Bengaluru, Dec 2 (IANS) The Bangalore Apartments’ Federation (BAF), representing more than 1,400 apartment and villa Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs), on Tuesday, demanded the Congress-led Karnataka government to table and implement the crucial Karnataka Apartment Ownership and Management Act (KAOMA) during the upcoming Assembly session in Belagavi.
The Winter session of the Karnataka Assembly is scheduled between December 8 and 19.
Representing the interests of more than 3.5 lakh households and nearly 15 lakh people, BAF said that the state government must immediately update the archaic Karnataka Apartment Ownership Act, 1972, to end the administrative chaos and litigation caused by the lack of clear management and ownership rights, the official statement said.
BAF President Satish Mallya, while addressing a press conference, said, “Implementing a comprehensive legal framework for apartment owners has been BAF’s primary demand for years, a commitment both the Congress and BJP included in their manifestos. With two-and-a-half years passed since the Congress government came to power, this is no longer a mere request, but an urgent legislative demand. The delay, the legal vacuum, and the lack of clarity have severely impacted lakhs of homeowners who deserve protection.”
BAF General Secretary, K. Arun Kumar, highlighted the lack of action, saying: “It has been almost two years since the Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, who is also the Bengaluru Development Minister, assured the state Assembly that the new law was being drafted and would be tabled soon. We demand that this new legislation, which addresses critical issues like conveyance and redevelopment, be tabled immediately in the upcoming Assembly session in Belagavi.”
BAF Treasurer, Kiran Hebbar, concluded, “We eagerly await the swift enactment of this new Act, which will be a landmark moment for governance and a massive relief for residents across Karnataka.”
According to the official statement, BAF’s detailed proposal urges the state government to include non-negotiable provisions for: “Clear transfer of property rights and Undivided Share (UDS) from builders/promoters to owners; strengthening owners’ associations with clear formation rules, registration mechanisms, and enforcement power for bye-laws; establishing a dedicated, clear, and swift mechanism for resolving conflicts including provisions for ‘Amalgamation’ and ‘Redevelopment’ to manage aging apartment complexes effectively; consolidating governance under one powerful Act, the Karnataka Apartment Ownership and Management Act (KAOMA) instead of relying on fragmented, multiple laws.
–IANS
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