Karnataka cabinet approves draft bills on hate crime, social boycott

The Karnataka cabinet on Thursday approved eight draft bills, including the ones on hate speech and hate crimes, prevention of slaughter and preservation of cattle and protection of people from social boycott.

Briefing reporters after the cabinet meeting, State Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H K Patil said these bills will be tabled in the upcoming Karnataka legislative session in Belagavi.

The "Karnataka Hate Speech and Hate Crimes (Prevention) Bill, 2025", aimed at curbing the spread, publication, and promotion of content that disrupts social harmony. The offences under this law are cognisable, non-bailable and triable by the Judicial Magistrate First Class.

Anyone committing a hate crime will be punished with imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than one year, but may extend to seven years, with a fine of Rs 50,000.

Anyone committing repetitive offences may be imprisoned for not less than two years, which may extend to ten years, with a fine of Rs 1 lakh.

The Court may award adequate compensation to the victim, calculating the injury caused due to a hate crime, depending upon the gravity of the crime.

If an organisation commits offence under the law, then "every person, who, at the time of the offence committed, was in charge of, and was responsible to, such organisation or institution for the conduct of the business of the same, as well as the organisation or institution shall be deemed to be guilty of the offence and shall be liable to be proceeded against and punished accordingly." The government also made it clear that organisation or institution "means and includes association of persons whether registered or not".

Other bills approved by the cabinet include the Bayaluseeme Area Development Board (Amendment) Bill, the Malnad Area Development Board (Amendment) Bill, Karnataka Hindu Religious Institution and Endowment (Amendment) Bill.

Other bills that received cabinet nod are: Shree Chamundeshwari Kshetra Development Authority (Amendment) Bill, Karnataka Inland Water Transport Rules Bill, Karnataka Prevention of Slaughter and Preservation of Cattle Bill and Karnataka Protection of People from Social Boycott (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Bill.

Regarding the Karnataka Prevention of Slaughter and Preservation of Cattle Bill, Patil said, "This is something related to the establishment of slaughterhouses. It pertains to the Government of India grants." The proposed bill aims to bring it in line with a High Court order permitting the release of vehicles seized during illegal cattle transport on an indemnity bond.

The move follows the order passed on 27 October 2022 in Criminal Case No. 9257/2022 before the Karnataka High Court, which allowed a seized vehicle to be released on an indemnity bond.

In accordance with the court's direction, the Cabinet has now cleared a proposal to insert the words "or indemnity bond" after the bank guarantee requirement.

The Cabinet also approved placing the amendment Bill before the Legislature for consideration.

The Bill to prevent instances of social boycott aims to bring social reform. It aims to stop families from being harassed with social boycott. According to officials, the scourge of social boycott is more prevalent in rural areas.

Amendments to the Bayaluseeme Area Development Board Act, 1991 and the Malnad Area Development Board Act were also approved. The proposed changes allow members without an elected legislative constituency—including certain Legislative Council members—to be considered part of the respective boards. Both Bills will be introduced in the Legislature.

In the religious affairs sector, the Cabinet cleared amendments to the Karnataka Hindu Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowments Act, 1977, to remove discriminatory provisions against individuals affected by leprosy, as directed by the court. The revised Bill will be placed before the House.

The government also approved changes to the Shree Chamundeshwari Kshetra Development Authority (Amendment) Bill and other related laws, paving the way for appointing Group 'A' senior officers from the Religious Endowments Department as Secretaries to the authorities, to ensure smoother administration and integrated development.

Amendments to the Bayaluseeme Area Development Board Act, 1991 and the Malnad Area Development Board Act were also approved. The proposed changes allow members without an elected legislative constituency—including certain Legislative Council members—to be considered part of the respective boards. Both Bills will be introduced in the Legislature, the minister said.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)