e-Swathu, e-Khata and Form 3, explained simply

Buyers new to Karnataka often get confused by the different property record systems used inside and outside city limits. Here is the short version.

e-Khata (urban)

Issued by a city or town municipal authority, e-Khata is the digitised record that shows a property is entered in the local body's tax rolls. It's the document city buyers usually ask for first.

e-Swathu (rural)

Outside municipal limits — most of Uttara Kannada's villages — the equivalent record is e-Swathu, maintained by the gram panchayat. It confirms a property is recorded in the village property register and that panchayat tax has been paid.

Form 3 (rural, no building yet)

Form 3 is issued for a rural site or plot that has no building on it yet — essentially the "no construction" version of e-Swathu, used until a structure comes up and the record is updated.

Why it matters when you buy

A missing or outdated Khata/Swathu record can delay a sale or a loan. Always ask which record applies to a specific property (it depends on whether it sits inside or outside a municipal or town panchayat limit) and get a fresh copy before you finalise anything.