Karnataka govt convenes apartment stakeholder consultation

Bengaluru, Jul 14 (PTI) The Karnataka government has convened a stakeholder consultation on Wednesday to seek suggestions on a proposed comprehensive law governing apartment ownership, governance and management, following "long-standing demands from apartment owners" for legislation suited to present-day requirements. Bengaluru Development Minister Krishna Byre Gowda, in a statement on Tuesday, said the draft Bill has been prepared under the guidance of Chief Minister D K Shivakumar and would be discussed with stakeholders before being taken forward. The consultation will be held at 11.00 am on Wednesday at the Jawaharlal Nehru Planetarium conference hall. The chief minister is scheduled to attend the event. "For many years, apartment owners have called for a new law that better addresses their needs relating to ownership, governance, and management. Our Government has taken note of these citizen demands," Gowda said. "Before taking the draft bill forward, we would like to seek the views and suggestions of all stakeholders," the minister said and invited stakeholders to participate and share their suggestions to help shape "this important legislation". Welcoming the initiative, Bangalore Apartments' Federation (BAF) Treasurer Kiran Hebbar said the existing legal framework no longer reflected the realities of a city where apartment living had become widespread. "This Act was amended in 1972. At that time, there were hardly any apartment complexes in Bengaluru, maybe very few. Today, out of Bengaluru's population of around 15 million (1.5 crore), nearly 3 million (30 lakh) people, or about 20 per cent of the population, live in apartments," Hebbar said. "So, there is a huge difference between the laws framed then and today's requirements. We demand that the government bring in a comprehensive amendment Bill that addresses present-day needs. There are several loopholes in the existing law, and we want those to be streamlined as much as possible," he added. PTI GMS ADB