The Bangalore Apartments Federation (BAF) has urged the Karnataka government to pass the long-pending Karnataka Apartment Ownership and Management Act (KAOMA) 2025 in the ongoing Budget Session, while also calling for the withdrawal of what it termed ‘discriminatory’ solid waste management charges imposed on housing societies.
The federation members have expressed concern over delays in introducing the legislation, which is expected to replace the existing 1972 Act governing apartment ownership and management in the state. Aimed at addressing long-standing gaps in the current regulatory framework, the proposed legislation is expected to replace the decades-old Karnataka Apartment Ownership Act, bringing greater clarity to issues such as land rights, ownership and maintenance of common areas.
BAF claimed that, despite assurances by Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar and the draft having been ready since July 2025, the bill has not yet been tabled in the Assembly. The federation noted that public consultations had already been completed, but no further legislative steps had followed.
Also Read: Karnataka’s new Apartment Ownership Act nearly ready: What you need to know
Satish Mallya, president of BAF, said that the absence of an updated legal framework is making it difficult for residents to manage associations, resolve disputes and safeguard ownership rights.
This development follows a statement last year by Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, who announced that the state was working on a uniform law to address homebuyers’ concerns. “We will introduce a new apartment ownership Act under the purview of the RERA Act, which will replace the Karnataka Apartment Ownership Act, 1972,” he had said.
The state government is already in the final stages of drafting a new Apartment Ownership Act, Hindustan Times Real Estate reported earlier.
Any new framework governing apartment ownership in Karnataka must align with Section 17 of the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016, which requires developers to transfer common areas to the association of allottees in accordance with applicable laws, Akash Bantia, an advocate, said.
He said that the Karnataka Apartment Ownership Act, 1972, no longer reflects current urban realities, noting that it has struggled to keep pace with the rapid growth of apartment-based housing in cities like Bengaluru, driven by the IT sector boom.
Also Read: Karnataka government moves to roll out Apartment Bill 2025: All you need to know
Waste charges spark backlash among apartment residents
The federation also raised concerns about recent user-fee changes introduced by Bengaluru Solid Waste Management Limited (BSWML), under which apartment complexes with over 100 units are being classified as bulk waste generators.
Under the revised structure, independent houses pay a nominal monthly fee of ₹ 100 through property tax, while apartment residents are charged ₹12 per kilogram of waste, plus 18% GST. According to BAF, this translates to roughly ₹360 per flat per month, a 600% increase, placing a significant financial burden on large housing societies.
“Our communities are committed to sustainable waste management and have followed in-situ wet waste processing and source segregation since 2016. However, punishing us with exorbitant fees and treating families in flats differently from those in independent houses is severe discrimination,” BAF said.
To address the issue, BAF proposed measures, including eliminating direct vendor payments to avoid GST implications, introducing a compost buyback system, and ensuring stakeholder consultation before revising charges.