Karnataka Assembly session: Bill passed to regularise illegal buildings by levying penalty
Extent of violations
Urban Development Minister B.S. Suresh (Byrathi) said the extent of building plan violations eligible for regularisation is being raised from 5% to 15%. The Bill would allow regularising buildings on small sites. The size would be specified in the rules, but it would not exceed 20x30 ft. and 30x40 ft. sites, he said
The Bill also envisages exempting small properties from requiring commencement certificates (CC) and occupancy certificates (OC), which is expected to benefit the poor income categories and middle-class families.
Mr. Suresh explained the objectives of the Bill and said the amendments will apply to only such unlawful buildings that can be regularised as per the provisions of the building bylaws or any Act in force. This will not apply to buildings that have been ordered for demolition.
As per the Bill, Municipal Commissioners can issue OCs to citizens by levying a penalty on them if they had not obtained CCs at the time of starting construction. Similarly, a penalty can be levied 'up to the extent or deviation in the construction with respect to the sanctioned plan or zonal regulation limit as may be specified in the bylaws'.
Certification process
It also allowed Corporations to empanel professionals such as architects, engineers, structural consultants, and environmental consultants who are empanelled by the local authority as authorised persons to inspect the building sites before, during and after construction, to certify them and sanction building plans. Empanelled engineers will be allowed to approve building plans up to 4,000 sq. ft., the Minister said.
BJP members, including C.N. Ashwath Narayan, flayed the Bill for limiting the violations to 15% and said it should be aimed at collecting penalties. He demanded that the provisions of the Bill be extended to all buildings.
It may be recalled here that the Supreme Court has stayed the Akrama-Sakrama scheme that aimed to regularise unauthorised urban buildings by imposing a penalty.
To ban strikes
The State legislative Assembly passed the Karnataka Essential Services Maintenance (Amendment) Bill, 2025, to ban strikes by Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) employees.
Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy explained the provisions of the Bill and said it aimed to extend the Act for another 10 years with effect from May 27, 2025. Mr Reddy piloted the Bill in 2015 also.
On ports
The Karnataka Ports (Landing and Shipping Fees) (Amendment) Bill, 2025, was passed to revise fees on goods shipped and hike or reduce the percentage of fees by the government at the ports.
On co-operatives
The House passed the Karnataka Souharda Sahakari (Amendment) Bill, 2025, for maintaining 20% of the total deposits as State statutory liquid reserve to manage increasing cases of misappropriation. It aimed to revise the reservation of seats of the board in favour of members belonging to the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Women and other Backward Classes; and compel the candidate contesting for election, the director and the Chief Executive to declare their assets and liabilities at the end of every year to control the misappropriation.
The Bill also envisaged filing a criminal case against the person involved in irregularities or misappropriation for fraudulence reports.
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