A house on BDA-acquired land in Bengaluru
By , founder·5 min read·Published 2026-09-19

Short answer: On 17 September 2026 Karnataka amended the Bangalore Development Authority (Allotment of Unauthorized Site with Building) Rules, 2020. An application for allotment under section 38-D of the BDA Act must now be made within 90 days of the amendment rules coming into force, which was on publication in the Gazette on 17 September 2026. The BDA must tell the applicant the amount due within 90 days of the application, the applicant has 180 days from that intimation to pay the whole amount, and the property is transferred only after full payment.

BDA Land Allotment: 90 Days to Apply From 17 September 2026, 180 Days to Pay

On 17 September 2026 Karnataka amended the rules for allotting BDA-acquired land that carries a building. An application under section 38-D of the Bangalore Development Authority Act must now be made within 90 days of the amendment rules coming into force, and they came into force on publication in the Gazette on 17 September 2026. The BDA must then name the amount due within 90 days of your application. You have 180 days from that intimation to pay all of it, where the old rule gave 60, and the land is transferred to you only after full payment.

Who this is for

The owner abroad with a house in Bengaluru on land the Bangalore Development Authority acquired years ago. On 15 September we reported that Karnataka Act No. 42 of 2026 halved the section 38D charge and set two years before the BDA evicts occupants who have not obtained an allotment. That Act left the filing window to the rules. This notification sets it.

What the notification says

The notification is No. UDD 127 MNJ 2020(E) of the Urban Development Department, dated 17 September 2026, published in the Karnataka Gazette Extraordinary, Part IVA, No. 927, the same day. It is made under section 69 read with section 38-D of the BDA Act, 1976, and signed by Rajesh S Sulikeri, Under Secretary to Government. Rule 1(2) says the rules "shall come in to force from the date of their publication in the official Gazette".

Rule 2(i) changes rule 3(1) of the 2020 Rules. The words "within sixty days from the date of commencement of section 38-D" become "within ninety days from the date of commencement of the Bangalore Development Authority (Allotment of Unauthorized Site with Building) (Amendment) Rules 2026".

Rule 2(ii) replaces rule 3(4). The old text gave the applicant sixty days from the BDA's intimation to pay. The new text reads:

The Authority shall intimate the eligible applicant the amount required to be paid under section 38-D of the Act within ninety days from the date of application. The applicant shall pay the entire amount within one hundred and eighty days from the date of intimation. The property shall be transferred in the name of the applicant only after the full amount is paid.

What the notification does not say

It does not print a closing date for applications. It counts 90 days from commencement, and commencement is the date of publication, 17 September 2026. By our count the ninetieth day after that is 16 December 2026. That date is our arithmetic, not the government's. Do not plan to file on the last day.

It does not set out the application form, the fee or where to file. Those sit in the 2020 Rules, which this notification amends and which we have not read in full. It quotes only the two passages it replaces.

It does not change the charge. The rates of 5% to 25% of guidance value by plot size come from Act No. 42 of 2026, covered in our 15 September piece.

What to do with it

  1. Confirm the land under your house is BDA-acquired land and that the building meets the section 38D conditions set out in our 15 September piece.
  2. Put the ninety-day window from 17 September 2026 in your calendar and file well inside it. From abroad, that means a power of attorney holder in Bengaluru who can file for you.
  3. Once the BDA names the amount, you have 180 days from the date of that intimation to pay it in full. Keep the intimation letter; the date on it starts the clock.

This page reports what the notification says. It is not legal advice on whether your house qualifies.

FAQ

What did the notification of 17 September 2026 change for BDA allotment under section 38-D? It amended rule 3 of the BDA (Allotment of Unauthorized Site with Building) Rules, 2020. Applications must be made within 90 days of the amendment rules coming into force. The BDA must name the amount within 90 days of the application, and the applicant must pay it within 180 days of that intimation.

When does the application window close? The notification does not print a date. It counts 90 days from the commencement of the amendment rules, which came into force on publication in the Gazette on 17 September 2026. By our count the ninetieth day after that is 16 December 2026.

How long do I have to pay once the BDA names the amount? 180 days from the date of the BDA's intimation. The rule it replaces gave 60 days.

When is the land transferred to me? The new rule 3(4) says the property shall be transferred in the applicant's name only after the full amount is paid.

Did this notification change the allotment charge? No. The charge of 5% to 25% of guidance value by plot size comes from Karnataka Act No. 42 of 2026, which came into force on 7 September 2026.

Saurabh Garg, founder, 66 MG Road

Sources

Information on this page is as on 2026-09-19. Rules, rates, deadlines and government portals change without notice, so verify against the official source before you act. This page is for information only. It is not tax or legal advice, and it is not a substitute for a qualified adviser who knows your position.