Karnataka government seeks to resolve apartment disputes with fresh bill

Bengaluru, 21 August – Karnataka has moved to address the surge in apartment‑related conflicts by introducing the Karnataka Apartment (Ownership and Management) Bill, 2026 in the state legislature. The proposed act is designed to give residents a robust legal remedy for disagreements that often arise in high‑density housing.

Development Minister Krishna Bayre Gowda noted that the exponential rise in apartment construction has outpaced the capacity of the 1972‑73 property acts, leading to recurring disputes over ownership of shared amenities, management of common lands, and the authority of multiple resident welfare associations operating within the same development.

The bill’s language was shaped through a consultative process that began with a meeting of apartment owners during D.K. Shivakumar’s period as deputy chief minister and continued with a follow‑up gathering two months prior to submission. Feedback collected from residents and a public consultation phase have been incorporated into the final draft.

Key highlights include mandating a single, legally registered Residents Welfare Association for every apartment project, prohibiting builders from privatizing common zones, and assigning ongoing maintenance duties to the association. New dispute‑resolution bodies will be established at the gram panchayat, municipal council and corporation levels, endowed with powers akin to those of civil courts to expedite settlement of conflicts.

For buildings that are old or structurally unsound, redevelopment can be initiated only with the consent of a minimum of 75 % of owners. If any owner refuses, the property may be compulsorily acquired, with compensation calculated at twice the prevailing market rate following an independent valuation. The bill aims to bring clarity, accountability and lasting legal protection to Karnataka’s expanding apartment sector.