Power of Attorney Karnataka: Registration & Stamp Duty

In short

In Karnataka, a power of attorney (POA) that authorises transfer of immovable property (sale, gift, exchange) must now be registered and also properly stamped. A POA for other work (bank papers, rent collection, possession) needs stamp duty or adjudication, but registration is optional.

The Registration (Karnataka Amendment) Act, 2025 (Karnataka Act No. 42 of 2025, which received Presidential assent on 22 July 2025) changed the rules to prevent property frauds done through fake or old POAs.

Two kinds of POA

Category A: POA to transfer immovable property

Covers sale, purchase, gift, exchange or any transfer, with or without money. It must be:

properly stamped (or adjudicated if signed abroad), and
registered with the Sub-Registrar under the new section 17(1)(f)

Category B: POA for other purposes

Covers collecting documents from banks, mortgage work, rent collection, taking possession, appearing before authorities, managing the property, and signing leases. Here stamp duty or adjudication is enough and registration is optional.

Proof that the person is alive

The amendment requires proof that the person who signed the POA is alive when it is used for registration. This stops frauds where a POA of a deceased owner is used to sell property.

POA signed outside India (NRIs)

If you live abroad and need someone in Bengaluru to act for you:

Prepare the POA with full details of you and your agent, and state the powers clearly.
Sign every page. Get your signature attested by the Indian Embassy or Consulate, or by a Notary Public in that country.
Within 90 days of receiving it in India, get the stamp duty adjudicated by the District Registrar and pay the duty.
If it is a POA for transfer of property, also register it.

What is adjudication?

It is the District Registrar’s decision on how much stamp duty is payable on a document. Once duty is paid, the document is validly stamped and can be used.

Documents usually required: an application to the District Registrar, the original attested POA, ID proof, and proof of payment of stamp duty (challan).

Quick comparison

	POA for property transfer	POA for other purposes
—	—	—
Stamp duty / adjudication	Required	Required
Registration	Compulsory	Optional
Proof that the signatory is alive	Required	As per practice

Examples

Sale by an NRI through a brother: adjudication or stamp duty plus compulsory registration
Daughter collects loan documents from the bank: adjudication is enough
Agent collects rent: adjudication is enough
Agent buys property: treated as a transfer-related POA, so register

Tip: A POA can be cancelled by the person who gave it, but cancellation should also be recorded and communicated. If a buyer relies on an old POA, risk is high. Always verify with the executant.