Overview
- Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot withheld assent and invoked Articles 200, 201 and 254 to send the Karnataka Hate Speech and Hate Crime (Prevention) Bill, 2025 to the President.
- His note flags vagueness, overbreadth and a potential chilling effect on speech under Article 19, along with proportionality and due process concerns under Articles 19 and 21.
- Lok Bhavan recorded about 40 representations opposing the draft and the Governor cited insufficient consultation with civil society, media bodies, digital rights groups and experts.
- The proposal defines hate speech broadly, creates organisational liability, empowers content blocking or removal online, reclassifies several offences as cognisable and non-bailable, and prescribes prison terms up to seven years with fines starting at Rs 50,000.
- Home Minister G. Parameshwara accused the Governor of stalling and said 28 provisions were questioned, while BJP state chief B. Y. Vijayendra defended the referral and cited alleged selective enforcement including a police notice to Vikas Puttur.