East Bengaluru buyer answers
What is e-Swathu, and how do you check a panchayat-area flat's record?
Direct answer: e-Swathu is Karnataka's system for gram panchayat property records. For an e swathu property search, pick Form-9 or Form-11B, then search by property ID or by survey number with district, block, panchayat and village. Then verify the certificate number and use the portal's check on whether the property can be registered.
Disclosure: acre&key’s advice is free to buyers.
Verify with your lawyer: Panchayat records, conversion and approvals are legal questions. This page is general information. Have a property lawyer confirm the title and records before you pay or sign.
Key takeaways
- Form 9 is the stronger record. It's issued only for gramathana sites, sites in approved layouts on converted land, and government housing scheme sites.
- Forms 9 and 11 are needed to register non-agricultural panchayat property, under a Revenue Department circular of 6 Apr 2009, amended in 2013.
- Every certificate has a unique number you can verify on the portal.
- Registration charges are a touch higher in panchayat areas: about 7.65% against 7.6% in GBA.
What are Form 9 and Form 11?
Both are gram panchayat records for non-agricultural property, issued under the Karnataka Panchayat Raj (Grama Panchayat Budgeting and Accounting) Rules 2006, as amended in 2013 (e-Swathu FAQ).
| Form 9 | Form 11 (11B on the portal) | |
|---|---|---|
| Rule | Rule 28 | Rule 30 (demand, collection and balance register) |
| Who gets it | Only gramathana sites certified by the Tahsildar, sites in layouts approved by the competent authority on converted land, and government housing scheme sites | Every Form 9 property, plus others already on the demand register |
| What it tells you | The site meets one of those conditions | The property is on the tax register. Paying that tax is a separate step; see how property tax is paid on a panchayat flat. |
So a Form 11 without Form 9 doesn't tell you the land was converted or the layout approved. Ask why there's no Form 9.
Conversion orders come from the Deputy Commissioner. Layout plans are approved by the town planning authority for the area or, where none exists, the Director of Town Planning (same FAQ). Ask for those papers and read them with the documents to check before you pay a token.
How do you search a property on e-Swathu?
- Open the public search (e-Swathu Form 9 / 11B search).
- Choose Form-9 or Form-11B.
- Search by property ID if the seller gives you one, or by survey number after selecting district, block, gram panchayat and village.
- Open the property status page (check property status). With the property ID, it shows property details, owner details, mutation and correction history, and any conversion from 11B to 9, from 11B or 9 to an apartment, building or villa, or from non-transactable to transactable.
- Compare the owner, area, built-up area and property type with the sale deed and the seller's documents.
How do you check the certificate is genuine?
Every Form 9 and 11 from e-Swathu has a unique certificate number. Enter it under Verify Documents on the e-Swathu home page and compare the original with the copy you've been given. Forms issued after 15 Jun 2013 are digitally signed by the Panchayat Development Officer, and in Bengaluru Urban, Bengaluru Rural and Ramanagara they're printed on secured stationery with a hologram (e-Swathu FAQ). The home page also has a "check whether this property can be registered" option. Use it, but treat it as a pointer, not a legal opinion.
Worked example 1: registration charges, panchayat vs GBA
Illustrative. A ₹70 lakh flat (5% stamp duty applies above ₹45 lakh).
| Charge | Panchayat area | GBA area |
|---|---|---|
| Stamp duty 5% | ₹3,50,000 | ₹3,50,000 |
| Cess 10% of duty | ₹35,000 | ₹35,000 |
| Surcharge on duty (3% / 2%) | ₹10,500 | ₹7,000 |
| Registration 2% | ₹1,40,000 | ₹1,40,000 |
| Total | ₹5,35,500 (7.65%) | ₹5,32,000 (7.6%) |
The ₹3,500 difference is small. The paperwork difference isn't. Surcharge rates are from the CAG Stamp Duty and Registration Manual §7.4 and the GBA Act s.170. Check yours with the stamp duty calculator.
Worked example 2: timing a new Form 9
Form 9 was notified as a Sakala service on 1 Apr 2011, with 45 days for the panchayat to issue it. Copies of an existing Form 9 or 11 come within 3 days of applying and paying the fee (e-Swathu FAQ).
If a seller applies for a first Form 9 on 2 Nov 2026, the 45-day limit runs to 17 Dec 2026. If your agreement says registration in 30 days and the seller doesn't yet have Form 9, the dates don't fit. Build the gap into the agreement, or wait.
The category, certificate, clearance test (our framework)
- Category. Which of the three Form 9 categories does this property fall in? Ask for the matching paper: Tahsildar's gramathana sketch, conversion order plus layout approval, or the housing scheme grant.
- Certificate. Verify the certificate number on e-Swathu and match owner, area and property ID with the deed.
- Clearance. Run the "can be registered" check, look for an e-Swathu record of the flat itself (apartment conversion appears on the status page), and have a lawyer confirm.
Checklist
- Form 9, not only Form 11B
- The paper behind the Form 9 category
- Certificate number verified on e-Swathu
- Owner, area and property ID match the sale deed
- Status page checked for mutations and conversions
- RTC for the survey number checked on Bhoomi
- Building approval matched to the authority that actually sanctioned it
- Lawyer's title opinion
Not sure if the flat is in a panchayat at all? See how to check whether an East Bengaluru project is under the city corporation or a gram panchayat. Inside GBA, the record is an e-Khata on e-Aasthi instead.
Frequently asked questions
What is e-Swathu?
It's the Karnataka Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department's workflow system for gram panchayat property records. It issues and records Form 9 and Form 11 for non-agricultural property, and lets anyone search records, view property status and verify a certificate number online.
What is the difference between Form 9 and Form 11?
Form 9 is issued only for Tahsildar-certified gramathana sites, sites in approved layouts on converted land, and government housing scheme sites. Form 11 is the panchayat's tax demand register entry and can cover other properties already on that register. Form 9 tells you more.
How do I search my property on e-Swathu?
Open the public search page, choose Form-9 or Form-11B, and search by property ID or by survey number after selecting district, block, gram panchayat and village. The property status page then shows owner details, mutations and conversions.
How do I check if a Form 9 is genuine?
Use the certificate number printed on it. Enter it under Verify Documents on the e-Swathu home page and compare the original with your copy. Forms issued after 15 Jun 2013 are digitally signed by the Panchayat Development Officer.
How long does it take to get Form 9?
Form 9 is a Sakala service with 45 days for the panchayat to issue it. A copy of an existing Form 9 or 11 comes within 3 days of applying and paying the fee. Build that time into your agreement.
Can I buy a flat with only Form 11?
You can register with Forms 9 and 11, but Form 11 alone doesn't show the land was converted or the layout approved. Ask why there's no Form 9, check the conversion and approvals, and take a lawyer's view before paying more than a token.
Talk it through with acre&key
If you'd like help checking a panchayat-area flat's records, book a consultation with acre&key.
Lawyer note: Panchayat records, conversion and approvals are legal questions. This page is general information. Have a property lawyer confirm the title and records before you pay or sign.
References
Checked 19 Oct 2026.
- e-Swathu, public FAQ: https://eswathu.karnataka.gov.in/PublicFAQ.aspx, accessed 19 Oct 2026
- e-Swathu, Form 9 / 11B public search: https://eswathu.karnataka.gov.in/Issue0fForm9/Frm_PublicSearchForm9.aspx, accessed 19 Oct 2026
- e-Swathu, property status: https://eswathu.karnataka.gov.in/AA/CheckPropertyStatus_Public.aspx, accessed 19 Oct 2026
- Karnataka land records, RTC: https://landrecords.karnataka.gov.in/service2/RTC.aspx, accessed 19 Oct 2026
- CAG, Stamp Duty and Registration Manual (2020), §7.4: https://saiindia.gov.in/uploads/media/Stamp-Duty-and-Registration-Manual-20200914191933.pdf, accessed 19 Oct 2026
- Karnataka Stamp Act 1957: https://dpal.karnataka.gov.in/storage/pdf-files/34%20of%201957%28E%29.pdf, accessed 19 Oct 2026