BENGALURU: The Legislative Council on Wednesday passed two bills -- one on regulating outdoor advertisements in the limits of municipalities and the other on transfer of police officers.
Urban Development Minister Byrathi Suresh tabled the Karnataka Municipalities and Certain Other Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026. Opposing the fee to be imposed on advertisement hoardings erected on private properties, Leader of Opposition in the Council Chalavadi Narayanaswamy said, “If the government imposes such a fee, then such properties must be exempted from property tax.”
Opposition members opposed the tax on advertisements displayed on bullock carts, horse carriages, cycle rickshaws and bicycles. BJP member CT Ravi said that it would not be a surprise if the ruling Congress levies tax on “air” in the coming days. MLC K Shivakumar said advertisement hoardings in front of heritage buildings and at prominent junctions in cities and towns should not be allowed.
Replying to them, Byrathi Suresh said legislators seek good roads and other amenities and the civic bodies will not be able to provide them without collecting taxes.
Home Minister G Parameshwara tabled the Karnataka Police (Amendment) Bill, 2026, which provides for a police establishment board with senior officers as its members to transfer personnel up to the rank of deputy superintendent of police in cases of misconduct, negligence, or dereliction of duty.
Rao panel report tabled
The Karnataka Regional Imbalances Redressal Committee’s report was tabled in the Council by Planning and Statistics Minister D Sudhakar.
According to the report, of the 246 taluks in the state, 93 are the most backward. Most of them are in Kalaburagi, Belagavi and other districts in the North Karnataka region.