Applicants seeking residential sites in Bengaluru’s Dr K Shivaram Karanth Layout are facing a documentation hurdle after revenue offices in Bengaluru Urban district reportedly issued residence certificates for a maximum of 10 years, while Bengaluru Development Authority rules require proof of at least 15 years of residence in Karnataka.
The issue affects applicants for the first phase of site allotments in the layout, where the BDA plans to distribute 2,815 sites of different sizes. More than 4,000 people have already applied, according to BDA sources cited in the report. The online application window is scheduled to remain open until October 15.
Under Rule 10(2) of the BDA (Site Allotment) Rules, 1984, a person who has not been a resident of Karnataka for at least 15 years before the date of registration cannot be allotted a site. Applicants are required to submit a residence certificate as part of the documentation for the allotment process.
However, deputy tahsildars and tahsildars in Bengaluru Urban district are issuing residence certificates covering up to 10 years. The report attributes the shorter certification period to a June 29 government order that permits revenue officials to issue certificates for a 10-year period. This has created a mismatch between the documentation available to applicants and the eligibility requirement specified by the BDA.
BDA Commissioner P Manivannan wrote to the Additional Chief Secretary of the Revenue Department on September 4, requesting that the issue be resolved. In the letter, he said applicants seeking site allotments must establish that they have been residents of the state for at least 15 years, but the issuance of certificates for only 10 years was causing difficulty.
Manivannan requested directions to tahsildars across the state to examine the records of site applicants and issue 15-year residence certificates where the eligibility requirement is met. The request places the immediate administrative responsibility for resolving the problem with the Revenue Department, while the BDA continues to process applications for the layout.
Applicants told the publication that 15-year residence certificates were being issued in taluk and district headquarters, but that the same documentation was not being issued in Bengaluru Urban district. They said repeated visits to government offices had not resolved the issue and that the delay was especially difficult because the application period is limited.
Applicants from Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes must pay an application fee of ₹500, while applicants from the general category must pay ₹1,000. A registration fee of ₹2,000 is also required. The BDA has asked applicants to attach the necessary documents to their online applications.
Applicants have urged the Revenue Department to resolve the certificate issue quickly. They have also sought an extension of the October 15 deadline if the documentation problem is not settled in time. The report does not state whether the BDA has extended the deadline or whether the Revenue Department has issued new instructions to Bengaluru Urban district officials.
