Bengaluru Apartment Residents Intensify Demand for Long-Pending Karnataka Apartment Ownership Act
Residents of apartment complexes in Bengaluru are escalating their calls for the immediate tabling and passage of the Karnataka Apartment Ownership and Management Act (KAOMA-2025), as uncertainty persists over when the crucial legislation will be presented in the state legislature. With the current legislative session underway and MLAs highlighting the challenges faced by India's tech capital, members of the Bangalore Apartments' Federation (BAF) express hope that the proposed bill will not be delayed yet again.
Urgent Need for Updated Legal Framework
The residents emphasize that the urgency stems from significant gaps in the existing Karnataka Apartment Ownership Act of 1972, which they argue fails to address critical modern issues. Key shortcomings include inadequate redevelopment norms, insufficient dispute resolution mechanisms, and unclear definitions of the powers and responsibilities of apartment associations. The absence of a comprehensive and updated legal framework has created governance difficulties within apartment complexes, often leading to conflicts, lack of accountability, and operational inefficiencies.
Scale of the Issue in Bengaluru
According to data from the Bangalore Apartments' Federation, Bengaluru is home to over 1,700 apartment buildings with approximately 3.5 lakh apartment residents. While BAF represents a significant portion of this population, the federation notes that the governance challenges affect the broader apartment community across the city.
Voices from the Federation
Satish Mallya, President of the Bangalore Apartments' Federation, stated: "The continued delay in passing the KAOMA-2025 Act is leaving citizens struggling to manage their apartments effectively, resolve disputes amicably, and protect their ownership rights without a clear and modern legal framework. This legislative vacuum creates unnecessary hardships for residents who simply want transparent and efficient governance of their homes."
Kiran Hebbar, Treasurer of BAF, highlighted the practical consequences of the legislative delays: "Repeated postponements in tabling the bill have made day-to-day governance within apartment communities increasingly difficult. When certain provisions are enforced while others are overlooked due to outdated laws, it creates confusion and uncertainty. A timely, clear, and uniform implementation of the updated Act is essential for ensuring transparency, accountability, and the smooth functioning of apartment associations across Bengaluru."
Legislative Context and Resident Hopes
With MLAs currently focusing on urban challenges during the legislative session, apartment residents are optimistic that their demands will receive proper attention. They argue that the KAOMA-2025 is not merely a regulatory update but a necessary tool for modern urban living, addressing issues that have emerged over decades since the 1972 law was enacted. The federation continues to advocate for the bill's prompt introduction and passage, stressing that further delays would only exacerbate the governance problems faced by Bengaluru's growing apartment population.
