BENGALURU: The Karnataka Legislative Assembly on Tuesday passed the Karnataka Government Educational Institutions’ Lands (Protection and Regularisation) Bill, 2026, to protect and regularise lands, including those donated, vested and used by government educational institutions continuously for 12 years in favour of the State Government.
Welcoming the Bill, legislators from all parties suggested that the government bring a similar Bill to protect lands under other departments.
The Bill states that government educational institutions have been established on lands donated by individuals, families or communities often without formal documentation or transfer of title deeds. These lands donated in good faith enabled the government to develop educational institutions that have served many generations.
Despite decades of undisputed public use, recent claims by successors or legal heirs based on technical gaps in documentation have led to litigations that have stalled construction work and uncertainty over the status of such lands.
Currently, there is no dedicated legislation to protect such lands or validate informal gifts made for public education.
Existing legal frameworks do not adequately address long-standing, open and settled use of lands for government educational institutions.
The new Bill is to address these challenges. Vesting of land by the government will not be affected by the absence of a registered document of transfer; the death of the donor, whether testate or intestate; and non-compliance with the provisions of the Transfer of Property Act, 1882 (Central Act 04 of 1882) or the Indian Succession Act, 1925. (Central Act 39 of 1925), as per the Bill.
Any suit pending as on the date of commencement of this new Act relating to title or possession of such educational institutions’ lands shall cease immediately unless compensation has been awarded under acquisition.
Claim within 30 days
Any individual, who holds a registered title document for the land in question and can prove by documentary evidence that it was never voluntarily given for the use of a government educational institution may file a claim before the Grievance Redressal Authority within 30 days from the date of commencement of new Act.
If the claim is upheld, the Authority may recommend remedial action, including land substitution or a partial exemption from vesting as prescribed by the government.