Bengaluru: The Bangalore Apartments Federation (BAF), which represents more than 1,400 apartment and villa RWAs, has demanded that the State Government table the long-pending Karnataka Apartment Ownership and Management Act (KAOMA) in the upcoming Belagavi Assembly session. The federation said the legislative delay has affected nearly 1.5 million citizens living in apartment complexes across the state.
Calling the 1972 Karnataka Apartment Ownership Act “archaic” and inadequate, BAF said the absence of a modern legal framework has created administrative confusion, prolonged litigation and left apartment owners without basic protection of rights.
Addressing a press conference, BAF president Satish Mallya said both the Congress and BJP had promised comprehensive apartment legislation in their election manifestos. “Two and a half years after the Congress government came to power, lakhs of homeowners are still waiting. This is no longer a request but an urgent legislative demand,” he said, adding that the vacuum in governance has resulted in serious hardship for residents.
BAF general secretary K. Arun Kumar noted that it had been almost two years since Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar told the Assembly that a draft law was nearing completion. “We want the Act tabled immediately. KAOMA will address essential issues such as conveyance, redevelopment and clear management structures,” he said.
Key demands under KAOMA
BAF’s proposal to the government includes the following core provisions:
• Property rights & conveyance: Mandatory transfer of Undivided Share (UDS) and property rights from builders to owners.
• Empowered Owners’ Associations: Clear rules for formation, registration and enforcement of bye-laws.
• Dedicated dispute resolution: A fast-track system for resolving ownership and management conflicts.
• Redevelopment provisions: Legal clarity for amalgamation and redevelopment of old apartment complexes.
• Single unified Act: Consolidating all apartment governance under KAOMA instead of multiple fragmented laws.
BAF treasurer Kiran Hebbar said apartment residents are waiting for decisive action. “The enactment of this law will be a landmark reform and a major relief for citizens across Karnataka,” he said.
