Karnataka Apartment Bill: Government Finally Calls Stakeholders Meet on July 15

The Karnataka government has announced a stakeholders' meeting with apartment owners on July 15 to discuss the proposed Karnataka Apartment (Ownership and Management) Bill, 2025. The meeting comes after a delay of over six months, following an initial consultation held by Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar in December 2024.

Apartment owners have long demanded a new law to replace the outdated Karnataka Apartment Ownership Act, 1972, and the Karnataka Cooperative Societies Act, 1959, which currently govern apartments in the state. These laws lack clarity on ownership rights, maintenance responsibilities, and dispute resolution mechanisms, leading to widespread ambiguity.

The meeting was announced by Greater Bengaluru Development Minister Krishna Byre Gowda on Tuesday (July 14). He stated that a draft of the Bill is ready and the government seeks input from all stakeholders before tabling it in the legislative assembly. Chief Minister Shivakumar, who also holds the Bengaluru Development portfolio, will attend the meeting.

The consultation is scheduled from 11 a.m. at the Conference Hall of the Jawaharlal Nehru Planetarium. Minister Gowda urged apartment owners to participate in large numbers and submit their suggestions. The government aims to incorporate feedback to ensure the Bill addresses the concerns of residents and housing societies.

This meeting fulfills a promise made by Chief Minister Shivakumar during the first consultation in December 2024, where he assured a formal stakeholders' consultation before the Bill was introduced in the assembly. However, no meeting was convened for over six months, prompting at least two city MLAs to write to Shivakumar urging action.

The new Bill is expected to streamline apartment ownership and management, provide clearer guidelines for maintenance funds, and establish dispute resolution mechanisms. It may also include provisions for mandatory registration of apartment associations and transparency in financial management.

Apartment owners have expressed cautious optimism but stressed the need for swift enactment. The government has not yet announced a timeline for tabling the Bill in the assembly after the consultation.