More than 17 lakh land grant applications remain pending or rejected in Karnataka

The strongest opposition in the Malnad region to the recommendations of the K. Kasturirangan report on the Western Ghats has always come from the claimants seeking land for cultivation. Their concern is that the state government’s resolution in the legislature, which contradicts the report’s recommendations, does not actually address their core concerns.

Currently, more than 17.15 lakh land grant applications are processed/rejected in the state. They include 2.78 million applications filed under the Forest Rights Act and about 14.36 million under the Land Revenue Act.

Under the Forest Rights Act

At the regional review conference of the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2026, held in Bengaluru last month, officials said 2,95,176 applications were received for allotment of land under the Act. Of these, only 16,700 forest rights titles have been distributed and 15,553 remain under verification. Most of the applications were rejected at the primary level because the applicants failed to prove their presence on the land for 75 years as required by law.

During his public meetings on the Kasturirangan report, Chief Minister DK Shivakumar said he would soon pass a resolution in the legislature to reduce the required number of years to 25 and send it to the Center for incorporation into law.

Under the Land Revenue Act

On the other hand, for several years, thousands of farmers – bagair-hukum cultivators – have been waiting for allotment of land after applying in Forms 50, 53 and 57 of the Karnataka Land Revenue Act. Deputy Chief Minister and Revenue Minister G. Parameshwara, replying to a question raised during the Legislative Assembly session, said that 14,37,087 applications have been filed so far, of which Deputy Commissioners have rejected 6,94,750. As many as 7,42,085 applications are pending. The number of saguvali cheats released so far is only 252.

In districts including Shivamogga, Chikkamagaluru, Kodagu and Belagavi, no saguvali chit has been distributed in the last three years, as per the minister’s reply.

Reason for rejection

One of the reasons for rejection of applications on a large scale is the fact that the land to be cultivated is forest land – either proposed forest, deemed forest or reserved forest. Interestingly, even lands granted during the time of the Mysore kings are now being questioned on the ground that they fall under the category of forest.

The draft notification proposes to declare more than 20,668 sq km of land across the Western Ghats in the state as an ecologically sensitive area (ESA). Although Karnataka’s resolution opposed it, those seeking cultivation rights have reservations about the part of the resolution that proposes to limit the ESA to notified forest areas only.

“If the notified area is declared as an ESA, what would be the fate of people who have applied for land under the Forest Rights Act or the Land Revenue Act?” Ti asked. On. Srinivasa, a farmer activist.

Former minister and senior Congress leader Kimmane Ratnakar asked, “If the ESA comes into force, what will happen not just to the bagair-hukum growers, but to those who were looking for land to build shelters? It is pushing for an amendment to the Central Forest Protection Act that would empower state governments to sanction small residential plots to long-settled families, though not for big projects like dams.”

The unpleasant situation of the villages

In Karimane village of Hosanagara taluk, most of the settlement, including the gram panchayat office, falls within the proposed forest area and lacks a formal name. In Uralagall in Sagar taluk, residents have to cross nearly 10 km of forest to reach the right road. In NR Pura taluk of Chikkamagaluru district, residents of a Maratha camp have long demanded a route to neighboring Byrapura, home to a local school — a route where schoolchildren recently spotted a leopard.

Villagers fear that if the ESA is limited to notified forest areas, they will continue to be denied basic facilities such as roads and electricity. “We are trying to get basic equipment under the existing rules. What will our situation be if the ESA also comes into force?” asked Nagaraj Salkod of Uralagallu village.

Published – 25 Oct 2026 07:00 IST