Zen Citizen’s goal is to provide clear, practical guidance on government procedures, enabling citizens to confidently navigate the system, stand their ground, and resist bribery. While we’ve received encouraging praise, the impact has been limited so far. We can’t control website bugs or prevent office clerks from inventing reasons to reject applications; yet, having a well-prepared application package might embolden citizens to stand firm and push back against bribery. Is it worth the time though, if this work doesn’t eventually reduce petty corruption?
It seems the effort could be worth pursuing, as highlighted by a reader’s frustrating yet hopeful experience that I reported to the BBMP Special Commissioner (Revenue)., as shown by a reader’s frustrating yet hopeful experience, which I reported to a BBMP senior official.
A Success Story…Almost
A reader, Suhas, shared how they successfully submitted their eKhata application on the BBMP eAasthi website in a single attempt, crediting Zen Citizen’s documentation:
SNIP “My eKhata application has gone to the ARO for a final decision. Your guide was excellent, helping me gather all necessary documents so I could submit the application in one go. Any issues I faced were due to the buggy eAasthi website, not the process itself.
This is a brilliant initiative you’ve started, reducing dependency on middlemen for government procedures. Your guides will have a multiplier effect that might not be immediately apparent. If I get the eKhata without issues, I’ll help others around me apply for theirs too.” SNIP
Facing the Limits of Our Reach
Despite this positive experience, the last step of the eKhata process – the ARO’s approval – proved to be an obstacle. The ARO flagged the reader’s application for a supposed “name mismatch” between the sale deed and Aadhaar, even though the names matched exactly. The reader went to the ARO office in Yelahanka as instructed and described the experience as follows:
SNIP “When I went to the office, a lady there took a look at the documents and tried to gaslight me into believing that there was a spelling difference. Even though there was none. Finally, I had to tell her that I’m an advocate and don’t need to be taught about spelling, so she then directed me to another person.
The next person verified that both spellings were the same, even checking against the register where the sale deeds are recorded. He then sent me back to the lady.
She made me wait for some time, then finally asked for printouts of all the documents – Sale Deed, Khata, Khata Certificate, property tax, eKhata application and submission acknowledgment, and a covering letter. She even showed me another person’s documents, flagged for the same supposed name mismatch. I realized then that her argument about a name mismatch wasn’t just incompetence.
I’ll be going again tomorrow/Wednesday to give the documents.” SNIP
A Glimmer of Hope
I reported this experience to the senior official in BBMP, who promised to investigate. The issue turned out to be a software glitch: the system recorded “Reader’s Name, s/o Reader’s Dad’s Name” as the name, while BBMP records listed only “Reader’s Name.” The official confirmed that the ARO had the authority to approve the application but chose not to. They’ve since assured the reader that they will receive their eKhata without additional office visits. He also explained that, at this early stage, their priority is to prevent false matches, which could seriously impact genuine property owners. The model is currently being fine-tuned to improve accuracy.
Seeing this prompt response from senior BBMP officials is heartening. Some officials are genuinely dedicated and likely face the same system-induced roadblocks as citizens. While the shift to eKhata has inconvenienced the public, it’s a critical step toward transparency and reducing real estate fraud—a small price to pay for the greater good.
We’ll keep you posted with our journey.
Update: On December 3, about five weeks after his visit to the BBMP office, Suhas, the reader mentioned above, received his eKhata. Since he did not have an immediate need for the eKhata, he chose to wait and did not revisit the ARO, despite their instructions to do so.