The State Cabinet on Thursday approved the Karnataka Hate Speech and Hate Crimes (Prevention) Bill, 2025, to effectively curb, prevent, dissemination, publication or promotion of hate speech and hate crimes, which cause disharmony and hatred in society.
The Bill would be tabled in the Winter session of the State legislature in Belagavi, which would commence on December 8.
Briefing presspersons on the decisions taken at a Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H. K. Patil said the Bill aimed to curb and prevent the dissemination, publication or promotion of hate speech and hate crimes, which cause disharmony and hatred in society, against the person or group of persons and organisations and provide punishment for such crimes.
The Bill also envisages adequate compensation to the victims. It said hate speech includes any expression which is made, published, or circulated in words, either spoken or written, or by signs or by visible representations or through electronic communication in public view, with an intention to cause injury, disharmony, or feelings of enmity or hatred or ill-will against a person alive or dead, a class or group of persons, or a community to meet any prejudicial interest.
The prejudicial interest includes religion, race, caste or community, sex, gender, sexual orientation, place of birth, residence, language, disability or tribe.
The punishment for hate crime includes imprisonment from one to seven years and a fine of ₹50,000.
For subsequent crimes or repetitive offences, the punishment would be not less than two years, and it would be extended up to 10 years with a fine of ₹1 lakh.
The offences are cognisable, non-bailable, and triable by the Judicial Magistrate First Class.
The above provisions would not extended to any textbook, pamphlet, paper, writing, drawing, painting representation or figure in the electronic media or the publication of which is proved to be justified in the interest of the public good.
The provisions of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 would be applied, the Bill said. The provisions of the Bill would also be applicable to oganisations or institutions.
The designated officer of the State government would be empowered to direct any service provider, intermediaries, person or entity to block or remove the hate crime materials from its domain including electronic media, the Bill said.
Published – December 04, 2025 08:05 pm IST
