BENGALURU: Surprise visits by 10 teams of Karnataka Lokayukta sleuths for four days have unearthed shocking irregularities and maladministration in 43 sub-registrars offices in Bengaluru. Most of the irregularities are common across all the places raided.
Touts collect commissions ranging from Rs 10,000 to 20,000 for each property in the city, Rs 40,000 to 1 lakh in panchayat limits, which is more than the total amount of the stamp fee, registration and scanning charges.
It is difficult to differentiate between officials and touts since the middlemen act as officials to execute the job. Sub-registrars and staffers neither wear identity cards nor mark attendance.
Names and vigilance awareness boards are not displayed, closed circuit TV (CCTV) cameras are not installed and the server (Kavery Property Registration Software) is down most of the time, causing inconvenience in the registration of documents.
‘Touts operating freely’
There is more. Cash declaration registers are not maintained, PAN numbers are not mentioned in documents to evade payment of income tax, registration of revenue sites is done illegally and higher officials neither supervise nor take any action.
With an aim to extend the surprise raids across the state in a phased manner and take remedial measures to curb corruption, judicial officers were involved for the first time in the 10 teams comprising police officials who visited the sub-registrars offices for four days.
After the visits, the teams have submitted reports to Karnataka Lokayukta, Justice B S Patil.
“It is unfortunate that these irregularities are causing harassment to the public and no action seems to have been taken and irregularities prima-facie make out a case of mal-administration and derelictions,” observed Justice Patil while initiating suo motu proceedings and calling for an explanation from the government.
“The reports submitted indicate complaints were received on the spot from the public, who alleged collection of so-called administration charges for registration of documents. Had there been proper and continuous supervision by higher officers, these irregularities could have been prevented and a citizen-friendly system in these offices could have been put in place,” the Lokayukta observed.