The Siddaramaiah-led Congress authorities in Karnataka has proposed a brand new legislation that tackles “honor killings” as a selected class of crime, along with defending the liberty to decide on marriage.
The federal government is bringing this Invoice within the wake of some current caste-linked honor killings within the state. In a single such incident that was reported from a village in Dharwad district on December 21, 2025 and shocked the state, a 20-year-old Lingayat girl was allegedly murdered by her father for marrying a person belonging to the Scheduled Caste (SC) group.
On January 3, Prime Minister Siddaramaiah stated the federal government would introduce a invoice to stop honor killings, citing the December 21 incident, which occurred seven months after 20-year-old Manya Doddamani’s marriage.
Manya’s father and two relations, who have been working within the fields in Inam Veerapur village close to Hubli, allegedly attacked her as a result of they opposed her marriage.
“Particular laws might be launched to curb such crimes sooner or later and create consciousness amongst folks in regards to the legislation. The difficulty might be mentioned within the subsequent Parliament and an acceptable determination might be taken,” the CM had stated on the time.
The invoice, known as the Karnataka Freedom of Alternative in Marriage and Prevention and Prohibition of Crimes within the Identify of Honor and Custom (Eva Nanmava) Invoice, 2026, emphasizes the values of common humanity espoused by the twelfth century saint and social reformer Basavanna.
The phrase “Eva Nammava Eva Nammava” is a reference to Basavanna’s message. Basavanna, who rebelled in opposition to the caste system to put the muse for a Lingayat perception system that built-in all castes, used the phrase “Eva Nammava (“He/She is a part of me”) to emphasise that “all individuals are one.”
The invoice, whereas offering punishment for discrimination in opposition to caste-based people in inter-caste marriages, places the onus on states to establish circumstances the place honor and custom are used to thwart inter-caste marriages, and seeks to offer shelter to such {couples} going through threats.
“The persistence of caste-based discrimination in Karnataka continues to present itself in brutal types of violence, together with honor killings, particularly in opposition to younger folks exercising their constitutional proper to decide on a life accomplice via inter-caste marriages,” the assertion of objects and causes for the draft invoice stated.
The legislation states that the penalties prescribed by the Bharatiya Janata Social gathering (BNS) in 2023 for crimes reminiscent of homicide, assault, and legal intimidation don’t adequately tackle the particular social motive of preserving what’s perceived as “caste honor” or a variety of coercive practices starting from performing dying rites (titi) on residing daughters, denying them reliable inheritance rights, social ostracism, and insidious makes an attempt to inflict hurt via wrongdoing. Poisoning or different covert means. ”
“Such acts not solely violate the elemental rights assured underneath Articles 14, 15, 19 and 21 of the Structure of India, but additionally undermine the imaginative and prescient of social reformers like Sree Basavanna and Dr. BR Ambedkar, who advocated inter-caste marriage as a method of eradicating caste hierarchy,” the invoice says.
“Present legal guidelines lack constructive mechanisms for the restoration of civil rights, reminiscent of safety for {couples} in danger, obligatory police intervention, speedy sentencing, and inheritance. Within the absence of devoted laws, perpetrators usually escape harsh punishment, and victims and survivors obtain insufficient redress and rehabilitation,” the invoice states.
“The Indian Structure enshrines the precept of fraternity as important to making sure the dignity of the person and the unity and integrity of the nation, and this precept requires the eradication of caste-based discrimination and the promotion of social solidarity via the popularity and safety of inter-caste marriages,” it added.
Function of the invoice
The invoice goals to stop human rights violations, deliver honor to inter-caste marriages, forestall the imposition of caste-based discrimination in opposition to particular person selections, and create a discussion board known as “Eva Nanmava, Eva Nanmava” to advertise marriage. It defines social boycott of inter-caste {couples} as forcible eviction to distant corners of villages; refusal to offer providers, present work and conduct enterprise; and denial of loans and faculty admissions. All these acts might be punishable underneath the brand new legislation.
The invoice states that “As soon as two adults have consented to marriage, the consent of the individuals’ mother and father, household, caste, or clan is just not required.”
The invoice stipulates a minimal sentence of 5 years’ imprisonment for honor killings, three years’ imprisonment for critical bodily harm, and two years’ imprisonment for minor bodily harm.
The invoice proposes three to 5 years in jail for these concerned in blackmailing or intimidating intercaste {couples}, and members of the accused group may very well be sentenced to 6 months to 5 years in jail. The offenses underneath the proposed legislation are cognisable and non-bailable.
The invoice proposes that inter-caste {couples} submit a declaration to their native police station previous to marriage, which the district Justice of the Peace will test in opposition to police intervention sought by households who object. The declaration will nevertheless not be a precondition for an inter-caste marriage, it states.
The proposed invoice would additionally empower civil courts to grant injunctions in opposition to interference with inter-caste marriages by others, upon utility to civil courts.
The onus of safety of inter-caste marriages might be on the state, says the Invoice. “It’s the obligation of state governments to offer properties and secure locations for {couples} in want of safety. These shelters ought to have enough safety to guard them, with due consideration for the privateness of {couples}.”
Authorities officers neglecting duties outlined within the proposed legislation might be liable to face departmental motion, the Invoice says. The implementation of the legislation might be supervised by districts whereas particular courts might be arrange for trials.
The December 21 incident was one among three murders associated to inter-caste marriages reported throughout the state in 2025. In April final 12 months, a 17-year-old lady from the OBC Kuruba group was allegedly murdered by her father in Raichur after eloping with a Dalit boy. In September, an 18-year outdated Lingayat lady was apparently killed by her father over her relationship with a Kuruba boy.
Throughout the winter session of the state meeting final month, the federal government handed the Karnataka Social Boycott (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Invoice, 2025 to curb social boycott, discrimination and social problems at numerous ranges. The federal government additionally handed the Karnataka Hate Speech and Hate Crimes (Prevention and Management) Invoice, 2025. Nevertheless, neither of those payments has but obtained the governor’s approval.
