In a significant move to streamline land administration and curb corruption, the Karnataka government has introduced a major reform enabling the automatic mutation of property records. This initiative, announced via a notification issued on Friday, aims to eliminate unwarranted delays and reduce official discretion that has long plagued the system.
What is Automatic Mutation and How Will It Work?
Mutation is the critical official process of updating land revenue records to reflect a change in ownership following events like sale, inheritance, gift, partition, or a court order. The update ensures the new owner's name is entered into the Record of Rights (RTC or Pahani) and related registers.
Under the new system, once a notice for a proposed mutation is issued and the stipulated objection period lapses without any response, the mutation will be executed automatically. This will happen provided all submitted documents are verified and there is no existing court stay or injunction against the process.
Principal Secretary (Revenue) Rajender Kumar Kataria explained to the media that this reform drastically cuts down human interface and discretionary delays, which have historically been sources of corruption. "By making the system rule-based, time-bound, and digitally-triggered, the scope for files being held back or moved selectively is expected to be minimised," he stated.
Tackling Pendency and Easing Public Hardship
The government's decision directly targets the thousands of mutation files that remain stuck in the pipeline despite notices being served and objection periods having ended. These pendencies cause significant hardship to landowners, farmers, property buyers, and legal heirs.
Timely mutation of land records is essential for citizens to access various benefits and services, including:
- Bank loans
- Crop insurance
- Government subsidies
- Schemes linked to land ownership
Delays often create uncertainty in ownership records and stall property transactions, causing financial and legal complications.
Digital Implementation and Safeguards
The automated process will be implemented through the state's digital platforms, primarily the Bhoomi portal and the Revenue Court Case Management System (RCCMS). This will create a complete electronic trail for every step—from the issuance of notice and expiry of the objection period to verification and final updation of records.
Kataria emphasised, "The system itself will carry out the mutation once all legal conditions are met. There is no room for subjective delays."
However, the notification includes important safeguards. The automatic process will not apply to disputed cases. If objections are filed or rival claims exist, the mutation will follow the regular enquiry procedure. Authorities also retain the power to revise, correct, or cancel mutation entries if they are later discovered to have been obtained through fraud, misrepresentation, or suppression of facts.
The revenue department has issued directions to regional commissioners, deputy commissioners, tahsildars, and registration authorities to operationalise these changes immediately. This reform marks a pivotal step towards a more transparent, efficient, and citizen-friendly land governance system in Karnataka.
