In Karnataka, a plot is only as good as its paperwork. An apartment buyer inherits a builder's approvals; a plot buyer inherits the land's entire history — every sale, partition, mortgage, and revenue entry going back decades. A plot can look perfect on site, sit on a tarred road, have compound walls on three sides, and still be unsellable because a single conversion order was never issued or a legal heir was never accounted for.
The good news is that almost everything you need to verify is available in writing — from the sub-registrar's office, the revenue department, or the planning authority. The discipline is simply refusing to pay an advance until all eleven papers are in your hand. Buyers evaluating new-launch projects around Devanahalli and the KIADB Aerospace belt apply exactly this checklist before committing, and the same standard should apply to any plot you consider.
1. Mother Deed and the Chain of Title
The mother deed, also called the parent document, is the earliest available document that shows how the land first came into private ownership — a grant, a partition, a gift, a court decree, or an original sale. Every subsequent transfer flows from it.
What it proves: That ownership has passed through an unbroken, traceable chain to the person selling to you today. A gap of even one transaction in the chain means someone in between may still hold a claim. Ask for the full set of linked deeds covering at least the last 30 years, not just the seller's own purchase deed.
2. The Registered Sale Deed in the Seller's Name
This is the document by which the current owner acquired the property, stamped and registered under the Registration Act at the jurisdictional sub-registrar's office. Verify that the name, survey number, extent, and boundaries on it match what is being offered to you.
What it proves: That the seller has legal title and the right to convey it. An unregistered agreement, a notarised paper, or a general power of attorney is not title. If a GPA holder or a developer under a Joint Development Agreement is selling, demand the JDA and the registered GPA as well — those establish the right to sell on the owner's behalf.
3. Encumbrance Certificate for 30 Years
The Encumbrance Certificate (EC) is issued by the sub-registrar in Form 15 when transactions exist and Form 16 when the record is nil. Pull it for a full 30-year window rather than the 13 years most sellers offer.
What it proves: That the land carries no registered mortgage, lien, court attachment, or undisclosed sale. It also cross-checks the title chain — every deed in your mother-deed set should appear in the EC, and every EC entry should be explained by a deed you have seen. Anything present in one and missing from the other is a red flag.
4. RTC (Pahani) and Mutation Extract
The Record of Rights, Tenancy and Crops, known locally as the pahani, is the revenue department's ownership record for the survey number. The Mutation Register extract (MR) records each change of that entry.
What it proves: That the revenue records agree with the registered documents. A sale deed alone does not update revenue records — mutation does. If the seller's name never entered the RTC, the transfer was never reflected where the state actually tracks land, and your own resale will hit the same objection.
5. DC Conversion Order
Most land around Bengaluru began as agricultural land. Converting it to residential use requires an order from the Deputy Commissioner under Section 95 of the Karnataka Land Revenue Act, 1964.
What it proves: That the plot is legally permitted to be used for a house. Without conversion, you cannot obtain a valid khata, sanctioned building plan, or home loan from most institutions, and construction can be treated as unauthorised. Check that the survey number, extent, and purpose stated in the order match your plot exactly — partial conversions are common, and a plot can sit on the unconverted portion of a converted survey number.
6. Sanctioned Layout Plan and Release Order
Layouts must be approved by the relevant planning authority — BDA, BBMP, BMRDA, a local planning authority, or the town planning department, depending on jurisdiction. Approval comes with a sanctioned plan and, after infrastructure obligations are met, a release order.
What it proves: That the layout is legal, that roads and civic amenity space have been surrendered as required, and that your specific plot number exists on the approved drawing. This is the strongest defence against a "revenue layout" — land subdivided and sold without approval, where plots are unmortgageable and vulnerable to demolition.
7. Karnataka RERA Registration Certificate
Plotted developments above the statutory threshold must be registered with the Karnataka Real Estate Regulatory Authority. The registration number should be quoted in every advertisement and brochure.
What it proves: That the promoter has filed approvals, timelines, and financial disclosures with a regulator, and that you have a formal grievance forum if commitments are broken. Do not accept a number on paper — search it on the Karnataka RERA portal yourself and read the uploaded approvals, status, and any complaints against the promoter.
8. Khata Certificate and Khata Extract
The khata is the municipal or panchayat record identifying who is liable to pay property tax. Karnataka has moved to a digital e-khata system, and the distinction between A-khata and B-khata still decides what you can build and borrow against.
What it proves: That the property is recognised in the civic register in the owner's name and assessed for tax. An A-khata indicates a fully compliant property; a B-khata signals an irregularity that must be regularised before plan sanction or institutional finance becomes straightforward.
9. Property Tax Receipts and Betterment Charges
Collect the latest tax paid receipts, ideally for the last three to five years, along with the betterment or improvement charges receipt paid to the authority at the time of khata issuance.
What it proves: That no arrears will transfer to you, and that the property has been continuously acknowledged and assessed. Tax receipts also corroborate possession, since they show someone has openly claimed and paid for the land year after year.
10. Survey Documents — Tippani, Akarband and Podi Extract
These are the survey department's records. The tippani is the original survey sketch, the akarband records the extent and assessment of the survey number, and the podi extract records sub-division into smaller parcels.
What it proves: That the physical boundaries on the ground match the government's own map — that your 30x40 is genuinely where the seller says it is, at the extent claimed. Pair these with a fresh survey by a licensed surveyor before registration, as boundary encroachment is among the most expensive disputes to unwind after payment.
11. Legal Opinion, Family Tree and Statutory NOCs
The final item is a title search report and written legal opinion from an advocate you appoint — not the seller's advocate — supported by a genealogical tree (vamsha vruksha) issued by the village accountant, plus clearances under Sections 79A and 79B of the Karnataka Land Reforms Act, the PTCL Act, and a no-acquisition certificate.
What it proves: That there are no undisclosed legal heirs with a share in the property, that the land was not granted land restricted from sale, that earlier purchases did not breach agricultural landholding restrictions, and that no government body has notified the land for acquisition. These are precisely the defects that surface years later, when the cost of correcting them is highest.
Making the Checklist Work for You
Sequence matters as much as the list. Verify documents 1 to 4 before paying any token amount, complete 5 to 8 before signing an agreement to sell, and close out 9 to 11 before registration. Insist on certified copies rather than photocopies, cross-check every survey number and extent across all eleven papers, and treat any inconsistency as unresolved until the seller explains it in writing.
Reputable developers expect this scrutiny and keep the full document set ready for inspection — buyers reviewing Godrej Row Houses on Soukya Road and similar land-parcel offerings routinely receive approvals, RERA details, and title records upfront. Where a seller resists sharing any one of these eleven documents, the resistance itself is the answer. Work through the checklist calmly, get an independent legal opinion, and plot buying stops being a leap of faith and becomes a verifiable decision.
Plot Buying Karnataka, Property Documents Checklist, Karnataka Land Records, Real Estate Due Diligence, Bengaluru Plots
