Bengaluru Residents Shocked By Tax Notices: Did You Include Your Car Parking Area?

A technical glitch in the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike's (BBMP) e-Khata system has caused distress among homeowners. Many have received show-cause notices due to discrepancies in their property details. The e-Khata, an electronic property certificate, became mandatory from 1 July 2025. It records ownership information online.

Homeowners in Bengaluru are upset after receiving notices for not including car parking areas in their property's carpet size. Richmond Town resident Rajat Rao expressed his frustration, stating, "A notice has been issued demanding tax for the car parking slot in my apartment." He added that BBMP had decided on parking lot dimensions without verifying documents or inspecting apartments.

BBMP's Software Glitch

The issue arose from a software check introduced by BBMP's new system, Kauvery. This software flagged mismatches between e-Khata and EPID property area details. A senior BBMP official explained that discrepancies are automatically detected by the software, and staff do not manually input data.

BBMP special commissioner (revenue), Munish Moudgil, clarified that notices were intended only for properties with variations exceeding 5%. However, due to a technical error by NIC, mass emails were mistakenly sent to those not at fault. Moudgil assured residents that they could appeal and the issue would be resolved promptly.

Homeowners' Concerns

The Times of India reported that Shantinagar assembly constituency residents were most affected as the e-Khata system was first implemented there. Homeowners are urging Bengaluru district in-charge minister D K Shivakumar to intervene and stop what they call harassment.

Vijay Kumar from Yelahanka shared his frustration: "When I raised the issue, the official suggested I appeal with BBMP's e-court." He felt wrongly accused and questioned why he should appeal for something beyond his control.

Demand for Accountability

Sudhindra Halappa Gowda, another resident, questioned why middle-class citizens face penalties while bureaucrats and politicians evade taxes. He asked why they suffer when others aren't penalised for similar issues.

Affected property owners demand clarity from officials managing the e-Khata project and deputy chief minister D K Shivakumar. They argue that discrepancies should have been addressed earlier instead of issuing notices post-e-Khata issuance.

The BBMP official defended the system by stating that car parking areas are part of the property and subject to tax. He noted that sale deeds typically mention only super built-up areas, not specific parking space sizes.

This situation highlights the need for improved communication between authorities and citizens to prevent such misunderstandings in future. Ensuring accurate data entry and addressing technical issues promptly can help avoid unnecessary stress for homeowners.