Overview
- Lok Bhavan said 19 of 22 pending bills from the Belagavi session have received assent and were sent for gazette publication.
- Two measures were returned seeking clarifications: the Scheduled Castes sub-classification bill and the Shree Chamundeshwari Kshetra Development Authority amendment.
- The Karnataka Hate Speech and Hate Crimes Bill remains before the Governor, treating such offences as cognisable and non-bailable with penalties up to Rs 1 lakh and seven years’ imprisonment as drafted.
- Earlier this week, the Tank Conservation and Development Authority amendment was sent back for reconsideration following concerns tied to revised lake-buffer norms.
- Opposition parties and free-speech advocates have warned the hate-speech bill’s definitions are too broad, while the BJP has labeled it a 'Brahmastra,' and the Supreme Court has held no fixed timeline applies to gubernatorial action.