Karnataka Governor Thaawar Chand Gehlot has returned 11 Bills passed by the State legislature, requesting clarifications from the government on various issues. These concerns include pending cases in the Supreme Court, overlapping provisions in two laws, and the authority of the government, among other points.
Among the Bills under review is the Karnataka Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowments (Amendment) Bill, 2024. The High Court of Karnataka recently struck down amendments made to the Act in 2011 and 2012, a decision currently being challenged in the Supreme Court, which has stayed the High Court’s ruling. As the matter is still unresolved, the Governor has sought further clarification on this Bill.
Urban Local Body Concerns
The Gadag-Betageri Vyapara Mattu Vastu Pradarshana Padhikara Bill, 2024, has been sent back for an explanation regarding the necessity of creating a new entity for a specific area. The Governor noted that the proposed Bill could infringe on constitutional rights granted to urban local bodies under Article 243 of the Constitution of India, necessitating legal clarification. Additionally, it was mentioned that the City Municipal Council president had raised concerns about a lack of government discussion on this matter.
The Karnataka Municipalities and Certain Other Law (Amendment) Bill, 2024, aims to enable urban local bodies to levy property tax on buildings and vacant lands, even in unauthorized layouts. Raj Bhavan highlighted that the Karnataka Town and Country Planning (Regularization of Unauthorized Development or Constructions) Rules, 2014, is currently under legal scrutiny, prompting the Governor’s review.
Another significant piece of legislation, the Karnataka Cine and Cultural Activists (Welfare) Bill, 2024, proposes setting up a welfare board and fund for the social security of cine and cultural activists. The Governor has requested clarification on the government’s authority to impose a cess on GST, following objections from relevant industry groups.
Regarding the Karnataka Cooperative Societies (Amendment) Bill, 2024, the Governor referred to the High Court of Karnataka’s ruling that invalidated the previous amendment act. This has raised questions about whether the new amendments comply with constitutional provisions.
Duplicate Legislative Objectives
The Sri Renuka Yellamma Temple Development Authority Bill aims to establish a statutory body for the temple’s development and maintenance. However, the Governor returned the Bill, citing the recent enactment of the Shri Renuka Yellamma Kshetra Tourism Development Board Act, 2024, which serves a similar objective. The inquiry raised by the Governor is focused on the necessity of introducing another legislative measure for the same purpose.
