Upa-Lokayukta orders action as 1,881 illegal e-khatas found in Mandya GP

Mysuru: Upa-Lokayukta B Veerappa has directed the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Mandya Zilla Panchayat (ZP) to take action against the Executive Officers (EO) of the Taluk Panchayats (TP), and Panchayat Development Officers (PDO) of Grama Panchayats (GP) and other erring officials, who have made illegal e-khatas from the year 2021 to 2025.

The direction of the Upa-Lokayukta states that a total of 1,881 illegal e-khatas have been made in the villages under Induvalu GP, in Mandya taluk, as per the report of the Tahasildar of Mandya Taluk and EO of Mandya TP.

The direction states, “In spite of the order, passed by this authority (Upa-Lokayukta) dated December 1, 2025, today (January 9, 2026) the Tahsildar and ADLR (Assistant Director for Land Records have remained absent, EO is present. Deputy Tahsildar produced the report stating that 1,281 e-khatas are verified and only 17 are in accordance with law. What is the action taken or proposed to be taken by the EO or CEO, Mandya, against the erring officials who have made such illegal e-khatas is not forthcoming”.

Based on the Tahsildar’s report, it was found that only 17 out of 1,281 e-khatas issued in Induvalu gram panchayat were legally valid and in conformity with the government circulars issued from time to time. Even an earlier joint verification by the EO, Tahsildar and the ADLR, Mandya, on November 3, 2025, had shown similar irregularities, with just 31 of the 648 e-khatas verified meeting the prescribed legal conditions.

When all 1,281 files were subsequently examined, the Tahsildar’s report revealed that in 1,264 cases the records contained only copies of Forms 9 and 11A issued by the gram panchayats, but no supporting documents required under the government circular dated February 3, 2014 for the registration of e-khatas. Taken together, the reports showed that of 1,929 e-khata files verified, 1,881 were not in accordance with law, with only 48 found valid — less than 3 per cent of all e-khatas issued in Induvalu GP between 2021 and 2025.

In view of these findings, the direction noted that the CEO and EO “shall take action against the concerned PDOs and EOs for giving wrong khatas without there being any basis,” particularly in relation to the 1,881 illegal e-khatas identified during the verification.