Explained | Why Karnataka Amended its Land Law to Resolve Kodagu’s Jamma Bane Land Puzzle
- Saritha Devaiah Ballachanda
- 2 minutes ago
- 4 min read
The Karnataka Legislative Assembly on Tuesday approved an amendment to the Karnataka Land Revenue Act, 1964, taking a significant step towards untangling long-standing land ownership complexities in Kodagu (Coorg) district. The move is aimed at formally recognising and regulating Jamma Bane lands, a distinctive form of tenure that has historically operated outside the standard land administration framework followed elsewhere in the State.
The Karnataka Land Revenue (Second Amendment) Bill, 2025, seeks to bridge the legal and administrative gap between customary practices in Kodagu and modern revenue laws. While the Bill was first introduced in August this year, it was later referred to a select committee of legislators after Kodagu MLAs A.S. Ponnanna and Mantar Gowda raised concerns on behalf of local landholders. Following five rounds of deliberations by a legislative sub-committee, the revised Bill was tabled again on December 16 by Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda and subsequently passed by the House.
What are Jamma Bane lands?
Jamma Bane lands are unique to Kodagu and differ markedly from other categories of land in Karnataka. These lands were historically governed by the Coorg Land Revenue and Regulations Act, 1899, which remained in force until the Karnataka Land Revenue Act replaced it in 1964. However, certain practices under the 1899 law continued informally even after the new Act came into effect.
Traditionally, Jamma Bane holdings were enjoyed by members of joint families based on custom rather than formal documentation. Ownership and usage rights were passed down generations without systematic entries in the Record of Rights (RTC). While this system worked in a largely agrarian and community-driven setting, it became increasingly problematic as land transactions, inheritance claims and institutional lending grew more formalised.
Why was an amendment needed?
According to the statement of objects and reasons attached to the Bill, the absence of clear provisions in the 1964 Act to recognise joint family rights in Jamma Bane lands led to persistent administrative hurdles. Revenue records often failed to reflect the true nature of ownership, creating confusion over inheritance, survivorship and alienation of land.
Over time, this lack of clarity resulted in disputes among family members, delays in mutation and registration, difficulties in securing bank loans, and a rise in litigation. In many cases, land records continued to carry the name of a long-deceased family head, even decades after ownership had effectively changed hands.
The government concluded that statutory recognition of the special characteristics of Jamma Bane tenure was necessary to ensure accurate land records and protect the rights of all stakeholders.
What does the amendment change?
The amendments introduced through the Bill are designed to align customary landholding practices in Kodagu with contemporary revenue administration. Key provisions include:
-Allowing the names of joint family members to be officially recorded in the Register of Mutations for Jamma Bane lands.
-Mandating the reporting of acquisition of rights by individuals as members of a joint family.
-Empowering revenue officials in Kodagu to recognise and register such rights in land records.
-Ensuring that detailed information related to family lineage, inheritance, survivorship and associated privileges is documented.
-By formalising these processes, the government aims to reduce ambiguity, curb disputes and bring consistency with the broader framework of the Karnataka Land Revenue Act.
Political and local responses
A.S. Ponnanna, Congress MLA from Virajpet and legal advisor to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, welcomed the passage of the Bill, describing it as a long-overdue reform for Kodagu. He noted that uncertainty over Jamma Bane ownership had adversely impacted land transactions, loan approvals and succession planning for families in the district.
However, Ponnanna also cautioned that the success of the amendment would depend heavily on how it is implemented on the ground. He stressed the importance of carefully framing the rules to ensure that genuine rights holders benefit and that errors in records are corrected.
Earlier, in August, Ponnanna had highlighted the need for both deletions and corrections in existing land records. He pointed out that in several cases, the names of family heads continued to appear in RTCs even 40 to 50 years after their death — a practice sustained by tradition rather than law.
Madikeri MLA Mantar Gowda echoed similar concerns, drawing attention to the informal nature of land transactions in Kodagu. He noted that it was common for dozens of family members to sign unregistered documents to facilitate land dealings, leaving future generations vulnerable to disputes. He suggested that such documents should be accorded legal validity after due scrutiny by the tahsildar.
Concerns and safeguards
Leader of the Opposition R. Ashok raised questions about how the government would manage land records that list names spanning four or five generations. Responding to this, Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda assured the House that local tahsildars would conduct adalats (public grievance hearings) to address objections before finalising and modernising land records.
The Minister added that the revised system would include an appellate mechanism, allowing affected parties to challenge decisions and seek redress.
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