Karnataka Bills: Revolutionizing Digital and Land Regulations

The Karnataka Assembly approved several key bills to enhance digital processes in legal documentation and bolster land regulations. Notable measures include electronic stamping and stronger penalties for land grabbing. Amendments address issues from land allocation in natural disasters to expanding BBMP's authority over Bengaluru's streets.

The Karnataka Assembly on Wednesday voted to pass a suite of significant bills that promise to modernize legal and land management protocols. Central to these reforms are measures providing legal validity to electronic signatures, and facilitating the payment of stamp duties through digital platforms.

Among the pivotal updates is the Karnataka Stamp (Amendment) Bill, 2025, which upgrades the stamping process to recognize digital e-stamping. Meanwhile, the Registration (Karnataka Amendment) Bill makes it mandatory to register power-of-attorney authorizations when transferring or dealing in immovable property. Both bills were spearheaded by Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda.

The legislation also tackles land issues head-on. The Karnataka Land Grabbing Prohibition (Amendment) Bill introduces stricter penalties for encroachment on government land, upping fines and imprisonment terms. The Karnataka Land Revenue (Amendment) Bill, on the other hand, seeks to refine land grant and cultivation practices while bolstering accountability among revenue officers. These initiatives aim to intensify protection and clear oversight of government lands and ensure all assets fall under rural local authority jurisdiction.

(With inputs from agencies.)