access and cross-check with all kinds of property details.

This order came in a petition where a builder tried to “take advantage of certain lacunae in the manner and methodology of numbering”. A fine of Rs 1 lakh was imposed on Vandana Infra Estates which had filed the petition.

Besides dismissing the petition, the court directed the government to come up with an arrangement with coordination of the Revenue department, Urban Development department, Urban Development Authorities, Town Planning authorities, municipal authorities, and municipal corporations, etc., in association with the e-governance department.

The court said the nodal officer will “consolidate and cross-reference the survey number with the sub numbers if any, Khane-Shumari (block identification) numbers, House List number, serial number/village panchayat khata number, khata numbers, e-khata number, municipal numbers, Town Municipal Khata number/ City Municipal khata number, Municipal Khata number, CTS number, Chalta number, BDA/Urban Development Authority Site number, Karnataka Housing Board Site Number, Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board Plot Number, Private layout site number, as already allotted and updated the same as and when allotted in future.”

All these will be available on a dashboard which “should be available for everyone to cross-refer. The combined numbering to be web-hosted in all concerned departments,” the HC said.

A detailed project report (DPR) will be prepared and submitted to the court within eight weeks, Justice Suraj Govindaraj said in his judgement on July 5. Though the petition by the builder was dismissed, the court will again hear the petition on September 26 to check the DPR.

The builder had approached the court against a Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) order for demolition of construction put up by it. The builder claimed the land belonged to him based on a certain ‘Khaneshumari’ number allotted by the panchayat. However, it turned out that the BDA had acquired the said land and the builder had purchased land adjoining it.

The confusion between the Khaneshumari number and the Khatha number allotted by the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) and the land survey numbers was utilized by the petitioner to make a claim on the land, the HC said, imposing the cost.