BENGALURU: The Karnataka government has announced progress on the long-awaited draft of a new apartment act, aimed at resolving the legal ambiguity surrounding ownership, maintenance, and land rights for thousands of apartment residents. The urban development department stated that the draft—which has been developed in collaboration with apartment associations, legal experts, and stakeholders—will soon be forwarded to ministers for approval.
Tushar Giri Nath, additional chief secretary of the department, remarked, “The draft is nearly complete. We’ve conducted meetings and gathered feedback from the law department and apartment owners. We’re now adding the final touches before presenting it to the ministers. While there’s no specific timeline, we’re in the concluding phase.”
This proposed legislation is set to replace the outdated Karnataka Apartment Ownership Act (KAOA) of 1972. Apartment associations and homebuyers are advocating for the government to introduce the bill during the upcoming monsoon session of the legislature to clarify flat owners’ rights and obligations.
The matter was formally addressed in July 2023 at a Brand Bengaluru session led by Deputy CM DK Shivakumar, where over 300 Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs) called for extensive legal reforms.
Vikram Rai, president of the Bangalore Apartments’ Federation (BAF), stated, “The 1972 law is outdated. The dynamics of apartment living have evolved significantly over the past 25 years. If all inputs are finalized, the draft should be presented to the cabinet immediately—there’s no reason to delay until later this year.”
Dhananjaya Padmanabhachar, convenor of the Karnataka Home Buyers Forum, pointed out that Karnataka is among the few states lacking clear regulations under RERA for registering associations of allottees or transferring common areas. “Due to the government’s inaction, buyers have been compelled to seek legal redress. This legislation is critically needed.”
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