Karnataka Unveils Apartment Bill on Ownership, Redevelopment

The proposed Karnataka Apartment (Ownership and Management) Bill, 2026 seeks to strengthen apartment owners’ rights

July 15, 2026: The Karnataka government on Wednesday unveiled the proposed Karnataka Apartment (Ownership and Management) Bill, 2026, which aims to replace two apartment-related laws that have been in force for more than five decades. The new legislation seeks to establish a unified legal framework to protect apartment owners’ rights, improve governance, and align housing regulations with the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act (RERA), 2016.

The proposed Bill will apply to apartment projects with more than eight units and place enforcement under the Urban Development Department through a designated authority. It also provides clear ownership of project land and common areas to apartment owners while limiting resident associations to management and maintenance responsibilities. The legislation further introduces definitions for private and super built-up areas and mandates structural stability certificates every five years for buildings older than 30 years.

The Bill also proposes a two-stage dispute resolution mechanism, provisions for deemed conveyance of common areas in older projects, and a legal framework for redevelopment of ageing apartment complexes. Redevelopment will require the consent of at least 75% of apartment owners, while non-consenting owners will be entitled to compensation of at least twice the market value. According to the government, the law aims to improve transparency, strengthen accountability, and ensure safer and better-managed residential communities.