Governor Thawarchand Gehlot has returned the Karnataka Amendment Property Registration Bill expressing safety concerns over property registrations going faceless saying it could lead to more frauds and scams. Gehlot said that though it is based on Aadhar, still it’s necessary to ensure how safe the faceless registration process will be. If faceless registration will be implemented then the process of issuing signed with ink copy will be stopped and digitally signed copies will be issued and this will lead to fraudulent activities in the registration process, he added.
It is important to mention that the bill was passed by the legislature in February 2024. Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda introduced a reform with which physical appearance at sub-registrar offices won't be required during property registration. It also integrates software and hence, paper documents are not accepted to prevent frauds.
Gowda’s department has drafted its response to Raj Bhavan dismissing Gehlot’s concern. In fact Siddaramaiah government blamed that delay in approving the bill resulted in implementation of similar reform by Madhya Pradesh this year ahead of Karnataka. Gowda supporting the amendment said that the Union Government itself has recommended such reforms under the Digital India Land Records Modernisation Program (DIRLMP). Today every financial transaction of the state and central government is digitally signed, he added.