Bengaluru: The Karnataka government is moving towards rolling out the Karnataka Apartment Bill 2025, a proposed law aimed at strengthening the rights of
apartment owners and residents, Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar said during a special interaction with homebuyers’ forums at Vidhana Soudha. The move comes as Bengaluru’s rapid expansion has seen apartments emerge as a dominant form of housing, now accounting for nearly 19 per cent of the city’s population, according to the state government.
Why the Government Wants a New Apartment Law
Shivakumar said the proposed legislation is meant to replace the Karnataka Apartment Ownership Act, 1972, which has remained unchanged for more than five decades despite major shifts in urban living.
“Bengaluru has grown too big, and hence we have formed GBA for better governance. Nineteen per cent of Bengaluru residents are apartment dwellers. No government has tried to change the Apartment Act since it was introduced in 1972. Our government is trying to do that,” Shivakumar said.
He added that the government has begun consultations with apartment owners and residents to shape the new law.
“We are meeting apartment owners and residents to collect their feedback for the proposed apartment Bill. Those who have not been able to provide their suggestions may send an email… within the next 10 days. We are committed to the welfare of apartment owners,” Shivakumar said.
What the Proposed Apartment Bill Aims to Fix
The proposed legislation is expected to bring clarity to long-standing issues faced by apartment residents, including land ownership, common area rights and maintenance responsibilities.
Experts say the current legal framework has significant gaps that often leave residents stuck between developers, associations and government authorities.
‘Existing Laws Have Failed Residents’, Say Homebuyers
Dhananjaya Padmanabhachar, convenor of the Karnataka Homebuyers Forum, said the existing association models have repeatedly failed apartment residents.
He pointed out that apartment associations registered under the Karnataka Societies Registration Act, 1960, are legally barred from collecting maintenance charges, following a ruling by the Karnataka High Court. This has left many associations without a lawful way to fund daily operations.
Adding to the problem, legal experts note that the state never notified a competent authority under the Karnataka Apartment Ownership Act, 1972, leaving residents without a formal grievance redressal mechanism and forcing them to approach courts.
Land Ownership Remains a Major Grey Area
Vittal BR, an advocate at the Karnataka High Court, said one of the biggest unresolved issues concerns the transfer of land to apartment owners.
He said the Karnataka Ownership Flats Act and the Karnataka Apartment Ownership Act need to be interpreted together to address this gap. The absence of clarity on how and when land rights are transferred has led to repeated disputes between residents, developers and authorities, highlighting the need for a more coherent legal framework.
What Homebuyers Expect From the New Act
Homebuyers’ groups believe the new law could bring much-needed certainty on key issues such as common area land transfer and complaint redressal before a designated authority.
Satish Mallya, president of the Bangalore Apartments’ Federation (BAF), said the existing law is deeply flawed.
“The Karnataka Apartment Ownership Act of 1972 is riddled with confusion. To rectify this, the proposed Karnataka Apartment Ownership and Management Act (KAOMA) incorporates excellent provisions. The implementation of this Act is a necessity,” Mallya said.
