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—practical-guides:illegal-khata-municipal-assessment-someone-elses-property [2026/07/22 17:47] (current) – created - external edit 127.0.0.1
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 +{{htmlmetatags>metatag-title=(Illegal Khata or Tax Assessment on Your Property? Fix It)&metatag-description=(Found a khata or property-tax assessment in someone else's name over your property? File a municipal objection and use RTI to obtain the creation file.)&metatag-keywords=(Property and RERA)&metatag-robots=(index,follow)&metatag-og:title=(Illegal Khata or Tax Assessment on Your Property? Fix It)&metatag-og:description=(Found a khata or property-tax assessment in someone else's name over your property? File a municipal objection and use RTI to obtain the creation file.)&metatag-og:type=(article)}}
 +
 +====== Illegal Khata or Municipal Tax Assessment Made in Someone Else's Name Over Your Property ======
 +
 +
 +{{ :social:auto:practical-guides-illegal-khata-municipal-assessment-someone-elses-property.png?direct&1200 |Illegal Khata or Municipal Tax Assessment Made in Someone Else's Name Over Your Property — RTI Wiki}}
 +
 +**You searched your property records and found that a khata, property identification number, or municipal tax assessment has been created in someone else's name over land or a flat that you own. This is alarming, but a khata is only a tax record and not a document of title. You have a clear path: collect your title documents, file a written objection with the municipal revenue office, lodge a police complaint if forgery is involved, and use an RTI application to obtain the creation file that shows exactly how the entry was made and who approved it.**
 +
 +**Reviewed on:** 2026-05-29.
 +
 +<WRAP center round info 95%>
 +**Quick Reply:**
 +
 +A khata or municipal property-tax assessment is a record of who the local body bills for tax. It is **not proof of ownership**. So an entry in someone else's name does not transfer your property to them. **First step: get certified copies of the disputed assessment and your own title documents, then file a written, dated objection with the municipal revenue or assessment office**, attaching your registered sale deed, encumbrance certificate, and mutation. Ask them to keep the disputed entry in abeyance and to cancel any tax demand raised under it. If the entry was created using a forged deed or impersonation, file a police complaint for cheating and forgery in parallel. Because a municipal corporation, municipality, or panchayat is a public authority, you can file an RTI to obtain the entire creation file — the documents used, the application, the noting sheet, and the officer who approved the entry. Where your title is contested or forgery is involved, consult a property lawyer early.
 +</WRAP>
 +
 +===== Who this guide is for =====
 +
 +This guide is for any property owner in India who finds that a municipal tax record has been wrongly attached to their property in someone else's name. That includes people who have discovered:
 +
 +  * A khata, khatauni, property identification number (PID), or assessment number opened in another person's name over a plot, house, or flat that they own.
 +  * A property-tax demand or assessment notice showing a name that is not theirs and not their seller's, for their own property.
 +  * A duplicate or parallel assessment running alongside their genuine one, often after a sale, partition, or inheritance.
 +  * An entry that they suspect was created using a forged sale deed, a fabricated agreement, or a cancelled document.
 +
 +It is especially useful if you are about to sell, mortgage, or apply for a building permission, because a wrong entry in the records can stall those transactions until it is corrected.
 +
 +==== Who this guide is NOT for ====
 +
 +This guide does not cover a simple correction of your own name, area, or PID on an assessment that is already in your name — for that, see the duplicate-assessment and sale-deed correction routes below. It also does not decide who actually owns the property. If the dispute is really a title dispute — two people both claiming ownership, a pending civil suit, or a contested partition — the municipal record is only a small part of the picture. Title is decided by civil courts on the strength of registered documents, not by the municipal body. In a genuine title contest, fix the record but also take a property lawyer's advice, and see our guide on a [[/practical-guides/mutation-entered-wrongly-partition-suit-pending/|wrong mutation while a partition suit is pending]].
 +
 +===== What you can do this weekend =====
 +
 +==== Friday evening ====
 +
 +Gather every title document you have for the property in one folder. Pull out your registered sale deed, gift deed, partition deed, or the will and succession papers through which you own it. Add the latest property-tax receipts in your name, the encumbrance certificate, and any earlier khata or assessment extract. Then write down what exactly you found: the disputed khata or assessment number, the name shown on it, the date you noticed it, and where you saw it — the municipal portal, a tax receipt, a notice, or an EC search. This single page of facts will anchor your objection.
 +
 +==== Saturday ====
 +
 +Get certified copies. Visit or use the online portal of your municipal corporation, municipality, or panchayat and apply for a certified copy of the disputed khata or assessment and its property card or extract. Also obtain a fresh extract of your own assessment, if any, and a current encumbrance certificate from the sub-registrar covering the property. Certified copies matter because your objection is far stronger when you can point to the official record itself, not a screenshot. Note the application numbers and the date so you can follow up.
 +
 +==== Sunday ====
 +
 +Draft your written objection using the template further below, and draft a separate RTI application for the creation file. Keep the objection factual: state your ownership, identify the disputed entry by number, and ask for it to be kept in abeyance and corrected. Organise your documents folder so that the sale deed, EC, mutation, and tax receipts are scanned and named clearly by date. By Monday or Tuesday you can hand in the objection at the assessment office, get it stamped, and post or upload the RTI. If you suspect forged documents were used, also prepare the facts for a police complaint.
 +
 +===== Documents and evidence checklist =====
 +
 +^ Document / Evidence ^ Why you need it ^ Where to get it ^
 +| Your registered sale deed / gift deed / partition deed / will | Primary proof of your title; the foundation of your objection | Your own records; certified copy from the sub-registrar's office |
 +| Encumbrance certificate (EC) for the property | Shows the chain of registered transactions and that no transfer to the other person exists | Sub-registrar's office or the state's registration portal |
 +| Mutation / khata extract in your name (if any) | Establishes that the revenue record already recognises you, or should | Revenue or municipal assessment office |
 +| Certified copy of the disputed khata / assessment | Identifies the wrong entry precisely by number and name | Municipal corporation / municipality / panchayat office or portal |
 +| Latest property-tax receipts in your name | Shows you have been recognised and paying tax on the property | Your records or the municipal tax portal |
 +| Copy of the wrong tax demand or assessment notice (if received) | Lets you ask for the specific demand to be withdrawn | The notice itself; the municipal office can certify it |
 +| Survey / village map or property card | Confirms the survey or property number matches your land, not another | Land records or survey office; municipal property card |
 +| Identity and address proof | Required with the objection, the RTI, and any police complaint | Your Aadhaar, PAN, voter ID, or passport |
 +| Stamped acknowledgement of your objection | Proves the date you raised the dispute; needed for any appeal | Insist on it when you submit; email or portal gives a timestamp |
 +
 +===== Step-by-step action plan =====
 +
 +==== Step 1 — Confirm what the disputed entry actually is ====
 +
 +Before reacting, identify the record precisely. Note the khata, PID, or assessment number, the name on it, the property description, and the survey or door number. Then match it against your own title. Sometimes what looks like a fraud is a clerical mix-up — a new assessment wrongly tagged to your survey number, or an old entry that should have been cancelled after a sale. The remedy is the same correction process, but knowing whether it is error or fraud tells you whether to add a police complaint. Remember throughout: a khata is a tax record, not a title.
 +
 +==== Step 2 — Get certified copies of the disputed entry and your title ====
 +
 +Apply for a certified copy of the disputed khata or assessment and its property card from the municipal body. Apply for a fresh encumbrance certificate from the sub-registrar so the registered chain of ownership is on record. Keep your sale deed, mutation, and tax receipts ready. Certified copies turn your complaint from an allegation into a documented objection that an officer must act on.
 +
 +==== Step 3 — File a written objection with the municipal assessment office ====
 +
 +Submit a signed, dated written objection to the municipal revenue or assessment office (often the Revenue Officer, Assistant Revenue Officer, or assessment section, depending on your state and city). State your ownership, identify the disputed entry by number, and explain that it was created in someone else's name over your property. Ask them to keep the disputed entry in abeyance pending verification, to cancel or correct it, and to cancel any tax demand raised under it. Attach your title documents. Get a stamped acknowledgement or an online receipt. See the copy-paste template further below.
 +
 +==== Step 4 — File a police complaint if forged documents were used ====
 +
 +If the entry was created using a forged sale deed, a fabricated power of attorney, impersonation, or a cancelled document, this is a criminal matter that the municipal body cannot resolve on its own. File a written police complaint setting out the facts, the disputed entry, and the documents you believe were forged. Forgery and cheating relating to property are serious offences. Keep the acknowledgement or a copy of the FIR. The police complaint and the municipal objection can proceed in parallel, and each strengthens the other.
 +
 +==== Step 5 — File an RTI for the creation file ====
 +
 +File an RTI application with the municipal body's Public Information Officer asking for a certified copy of the entire creation file of the disputed khata or assessment. This is the most powerful step. The file shows which documents were submitted, who applied, the noting sheet, and the officer who approved the entry. If forged documents were used, the file usually contains them. Read our guide on [[/file-rti-online-india|how to file an RTI online in India]] for the step-by-step process and the prescribed fee, which varies by state.
 +
 +==== Step 6 — Escalate or appeal if the office does not act ====
 +
 +If the assessment office does not respond within a reasonable time, escalate in writing to the Commissioner or the next senior revenue authority of the municipal body, attaching your earlier objection and acknowledgement. If the RTI is not answered within the time limit, file a first appeal — see [[/file-first-appeal-rti-section-19-2026|how to file a first appeal under RTI]]. Many states also allow a statutory appeal against an assessment order; the route and time limit vary by state, so confirm the current position on the municipal portal or with a lawyer.
 +
 +===== Escalation ladder =====
 +
 +^ Level ^ Who / Where ^ How to reach ^ When to use ^ Expected outcome ^
 +| 1 | Municipal revenue / assessment office | Submit written objection with title documents; get stamped acknowledgement | Immediately, as your first formal step | Disputed entry kept in abeyance and taken up for verification |
 +| 2 | Police (if forgery / impersonation) | Written complaint at the police station with jurisdiction; ask for an FIR where cognizable | As soon as you suspect forged or fabricated documents | Criminal investigation into the fraudulent entry |
 +| 3 | RTI to the municipal PIO | [[https://rtionline.gov.in|rtionline.gov.in]] (central) or your state RTI portal / by post to the PIO | Parallel to Level 1; to obtain the creation file and officer details | Certified creation file showing documents, applicant and approving officer |
 +| 4 | Commissioner / senior revenue authority of the municipal body | Written representation attaching earlier objection and acknowledgement | If the assessment office does not act within a reasonable time | Senior-level direction to correct or cancel the entry |
 +| 5 | RTI First Appellate Authority | First appeal to the FAA of the municipal body if the RTI is not answered or is incomplete | After the RTI reply deadline passes or reply is evasive | Direction to the PIO to supply the creation file |
 +| 6 | Statutory assessment appeal / civil court | Appeal under the municipal law (route varies by state) or civil suit through a lawyer | If the entry is upheld wrongly, or if title is contested | Formal cancellation of the wrong entry; declaration of title where needed |
 +
 +===== Copy-paste objection template =====
 +
 +Replace the text in square brackets with your own details before sending. Adjust the office name to match your city or state.
 +
 +To,
 +The Revenue Officer / Assessment Officer,
 +[Municipal Corporation / Municipality / Panchayat Name],
 +[Office Address]
 +
 +Subject: Objection against illegal khata / assessment No. [disputed number] created in the name of [name on the disputed entry] over my property at [property address / survey or door number]
 +
 +Dear Sir / Madam,
 +
 +I am the owner of the property described above, by virtue of [registered sale deed / gift deed / partition deed / inheritance] dated [date], registered as document No. [number] at the office of the Sub-Registrar, [place]. Copies of my title documents are enclosed.
 +
 +I have recently discovered that a khata / property-tax assessment bearing No. [disputed number] has been created / is running in the name of [name on the disputed entry] over the same property. I have never sold, gifted, or transferred this property to that person, and no such transaction appears in the encumbrance certificate enclosed.
 +
 +A khata / assessment is a record for levy of property tax and is not a document of title. The above entry has been created wrongly and, to the best of my knowledge, [is based on incorrect records / appears to be based on forged or fabricated documents]. [If a demand was raised: A property-tax demand bearing No. [number] dated [date] has also been raised under this wrong entry.]
 +
 +I therefore request that you:
 +1. Keep the disputed entry No. [disputed number] in abeyance pending verification.
 +2. Verify the creation file and the documents on which it was created.
 +3. Cancel or correct the wrong entry and restore / create the correct assessment in my name.
 +4. Cancel any property-tax demand and arrears raised under the wrong entry.
 +5. Provide me a written communication of the action taken.
 +
 +I am willing to produce the original title documents for verification. I request an early hearing as this entry affects my property rights and may be misused.
 +
 +Yours sincerely,
 +[Your full name]
 +[Your address]
 +[Your mobile number and email]
 +[Date]
 +
 +Enclosures:
 +1. Copy of registered sale deed / title document
 +2. Encumbrance certificate
 +3. Mutation / khata extract in my name (if any)
 +4. Latest property-tax receipts in my name
 +5. Certified copy of the disputed khata / assessment
 +6. Copy of the wrong demand notice (if received)
 +
 +===== When RTI can help =====
 +
 +The RTI Act, 2005 applies to public authorities. A municipal corporation, municipality, town panchayat, or gram panchayat that maintains property-tax assessments and khata records is a public authority. This means you can file an RTI application directly with that body's Public Information Officer to:
 +
 +  * Obtain a certified copy of the entire creation file of the disputed khata or assessment, including the noting sheet and order sheet.
 +  * Find out the exact documents — sale deed, agreement, application, identity proof — on which the entry was created.
 +  * Learn the name and designation of the officer who received the application and the officer who approved the entry, and the dates.
 +  * Confirm whether any notice was issued to you before the entry was made, and obtain copies of any inspection or field verification report.
 +  * Obtain a copy of any tax demand raised under the entry and the basis on which it was computed.
 +
 +This is one of the strongest uses of RTI for property records, because the creation file lays bare how a wrong or fraudulent entry was made. The certified documents you receive can be used in your municipal objection, in a police complaint for forgery, and in any later civil proceeding. Read our full guide on [[/file-rti-online-india|how to file an RTI online]], and see [[/file-first-appeal-rti-section-19-2026|how to file a first appeal]] if the PIO does not respond in time. Our guide to [[/cpgrams-rti|CPGRAMS and RTI for government service complaints]] also explains how to combine a grievance with an RTI.
 +
 +===== When RTI will not help =====
 +
 +**RTI does not decide ownership.** An RTI to the municipal body will tell you how the entry was made, but it cannot declare who owns the property and it cannot cancel a deed. Title is decided by civil courts on the strength of registered documents. If the real dispute is a contest over ownership, RTI is only a fact-finding tool — the substantive remedy is the municipal correction, and if needed, a civil suit.
 +
 +**RTI does not reach purely private records.** If a private builder, society, broker, or the other private individual holds documents you want, RTI does not apply to them. Use your title documents, the encumbrance certificate from the sub-registrar, and the municipal creation file instead. For a builder or RERA-related dispute, see our guide on [[/practical-guides/rera-order-builder-not-complying-execution-recovery/|enforcing a RERA order when the builder does not comply]].
 +
 +**RTI does not compel an outcome.** RTI gives you information; it does not order the municipal body to cancel the entry. The cancellation comes from your objection, the assessment authority, or the court. But the information you obtain — especially proof that the entry rests on a forged or non-existent document — is often what forces a quick correction.
 +
 +===== Common mistakes to avoid =====
 +
 +  * **Treating the khata as proof that you have lost ownership.** A khata or tax assessment is a billing record, not a title. The wrong entry does not transfer your property. Stay calm, correct the record, and protect your registered title.
 +  * **Only complaining verbally or by phone.** A verbal complaint leaves no trail. Always file a written, dated objection and get a stamped acknowledgement or an online receipt. The acknowledgement date can matter for any later appeal.
 +  * **Ignoring the forgery angle.** If the entry was created on a forged deed or by impersonation, a municipal correction alone is not enough. File a police complaint so the fraud is investigated and cannot be repeated elsewhere in the records.
 +  * **Not obtaining certified copies first.** Acting on a screenshot weakens your case. Get certified copies of the disputed entry and a fresh encumbrance certificate so your objection rests on official documents.
 +  * **Forgetting to ask for the tax demand to be cancelled.** If a demand or arrears were raised under the wrong entry, say so by number and date in your objection, and ask in writing for it to be withdrawn so no recovery proceeds on a void entry.
 +  * **Skipping the RTI for the creation file.** The creation file is your best evidence of how the wrong entry was made. Filing the RTI early, in parallel with the objection, often surfaces the forged document or the careless approval that caused the problem.
 +  * **Handling a genuine title contest without a lawyer.** If two people both claim ownership, a suit is pending, or the other side has built or sold on the basis of the entry, the stakes are high. Get a property lawyer's advice early rather than relying on the municipal record alone.
 +
 +===== Official links =====
 +
 +  * [[https://rtionline.gov.in|RTI Online Portal — rtionline.gov.in (central public authorities)]]
 +  * [[https://cic.gov.in|Central Information Commission — cic.gov.in]]
 +  * [[https://www.india.gov.in/topics/law-justice|National Portal of India — Law and Justice resources]]
 +  * [[https://cybercrime.gov.in|National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal — cybercrime.gov.in (for online forgery / fraud)]]
 +  * [[https://consumerhelpline.gov.in|National Consumer Helpline — consumerhelpline.gov.in]]
 +
 +Property-tax and khata records are maintained by your municipal corporation, municipality, or panchayat. Use that body's own website and assessment portal for certified copies, objections, and the state RTI portal where one exists.
 +
 +===== Frequently asked questions =====
 +
 +==== Does a khata or a property-tax assessment in someone's name give them ownership of my property? ====
 +
 +No. A khata, property identification number, or municipal tax assessment is a revenue and tax record. It records who the municipal body bills for property tax. Courts in India have repeatedly held that a khata or tax receipt is not a document of title. Ownership flows from your registered sale deed, gift deed, partition deed, or inheritance, supported by the encumbrance certificate and mutation. So a wrong khata does not transfer your property to the other person, but it can be misused as supporting evidence and must be corrected quickly.
 +
 +==== How did a khata or assessment get created in someone else's name over my property? ====
 +
 +It can happen in several ways. The other person may have applied to the municipal body using a forged sale deed, a fabricated agreement, or an old document that was later cancelled. Sometimes a clerical error links a new assessment to the wrong survey or property number. Sometimes a previous owner or a relative applied without disclosing your title. An RTI to the municipal corporation for the creation file usually reveals exactly which documents were submitted and which officer approved the entry.
 +
 +==== What is the first thing I should do when I discover an illegal khata on my property? ====
 +
 +Get certified copies of the disputed khata or assessment and your own title documents. Then file a written, dated objection or complaint with the municipal revenue or assessment office, attaching your sale deed, encumbrance certificate, and mutation. Ask them to keep the disputed entry in abeyance pending verification. Keep a stamped acknowledgement of your complaint. If the entry appears to be based on forged documents, also file a police complaint. Then use RTI to obtain the creation file.
 +
 +==== Can I file an RTI to find out how the illegal khata was created? ====
 +
 +Yes. A municipal corporation, municipality, or panchayat is a public authority under the RTI Act, 2005. You can file an RTI with the body's Public Information Officer asking for a certified copy of the entire khata or assessment creation file, the documents on which it was created, the application and applicant details, the noting sheet, and the name and designation of the officer who approved the entry. This is one of the strongest tools to expose a fraudulent or wrongly created entry.
 +
 +==== Should I go to the police or to the municipal office first? ====
 +
 +Do both, but in the right order for your situation. If you simply want the wrong entry corrected and there is no clear forgery, start with a written objection to the municipal assessment or revenue office. If the khata was created using a forged sale deed, fabricated power of attorney, or impersonation, file a police complaint for cheating and forgery without delay, because that is a criminal matter the municipal body cannot resolve on its own. The municipal objection and the police complaint can run in parallel.
 +
 +==== Do I need a lawyer to fix an illegal khata or assessment? ====
 +
 +For a simple correction backed by clean title documents, the municipal objection and RTI route can often work without litigation. But if your title itself is contested, if there is a pending suit, if forged deeds are involved, or if the other person has built or sold on the basis of the entry, you should consult a property lawyer. Where the stakes are high, professional advice early can prevent the wrong entry from being used against you later.
 +
 +==== Will correcting the khata also fix the wrong property-tax demand raised on the other person? ====
 +
 +Usually yes, but ask for it specifically. When the municipal body cancels or corrects the wrong khata or assessment, it should also cancel any tax demand and arrears raised under that entry, and restore or create the correct assessment in your name. State this clearly in your objection. If a demand notice has gone to the other person or to you in error, mention its number and date and ask in writing for it to be withdrawn so no recovery proceeds on a void entry.
 +
 +{{tag>rti property illegal khata municipal tax assessment made}}