Is e-khata mandatory for a resale flat in Bengaluru? The seller says it will take 45 days: can I pay an advance?

Last modified: 3 Nov 2026 • 3 min read

Direct answer: For a city resale, the Revenue Minister said registration would not be done without an e-khata. Don't pay an advance while the seller is still promising that file in 45 days.

The Hindu reported the minister on 28 September 2024. From 30 September 2024, a sale would not be registered without an e-khata, because e-Aasthi and e-Swathu are linked to registration. Kaveri's FAQ still says the seller's details on a sale deed are filled from those records, including e-Aasthi, and you cannot edit them. In May 2026, GBA's Special Commissioner (Revenue and IT) told The Economic Times the link had been in force since 1 October 2024. Treat 45 days as the seller's estimate.

A draft or an application number is not the final e-khata. On 17 September 2026 the Greater Bengaluru Authority listed conversion of a draft e-khata into a final one as a separate service on e-Aasthi 2.0. Ask for the final file, in the seller's name, for this flat.

Checks before any money moves

Read the file. Final e-khata, in the seller's name, for this flat. Match the door, the block and the area to the sale deed. An application screenshot does not count.
See who issued it. City corporations use GBA e-Aasthi. A gram panchayat flat uses e-Swathu.
An e-khata is not a clean approval. It is the municipal account, and it can sit on the B register. A-khata, B-khata and e-khata are not the same paper.
Ask the lender in writing. A sanction on the deed and the EC can still stall when the khata is missing. Read how a resale flat home loan is checked before you rely on the sanction.
Finish the paper check before any payment. Title and the encumbrance certificate still come first. So do the documents to verify before a token.

If you still want to hold the flat

Call a small sum a token, not an advance. An advance is money toward the price. Pay a token only if your lawyer's short agreement says all of this.

Name the flat: door, block, the seller's sale deed number, and the ePID if one exists.
The seller will give you a final e-khata in their name for this flat, from the office that holds it.
Write a calendar date, not "about 45 days".
If the file is missing on that date, you walk away and the money returns in full to your account. No cut.
The payment does not transfer the flat. No keys, and you do not move in.
The seller has not booked the same flat to anyone else.
Bank transfer only, and both of you sign.

The mistake to avoid

Don't sign a sale agreement, and don't pay a sum the seller can keep, on an e-khata application number. If the file never comes, you are chasing a refund under a paper that already reads like a purchase.

Ask your lawyer. Have a property lawyer read the khata and the draft before you pay. If the agreement needs a tax look as well, ask your CA. This page is general. It is not advice on your flat.

Frequently asked questions

Is an application number enough to register?

No. The sub-registrar's form looks for the owner record, not a pending application.

Does an e-khata mean the flat is on the A register?

No. Open the file and see which register it names.

Can I move in while registration waits?

Don't. The sale deed has not transferred the flat.

References

The Hindu, 28 September 2024, Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda on e-khata for registration from 30 September 2024: https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/bangalore/e-khata-is-mandatory-from-september-30-krishna-byre-gowda/article68691510.ece, accessed 3 Nov 2026.
Department of Stamps and Registration, Kaveri 2 Related FAQs (sale-deed executant details fetched from owner records, including e-Aasthi, and not editable): https://igr.karnataka.gov.in/new-page/Kaveri%202%20Related%20FAQs/en, accessed 3 Nov 2026.
The Economic Times, 27 May 2026, GBA Special Commissioner (Revenue and IT) on e-khata integration with Kaveri since 1 October 2024: https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/bengaluru-news/e-khata-established-order-in-bengaluru-property-administration-says-gba-spl-commissioner/articleshow/131354060.cms, accessed 3 Nov 2026.
The Hindu, 17 September 2026, e-Aasthi 2.0 from 21 September 2026, including conversion of draft e-khata to final: https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/bangalore/gba-to-roll-out-e-aasthi-20-new-e-khata-system-from-sept-21/article71477179.ece, accessed 3 Nov 2026.

This page explains public rules and processes. It isn't legal or tax advice. acre&key gives buyers advice for free.