The Karnataka state cabinet, in a significant move on Thursday, gave its nod to the Karnataka Hate Speech and Hate Crimes (Prevention) Bill, 2025. This proposed legislation aims to curb and prevent the dissemination, publication, and promotion of hate speech and hate crimes across the state.
What Constitutes Hate Speech and Hate Crimes?
Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister HK Patil, briefing the media after the cabinet meeting, outlined the bill's key provisions. The draft bill provides a broad definition of hate speech. It is described as any expression—whether spoken, written, sign-based, visually represented, or transmitted electronically in public view—that is intended to cause injury, disharmony, or feelings of enmity, hatred, or ill will against any individual (alive or dead), group, class, or community.
Specifically, expressions made to serve prejudicial interests related to region, race, caste, community, sex, gender, sexual orientation, place of birth, residence, language, disability, or tribe will fall under this category.
Hate crime is defined as any act involving the communication, promotion, propagation, incitement, abetment, or attempt of hate speech that creates such disharmony or ill will towards any person, group, or organisation.
Stringent Punishments and Enforcement Powers
The bill proposes severe penalties for offenders. Those found guilty can face imprisonment of not less than one year, extendable up to seven years, along with a fine of Rs 50,000. For repeat offenders, the punishment is even harsher: a minimum of two years in jail, which could extend to ten years, and a fine of Rs 1 lakh. Courts are also empowered to award compensation to victims based on the gravity of the harm. All offences under this bill will be cognizable, non-bailable, and triable by a judicial magistrate first class.
The legislation also grants authorities strong preventive powers. An executive magistrate, special executive magistrate, or any police officer of the rank of DSP and above can act to prevent hate-related activities. Furthermore, a designated government-notified officer will have the authority to direct service providers, intermediaries, individuals, or entities to block or remove hate-crime content from any domain, including electronic platforms.
Other Major Cabinet Approvals
Alongside the hate speech bill, the cabinet approved seven other significant pieces of legislation. Key among them are the Karnataka Prevention of Slaughter and Prevention of Cattle (Amendment) Bill and the Karnataka Social Boycott (Prevention Prohibition and Redressal) Bill.
In a major infrastructure decision for Bengaluru, the cabinet approved a proposal to implement a tunnel road between Hebbal and Mehkri Circle. The approximately 3-km long project, estimated to cost Rs 2,215 crore, will be a three-lane, twin tunnel constructed using the cut-and-cover model. It will include provisions for an elevated corridor and up-and-down ramps, aiming to ease traffic flow and reduce congestion on this critical stretch.
The cabinet also made a crucial decision regarding land acquisition, approving the dropping of the process for 1,777 acres identified for a proposed defence and aerospace park near Devanahalli. This move comes after continued protests from farmers demanding a formal denotification order, following Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's announcement in July about withdrawing the acquisition.
In a relief for government primary school teachers, the cabinet approved the finalisation of cadres and recruitment rules. This decision provides an exemption for teachers of classes 1 to 5 from the compulsory Teachers Eligibility Test (TET) certificate requirement.
