Aadhaar
Aadhaar is a unique identification system in India, managed by the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI). It assigns a unique 12-digit number to every Indian resident, which serves as proof of identity and address across the country. Aadhaar collects both biometric (fingerprints, iris scans, facial photo) and demographic information (name, date of birth, address, etc.) to establish identity.
While obtaining an Aadhaar card is technically voluntary, it has become essential for accessing many services in India, such as subsidies, scholarships, and welfare schemes.
A digital version of your Aadhaar, such as a clear picture of the card on your mobile phone, is generally considered sufficient for most purposes
Aadhaar eSign
Aadhaar eSign is a specific type of eSigning that uses an individual’s Aadhaar number for authentication and signing of documents electronically. It requires users to authenticate their identity using their Aadhaar number and biometric data (like fingerprints or iris scans) or an OTP sent to their registered mobile number. Documents with Aadhar eSigns have value equivalent to that of hand-written signatures.
Affidavit
An affidavit is a written statement sworn before a person having authority to administer an oath. The individual making the affidavit swears that the information provided is accurate to the best of their knowledge. Affidavits are legally binding documents, and providing false information in an affidavit can lead to penalties for perjury. Affidavits are administered by a Notary Public with a valid licence, a Gazetted officer (officer holding a gazetted rank in the government), Judge, or Magistrate.
There are two types of affidavits, judicial and non-judicial affidavits. A judicial affidavit is made by a defendant or plaintiff in a legal proceeding, while a non-judicial affidavit is used for non-judicial purposes, such as availing Government services.
For an affidavit to be valid, the document needs to be signed by the applicant in the presence of a Notary, and the Notary must sign and affix a notary stamp. The stamp duty on affidavits in Karnataka is Rs. 100, and for Power of Attorney is Rs. 500, as of Sep 2024.
Attestation
Attestation is the process of certifying a document as genuine by a Notary Public with a valid licence, a Gazetted officer (officer holding a gazetted rank in the government), Judge, or Magistrate. Please carry one set of original documents, photocopy, and a photo ID proof when getting a document attested.
Bangalore One
BangaloreOne is an initiative by the Government of Karnataka to offer multiple public and private services to the citizens of Bangalore. These services are offered online through the Karnataka One portal, as well as in a network of physical centers across Bengaluru. Examples of public services offered through BangaloreOne include utility payments, property tax payments, Aadhar Services and so on. Private services include payment of mobile bill payments and insurance premium payments amongst others. The list of BangaloreOne centers can be found here
BBMP
BBMP stands for Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike, the municipal corporation for Bengaluru. BBMP oversees various civic services and urban infrastructure such as city planning, building licenses, property tax collection, maintenance of roads, waste management, sanitation, public amenities and so on.
BBMP has 8 zones: East, South, West, Bommanahalli, Dasarahalli, Mahadevapura, RR Nagar, Yelahanka. Every ward has an associated ARO office. More than 1 ward can have the same ARO office. You can find your ward number on the property tax receipt or sale deed.
Encumbrance Certificate
An Encumbrance Certificate verifies the ownership of the property and confirms that there are no outstanding mortgages or loans associated with it. This certificate provides a list of all transactions on a property. This is crucial for buyers to ensure that the property they are interested in is free from any encumbrances.
e-PID
This is a 10 digit number that corresponds to the PID and is used as a unique identifier in digital records. You can find this number in the draft eKhata available on the BBMP eAasthi website, or in the eKhata if you have one.
e-Stamping
In Karnataka, both regular stamp paper and e-stamping are available. Regular stamp paper can be used for transactions that require stamp duty of up to ₹500. For stamp duty amounts exceeding ₹500, e-stamping is typically required to reduce the risk of fraud. e-stamping allows users to pay stamp duty electronically through designated vendors or online.
GSC Number
When a request is made for a Government service that falls under the scope of Sakala, the citizen receives an acknowledgement slip with a unique 15 digit number called the Guarantee of Services to Citizen (GSC) number. This number is used to track the status of the request and refer to the request in any related communication with Sakala or the concerned Department.
Khata
The term “khata” refers to a property assessment account used for tax payments that is created by Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), the municipal authority in Bengaluru, for properties in its jurisdiction. There are two types of khatas, A Khata and B Khata. An A Khata property has been constructed following all BBMP regulations and approvals, whereas a B Khata property is not fully compliant and does not meet all legal requirements. The term “B Khata” is used because these properties are listed in a secondary register maintained by BBMP, known as the ‘B Register’.
A Khata extract is a document that provides details of the property as recorded in the BBMP register, including dimensions, location, owner’s name, and property tax assessments and is provided to both A and B Khata properties. A Khata certificate, available only for A Khata properties, includes the Annual Rateable Value (ARV), the estimated rent or income that a property might reasonably fetch in one year if it were rented out, which is used to assess the annual property tax.
eKhata
eKhata is an electronic or digital version of Khata and has the information that was previously available in both the extract and the certificate. Additionally, it includes the photo and PAN number of the owner, photo of the building, floor-wise area and sale deed document number. eKhata is available for both A Khata and B Khata properties. It is advisable to apply for eKhata for properties purchased before 2021 as it lowers the risk of forgery or manipulation of documents.
Power of Attorney
A power of attorney is a notarised document that allows one person (the principal) to authorize another person (the agent or attorney) to act on their behalf in legal, financial, or personal matters. It is commonly used when the principal is unable to perform certain tasks themselves due to various reasons like absence, health, or other constraints. A GPA executed by a person living outside India should be notarised in the country of origin and stamped in India within four months of being notarised. Within India, it is enough if the GPA is notarised. Previously a GPA had to be registered, however, this is not a requirement now.
Occupancy Certificate (OC)
An occupancy certificate is a document issued by the BBMP that certifies a building’s compliance with approved plans and safety regulations. An OC is a mandatory document for processing home loan applications, obtaining a khata, and to avail of income tax benefits on home loans.
Registration Number
This number is provided upon registering a property transaction, such as a sale deed, at the Sub-Registrar’s office. It is provided by the Department of Stamps and Registration in Karnataka, and is crucial for confirming property ownership and related details. You can find the registration number in the sale deed for the property.
Revenue Site
A revenue site is agricultural land as per BBMP/BDA guidelines. The land needs to be converted to non-agricultural land to be used for residential or commercial purposes. Any building constructed on agricultural land before such conversion is illegal.
Property Identification Number (PID)
Property Identification Number (PID) is a 10 digit number assigned to each property in Bangalore by the BBMP. It typically combines the ward number, street number, and plot number, and is a key reference for property tax assessments and other municipal records. You can find the PID in the Khata or eKhata certificate.
SAS Base Application Number
The SAS Base Application Number is a 10 digit unique identifier assigned to a property when a taxpayer registers it under the Self-Assessment Scheme (SAS) for property tax purposes. You can find this number on property tax receipts or on BBMP’s online property tax portal if you’ve registered the property in their system. It serves as a reference number for the property’s tax records to track the property details, ownership, and tax payment history.
DiGi7
BBMP has assigned a unique 7 digit Digital Address, called DiGi7 for every property in its limits. This identifier has the underlying GPS Coordinates for that property.
Title Deed & Mother Deed
Title Deed is the document that confers ownership of a particular property. Title Deed may be a sale deed (if the owner purchased the property), gift deed (if the person came into the property as a gift), exchange deed (if there is an exchange of properties between parties), release deed (example, if one co-owner releases their share of a property to another co-owner)., partition deed (if a property needs to be divided among co-owners) and so on. A title deed is also referred to as conveyance deed.
A mother deed is the title deed that conferred ownership on the seller of the property. A mother deed is also known as parent deed or anterior title deed or “link document”.
UPOR/ Property Record Card (PR Card)
Urban Property Ownership Record (UPOR) is an initiative of the Department of Stamps & Registration, that captures the location, dimensions and ownership details of a property in a ‘Property Card’ (PR) card. The PR card is compulsory for registrations and is a proof of ownership.