BENGALURU: The Karnataka Assembly on Monday passed the Eva Nammava Eva Nammava Bill, 2026 — The Karnataka Freedom of Choice in Marriage and Prevention and Prohibition of Crimes, to give protection to inter-caste married couples and stringent punishment to those who harm or kill them.
Those who violate the new Act will face rigorous imprisonment for five years. Social and economic boycott of vulnerable families and performing rituals like ‘tithi’ (death ceremony) of individuals who marry outside their caste, is prohibited. DCs and district magistrates will set up ‘Eva Nammava Vedike’ — a platform to solemnise marriages with official representatives.
The Act came into being after a pregnant Lingayat woman, Manya Patil, was allegedly killed by her relatives for marrying a Dalit man, Vivekananda, in December 2025.
“The values preached by 12th-century revolutionary Basavanna that all are equal, are not being practiced in the true spirit, which is why a new law is necessitated to give protection to vulnerable people,” Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister HK Patil substantiated.
Replying to LoP R Ashoka’s queries, Patil clarified that it is not only the murder of the couple for which there is a provision for punishment in the BNS, but human rights and protection of the vulnerable are also incorporated. “There is no provision in the Act to acknowledge live-in relationships. The married couple must also lead a marital life,” he clarified, replying to concerns of senior BJP MLA S Suresh Kumar.
The Bill provides freedom of choice in marriage, and prevention and prohibition of caste-based crimes, prevents violation of human rights, brings honour to inter-caste marriage, and prevents enforced caste-based discrimination in individual choices.