What is Podi Pauti (ಪೋಡಿ ಪಾವತಿ), Survey Number Sub-Division in Karnataka
Learn what Podi and Pauti mean in Karnataka land records, when Podi is required, types of Podi, the application process, and how new hissa numbers and RTC records are created.
Quick Summary: (TL; DR)
Podi (ಪೋಡಿ) is Karnataka’s legal land sub-division process that divides one survey number into separate hissa numbers with individual RTC records. It is required before selling, mortgaging, partitioning, or converting jointly owned agricultural land. Pauti (ಪಾವತಿ) is the official acknowledgement issued after completion, confirming the survey, demarcation, and RTC updates in Bhoomi records.
What Is Podi? (ಪೋಡಿ, Land Sub-Division)
In Karnataka's revenue system, Podi (ಪೋಡಿ) is the formal, legal process of sub-dividing a single survey number into two or more independently identified sub-numbers , called hissa numbers.
Think of it this way: a farmer owns Survey Number 45, measuring 3 acres, jointly with his two brothers. All three names appear on the RTC. No physical boundary has been formally drawn. Each brother has informally cultivated a section, but in government records, they are three co-owners of one undivided survey number.
When one brother wants to sell his share, or get a bank loan against it, the bank and the Sub-Registrar will ask: which portion exactly? Without Podi, there is no officially surveyed and demarcated answer.
Podi creates that answer by sending government surveyors to physically measure and demarcate each share, and then assigning new hissa numbers to each portion:
Before Podi | After Podi |
Survey No. 45 , 3 acres , co-owned by A, B, C | Survey No. 45/1 , 1 acre , owned by A (individual RTC) |
One combined RTC for all three | Survey No. 45/2 , 1 acre , owned by B (individual RTC) |
Cannot sell, mortgage, or partition cleanly | Survey No. 45/3 , 1 acre , owned by C (individual RTC) |
After Podi is completed, the original Survey No. 45 is closed in Bhoomi and three new RTCs are created , each clean, individually owned, independently mortgageable, and saleable without reference to any co-owner.
What Is Pauti? (ಪಾವತಿ, Receipt / Acknowledgement)
Pauti (ಪಾವತಿ) is the Kannada word for payment receipt or acknowledgement. In the context of land, it is the official receipt or order issued by the revenue authorities confirming that the Podi process has been completed and recorded.
When you hear 'Podi Pauti' together, it refers to the combined Podi process and its resulting documentation, the survey, the demarcation, and the official acknowledgement that new hissa numbers have been created and updated in the RTC.
When Is Podi Required?
Podi is mandatory in Karnataka before:
Selling a portion of jointly-owned agricultural land (the Sub-Registrar requires Podi before registering the sale deed)
Mortgaging or hypothecating a portion of a jointly-owned agricultural survey number to a bank
Formally partitioning ancestral agricultural land among heirs after inheritance
Converting a portion of agricultural land for non-agricultural use (in most cases)
Getting a BBMP/GBA Khata or E-Swathu record for a converted plot carved from a survey number
Note: For already-partitioned land where each person has their own individual survey number (not a shared one), Podi is not required. The requirement arises specifically when a single survey number has multiple owners or when a portion of a survey number is being separated.
What are the Types of Podi in Karnataka
Type | Description | Timeline | Fee |
Regular Podi | Standard application at Tahsildar office. Survey Department team visits, measures, demarcates, and updates RTC. Free but subject to the Survey Department queue. | 12 to 24 months in most taluks due to backlog | Free (no government fee) |
Tatkal Podi (Fast-Track) | Priority processing under the Tatkal scheme. Same process as regular but prioritised in the queue. Fees vary by district and number of sub-divisions. | 30 to 60 days from survey appointment | ₹5,000–₹15,000 (varies by district and sub-division count) |
Dharkasth Podi | Required specifically for government-granted (Dharkasth) land. Grant land cannot be sold, bought, or converted without this specialised Podi. | 6 months to 5 years (passed through Village Secretary → Tahsildar → AC → DC) | As applicable under grant rules |
Podi Durasthi | Sub-division combined with a correction (Durasthi = correction/rectification). Used when the sub-division also needs to correct an error in the existing RTC record. | Same as regular Podi, plus correction processing | Free or nominal depending on correction type |
How to get Podi in Karnataka? (Step-by-Step)
Verify the current RTC on Bhoomi (landrecords.karnataka.gov.in) , confirm the survey number, co-owners' names, and extent
All co-owners must reach an agreement on how the land is to be divided (area allocations per owner). This agreement should be documented
Submit a Podi application at the Tahsildar office (jurisdiction over the village where the land is located) with: application form, current RTC, identity proofs of all co-owners, partition agreement/consent letter
For Tatkal Podi: pay the applicable Tatkal fee at the Tahsildar office or as directed
The Tahsildar forwards the file to the Survey Department (Survey Settlement and Land Records , SSLR)
A government survey team visits the physical land, measures each portion, places boundary marks, and prepares a survey sketch
Temporary Podi numbers are assigned first , these appear in Bhoomi as P1, P2, P3 etc. (e.g., Survey 45/P1, 45/P2)
After administrative finalisation, permanent hissa numbers replace the P-numbers (e.g., Survey 45/1, 45/2, 45/3)
New individual RTCs are created for each sub-division on Bhoomi
Receive the Podi Pauti , the official acknowledgement document confirming completion
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Understanding P1, P2 Numbers in Bhoomi
If you see survey numbers like 45/P1 and 45/P2 in Bhoomi, these are temporary Podi numbers , the Podi process has started (survey has been done) but administrative finalisation is not yet complete. Once finalized, they become 45/1 and 45/2. Permanent hissa numbers (without the P prefix) confirm Podi is fully complete.
What is Podi Durasthi (ಪೋಡಿ ದುರಸ್ಥಿ)
Podi Durasthi is the process of applying for Podi (sub-division) and Durasthi (correction/restoration) simultaneously. It is used when a survey number needs to be sub-divided AND some error or discrepancy in the existing record needs to be corrected at the same time, for example, a wrong area in the RTC, an incorrect owner name, or a legacy error from the 2000–2004 Bhoomi digitization drive.
The Karnataka High Court has directed revenue authorities to complete Podi Durasthi applications within specified timeframes. In practice, however, Podi Durasthi cases are among the most delayed in the system, because they involve both the Survey Department and the revenue correction workflow. If stuck, a Writ Petition before the Karnataka High Court is the ultimate recourse.
Conclusion:
Podi is an essential land record process in Karnataka that legally divides a shared survey number into separate ownership units with independent RTCs. It helps create clear boundaries, reduces ownership disputes, and enables smooth sale, mortgage, inheritance, and conversion of land. The Podi Pauti acts as official proof that the subdivision has been completed and recorded.
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