The Karnataka Hate Speech and Hate Crimes (Prevention) Bill, 2025, has been tabled in the Winter Session of the Legislative Assembly in Belagavi, proposing a comprehensive standalone law aimed at curbing hate speech and hate-motivated offences across the state.
The bill seeks to regulate inflammatory statements in public, impose stringent jail terms and fines, and introduce organisational liability along with mechanisms to block online content that spreads hate.
The bill defines hate speech broadly, covering any spoken, written, visual or electronic expression intended to cause injury, disharmony or hatred against a person (alive or dead), group, class or community, in furtherance of a "prejudicial interest."
The term encompasses bias based on religion, race, caste, community, sex, gender, sexual orientation, place of birth, residence, language, disability, or tribe, extending beyond traditional protected categories found in central laws.
Severe Punishment
A new offence of "hate crime" has been introduced, covering the making, publishing, circulating, promoting, propagating or abetting of hate speech. The proposed penalties are a jail term of one to seven years and a Rs 50,000 fine for first-time offenders, and a two- to ten-year imprisonment and a Rs 1 lakh fine for repeat offenders.
All offences under the bill are cognisable, non-bailable, and triable by a Judicial Magistrate First Class.
Compensation For Victims
Under the bill, courts may award compensation to victims based on the harm caused.
The bill includes limited exemptions for material published in good faith for public good, education, science, literature, art, heritage or religious purposes, provided it does not promote hate.
Executive Magistrates and senior police officers may also take preventive action if there is reason to believe a hate crime offence is likely.
If an organisation is involved, those responsible for its operations at the time may be held liable unless they prove lack of knowledge or demonstrate due diligence.
Stronger Online Enforcement
A designated state officer will be empowered to direct intermediaries and service providers to block or remove hate-crime content from electronic and digital platforms, drawing parallels with the blocking provisions of the IT Act, 2000.
The bill supplements existing central laws and aligns with the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023, and the Information Technology Act, 2000.
It also grants rule-making powers to the state government and provides protection for officials acting in good faith while enforcing the Act.
The bill is expected to trigger extensive debate in the Assembly over the scope of hate-speech regulation, police powers and implications for freedom of expression.
