BENGALURU: The Assembly on Wednesday approved the Karnataka Land Revenue (Amendment) Bill, 2025 to protect government land, including water bodies and grazing grounds, by strengthening the existing provisions of the Karnataka Land Revenue Act, 1964.
Once it becomes an Act, it will scrap a provision that allows tahsildars and assistant commissioners to grant land in ‘good faith’ to grabbers.
Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda said tahsildars and assistant commissioners had been misusing their quasi-judicial powers to grant land to grabbers. Now, if they are found guilty by the deputy commissioner, who is the appellate authority, FIRs can be filed against them.
“The assistant commissioner has already been given powers under Section 67 of the Karnataka Land Revenue Act, 1964 regarding deciding claims over any property/lands. Now, it is proposed that the Deputy Commissioner will be the appellate Authority and the Revenue Commissioner will have revision powers under this section,” the bill stated.
“Revenue officers colluding with land grabbers are issuing orders of claims of entries that have made revenue records in favour of such grabbers. In such cases no action can be initiated against such officials since section 135 of the Act bars suits being filed against state and its officials regarding entries made in the record of rights,” it stated.
Bill for special court
The Assembly also approved the Karnataka Land Grabbing Prohibition (Amendment) Bill, 2025, to set up a ‘special court’ to protect government land following directions from the high court and Supreme Court that the government is duty bound to protect government land encroached by private parties.
“The parties cannot move the Special Court against the government until the eviction drive is completed. After that, they can do so and the eviction drive will not amount to subjudice,” said Krishna Byre Gowda.
The Assembly also approved The Karnataka Stamp (Amendment) Bill, 2025 by amending the Karnataka Stamp Act, 1957 (Karnataka Act 34 of 1957). This will give legal support to electronic signatures and enable payment of stamp duty by electronic means.
The Assembly approved Karnataka Gram Swaraj and Panchayat Raj (Amendment) Bill, 2025 to regularise unauthorised constructions in rural areas and to legalise issuing B khatas, which will bring revenue to the government.
The Assembly approved the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (Amendment) Bill 2025 that allows the government to declare any street a public street, ascertain development of even private roads within BBMP area and enable the corporation to take decision in matters related to fixing the rate of fee, levy or penalty in accordance with Article 243 of the Constitution.