Karnataka proposes structural audits for ageing apartments under new ownership law

Bengaluru: The Karnataka government on Wednesday unveiled a draft law proposing mandatory structural stability certification for apartment buildings once they complete 30 years, followed by inspections every five years thereafter.

The proposed Karnataka Apartment (Ownership and Management) Bill, 2026, released by Chief Minister DK Shivakumar and Bengaluru Development Minister Krishna Byre Gowda, seeks to replace the existing legal framework governing apartment ownership and management while addressing long-pending issues such as calculation of undivided share and residents' rights.

The draft legislation mandates forming an association of allottees within three months of more than half the apartments in a project being booked. It also provides for a structured dispute resolution mechanism with a two-tier appellate system.


Interacting with representatives of apartment owners' associations, Shivakumar said the proposed law aimed at protecting homebuyers' interests and ensuring clear ownership rights while resolving long-pending civic and property-related issues.

"Our priority is to ensure that people who invest their life savings in purchasing homes enjoy hassle-free ownership and property rights," he said.

The CM invited apartment owners and other stakeholders to submit suggestions on the draft Bill to Byre Gowda by August 6, saying the legislation was framed with homebuyers' interests as the primary consideration.

Shivakumar said the government had issued 2.6 million e-khatas out of nearly four million properties in Bengaluru, describing it as the country's largest property digitisation exercise.

He also acknowledged delays in property document transfers by some developers and said the government would engage with builders to streamline and expedite the process.

The CM said the government was addressing Bengaluru's infrastructure needs through projects including the Cauvery Phase V water supply scheme, groundwater recharge initiatives, underground drainage upgrades and the 132-km Bengaluru Business Corridor, also known as the Peripheral Ring Road.

Reiterating the government's ambition to position Bengaluru as a global city, Shivakumar said investor interest in the city remained strong and that the proposed second airport would further enhance its attractiveness as an investment destination.

Responding to suggestions from residents, he said the government was also examining making rainwater harvesting mandatory in apartment complexes as part of its sustainable urban development strategy.

Ministers Krishna Byre Gowda, KJ George and Byrathi Suresh, along with BDA chairman NA Haris, were present at the meeting.