BENGALURU: Property owners wishing to regularise unauthorized properties under Karnataka’s e-Swathu scheme are required to pay property tax retrospectively, starting from either 2016 or the year they received an electricity connection, as per official guidance.
The e-Swathu initiative aims to incorporate unauthorized properties into the tax system and improve transparency. Panchayats have been instructed to promptly assess and collect dues based on various slabs linked to the guidance value.
The process is regulated by the Karnataka Gram Swaraj and Panchayat Raj (Gram Panchayat Tax, Rates and Fees) Rules, 2025, which were officially published last week. According to these rules, Gram Panchayats (GPs) must refer to the sale deed for vacant plots, while for buildings, the date of permanent electricity connection from the relevant electricity supply company (Escoms) will serve as the reference date. If either date predates February 25, 2016, taxes will be levied from 2016.
Arundhati Chandrashekar, commissioner of the Karnataka Panchayat Raj Commissionerate, explained that if an owner received an electricity connection in 2020, the tax would be computed and collected from that year.
Officials indicated that the rules require GPs to conduct annual surveys to identify properties not included in the tax system and to integrate them starting April 1 of each financial year. They are also mandated to publicly display lists, allowing seven days for objections before verification and inclusion in the tax register. Moreover, GPs need to publish tax details and create awareness, while the RDPR department will support online payment options for greater convenience.
The state government has established fees for NOCs and building plan approvals under the new regulations. “A fee of Rs 1,000 will apply for buildings up to 1,000 sqm. For larger structures, an additional fee of Rs 1 per sqm will be charged,” officials noted.
Sources indicated that NOC fees will vary between Rs 500 to Rs 1,750 based on the guidance value, with gram panchayats managing these collections.
