The Karnataka Legislative Assembly has passed a significant amendment aimed at modernizing property transactions across the state. The Registration (Karnataka Amendment) Bill, 2026, was approved without debate, paving the way for property registrations to be conducted remotely, eliminating the need for physical presence at sub-registrar offices for either party involved in a transaction. This legislative move is expected to streamline the property registration process, reduce delays, and enhance convenience for citizens. Deputy Chief Minister G. Parameshwara, who also holds the Revenue portfolio, stated that the Bill would facilitate e-registration, or remote registration, of documents that require compulsory registration.
According to details received by The Chenab Times, the Bill also introduces provisions for issuing certified copies of documents through a centralized virtual distribution system, further aiming to expedite administrative processes. To ensure the integrity of the digital system, the legislation includes penalties for fraudulent manipulation or hacking of the department’s online portal and software. It also seeks to enhance the integration of property-related software to prevent illegal registrations, particularly in urban areas, and to simplify the overall registration procedure while ensuring thorough due diligence by sub-registrars for the public good.
The amendment is part of a broader digital transformation initiative within the state’s revenue department, leveraging technology to improve transparency and efficiency. The Kaveri 3.0 digital platform is central to this reform, intended to enable AI-driven, paperless registration and online document management. This means that digital document submission, online verification of property records, reduced paperwork, and faster registration approvals will become standard practice. The government’s objective is to create a secure, transparent, and technology-driven property registration system, moving away from traditional processes that often involve multiple visits to government offices and extensive manual approvals.
This move is particularly anticipated to benefit non-resident Indians (NRIs) and other property owners who may find it challenging to be physically present for registration. The reform aligns with the government’s commitment to modernizing land records and simplifying property transactions, as outlined in the Karnataka Budget 2026. While the digital registration process is being introduced, authorities have emphasized that buyers should still conduct thorough due diligence, including title verification, checking for encumbrance certificates, and reviewing approved building plans and property tax records, to ensure secure and legally recognized ownership.
The passage of this Bill follows other legislative actions by the Karnataka Assembly. Among them are amendments to the Bengaluru Metropolitan Land Transport Authority to address traffic congestion, a change to the Goods and Services Tax Act to remove a threshold limit for refund claims on exported goods, and an amendment to the Shops and Commercial Establishments Act to enhance business ease. Additionally, the Karnataka Gram Swaraj and Panchayat Raj (Second) (Amendment) Bill, 2026, was approved to facilitate tax collection at the panchayat level, replacing a previous ordinance. The Assembly also passed legislation to regularize roads within unauthorized layouts and enable the conversion of ‘B’ khata properties to ‘A’ khata, providing greater legal security and ownership rights to a significant number of property owners across the state. The Karnataka Apartment (Ownership and Management) Bill, 2026, was also cleared, establishing a unified legal framework for apartment ownership, management, and related facilities.
The Chenab Times News Desk