Karnataka high court orders timely khata transfers, levies Rs 500 fine on tahsildar

Bengaluru: The high court directed the revenue department's principal secretary to ensure notice boards in tahsildar offices across the state display details of pending and resolved applications, as required under Karnataka Sakaala Services Act, 2011, and to submit a compliance report within four weeks.Justice R Devdas heard a petition by Annapurneshwari Builders and Developers Pvt Ltd, which alleged that the tahsildar of Bengaluru North taluk had failed to record the company's name in revenue records based on a registered sale deed, dated March 15, 2023, despite a representation submitted on Dec 2, 2025.
Referring to the Sakaala Act, the judge noted Section 9 allowed a Rs 500 penalty for not delivering services within the prescribed time, along with Rs 20 per day thereafter. He pointed out that under Section 14, failure by designated officers to provide services was treated as misconduct and could trigger disciplinary proceedings. Under Item 26, khata transfers in undisputed cases must be completed within 60 working days by the tahsildar and the court held that the delay here breached this mandate.The judge expressed concern that officials responsible for implementing the Act did not properly monitor applications, failed to publish status updates on notice boards and did not act against tahsildars who missed statutory timelines. Allowing the petition, the judge levied cost of Rs 500 on the tahsildar, payable to the petitioners, and directed that the petitioners' name be entered in the revenue records within six weeks.