Villagers in Karnataka's Davangere district have announced they will not cooperate with the Special Investigation Report (SIR) team for the implementation of e-khatas, a digital land record system. They have also decided to withhold the filled enumeration forms until their demands are addressed.
Background of the Protest
The decision was made during a meeting of villagers from several gram panchayats in Davangere taluk on Monday. The residents are demanding that the government first resolve issues related to land disputes and provide clear titles before introducing e-khatas. According to local leaders, the SIR process has been initiated without proper consultation with the community.
"We are not against technology, but we want our land rights to be secured first. Many of us have pending disputes that need to be settled before any digital records are created," said a village representative who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Impact on Enumeration Process
The boycott affects the ongoing enumeration drive, which is a crucial step in the e-khata implementation. Officials had distributed forms to villagers to collect data on land holdings, but residents have now decided not to return them. This could delay the project, which aims to streamline land records and reduce corruption.
As of July 2026, over 5,000 forms have been distributed in Davangere taluk alone. The village heads claim that the government has not addressed their earlier grievances, including incorrect land measurements and missing entries in existing records.
Government Response
District authorities have urged villagers to cooperate, stating that e-khatas will bring transparency and ease property transactions. However, no official statement has been issued regarding the specific demands. The SIR team is expected to hold a meeting with village representatives in the coming days to resolve the deadlock.
"We are open to dialogue, but we cannot compromise on the basic rights of the farmers. The government must first correct the errors in manual records," added another villager.
