Bengaluru, Jan 9, 2026: The Karnataka Hate Speech and Hate Crimes (Prevention and Control) Bill, passed by the state assembly in December, remains pending with Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot, more than three weeks after submission, while seven other bills passed during the same legislative session have already received assent.

Status of the Bill

As of Thursday evening, the Governor had neither returned the Bill for reconsideration nor sought clarifications from the state government, leaving one of Karnataka’s most debated legislative initiatives in limbo. The government has expressed hope that assent will be granted soon, and has not taken any legal steps to expedite the process.

A senior Cabinet minister said:

“So far, we have not received any clarifications from the Governor’s office, and we are hopeful that we will get the assent soon. No action is warranted at present.”

Provisions and Definitions

If enacted, the Bill would make Karnataka the first state in India with a standalone statute targeting hate speech and hate crimes. Key provisions include:

• Treating hate speech and hate crimes as cognisable and non-bailable offences.
• Defining hate speech as any spoken, written, symbolic, or electronic expression made publicly with intent to cause injury, disharmony, or enmity toward an individual, group, or community. The definition also covers references to deceased persons if expression serves a “prejudicial interest.”
• Prejudicial interest includes bias or hostility based on religion, race, caste, community, sex, gender, sexual orientation, place of birth, residence, language, disability, or tribe.
• Extending liability to organisations and institutions.

The legislation faced significant debate in the Assembly. Opposition parties and free speech advocates argued that its broad definitions and takedown provisions could be misused, potentially infringing on freedom of expression.

Other Bills Passed

Alongside the hate speech legislation, the Governor has assented to seven other bills from the Belagavi session. These include:

• Karnataka Social Boycott (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Bill
• Amendments to the Karnataka State Commission for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes
• Drugs and Cosmetics (Karnataka Amendment) Bill
• Karnataka Scheduled Castes (Sub-Categorisation in Reservation) Bill

Meanwhile, the Karnataka Tank Conservation and Development Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2025, was returned to the government for reconsideration due to concerns over ecological impact, flood risk, and water security. The amendment proposed replacing a uniform 30-meter buffer zone around tanks with size-based zones, allowing regulated construction near water bodies.

Constitutional Context

Under the Constitution, a Governor can assent to a bill, return it for reconsideration, or forward it to the President. The Supreme Court recently clarified that no fixed timeline exists for governors to act on bills, reaffirming that delays, while politically sensitive, do not violate constitutional norms.

The pending status of the hate speech Bill, however, continues to draw attention due to its social and political implications, particularly amid ongoing debates on free speech, minority protections, and law enforcement powers in Karnataka.

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