Over 23 Lakh Land Mutation Cases Stall in Karnataka's e-Pouthi Drive

Over 23.15 lakh property mutation cases under Karnataka's statewide e-Pouthi Katha drive remain pending due to family inheritance disputes, missing records, and ongoing court battles. The campaign was launched by the Revenue Department to digitise and streamline the transfer of land ownership records to legal successors following a property holder's death.

The Revenue Department originally identified 46.38 lakh cases statewide where registered land holders had died without completing the mutation process. While officials have resolved nearly 50 per cent of these files, 23.15 lakh cases remain tangled in administrative and judicial delays.

Among the unresolved cases, 91,373 involve competing inheritance claims by multiple wives of deceased landowners. Revenue officials stated that disputes between first and second wives have frequently reached the courts, preventing tahsildars and village administrative officers from approving mutations until judges establish legal ownership.

The initiative faces additional documentation gaps across the state. Nearly 21 lakh deceased landowners have heirs currently residing outside Karnataka or abroad, making relationship verification difficult. Approximately one lakh cases are tied up in court proceedings, while another one lakh cases involve landowners who passed away three generations ago, where family records have disappeared over time.

Missing marriage certificates, unauthenticated family trees, and absent legal heir certificates have led officials to reject or halt applications. Revenue officials noted that while software updates have resolved several operational challenges, disputed cases require clear judicial directions before land records can be modified.

The delays have serious real-world consequences for affected families. Without transferred land titles, legal heirs are unable to apply for government welfare schemes, obtain bank loans by mortgaging land, or receive compensation for crop losses caused by droughts or floods. Ratnamma, a legal heir waiting for her property records to be processed, confirmed that families remain unable to access essential financial support while cases remain stuck.