Overview
- The Cabinet approved the Karnataka Hate Speech and Hate Crimes (Prevention) Bill, 2025, and plans to table it in the Belagavi session beginning December 8.
- The draft defines hate speech broadly across spoken, written, visual and electronic communication targeting protected characteristics such as religion, caste, gender, sexual orientation, language, disability and tribe.
- Published drafts diverge on penal terms and legal classification, with some reports citing one to seven years for a first offence and cognisable status while others describe a three-year maximum and non-cognisable offences.
- The proposal empowers magistrates to issue preventive orders restricting gatherings or loudspeakers to avert breaches of peace and authorises a designated state officer to order blocking or removal of hate material online.
- The Bill envisages liability for organisations and intermediaries, introduces victim-impact statements and compensation, and exempts bona fide art, scholarship, public-interest reporting and certain religious discourse that do not incite harm.